Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice
Prepare for advanced clinical and leadership roles.
Quick Facts
years to complete
total credit hours
per credit hour
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Earn Nursing’s Highest Credential With a Top-Ranked University
Maximize your career potential and prepare to take on advanced clinical and leadership roles and enhancing your ability to design, implement, manage and evaluate health care delivery systems.
With a focus on clinical practice, this program is ideal for those with a desire to improve patient and population health outcomes, combined with a passion for solving systemic problems. You’ll train specifically for advanced clinical and leadership roles and gain a competitive advantage over master’s-educated nurses.
Ranked #218 among national universities by U.S. News & World Report for 2020,1 as well as one of The Princeton Review‘s Best 385 Colleges, Sacred Heart University offers you a doctorate that is truly unique in the market.
Career Outlook: Unlock Multiple Opportunities
Maximize your career opportunities in advanced clinical practice and executive health care leadership with the DNP program. You’ll qualify for roles with a median annual income of $113,930 and projected growth rate of 26 percent through 2028.2
Positions such as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist and Certified Nurse Midwife allow you to continue to work with patients, while positions such as Director of Nursing and Executive VP of Healthcare let you step back and manage a team from a higher level, focusing more on management-related challenges.
CAREERS AND SALARIES
Curriculum: Practice-Focused Degree
Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program consists of 14 courses and 39 credit hours; 12 of these 39 credit hours will focus on the selection and completion of the post-master’s DNP scholarly project.
Explore the interrelationship between policy, advocacy and ethics on clinical practice, learn to identify key processes involved in optimal patient safety, examine methods for describing disease rates and other vital statistics, and much more.
The DNP curriculum includes a scholarly practice project in which you’ll use your research to improve critical care delivery and patient outcomes.
PREVIEW COURSESProgram Outcomes: Enhance Your Leadership Potential
Through the online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, you will be prepared to:
- Assume complex leadership roles in clinical practice areas
- Lead teams that focus on improving health care quality
- Develop strategies to translate research into practice regimens
- Expand your knowledge base to improve nursing practice and patient outcomes
- Evaluate, determine, and implement the best evidence for practice
- Help define advanced nursing care in the ever-changing healthcare system
Admission Requirements
The following are some of the essential admission requirements for the online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program:
- Completed application
- 3.2 minimum GPA
- Master of Science in Nursing or a master’s degree with a concentration in nursing (including an undergraduate statistics course)
- Current U.S. licensure as a registered nurse in your state of residence
- Current advanced practice nursing licensure and certification documents
- Proof of individual and professional liability insurance
Tuition Details
The DNP program from Sacred Heart University costs $995 per credit and features 39 total credit hours. Affordability and transparency are priorities at SHU. We want you to have everything you need in order to make a decision about investing in a high-quality education.
TUITION AND FEESFaculty: Side-by-Side Support
Highly focused on leadership and practice, the faculty at Sacred Heart University consists of doctorally prepared professors who will work side-by-side with you as you complete your degree.
Accommodate your busy schedule and learn when and where it’s convenient for you. As an online student, you’ll work with the same accomplished faculty, receive one-on-one support and benefit from the same opportunities as our on-campus students.
ONLINE AT SHUAt Sacred Heart University, we strive to keep our programs affordable and encourage you to explore all of your financial aid options, including federal aid, military benefits and available scholarships.
FINANCIAL AIDFrequently Asked Questions
If you have a question we don’t cover here, request more information or call 877-791-7181.
To be considered eligible for the online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, you must have a Master of Science in Nursing or its equivalent from an accredited college (including an undergraduate statistics course) with a minimum GPA of 3.2.
Other requirements can be found on the Admission Requirements page.
Students of the online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program have the option of starting in the fall or the spring. Because it can take time to complete and review applications, the best time to apply is now.
For more information about application deadlines, request more information or call us at 877-791-7181.
You can apply today. If you have further questions, you can request more information online or call us at 877-791-7181.
Yes. The online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). In addition, Sacred Heart University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), one of six regional associations in the United States that accredit schools and colleges.
Students can choose to complete the online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program on a full-time or part-time basis. In addition, the program is asynchronous and can be completed in as few as three years or as many six.
You will identify an agency mentor as you progress through the program. What is important to decide before admission is your area of clinical interest.
Sources:
- U.S. News & World Report (2020). Sacred Heart University. Retrieved November 6, 2019, from https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/sacred-heart-university-1403.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019 September 4). Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved October 16, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm