Nursing (D.N.P.)

Nursing (D.N.P.)

stethoscope with computer and papers

Our online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed to meet the growing demand for the highest level of healthcare leadership and innovation. We prepare students for leadership by developing their skills and evidenced-based clinical and management competencies to transform healthcare delivery. Our DNP graduates lead interdisciplinary teams to build innovative quality and safety standards across the healthcare system.

Credit Hours: 21-33   |    Program Length: 18-28 months  |   Tuition Cost

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Why get a Doctorate of Nursing Practice?

Our nation’s complex healthcare environment has created a great demand for innovative nurse leaders with specialized knowledge and advanced nursing practice expertise.The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a doctoral degree that prepares nurses for the highest level of nursing practice. DNP preparation includes enhanced leadership, evidenced-based clinical and management knowledge and skills, and development of advanced competencies for transforming healthcare delivery and practice for quality and safety.

Why choose UNH's Doctor of Nursing Practice program?

This online DNP is designed for nurses with a master’s degree who wish to advance their skills. Graduates are positioned to assume leadership roles in healthcare innovation. UNH faculty are leaders in their field and committed to your success. A dedicated faculty advisor will help you balance the workload and manage your academic schedule. With small class sizes, our asynchronous program gives you the flexibility to complete coursework on your own schedule, a great option for working professionals. We offer several opportunities for on-campus visits during the program, including the doctoral symposium and graduation.Begin in January or August, and complete the coursework in 18-28 months.

Potential Careers

  • Advanced nurse practitioner
  • Chief executive officer
  • Chief nursing officer
  • Clinical nurse manager
  • Clinical nursing faculty
  • Director of nursing
  • Director of outpatient services
  • Director of quality &safety
  • Healthcare innovation officer

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The Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship

The Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship aims to strengthen leadership and innovation by empowering nurses to accelerate healthcare transformation. Read about this fellowship opportunity through the eyes of a UNH nursing graduate.

Briana White, UNH DNP Graduate

 

CULTIVATING INNOVATION - FINDING THE GRACE

Briana White, Doctor of Nursing Practice '22G and participant in the prestigious Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship from 2019 to 2022 (sponsored by the Center of Creative Leadership, Johnson & Johnson and Nurse Approved), was eager to make an impact in the ever-changing nursing industry.

Thrilled to be involved in a program that nurtures a spirit of innovation intended to change the landscape of healthcare through the triad of education, mentorship, and leadership, she used her current home care management experience to sculpt her DNP scholarly project. Her fellowship project implemented these principles to create a first-in-nation model of care for home health. Learn more here >  

Curriculum & Requirements

The online Post Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (PM DNP) program is for nurses with a master’s degree in nursing or another field who bring their own knowledge, interests, expertise, and insights to this leadership specialty. Students build on these assets while focusing on innovative design and implementation in the healthcare setting.

PM DNP admits cohorts twice a year with start dates in January and August. Applicants will be scheduled for a virtual interview when their application is complete. Asynchronous courses are delivered 100% online in 8-week blocks so students may plan their own study times. The PM DNP program can be completed in 2.5 years or in 1.5 years with an accelerated plan of study.

The PM DNP curriculum has 8 core courses and 3 DNP Scholarly Project courses (11 courses; 33 credits).  Once a student is admitted, a doctoral committee reviews their graduate transcripts and may grant a course waiver for equivalency with one or more DNP core courses. Individual plans of study are created around each student’s needs and interests. Students may apply up to 500 hours earned during their master’s program toward the 1,000 required practicum hours.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Admission Requirements

1.  Applicants must hold a master's degree.  A minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA for graduate work is preferred.
2.  Registered Nurse licensure: An unencumbered registered nurse license in the United States
3.  Letters of recommendation: Three letters of reference pertaining to academic ability, professional competency, and personal character are required.
4.  Updated resume
5.  Professional statement: The professional statement must include a written essay responding to each of the following:

a.  How will a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from the University of New Hampshire help you attain your professional goals?
b.  Describe your current advanced nursing role, or if you are pursuing a new specialty, explain what you are planning to do with your nursing career in your specialty after you complete the DNP.
c.  In addition to the information contained in your resume, what strengths do you possess that would contribute to your success in the DNP program and in a community of interprofessional scholars?
d.  Identify one scholarly inquiry from your practice you would like to explore as part of the DNP program (e.g., quality improvement initiative, evidence­-based practice guidelines, new model of care, policy analysis). 

6.  Interview: After initial review of the application, applicants may be contacted for an interview.

Post Master’s DNP program (33 credits; 500 practicum hours)

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (Post-Master’s entry) requires students complete 21-33 credits via 11 courses.  The online DNP program aims to produce graduates prepared to improve health and care outcomes through coursework in organizational and systems leadership, quality improvement processes, and translation of evidence into practice, to name a few.

Degree Requirements

NURS 933Applied Analytics for QI in Health Care3
NURS 960Healthcare Finance Management3
NURS 963Biostats and Epidemiology3
NURS 964Information Systems and Technology Improvement3
NURS 966Creative Leadership: Embracing Disruption and Innovation3
NURS 967Evidence Based Practice Methods3
NURS 969Health Systems Policy, Economics & Financial Planning3
NURS 973Quality & Safety3
NURS 980Doctoral Scholarly Project I3
NURS 981Doctoral Scholarly Project II3
NURS 982Doctoral Scholarly Project III3

Students are required to successfully complete DNP coursework, have 1,000 documented advanced practice clinical hours (includes up to 500 clinical hours earned in master's program), produce a publishable scholarly paper, and present their DNP Project.

If a student completed fewer than 500 clinical hours in their Master’s program, the student must enroll in NURS 970 Clinical Practicum for Advanced Practice Nurse, under the supervision of the DNP director.  NURS 970 is a 2-credit course and allows the student to complete up to 250 clinical practicum hours; this course may be repeated once. 

  • Employ strategic leadership skills to shape practice environments to produce positive, patient centered, healthcare outcomes at individual and system levels.
  • Serve in a healthcare leadership and change agent role as part of a diverse, complex, and patient-centered health care system.
  • Act as a practice scholar to design, direct and evaluate system changes to promote safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable and patient-centered care.
  • Use data analytic methods, information systems and technology to evaluate, integrate and apply knowledge that will improve programs of care, outcomes of care and care systems.
  • Use translational science and analytic methods to develop, identify, implement, and evaluate best practices to improve health care and health care systems.
  • Design and implement health promotion and clinical prevention strategies across the health/illness continuum to optimize health and disease management.
  • Systematically use improvement methods to monitor and evaluate care processes and outcomes and applies data for continuous improvement and safety
  • Advocate for social justice through policy, professional and political engagement.
  • Applies leadership principles that support inter-professional practice.
  • Facilitate interprofessional collaboration to implement practice models, peer review, practice guidelines, health policy, and standards of care.

Deadline

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

  • Fall: June 1
  • Spring: November 1
  • Special: Applications accepted on a rolling basis, with priority consideration for applicants who submit application and supplemental materials by deadlines

Application fee: $65

Campus: Online

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester and UNH Non-Degree work. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your official transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

  • Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
  • Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Three letters of reference pertaining to academic ability, professional competency, and personal character are required.

Personal Statement

Prepare a brief statement regarding: 

  1. Reasons to pursue graduate work, include short- and long-range goals for a doctoral degree. 
  2. Your specific research or professional interest as they pertain to the degree for which you are applying. 
  3. Your personal philosophy of nursing and your vision for the future of nursing as a nurse leader. 

 

Statements must be included with your submitted application.

Resume

Curriculum vitae or resume that includes academic preparation, clinical experience and professional activities is required.

Additional Department Requirements

In addition to the standard graduate school requirements, the program requires the following:

  1. An unencumbered RN or APRN license in the United States must be documented at the time of application.
  2. RNs with a master's degree in any field are eligible to apply. Plans of study will be individualized for students without a master's in nursing on a case-by-case basis.
  3. Qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

Questions

For program-specific application questions, please contact the UNH Online Student Success Coaches: unh.online@unh.edu or 855.250.6699

 

BECOME A LEADER FROM THE BEDSIDE TO THE BOARDROOM

Experience excellence in nursing with New Hampshire's first DNP Program. Nurses with expanded expertise have the ability to shape care at many levels, from improving care for patients and families to reducing health disparities in their communities to leading positive, systems-level change in their organizations.

Explore Program Details

Students participate in an online synchronous orientation to get them started in the program and they have one on one access to faculty mentors and their advisor for project development. Students are encouraged to come to campus to present their final DNP project during the DNP scholarly symposium.

While in the online Doctor of Nursing Practice program, students are required to successfully complete all DNP coursework, have 1,000 documented advanced practice clinical hours (including up to 500 clinical hours earned in the master's program), produce a publishable scholarly paper, and successfully present their DNP Project.

DNP projects are designed in consultation with faculty and content experts. This allows DNP students to develop knowledge, skills, and strategies for a quality improvement project.  Students assume the role of leader of their DNP project team in interdisciplinary collaboration, consultation, and partnership as they plan and implement their project. The DNP project proposal is developed in NURS 980, Doctoral Scholarly Project I; the project is implemented in NURS 981, Doctoral Scholarly Project II; and then evaluated and disseminated during their final course, NURS 982, Doctoral Scholarly Project III.

Tuition & Fees:

Tuition for 2022-23 Academic Year*:

  • $785 per credit for New Hampshire (NH) residents
  • $865 per credit for non-NH residents                                                                  

Program Total Number of Credits: 21-33

Technology Fee per Semester:

  • 1-4 credits $27.00
  • 5-8 credits $53.50
  • 9-16 credits $107.00

ADDITIONAL TUITION & FEES INFORMATION 

Financial Aid

Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans is the form of federal financial aid available to Graduate Students. To apply, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The UNH priority deadline is March 1. This is the date by which the FAFSA must be received by the federal processor, however, if your application is received after March 1st you will still be considered for the Federal Direct Loan, which is not subject to the priority deadline.

The basic eligibility requirements to be considered for Financial Aid include:

  • Attend classes at least half-time (5 or more credits per semester).
  • Enrollment in a degree program.
  • Documentation of United States citizenship or eligible non-citizen status.
  • Must maintain satisfactory academic progress.

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION

Eight of the 11 online Doctor of Nursing Practice courses are delivered in an 8-week term. These courses are condensed and move at a faster pace than traditional full-semester courses. The three Doctoral Scholarly Project courses (NURS 980, NURS 981, NURS 982) span 40 weeks in order to give students ample time to complete their DNP Project.

SAMPLE SCHEDULE - STARTING IN FALL

SAMPLE SCHEDULE - STARTING IN SPRING

Department of Nursing Mission and Vision

We educate leaders in nursing, engaging in reflective practice, to provide innovative and exemplary healthcare in partnership with individuals, families, groups, and communities. We transform the delivery of healthcare through the generation, dissemination, and application of evidence-based nursing knowledge.

We embrace a culture that embodies the University's and the College's vision, mission, and values of interdisciplinarity, scholarship, innovation, integrity, curiosity, openness, and sustainability. 

 

Faculty & Student Spotlights

  • DNP '22G
    The Wellspring of Patient Care- "By approaching each day with humility and gratitude, I celebrate the privilege of being a nurse and caregiver. I strive to bring my best to the daily work of taking care of patients and lifting up my colleagues."
    DNP '22G
    The Wellspring of Patient Care- "By approaching each day with humility and gratitude, I celebrate the privilege of being a nurse and caregiver. I strive to bring my best to the daily work of taking care of patients and lifting up my colleagues."
  • Radiating Kindness
    "As a Family Nurse Practitioner, the most important part of my job is to listen to patients. I try to listen and offer them kindness during tough times." Hailing from Ontario, Canada, Tania Centra has traveled to many parts of the United States in her professional capacity. With a nursing degree...
    Radiating Kindness
    "As a Family Nurse Practitioner, the most important part of my job is to listen to patients. I try to listen and offer them kindness during tough times." Hailing from Ontario, Canada, Tania Centra has traveled to many parts of the United States in her professional capacity. With a nursing degree...
  • Igniting the Spark
    The bright beacon of service is a calling card for Darius Love with his dual passions of neuroscience nursing and nurturing leadership in others. "I did not select a leadership role – it happened to me. Early in my career, a nurse manager saw the potential within me and opened the door to self-...
    Igniting the Spark
    The bright beacon of service is a calling card for Darius Love with his dual passions of neuroscience nursing and nurturing leadership in others. "I did not select a leadership role – it happened to me. Early in my career, a nurse manager saw the potential within me and opened the door to self-...
  • Keys to Freedom
    “Education holds the keys to creating our freedom to choose what we want to do and to give something back to our communities.” With multiple diplomas framed on her wall, 2021 UNH Online graduate of the DNP program Melinda Linane believes in the value of education as the bellwether of a satisfying...
    Keys to Freedom
    “Education holds the keys to creating our freedom to choose what we want to do and to give something back to our communities.” With multiple diplomas framed on her wall, 2021 UNH Online graduate of the DNP program Melinda Linane believes in the value of education as the bellwether of a satisfying...
  • Eyes on the Prize
    "After working in urban hospitals for a period of years, I wanted something different so my family packed up and moved to northern New Hampshire in the dead of winter where I began a new job with a rural hospital. We love the area and I have worked hard to advance through the ranks to the level of...
    Eyes on the Prize
    "After working in urban hospitals for a period of years, I wanted something different so my family packed up and moved to northern New Hampshire in the dead of winter where I began a new job with a rural hospital. We love the area and I have worked hard to advance through the ranks to the level of...