MSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program

If you're a post-BSN applicant interested in advanced nursing practice or a post-master's applicant who works in advanced nursing practice, the Duke University School of Nursing's (DUSON) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program provides skills and tools that enable you to: Assess published evidence to inform your practice Improve systems of care to influence patient outcomes Make changes to enhance quality of care, when needed Graduates of our DNP program are nurse leaders in interdisciplinary health care teams and work to improve systems of care, patient outcomes, quality and safety. Our program is flexible enough to accommodate nurses working in advanced practice positions and students who have earned a bachelor's degree in nursing and now want to pursue a DNP while earning an advanced nursing practice specialty. Why Choose Duke University School of Nursing Duke's DNP program offers advantages such as: Comprehensive 3-day on-campus orientation Online courses with 4 executive on-campus sessions (2-3 days per session; October, February, June, October) (August or January new student orientation pending if admitted Fall or Spring entry) Pursue your degree without leaving your job Faculty with broad experience in advanced clinical practice, leadership, and patient safety DNP project can be conducted at your place of employment MSN to DNP (minimum of 35 credits) Nurses with an earned Master of Science in Nursing degree are eligible to apply for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program if their master’s degree is in an advanced practice specialty. Advanced practice is defined as direct care specialization (e.g., nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife) or indirect care specialization (e.g., nursing administration, health informatics). The curriculum for these students recognizes their attainment of the advanced practice specialty master’s degree. Depending on the advanced practice specialty, students may or may not have prerequisites to meet prior to or concurrent with admission to the program. Students pursuing the MSN to DNP pathway begin classes in the fall semester. The curriculum is offered online with executive-style on-campus sessions (2 to 3 days) once a semester for the first 4 semesters of the program. Typically, students work full time and take 2 courses per semester for 5 to 6 semesters. The DNP project is usually conducted at the student’s place of employment.