Ready to Apply?
Apply NowNursing Practice, D.N.P.
Course Delivery: 80-99% Online
Total Credits: 37
In-State Tuition Per Credit: $728.00
Out-of-State Tuition Per Credit: $728.00
Cost of attendance may vary by campus. View the total cost calculator
Degree Overview
As a student in the Doctor of Nursing in Nursing Practice, you can pursue one of two tracks: executive leadership or advanced clinical.
The executive leadership track provides the skills you need for a career in high-level administration and management. You will be prepared to lead teams, work at the highest level of advanced practice, manage a service line or clinical department, impact health policy, or take on a leadership role in healthcare or education organizations.
The advanced clinical track prepares you for high-demand roles. You’ll know how to synthesize multiple sources of information to transform clinical practice and design sustainable new models of care and/or care delivery systems. The program is designed to advance your career and help the state meet its need for nurses who are skilled in achieving positive population health outcomes.
You’ll graduate with an Indiana University degree respected by employers worldwide—and you can work on yours anytime and anywhere. Plus, you’ll enjoy personalized support services throughout your academic journey.
And the benefits start long before graduation. More than half of IU Online students advance in their careers before they complete their degree.
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
- 3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale
- Master of Science in Nursing from an NLNAC, ACEN, or CCNE-accredited program
- Current, unencumbered RN license
- 3 graduate credit hours in statistics from an accredited four-year university with a grade of 80 percent (3.0) or better
To apply to this program:
Complete an online application that includes:
- Transcripts for all post-secondary coursework completed
- Three professional and/or academic references
- Personal statement (two to three pages, double-spaced)
- Resume or CV
- An example of scholarly writing indicating capacity for original scholarship, demonstrated by reports, published and unpublished articles, or a thesis
- Copy of your current, unencumbered RN license
- Documentation of masters clinical hours completed (Post-MSN tracks only)
Qualified applicants are invited to a formal admission interview with DNP faculty.
Your IU Online Doctor of Nursing in Nursing Practice prepares you to assume such leadership positions as:
- Director of nursing
- Chief nurse officer
- Nursing administrator
- Nurse manager
- Hospital nurse executive
- Clinic nurse executive
To graduate with the D.N.P. degree, you must complete a minimum of 37 credit hours of core coursework.
1,000 total clinical hours are required to complete the DNP program. Students may apply up to 500 clinical hours from prior completed graduate nursing coursework towards the 1000 required clinical hours for the DNP. The remaining 500 clinical hours are achieved through the DNP Project. An MSN Clinical Hours Verification form will be completed by your MSN program at the time of application for Post-MSN track applicants. Students with a gap in clinical hours will complete additional DNP Project credits to achieve 1000 total clinical hours.
Requirements for the DNP Executive Leadership core curriculum are as follows:
- Nursing practice core courses (27 credit hours)
- DNP Practicum / DNP Project courses (7-11 total variable credit hours) (see below)
- Elective courses (3 credit hours)
DNP Practicum / DNP Project courses
- NURS-D 709: Executive Leadership Practicum (1 credit) - OR - Population Health Practicum (1 credit)
- NURS-D 750: DNP Project Planning (1-2 credits)
- NURS-D 760: DNP Project Implementation (2-4 credits)
- NURS-D 770: DNP Project Evaluation & Dissemination (3-4 credits)
Advanced Clinical track
Students in the DNP Advanced Clinical track will take courses NURS-D 708 Population Health Practicum (1 credit) and NURS-D 660 Improving Population Health: Application of Evidence for Individual-Level Behavior Change (3 credits) in lieu of NURS-D 709 and NURS-D 744 respectively.
MBA or MHA to DNP Transition option
Students in the MBA or MHA to DNP Transition option will complete 12 credit hours of MSN Leadership bridge coursework (including 225 clinical hours) prior to starting the DNP core curriculum.
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NURS-D 650 | Data Analysis for Clinical and Administrative Decision Making | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 710 | Analytical Thinking for Evidence-based Practice | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 721 | Advanced Leadership in Complex Systems | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 743 | Trans-Disciplinary Approaches to Influencing Health Policy | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 722 | Theoretical Basis of Project Implementation and Evaluation | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 709 | Executive Leadership Practicum | 1 Credit |
| NURS-D 750 | Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Planning | 1-4 Credits |
| NURS-I 640 | Informatics in Nursing Practice Project Implementation | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 744 | Strategic Resource Leadership in Nursing and Health Systems | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 615 | Performance Improvement and Patient Safety in Health Systems | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 770 | Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Evaluation and Dissemination | 1-4 Credits |
| NURS-D 748 | Leading Patient-Centered Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Environments | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 735 | Population Health Surveillance and Management | 3 Credits |
Advanced Clinical Track
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NURS-D 650 | Data Analysis for Clinical and Administrative Decision Making | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 710 | Analytical Thinking for Evidence-based Practice | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 660 | Improving Population Health: Application of Evidence for Individual-Level Behavior Change | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 743 | Trans-Disciplinary Approaches to Influencing Health Policy | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 722 | Theoretical Basis of Project Implementation and Evaluation | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 708 | Population Health Practicum | 1 Clinical |
| NURS-D 750 | Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Planning | 1-4 Credits |
| NURS-I 640 | Informatics in Nursing Practice Project Implementation | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 760 | Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Implementation | 1-4 Credits |
| NURS-D 721 | Advanced Leadership in Complex Systems | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 615 | Performance Improvement and Patient Safety in Health Systems | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 770 | Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Evaluation and Dissemination | 1-4 Credits |
| NURS-D 748 | Leading Patient-Centered Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Environments | 3 Credits |
| NURS-D 735 | Population Health Surveillance and Management | 3 Credits |
Find course descriptions with our Search Schedule of Classes/Courses tool.
Find the answers you need or start your application. We’re here to help!