Virtual Open House Thursday, December 4: 5–6:30pm
Join us at one of our upcoming virtual Graduate School Open House events on Zoom!
You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵapp, participate
in a Q&A with current students, and meet key program representatives.
The Doctor's of Nursing Practice Program prepares graduates who will practice nursing
at the highest level of their specialty and will be employed in various patient care
settings including primary care settings, hospitals, public health agencies, home
health, and community-based settings. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the
terminal practice degree in Nursing, and builds upon the student's current knowledge
of clinical practice. The DNP program educates nurses prepared in advanced practice
nursing roles (NP, CRNA, CNL, CNM, and CNS) or health systems/organizational leadership
in clinical inquiry, scholarship, policy, and innovation in health care. The DNP doctorate
prepares graduates to analyze systems of care and provide transformational leadership
to improve patient safety, quality of care, and implement evidence-based, culturally-competent,
and inclusive-care practices.
What You'll Learn
The D.N.P. is a 42-semester hour (post-master level) program that also includes 1,000
clinical practice hours (including 500 from MSN program). The classroom curriculum
will focus on subjects like Health Care Policy and Ethics; Global Health and Social
Justice; Economics of the Health Care System; and other 800-level courses. During
your clinical residency you will also complete a Scholarly Project that will address
complex issues affecting groups of patients, health care organizations or health care
systems. The Scholarly Project utilizes a student’s understanding of informatics,
technology, and in-depth knowledge of the clinical and behavioral sciences.
Where You'll Go
A D.N.P. gives you the opportunity to continue clinical work at a public hospital
or private practice, advance to administrative roles in the health care system, teach
postsecondary courses to the next generation of nurses, research best practice policies
or pursue other professional opportunities. According to NursingLink.com the average
salary for D.N.P. degree holders is $95,000. If you’re looking to explore teaching,
the American Association of Colleges of Nursing states there is a shortage of qualified
nursing faculty with doctoral-level degrees.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree is for students already in possession of a Master
of Science in Nursing who are looking to work at the highest clinical level. This
doctoral degree will give you the opportunity to hold leadership roles within the
health care system of public and private practices, can lead to administrative opportunities
or you can choose to pursue teaching in a postsecondary environment. This program
is a partnership between the Schools of Nursing at Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵapp and
the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Explore the College of Health and Human Sciences to learn more about its programs and opportunities.
Degree Options
School
College of Health and Human Sciences
Location
Main Campus – Cullowhee (with some online/hybrid components depending on concentration)
Length
Full-Time
Time to Complete:
34–42 post-master graduate credit hours, depending on pathway and clinical hour verification
Credits:
1,000 total clinical practice hours (includes 500 from prior MSN program)
App Deadline:
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis
More Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵapp Our Doctor of Nursing Practice Program
The DNP program at WCU, offered in partnership with UNC Charlotte, prepares advanced
nursing professionals for the highest level of clinical practice. Students build on
their existing expertise to develop leadership skills in systems improvement, patient
safety, and evidence-based, culturally competent care. Through online coursework,
immersive learning experiences, and a practice-focused scholarly project, graduates
are equipped to lead healthcare teams, influence outcomes, and advance quality care
across diverse clinical settings.
The DNP equips advanced nursing professionals with high-level leadership, clinical
reasoning, and system-level decision-making skills. Graduates are prepared to elevate
patient care, guide organizational change, and influence health outcomes across diverse
practice settings.
Applicants must also document 500 supervised clinical hours from their MSN program or provide proof of an approved national certification. Those
with fewer than 500 hours must meet with the Program Director to develop a clinical
plan.
Students complete a comprehensive DNP Scholarly Project addressing complex health
practice issues at the patient, organizational, or system level. The project culminates
in a public defense and a manuscript suitable for publication.
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