Doctor of Nursing Practice

Developing advanced competencies to excel as a Registered Nurse (RN) or advanced practice RN in complex organizations and meet the needs of patients, clients, and communities is more crucial today than ever. To learn more about how Salisbury University's online graduate nursing program can assist you to meet educational and professional goals, attend one of the virtual, information sessions hosted by Dr. Annette Barnes, SON Graduate Program Director.

The School of Nursing (SON) provides several online programs including a (a) post-baccalaureate Healthcare Management (HCM) certificate, (b) MSN degree with Nurse Educator or Healthcare Leadership concentration, (c) DNP degree in Leadership or Leadership/Family Nurse Practitioner, and (d) Family Nurse Practitioner-Certificate of Advance Study (FNP-CAS) for nurses with a DNP degree. Applications open October 15th for early review for Fall 2025 entry.

The dates, times, and registration links are provided below for the information sessions which will last 30-45 minutes. We look forward to meeting you.

Visit our catalog to see the requirements for this program:

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The Post-Master's to D.N.P. - Leadership curriculum is a 38 minimum credit option for individuals in advanced practice roles, including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, nurse administrators, and nurse educators.

Designed for working professionals and available in a distance accessible format, candidates may complete their degree in three years, taking approximately six credits per semester. Individuals who take fewer courses per semester, will take longer to finish. Any students who do not already hold national certification as an Advanced Practice RN may need to take additional credits.

Course work includes: evidence-based practice, health policy and health care systems, health care management, finance, informatics, quality improvement, health promotion and clinical prevention, genetics and genomics. A three-credit graduate elective chosen by the student with the approval of their advisor is used to supplement the core of required courses and is tailored to student interests. All students complete a comprehensive D.N.P. project and 1,000 clinical hours between their master's degree and SU's Post-Master's D.N.P. Program. At least 400 clinical hours must be completed at SU while enrolled in the D.N.P. program.

Visit our catalog to see the requirements for this program:

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The Post-Master's to D.N.P. - FNP curriculum is a 68 minimum credit option for individuals who wish to complete a D.N.P. and be eligible to take a national certification exam to become a family nurse practitioner.

Designed for working professionals and available in an online format, candidates complete their degree in a minimum of four years, taking approximately six to nine credits per semester. Individuals who take fewer courses per semester, will take longer to finish.

Course work includes evidence-based practice, health policy and health care systems, health care management, finance, informatics, quality improvement, health promotion and clinical prevention, genetics and genomics. A three-credit graduate elective chosen by the student with the approval of their advisor is used to supplement the core of required courses and is tailored to student interests. All students complete a comprehensive D.N.P. project and 1,000 clinical hours that includes 600 direct care FNP management hours and 400 other direct and indirect hours.

Admission to the Post-Master's to D.N.P. Program requires acceptance to the University for graduate study, as well as acceptance into the Nursing Program. Admission to the Post-Master's to D.N.P. program is a competitive process, and the following required items will be considered individually as the final applicant selections are made.

• M.S.N. from a nationally accredited program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Proof of satisfactory completion of master's-level statistics.

• Specific Graduate Course Work Requirements: Completion of separate, graduate-level courses in quantitative and qualitative research are required as prerequisites to NURS 744 Evidence-Based Practice. Applicants who have completed only one of these research courses or a combined quantitative/qualitative course will be expected to take a second course in order to meet the prerequisite. The focus of the second course will be determined by the Graduate Program chair based upon review of the applicant's transcript and previous graduate research course syllabus.
      Completion of separate, comprehensive, graduate-level courses in advanced physiology/pathophysiology, advanced health assessment and advanced pharmacology are required prerequisites to NURS 511 Health Assessment Practicum, NURS 750 Adult Health Management, NURS751 Women’s Health Management and NURS 752 Children’s Health Management. These prerequisite courses must be completed within three years of enrolling in NURS 511, 750, 751 or 752.

  • Students in the post-master’s D.N.P.-Leadership focus are not required to complete these courses since this degree has a non-clinical focus.

  • This requirement is waived for applicants who hold current national certification and licensure as an advanced practice nurse (nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or nurse midwife).

In order to tailor the program of study to meet individual needs, a gap analysis will be completed to identify required courses or refreshers

• Current and active United States Registered Nursing (RN) license
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
• Current resume or curriculum vitae
• Three academic or professional references/letters of recommendation
• A 500 to 1,000-word essay outlining the differences between the D.N.P. and other doctoral degrees and how the DNP aligns with the applicant's professional goals. A minimum of two current references should be cited in APA (American Psychological Association) format.
• Residency/Domicile Information form (for those students applying for in-state tuition)
• Documents required of international students: Please consult the Center for International Education
• International Students: Proficiency in spoken and written English with the following minimum TOEFL scores: 550 for the paper-based examination, 79 on Internet-based examination

All Post-Master's to D.N.P. applicants will be interviewed by the Graduate Program Director, Department Chair or members of the Graduate Program Committee. Clinical experience is not required, but students are encouraged to work in professional nursing roles during summers and semester breaks.

After acceptance into the nursing program and prior to beginning any courses students must:

1. Meet all School of Nursing health requirements.
2. Provide evidence of current CPR certification, and evidence of current RN license in Maryland or state where you are practicing.
3. Provide a 2x2" passport photo for their permanent department file.

Application materials for the Post-Master's to D.N.P.

• Salisbury University Application for Admission to Graduate Studies

Visit our catalog to see the requirements for this program:

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The post-baccalaureate to D.N.P. curriculum is for individuals in advanced practice roles, including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, nurse administrators, and nurse educators.

Designed for working professionals and available in a distance accessible format, candidates may complete their degree in three years, taking approximately six credits per semester. Individuals who take fewer courses per semester, will take longer to finish. Any students who do not already hold national certification as an Advanced Practice RN may need to take additional credits.

Course work includes: evidence-based practice, health policy and health care systems, health care management, finance, informatics, quality improvement, health promotion and clinical prevention, genetics and genomics. A three-credit graduate elective chosen by the student with the approval of their advisor is used to supplement the core of required courses and is tailored to student interests. All students complete a comprehensive D.N.P. project and 1,000 clinical hours. At least 400 clinical hours must be completed at SU while enrolled in the D.N.P. program.

Visit our catalog to see the requirements for this program:

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The post-baccalaureate D.N.P. program allows students with a bachelor's degree to enter directly into doctoral study while completing course work for eligibility to take the FNP certification exam.

The program is designed for students who wish to engage in full-time study. The 80-credit curriculum spans four years - full time during fall and spring semesters with a lighter academic load during the summer. Individuals who take fewer courses per semester will take longer to finish. Courses are taught by experienced faculty, with small classes that foster close student-faculty working relationships. All D.N.P. students complete a comprehensive D.N.P. project and 1,000 clinical practice hours.

Course work includes: quantitative and qualitative research, evidence-based practice, epidemiology, applied statistics, advanced human physiology, advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacotherapeutics, family nursing, adult health care management, women's and children's health care management, issues in advanced nursing practice, health care systems, finance, informatics, quality improvement, health promotion and clinical prevention, genetics and genomics. Graduates are eligible to take the certification exams offered by the American Nurses' Credentialing Center and the American Academy of Nurses Practitioners.

Admission to the Post-Bachelor's to D.N.P. (FNP) program requires acceptance to the University for graduate study, as well as acceptance into the Post-B.S.N. to D.N.P. Program. Admission to the Post-B.S.N. to D.N.P. program is a competitive process, and the following required items will be considered individually as the final applicant selections are made.

• B.S.N. from a nationally accredited program
  • Applicants with cumulative undergraduate GPA ≥ 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale) are given first priority.
  • Applicants with cumulative undergraduate GPA 3.0 - 3.49 may be considered on an individual basis.
  • Proof of successful completion of basic undergraduate Statistics and undergraduate Research (minimum grade of "C" required).
• Current and active United States Registered Nursing (RN) license
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
• Current resume or curriculum vitae
• Three academic or professional references/letters of recommendation
• A 500 to 1,000-word essay outlining the differences between the D.N.P. and other doctoral degrees and how the D.N.P. aligns with the applicant's professional goals. A minimum of two current references should be cited in APA (American Psychological Association) format.
• Residency/Domicile Information form (for those students applying for in-state tuition)
• Documents required of international students: Please consult the Center for International Education.
• International Students: Proficiency in spoken and written English with the following minimum TOEFL scores: 550 for the paper-based examination, 213 for the computer-based examination, and 79 for the Internet-based examination

All Post-B.S.N. to D.N.P. applicants will be interviewed by the Graduate Program Director, Department Chair, or members of the Graduate Program Committee. Clinical experience is not required for the Post-B.S.N. to D.N.P., but students are encouraged to work in professional nursing roles during summers and semester breaks.

After acceptance into the nursing program and prior to beginning any courses students must:

1. Meet all School of Nursing health requirements.
2. Provide evidence of current CPR certification, and evidence of current RN license in Maryland or state where you are practicing.
3. Provide a 2x2" passport photo for their permanent department file.

Visit our catalog to see the requirements for this program:

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Applicants must submit the following documents to the Graduate Nursing Office by March 30 for consideration for fall.

• Completed Application Packet.
• Evidence of D.N.P. conferral from a nationally accredited program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Current and unencumbered United States Registered Nursing (RN) license from the state in which the applicant is currently practicing with eligibility for licensure in Maryland.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
• Current resume or curriculum vitae.
• Three academic or professional references/letters of recommendation. Recommendation Form
• A 500 to 1,000-word essay outlining why the Certificate of Advanced Study-FNP is important to the applicant, and how it is consistent with academic and professional goals.
• Residency/Domicile Information form (for those students applying for in-state tuition).
• Documents required of international students: Please consult the Center for International Education.
• International Students: Proficiency in spoken and written English with the following minimum TOEFL scores: 550 for the paper-based examination, 79 for the Internet-based examination.

All Post-D.N.P.-Certificate of Completion-FNP applicants will be interviewed by the Graduate Program Director, Department Chair, or members of the Graduate Program Committee.

Applicants who have already completed separate graduate level courses in advanced physiology/pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, and advanced pharmacology within five years of enrollment in the post-D.N.P., Certificate of Advanced Study-FNP program may use them to meet requirements at SU.

After acceptance into the Certificate of Advanced Study program and prior to beginning any courses students must:

1. Meet all School of Nursing health requirements.
2. Provide evidence of current CPR certification.
3. Provide a 2x2" passport photo for their permanent department file.
4. Complete the non-degree student registration form