In the eyes of a family, an FNP may be the most important medical care provider of all. Ready to submit your applications for the DNP? Feel free to skip ahead to our program listings. But if you’re looking for tips on FNP certification requirements, an inside look at the DNP degree, and examples of DNP capstone projects, read on!
Becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner
The Modern Family Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioners – otherwise known as FNPs – are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who provide primary care to patients of all ages. Like GPs of old, FNPs often become trusted medical advisers to families. They may be responsible for treating acute illnesses, managing chronic conditions, conducting physicals and diagnostic tests, prescribing medications, and counseling families on better health and wellness.
This last task is also one of the most important. A large part of a FNP’s job is focused on disease prevention, health promotion, and holistic care. Regardless of the setting – be it a doctor’s office, a rural clinic, a private home, a school, or a hospital – FNPs act as patient advocates, helping families deal with complex healthcare systems. Although many FNPs work under the supervision of a clinical physician, some run their own private practices. Others take up leadership positions as hospital administrators, researchers, or healthcare policy makers.
FNP Certification Requirements
Once you have completed graduate nursing education, you have 2 major options for FNP certification. The first is the Family Nurse Practitioner – Board Certified (FNP-BC) credential offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The second is the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) credential offered by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
There is a lot of debate about which FNP credential is better to pursue. However, most FNP nurses claim there is absolutely no difference when it comes to job applications. When in doubt, talk to your mentors and check with your State Board of Nursing for advice. Regardless of your choice, your DNP program should clearly state that it is accredited and able to prepare you for FNP certification exams. If you can’t find information about certification exam pass rates on the program website, ask the school to provide you with the statistics.
FNP-BC Requirements
- Hold a current, active RN license.
- Hold a master’s, postgraduate, or doctoral degree from a family nurse practitioner program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
- Complete a minimum of 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours during your family nurse practitioner program.
- Complete graduate-level courses in advanced physiology/pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, and advanced pharmacology, as well as coursework in health promotion/maintenance, differential diagnosis, and disease management.
- Pass the national FNP-BC exam administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
- Maintain your certification & licensure through continuing education.
FNP Requirements
- Hold a current, active RN license.
- Hold a master’s, post-master’s, or doctoral degree from a family nurse practitioner program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
- Complete a minimum of 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours during your program.
- Complete APRN core courses in advanced physical assessment, advanced pharmacology, and advanced pathophysiology.
- Pass the national FNP exam administered by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
- Maintain your certification & licensure through continuing education.
Helpful Professional Organizations
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
- American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE)
- National Nursing Centers Consortium (NNCC)
- National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF)
The Family Nurse Practitioner DNP
Typical DNP-FNP Curriculum
Most FNP programs are listed as “graduate tracks” or “concentrations” in DNP degrees. In other words, you start by taking general APRN courses and gradually concentrate on family health. Good DNP programs tend to focus on 3 pillars of learning:
- Advanced clinical skills
- Nursing leadership
- Evidence-based theory & practice
Look for DNPs that give you plenty of primary care experience with a variety of clients (e.g. vulnerable populations, infants, hospice patients, etc.) in a range of settings (e.g. rural homes, inner city hospitals, specialty clinics, etc.). And take advantage of every on-site resource. For example, to give your independent DNP capstone project extra heft, you may wish to work with your university’s medical research center.
Make no mistake – the DNP is a long haul. Because of FNP certification requirements, the curriculum must cover key APRN courses such as advanced physical assessment, advanced pharmacology, and advanced pathophysiology. To meet AACN’s Essentials of Doctoral Education, the program will also include classes such as healthcare policy, information technology, biostatistics, healthcare delivery systems, and evidence-based practice. Happily, most programs will allow you to focus on a sub-specialty (e.g. cardiology, urology, gerontology, orthopedics, critical care, etc.).
Experience Requirements
Experience requirements for DNP programs differ from school to school. You may be asked to have 3-5 years of clinical experience as an RN or you may simply be required to provide proof of work in primary care. Most universities recommend that you spend some time shadowing a primary care provider (e.g. physician or NP) in a related setting. The more clinical hours you’ve amassed dealing with patients of different ages and populations, the better your chances for acceptance.
Examples of DNP-FNP Capstone Projects
- Implementation of an Evidence-Based Educational Workshop and Toolkit: Menopausal Women’s Healthcare Needs for the Primary Care Provider. (University of San Francisco)
- Implementing Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations to Address Adult Obesity: A Practice Change in Primary Care. (West Virginia University)
- Patient Care Enhancement of Acute Viral Upper Respiratory Illness. (Frontier Nursing University)
- Using a DNP-Led Transitional Care Program to Prevent Rehospitalization in Elderly Patients with Heart Failure or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. (University of Massachusetts Amherst)
DNP Programs with a Family Nurse Practitioner Focus (DNP-FNP)
Alvernia University
Reading, Pennsylvania
Two post-bachelor's DNP tracks at Alvernia provide a strong dose of leadership training. The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track requires a BSN for admission. After taking up to four years of full-time coursework, graduates should be ready to serve as leaders in advance nursing practice with any number of patient populations. Across 79 credits, students complete multiple practicums in pediatric and women's healthcare, which complement advanced practice credits in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and diagnostics. Students also take two leadership practicums plus coursework in informatics, ethics, theory, organizational leadership, and health among local and global populations. Finally, they move from statistics and research methods into developing and implementing a final project. The Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner track is just 67 credits but is in many regards similar to the FNP. For example, it uses a blended format and incorporates coursework from Alvernia's post-master's DNP completion program in Clinical Leadership.
BSN required for:
Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona
The Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State presents its DNP in Family Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program in a hybrid format. Students must come to campus for up to a week for orientation at the start of the program. After that, students meet on campus two or three times per semester, for two or three days. The curriculum requires 41 credits in core classes and 41 credits in the concentration, plus a 3-credit culminating experience. Concentration classes include neuropsychopathology, psychopharmacology, and mental health assessment as well as classes and practicum in managing common, complex, and chronic mental health disorders across the lifespan. If students can't find a preceptor in their home region, they must complete clinical experiences in Phoenix. Applicants should have at least a BSN with a 3.0 GPA for the last 60 credits. DNP students can enter in the spring or fall.
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Accreditation: CCNE
The DNP-Family Nurse Practitioner track at Augsburg accepts RNs with a BSN or MSN who are licensed in Minnesota and can procure licenses to do clinical rotations in other states. The program targets nurses with substantial work experience, requiring enrollees to have been RNs for at least three years (and preferring five). Students enroll full-time in the fall. Classes are held in Minneapolis and two hours away in Rochester. However, the program uses immersion formats, with most courses condensed into a few days of intense instruction per term. Not all immersions and practicums have to be in Minnesota. In fact, students can study abroad in England, Guatemala, Mexico, or Namibia. Finally, Augsburg doesn't have a cookie cutter curriculum. Instead, expect classes with titles like "Through the Lens of Wholeness: A Human Approach to Wellness" and "Informatics and Health Policy: The Colonization of Knowledge."
BSN required for:
Augusta University
Augusta, Georgia
Accreditation: CCNE
The DNP with a concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner at Augusta University College of Nursing requires at least a BSN for entry. Students can enroll full- or part-time. If they choose the former, they could finish in under three years. The part-time program, while tacking on another year, adds flexibility for the types of working nurses the program targets. The degree's hybrid nature is another selling point. The first year is mostly spent in the classroom, over half of it in a distance learning format, and the rest in Augusta or Athens. The second year flips the script, with students completing over 500 clinical hours. In their final year, students complete another 600 across just two semesters.
BSN required for:
MSN required for:
Baylor University
Waco, Texas
The Doctor of Nursing Practice Family Nurse Practitioner track at Baylor presents two possibilities for entry: nurses can apply either with a BSN or MSN. Regardless, they'll need a 3.0 GPA and a year as a professional nurse to get in. Happily, they won't need to submit GRE scores. Though the track is online and the program is designed for working RNs, students still head to Waco for on-campus immersions several times during the 75-credit program. They'll also spend 1,125 hours in practicums. While the FNP program looks at patients of nearly every age, the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner track covers just the first two years of life. It is structured similarly to the DNP-FNP, with the main difference being that applicants must have two years of NICU experience.
MSN required for:
Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois
The Family Nurse Practitioner track of Bradley's online DNP program aims to prepare nurses to lead and potentially take jobs as nursing directors, nurse educators, and even lobbyists. It lets enrollees learn to lead from afar, with no on-campus requirements and five clinical practicums. In conjunction with their practicums, students also take five different classes titled Principles of FNP Practice, each one covering a different population: acute disease sufferers, chronic disease sufferers, women, children, and adults. Outside of the standard nursing courses, students gain exposure to information systems, economics, and other areas by taking Advanced Pathophysiology, Data Management, Health Care Economics & Finance, Statistic Procedures, and Management in Healthcare Organizations. The four-year program is designed to be completed in 12 semesters. Applicants need a BSN and a 3.0 to get in.
Clarke University
Dubuque, Iowa
Accreditation: CCNE
Clarke University's Family Nurse Practitioner concentration uses a cohort system. Groups of 20 students enter on either a full-time or part-time basis. After three to five years of study, they can emerge with a DNP. The 81-credit program is for students with bachelor's degree, though the Department of Nursing and Health also runs a DNP bridge program for nurses with an MSN. That program is just 39 to 48 credits. Students likely want to be close to Dubuque, Iowa, as they'll be attending classes on campus twice a month. The rest of the time they'll be completing online coursework or finishing their 1,000 practicum hours in a healthcare setting. The coursework produces caregivers that can not only provide "womb to tomb care" but can also manage a healthcare business. Thus, enrollees take coursework in economics, policy, and leadership before graduating.
BSN required for:
Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction, Colorado
Accreditation: CCNE
The Department of Health Sciences at Colorado Mesa targets two types of nurses for its DNP-Family Nurse Practitioner degree: rural nurses who don't want to move and working RNs who don't want to quit to get their degree. As part of the required 1,000 hours of clinical practice, the hybrid program provides hands-on work experience caring for underserved populations, whether rural or urban, as well as groups with chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, and cancer. The department asks students to have a BSN and places MSN-holders on a fast track to the doctorate. Students need a license in the state from which they'll complete their clinical hours. The entire degree is 72 credits. Twenty-seven of those come in core courses that provide leadership and health policy instruction alongside research and statistics work. The latter should be useful when completing the six-credit capstone.
BSN required for:
Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska
Creighton's DNP program expects graduates to do four things well: promote good health in patient populations, diagnose illnesses, provide appropriate medication, and treat disease. The Family Nurse Practitioner track mandates 72-75 credits, 30 of which come in the specialty. That's where students take multiple classes on caring for elderly populations and children. They also take 825 hours' worth of practicums and top their degree off with a final 375-hour residency. With fall, spring, and summer starts, the College of Nursing welcomes applications year-round. Moreover, the admissions committee doesn't care about the GRE. Instead, it wants applicants with a BSN and at least 2,000 hours of experience directly caring for patients. RNs can enroll on a part- or full-time basis, and the hybrid nature of the program means students can spend most of their study time away from Omaha.
BSN required for:
CUNY Hunter College
New York, New York
Want to be a big city nurse? There's no bigger city than New York, and Hunter Bellevue School of Nursing is right in the middle of it. Students attend classes within walking distance of three major hospitals, where they will likely complete clinicals. Hunter's DNP with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialization admits certified FNPs in New York state. Applicants need to have earned at least a 3.5 in their MSN program to be considered. Because each enrollee comes in from a different master's program, the program doesn't mandate a specific course plan. Instead, students craft an individualized schedule based on previous coursework and can waive up to 42 credits. They won't be able to waive the capstone, however. That's broken down into four sections of three credits each: internship, proposal, implementation, and evaluation.
MSN required for:
Delta State University
Cleveland, Mississippi
The post-master's version of Delta State's DNP program has a Family Nurse Practitioner track that takes just 3 semesters and 31 credits to complete for those who choose the full-time option. The program is mostly online but best for RNs in Mississippi or Arkansas - where clinicals take place. Moreover, enrollees head to the town of Cleveland, Mississippi, several times each semester. In their first fall term at Smith School of Nursing, students take courses in evidence-based practice, ethics, and epidemiology. They also use 120 clinical hours to begin a scholarly project. The following spring, it's healthcare policy, statistics, and advanced practice leadership, plus another 120 project hours. Unlike many programs, there's no summer semester. The final fall semester, students wind up their studies with 180 project hours and classes in business and information management.
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois
To graduate from DePaul's DNP-FNP program, you'll need 100 credits: 38 in the doctoral core and 62 in the track. Track requirements cover several populations - older patients, infants and children, and pregnant women. Three practicums in population-based nursing and two additional advanced practicums for APNs ensure students receive plenty of clinical practice. The doctoral core actually adds a practicum as part of the final DNP project. Students also take three research classes to prepare, not to mention coursework in finances, ethics, economics, information technology, and organizational leadership. The School of Nursing offers some classes online; others are held on DePaul's Lincoln Park campus in Chicago. Applicants can apply with a BSN or MSN.
BSN required for:
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina
The ECU College of Nursing puts DNP students in the classroom with instructors who also practice. Thus, students from this rural part of North Carolina get an intimate look at working with underserved populations. The 840 clinical hours in the Family Nurse Practitioner specialty reinforce that. Most of the coursework - covering obstetrics, reproductive healthcare, pediatrics, and elder care - is online . However, all clinicals occur in the Tar Heel State. RNs who enter the program with a BSN choose whether to complete the 70 credits on a full- or part-time basis. Those that go all in face three years of advanced coursework. The first practicum doesn't happen until Year 2. By graduation, students will have taken four practicums and completed a final project. Those in the part-time program don't start practicums and project work until their third year.
BSN required for:
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, Tennessee
Accreditation: CCNE
The College of Nursing at ETSU accepts Tennessean RNs and those within 250 miles of Johnson City. This ensures students to the (mostly) online program can attend intensives once or twice per term and complete their rural clinical practice. The Family Nurse Practitioner concentration makes room for both full-time and part-time students. The college lays out separate plans for those entering with a BSN or MSN. Post-master's students complete 32 credits and 500 clinical hours. Post-bachelor's students take 83 credits and do 1,040 clinical hours. The program is strongly based on improving health among populations with limited access to healthcare. Therefore, both cohorts scope out and complete a DNP project that draws on their analytical skills to intervene in a complex health problem affecting rural populations.
BSN required for:
Fairfield University
Fairfield, Connecticut
The Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies at Fairfield runs a DNP Family Nurse Practitioner program for RNs with a BSN. Working nurses can choose the part-time option, which takes four years. The full-time option is three years. The Connecticut-based university believes graduates will be able to get jobs directing clinical programs, providing advanced care, managing other nurses, or even teaching. And its Jesuit philosophy is woven into the curriculum. Foundational courses cover epidemiology, healthcare policy, research methods, and nursing roles. DNP core work, meanwhile, looks at the operational side of the field, with students exploring information technology, finance management, and collaborative leadership. Twenty-five of the 72 required credits are in the specialty. That translates to two courses in adult health plus a practicum, one course on caring for children, and another on caring for at-risk groups. Two practicums delve into advanced practice nursing for all ages.
BSN required for:
Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Accreditation: CCNE
The Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences at FIU offers two programs for budding FNPs. The first is the BSN-DNP with a Family Health Nurse Practitioner focus. Its 81 credits are spread out over 10 semesters and supply a broad knowledge base. It exposes students to diverse healthcare settings and patient groups so that, upon graduation, they'll feel just as comfortable treating adults in ambulatory care as they will diagnosing children in rural county clinics. Classes are held at FIU's Miami campus. APRNs coming in with an MSN can apply for the online DNP in the Family Health track. They'll still come to Miami up to three times a term and are welcome to learn alongside colleagues and faculty at the FIU Academic Health Center. The 36-credit, 6-semester program offers both fall and spring starts and doesn't require the GRE, making it possible to apply year-round.
BSN required for:
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
Accreditation: CCNE
The DNP-FNP at Florida State is 79 credits long for nurses coming in with a BSN and work experience, but shorter for those who have their master's. The blended curriculum asks enrollees to be in Tallahassee just five times during the program. Aside from the orientation and final research presentations at either end, those appearances are for OSCEs - "objective structured clinical exams." The 1,000+ hours of clinicals can be performed in students' local communities with the preceptor of their choice. Students can select an 8-semester, full-time experience or a 14-credit, part-time one. The former involves four classes in the spring and fall terms and three during the summer. Part-time enrollees take just one or two classes per term, though the intensity ramps up toward the end as they complete practicums and their project.
BSN required for:
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia
Accreditation: CCNE
The psychiatric mental health DNP at George Mason University prepares nurses to evaluate and apply evidence-based practice and create care delivery systems based on patient outcomes. To that end, the final step toward the degree is a DNP project. Over two semesters, students select a problem, synthesize literature about it, develop a proposal for a practice inquiry, implement it, collect data, analyze the findings, and create a scholarly work from the data they collect. The DNP requires 72 credits and at least 1,000 hours of clinical practice. Classes are divided into a level one core (including biostatistics and organization of health care delivery systems), level two core (informatics, health care administration, evidence-based practice), advanced practice competency (36 credits directly related to working with psychiatric mental health patients), and the DNP project. Applicants must have a BSN with a GPA of 3.0. Fall and spring admission slots are available.
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia
Students can enroll in the Family Nurse Practitioner option for GW's DNP program either full- or part-time. Although courses are online and practicums are completed in students' home states, the post-BSN program is designed more for part-time nurses than those who want to keep full-time hours throughout their studies. That's probably because they have to come to campus several times in the course of completing their 81 credits: for orientation, a project kickoff and final presentation, an intensive during the Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning course, objective structured clinical examinations, and a final skills examination right before graduation. Additional coursework covers policy, pathophysiology, genetics, pharmacology, and biostatistics - all the necessary topics to excel in practice. Economics, policy, and knowledge management classes add something for aspiring nurse leaders.
BSN required for:
MSN required for:
Gonzaga University
Spokane, Washington
Accreditation: CCNE
The Family Nurse Practitioner focus is one of two post-bachelor's DNP pathways at Gonzaga's School of Nursing & Human Physiology. The DNP in general aims to produce leaders who can steer health policy to where the evidence points. The FNP option in particular is geared toward practice. As a result, students get 1,000 hours' worth of practicums and complete a DNP project. Though courses are online, the program asks enrollees to head to Spokane eight times from the fifth to twelfth semesters to complete structured clinical evaluations. It takes most students five years to complete the 78-credit program, which is limited to RNs from states west of the Rockies (not including Hawaii). It's meant for recent grads, so the school doesn't require work experience for entry. In fact, interested nurses can even apply without a BSN (but with a different baccalaureate), provided they're ready to take four foundational courses.
BSN required for:
Idaho State University
Pocatello, Idaho
The online BSN-DNP at ISU's College of Nursing in Pocatello features 78 credits spread across three years of full-time study or five years part-time. (The program prefers full-timers.) Certified family nurse practitioners with a master's, meanwhile, need just 26 credits and four semesters to come home with a DNP. The post-bachelor's program requires several multiday intensives per semester, including an orientation, with the remainder of the coursework online. Year 1 of the BSN program focuses on didactic learning. Starting with the second semester, the program mixes in practicums each term. Moreover, students start working on a DNP project toward the end of Year 2. MSN-DNP students complete their scholarly project in fewer semesters and bypass clinical hours in favor of courses on professional issues, nursing practice in different communities, academic writing, leadership, genetics, information technology, and statistical analysis.
BSN required for:
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville's Keigwin School of Nursing keeps its BSN-DNP Family Nurse Practitioner curriculum wide-ranging so graduates can work with individuals and groups in a variety of settings. Among the 68 credits, there is standard fare dealing with pediatrics and women's health, but there are also courses in mental health and emerging therapies. Of course, 1,000 hours of clinical and residency hours are also built into the three-year curriculum. Some of the classes are presented in a hybrid format. As students progress through the program, they increasingly move from on-campus classes to online ones. To get in, applicants need Florida licensure, a BSN, and either a 3.0 undergraduate GPA or a 290 on the GRE. Enrollees who want to teach after graduation should look into the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, which can cancel up to 85% of the direct costs for a degree in exchange for teaching service.
BSN required for:
Kent State University at Kent
Kent, Ohio
Accreditation: CCNE
The DPN in PMHNP from Kent State University gives nurses with a BSN a 2-year pathway to their MSN and another 2 years to the DPN. During the first 2 years, students learn advanced practice role fundamentals so they can become certified as a PMHNP. Then, they take about 2 years of classes covering topics such as advanced clinical and organizational leadership and conduct a scholarly project to earn the DNP. Students take core courses online and come to campus for in-person practice role courses. They complete practicum experiences in their own community. Nurses who already have an MSN in advanced practice nursing can complete the DNP 100% online in less than 2 years. Applicants must have a BSN or MSN with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students in this program may be eligible for the Anita O'Toole Endowed Scholarship, which provides funds for graduate students in the PMHNP concentration.
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
Applicants to the BSN-DNP Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner program at LSUHSC need to be eligible for a Louisiana nursing license, hold a BSN, have RN experience in any state, possess transcripts showing a 3.0 from all college work, and net a 300 on the GRE for entry. Once enrolled in the 91-credit program, they'll face a first-year curriculum that is heavy on classroom instruction. Year 1 mixes nursing coursework with some general biostatistics and health science. Year 2 is all nursing, including three separate practicums covering episodic disease management, chronic disease management, and pediatric and reproductive health. In the third and final year, participants propose, implement, and present a scholarly project while they wrap up four separate practicums. The on-campus program is best for nurses who live in the area and have few designs on working full-time while in school; classes meet regularly from Monday to Saturday.
BSN required for:
Montana State University
Bozeman, Montana
The DNP (Family/Individual) program at Montana State is a three-year degree that incorporates 83 credits and 1,125 clinical hours. Forty-seven of those credits happen in the first four semesters. During the final four semesters, students work on a professional project while completing advanced coursework. Clinicals are scattered throughout, although students don't really get into the field until their first summer in the program. A part-time option adds three semesters to the standard eight. Though students come to Bozeman each fall, the rest of the program is online to meet the needs of the state's rural population. Students from outside Montana are welcome to apply and can complete practicums from their home states, so long as they earned a 3.0 en route to a BSN. Students can try to pay for college through the Nurse Faculty Loan Program or the Advanced Education Nurse Traineeship.
BSN required for:
Murray State University
Murray, Kentucky
Most of the courses in Murray State's blended DNP curriculum are online. In the first year, all of them are. Students in the Family Nurse Practitioner specialization get into foundational work, ethics, pathophysiology, biostatistics, nursing assessment, and epidemiology. As they embark on practicums in their second year, they start to spend a little more time on campus in Kentucky. By the end of three years students will have completed 76 credits and 945 clinical hours. That includes capstone residencies in Year 2 and Year 3. The School of Nursing and Health Professions charges all enrollees in-state tuition, regardless of where their home base is.
BSN required for:
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Omaha, Nebraska
Accreditation: CCNE
The Family Nurse Practitioner BSN-DNP at Nebraska Methodist College is an online program. Enrollees register for 75 credits, 57 of which come from distance learning. The remaining 18 come from clinical practicums. Not all of the course plan is prescribed - students get to choose two electives. These include courses called Rural Nursing and Civic Health. But there are also classes in curriculum development and instructional development for graduates who want to teach. The school gives an extra nudge in this direction by participating in the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, which can cancel up to 85% of school loans in exchange for a teaching commitment. Full-time students take three years to finish their studies, and three different part-time course plans are available. To get in, RN work experience isn't necessary, but a license and a BSN are. The admissions committee looks for a 3.0 GPA and doesn't ask for GRE scores.
BSN required for:
Ohio State University-Main Campus
Columbus, Ohio
The BSN-DNP at The Ohio State University College of Nursing lets students in the Family Nurse Practitioner specialty track choose between an online and on-campus experience. Distance learning courses are mainly synchronous classes held midweek, and students only come to Columbus once, not including an optional orientation. The online and on-campus curriculums are the same, though the order of courses differs slightly. Both call for 86 to 87 credits and can be completed in four years full-time or five years part-time. The first two and a half years get RNs up to speed to earn an MSN. Work during this phase includes three practicums in advanced nursing practice. After sitting for a comprehensive master's exam, students wrap up the curriculum with FNP practicums and a project.
BSN required for:
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Accreditation: ACEN
The Kramer School of Nursing at Oklahoma City University runs a post-BSN Family Nurse Practitioner DNP program. Enrollees attend courses on campus for the first year or so. As they start taking advanced coursework, the program moves to a hybrid model in which students only come to OKC three days per term. Throughout the four-year program, they'll take about two classes each spring, summer, and fall until they've hit 67 credits. A DNP project is required for graduation, as are courses in primary care for women, children, and geriatric patients. Students should expect their practicums to be within the state as all preceptors must hold an Oklahoma license. The school applies partial tuition waivers to all students who maintain GPAs above 3.0. The renewable DNP Scholarship works on a sliding scale, with $3,000 off per term for students with a 3.75.
BSN required for:
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon
The DNP Family Nurse Practitioner program at the OHSU School of Nursing is ideal for full-time students who can put off working for three years. That commitment can pay off. Students itching to move away from Portland can apply for the Scholars for a Healthy Oregon program. If successful, they'll get their tuition and fees paid in return for working with a rural population. The school itself distributes the Hearst Endowed Scholarship, which provides up to $15,000 to two DNP students focused on caring for older adults. OHSU students can be based out of the main Portland campus or regional campuses in Ashland or La Grande. The FNP uses a hybrid model, so all enrollees will have to make occasional forays to Stumptown. Finally, OHSU offers an accelerated bachelor's that takes people with a baccalaureate in a non-nursing field and gets them ready to enter the DNP program in 15 months.
BSN required for:
Pace University-New York
New York, New York
Pace University's part-time DNP is best for New Yorkers who want to work while earning a terminal degree. For classes, students can take the train up to the Westchester campus, less than an hour from NYC. Cohorts come together five Fridays for each of the five terms (except for the lone summer term, which requires only three visits), leaving the rest of students' schedules free for work and online studies. The 33-credit FNP track welcomes current nurse practitioners from the state, while a bridge program allows nurse practitioners in other specializations to become FNPs. Students never take more than eight credits in a term, and they begin working on a doctoral project as soon as their second semester. Through this experience, they put evidence into practice in a clinic. A 3.3 GPA from an MSN program is required for entry, as is FNP certification; the GRE isn't required.
MSN required for:
Quinnipiac University
Hamden, Connecticut
Accreditation: CCNE
The Quinnipiac School of Nursing seeks to create family nurse practitioners who thrive in holistic care settings. Students get exposure to diverse areas like radiography and ECG interpretation while also learning to control costs and increase adoption of healthy behaviors. The 75-credit program asks students to synthesize their learning when taking four practicums and producing a DNP project. The FNP track can be taken on a part-time or full-time basis. It welcomes Connecticut RNs with a bachelor's, though they don't need to have a BSN. The school boasts a reach of 300 clinics for student practicum placements.
BSN required for:
Robert Morris University
Moon Township, Pennsylvania
Four years of study await enrollees to the DNP: Family Nurse Practitioner track at the RMU School of Nursing, Education and Human Studies. Students, however, can individualize the order of their course plan, so long as it includes all required courses. That includes learning how to diagnose and manage health in the context of women, geriatric, pediatric, and adult patients. Each course on a particular patient population is paired with a clinical practicum, with a possibility for a placement abroad. Other courses, such as Health Policy, Health Economics, and Health Law & Ethics, help produce well-rounded graduates who can potentially lead departments. During their final semester, students complete a DNP project based on clinical evidence. The 86-credit program requires a 3.25 quality point average from a BSN program for entry along with an RN license, letters of recommendation, a goal statement, and a faculty interview.
BSN required for:
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions
Provo, Utah
Students in the Family Nurse Practitioner focus at Rocky Mountain's post-master's DNP take 46 credits over six semesters. The first two terms pack in 12 credits each before the curriculum eases up a bit. Initial courses touch on leadership, teaching, policy, organizational management, statistics, informatics, and practice. In the third term, in addition to coursework in epidemiology and economics, students start working on a final project that aims to transform some aspect of the healthcare system. By semester 5, that's all they're working on. And they take semester 6, and perhaps longer to complete a doctoral residency toward that project. The program is online and mostly asynchronous. Students aren't even asked to come to campus for an orientation. The post-bachelor's track is identical for the first two semesters but features 44 additional credits and 750 internship hours. Additionally, post-bachelor's DNP students come to Colorado for a week each term.
Rush University
Chicago, Illinois
Ranked by U.S. News in the top five of FNP programs nationwide, Rush's DNP degree comes in two forms: a 71-credit BSN-DNP and a 62-credit MSN-DNP. Though the starting points are different, both programs are designed to be finished in two and a half years. Almost all classes are online, but there's plenty to bring enrollees to the Chicago campus, including orientations to the program and the DNP project, clinicals, a lab on physical diagnosis, and project presentations. Whether enrolled full-time or part-time, students take over 750 hours of clinical practicums. The College of Nursing wants graduates to be able to find primary care provider roles in a number of settings, so they move around between several different placements during the program.
BSN required for:
Rutgers University
Newark, New Jersey
The School of Nursing at Rutgers has two post-bachelor's DNPs for New Jersey RNs who want to work with patients across the lifespan: a Family Nurse Practitioner program and a Family Nurse Practitioner in Emergency Care program. The former, for aspiring primary care providers, is 74 credits and mandates 675 clinical hours. Its five practicums cover adult care, gerontology, and pediatrics. The latter, for RNs with their sights on urgent and emergency care positions, requires 77 credits and 945 clinical hours. Its practicum hours are split between adult-gerontology care and emergency care. Both specialties mandate a final project as a graduation requirement. Further, the programs are offered at Rutgers' Newark campus and can be taken in a three- or four-year format. The school allows enrollees to add on HIV Care certification, which adds three to six credits to the program.
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana
Two post-bachelor's DNP tracks at Alvernia provide a strong dose of leadership training. The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track requires a BSN for admission. After taking up to four years of full-time coursework, graduates should be ready to serve as leaders in advance nursing practice with any number of patient populations. Across 79 credits, students complete multiple practicums in pediatric and women's healthcare, which complement advanced practice credits in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and diagnostics. Students also take two leadership practicums plus coursework in informatics, ethics, theory, organizational leadership, and health among local and global populations. Finally, they move from statistics and research methods into developing and implementing a final project. The Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner track is just 67 credits but is in many regards similar to the FNP. For example, it uses a blended format and incorporates coursework from Alvernia's post-master's DNP completion program in Clinical Leadership.
BSN required for:
Salisbury University
Salisbury, Maryland
The School of Nursing at Salisbury University in Maryland admits RNs with a BSN or an MSN. The former can go into a Family Nurse Practitioner concentration that requires 80 credits over four years. The course load is heaviest during the fall and spring, with lower-key summers, though students can take fewer credits per term to craft a part-time experience. To graduate, they'll need to finish a DNP project and log 1,000 clinical hours. The post-master's DNP with a Family Nurse Practitioner concentration is 68 credits and designed to take a minimum of three years. Students finish a DNP project and 400 clinical hours. Finally, a post-doctoral FNP certificate of completion prepares current DNP holders to transfer specialties by taking nine courses specific to family nurse practitioners.
BSN required for:
Samuel Merritt University
Oakland, California
Accreditation: CCNE
Budding primary care providers may look to Samuel Merritt University for a DNP. The School of Nursing's hybrid FNP program lasts three years. Applicants need a BSN and an RN license from any state to win a spot. The curriculum calls for five to nine credits a term for nine terms. The first year covers ethics, research, advanced nursing basics, population health, IT, and health promotion. Year 2 rolls out courses in policy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, leadership, management, acute care, and assessment. The last year is the most intense, composed of three residencies and three clinicals totaling 525 hours, making it impractical to continue working while studying. Those clinicals can occur near where enrollees live, even if outside the range of the Sacramento campus. However, students will depart from online instruction three times across the program to come to the California capital.
BSN required for:
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota
The Department of Graduate Nursing at SDSU lays out a four-year curriculum for the Family Nurse Practitioner specialization but allows students to customize their plans to take more or less time. The standard first year is heavy on leadership, management, policy, and other operational concerns. The second year focuses on the science, including pharmacotherapeutics and genetics. Project work and practicums takes up much of the third year and all of the fourth. All told, students complete 78 credits, including 1,200 clinical or lab hours. Coursework is mostly online with some face-to-face classes at satellite campuses on either end of the state: Sioux Falls or Rapid City. Applicants should have earned a 3.0 in a BSN program and be able to show 1,500 hours of experience as an RN. Their license can be from any state. Graduates of the program should be able to pursue ANCC or AANPCP certification.
The College of Saint Scholastica
Duluth, Minnesota
The bachelor's-to-DNP program at The College of Saint Scholastica is for nurses who want to work with underserved populations. Those populations don't have to be in Minnesota. In fact, the college encourages working RNs from all states to apply, and it helps arrange clinicals near where students live. Moreover, the four-year program is mostly online, with only a few required trips to campus in Duluth or St. Cloud. The Family Nurse Practitioner specialty features five practicums: pediatrics, reproductive health, adult health, geriatric care, and rural urgent care. The school likes to see a year of RN work experience on applications, especially from areas with few doctors and nurses. It also seeks out leaders and requires applicants to have earned a 3.0 GPA from a bachelor's-level nursing program. Students who live close to St. Cloud or Duluth can apply for one of roughly 25 graduate assistant positions within the School of Nursing.
BSN required for:
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Memphis, Tennessee
DNP students at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center can choose a concentration in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or a dual concentration in PMHNP/Family Nurse Practitioner. Core courses are delivered online, but students must come to the campus in Memphis for meetings that include simulations, skills workshops, and interprofessional experiences. Nurses with a bachelor's degree complete 61 credits to earn the DNP with the PMHNP concentration, while nurses with an MSN complete 44 credits if they are seeking PMHNP certification and 33 credits if they already have the certification. The dual concentration requires 73 credits. The university's clinical coordinator helps students to find clinical placements near their home. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on all college work or a GPA of 3.2 earned for their most recent degree program. Students interested in the dual concentration may be required to have work experience.
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
The BSN-DNP Family Nurse Practitioner concentration at UT College of Nursing is a blended program. The 61- to 72-credit curriculum is structured so that students take standard DNP core coursework their first year before delving into FNP subject matter in Year 2. Although students propose a DNP project and complete an associated practicum fairly early on, the first FNP clinical doesn't come until the fifth semester. As the course plan shifts from general nursing to FNP work, participants increasingly find themselves on campus. They'll have two sessions on campus per term to have their clinical skills assessed and network with classmates. For nonresidents, clinical placements outside Tennessee are possible. Moreover, the university revised fees so that out-of-state students only pay a marginally higher rate than in-state students. Applicants only need a 2.7 to seek admission, but any GPA lower than a 3.3 necessitates taking the GRE.
BSN required for:
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The post-BSN Doctor of Nursing program at Jefferson College of Nursing leads first to an MSN. The college accepts applications throughout the year for three start dates: fall, spring, and summer. Applicants must submit transcripts demonstrating proof of a 3.2 GPA and coursework in statistics and nursing research. They'll also submit their RN license, a personal statement, and three letters of recommendation. Once accepted, they can enroll full-time or part-time and have between four and six years to finish the 69-credit program. In that span, they'll complete three clinicals and three practicums related specifically to the Family/Individual Across the Lifespan track. All courses are online, but enrolled students along the Eastern seaboard may choose to take advantage of the Rector Clinical Skills & Simulation Center as well as their proximity to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia for clinicals.
Troy University
Troy, Alabama
The Family Nurse Practitioner concentration of the DNP at Troy School of Nursing is 70 to 74 units in length. Credits are broken down into multiple categories. The program dedicates 17 credits to the advanced nursing core, which includes didactic instruction in everything from epidemiology to informatics. Another 12 credits go to research methods and statistics classes, which prepare students for an 11- to 15-credit project and research paper. Six credits are reserved for an FNP internship and related seminar. That leaves 24 credits in the specialty. Those classes cover assessment, pharmacology, and pathophysiology, which complement courses and preceptorships for two separate client populations: women/children and adults/geriatrics. A course plan bypassing the MSN cuts out a few of the advanced nursing core and research courses; that program is 65 to 69 credits long. All courses in the post-BSN program are available online.
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Bethesda, Maryland
USU Graduate School of Nursing welcomes applications from commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and U.S. Public Health Service who also have a BSN. Unlike other nursing schools, it's preparing APNs for operational readiness. That means the program features elective courses and practicums in Dive Medicine, Military Mountain Medicine, and Cold Weather Medicine. The Family Nurse Practitioner and Women's Health Nurse Practitioner specialty within the DNP degree requires enrollees to take 101 credits. Among those are military-specific courses such as Military Assault, Battlefield Acupuncture and Integrative Concepts, and Primary Care of the Military Member. DNP projects address one of 14 priority areas affecting military communities. Students should expect to spend time implementing projects at a military treatment facility that partners with the school. Except for clinical and project hours, the three-year curriculum is designed for students to attend full-time on campus in Bethesda, Maryland. USU doesn't charge tuition.
BSN required for:
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Accreditation: CCNE
With a part-time and asynchronous online schedule, the MSN-DNP program at UB School of Nursing is made for certified advanced practice nurses who want to keep their day jobs. In fact, the DNP project is ideally completed at the enrollee's workplace. The Family Nurse Practitioner specialty spans five to seven semesters, distributing 36 credits across a DNP foundational core, an analytical core, and an advanced practice core. Courses in scientific writing, grant writing, and teaching mean graduates can spread their wings beyond clinical practice. The post-BSN Family Nurse Practitioner specialty is, of course, longer at 97 credits. It also has some on-campus components. In other ways it's flexible. For one thing, students can stretch a three-year course of study to seven years. For another, the curriculum incorporates mental health and leadership coursework, so graduates became holistic practitioners. The school looks for applicants with a year of RN experience.
BSN required for:
MSN required for:
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Accreditation: CCNE
Students kick off their time in the DNP-Family Nurse Practitioner specialty at UA College of Nursing by participating in the Resident Intensive Summer Experience (RISE). After finishing the August intensive, they embark on a 68-credit curriculum designed for incoming RNs with their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Much of that curriculum is online, with clinical practicums and Tucson-based intensives sprinkled in. If the three-year program doesn't pack enough in, students can add a Rural Telehealth certificate or Rural Health certificate, the latter of which requires additional coursework and a clinical practicum in an underserved area. The Rural Health Professions Program ups the ante by offering stipends to some students. Students who want to teach in the FNP field may apply for loan forgiveness from the Nurse Faculty Loan Program. They'll have to take an elective and a teaching practicum to be eligible.
BSN required for:
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
The Tonya Terry Endowed Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarship and the Briton Endowed Award in Nursing help the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at UA recruit qualified RNs to its doctoral programs. The school also participates in the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, which gives - and then forgives - loans to students who agree to teach in the state. The state-funded Fields Nursing Scholarship has similar benefits for Arkansas residents who stick around to practice in the state. Before funding, however, comes the application. One of two DNP tracks, the Family Nurse Practitioner concentration accepts applications from both BSN- and MSN-holders. If admitted, the former can enroll in the 78-credit program; the latter head into a 60-credit version. The program is online but features a few visits to the campus in Fayetteville, including for orientation, a project presentation, and skills training.
BSN required for:
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, California
The DNP with a Family Nurse Practitioner concentration is for working nurses who don't want to pause their careers but don't want to delay a degree either. Whether they enter UC Irvine with a BSN or MSN, enrollees in the program finish in just three years. That may sound speedy, but with just one cohort session per quarter, it may be doable for driven nurses. Of the 37 courses, some are delivered asynchronously and others synchronously. Some are purely online, while others mix online and on-campus study. To complete the 105 units and 1,020 practice hours, students go year-round: fall, winter, spring, and summer. Electives in leadership and teaching help participants tailor the degree to their preferred career path. The Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing considers applicants who not only have a California RN license but also have used it for at least a year.
BSN required for:
University of Central Florida
Orlando, Florida
Accreditation: CCNE
Students in UCF's hybrid BSN-DNP should come from Central Florida. For one thing, that's where the College of Nursing arranges the 1,020 hours' worth of clinical practicums. For another, enrollees in the Family Nurse Practitioner program need to come to campus regularly for intensives and labs. They can take the 74-credit course plan full-time over three years or part-time over four. The curriculum involves separate clinicals for women's health, gerontologic care, adult care, and pediatric care. Students also spend three terms pursuing a final DNP project. Courses include Nursing Environment Management, Health Promotion, and Healthcare Systems and Policy.
BSN required for:
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
The UC College of Nursing admits nurses to its Family Nurse Practitioner DNP who have a BSN and at least one year of RN experience. They also need a 3.25 GPA and are encouraged to submit GRE scores. Once accepted, they have the option of enrolling full- or part-time and can finish their degree in as few as nine semesters. The course plan consists of online classes bookended by an on-campus orientation and DNP project defense. There's also the 672 clinical hours dedicated to adult, pediatric, and women's health care. Those who are willing to add four courses - and agree to teach after graduation - can apply to the Nurse Faculty Loan Program and get up to 85% of the loan cancelled. Locals can get to the front of the classroom even faster if they can snag a Graduate Assistant Scholarship from the college.
BSN required for:
University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
UCONN School of Nursing aims to produce graduates who can not only practice but also teach and promote good health in patients from the very young to the very old. RNs who hold a BSN can apply for part- or full-time enrollment into the Family Nurse Practitioner program. Full-time study involves 75 credits spread over 9 semesters. Of those, 27 happen after enrollees wrap up the MSN part of the program in the fifth semester. Electives in grant writing and quantitative and qualitative research methods could expand options for graduates not going into practice. Alternatively, certificates in holistic nursing and pain management provide further specialization opportunities. Much of the program is online, with enrollees arriving in Storrs for intensives in August and January. If they're lucky, they'll be able to pick up a $20,000 check for the Jorgensen Fellowship, which provides an annual stipend for each year of the program.
BSN required for:
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Accreditation: CCNE
The Family Nurse Practitioner clinical track of UF College of Nursing's BSN-DNP program is mostly online and can be taken part-time over 12 semesters (the full-time program takes 8). That makes it a possible destination for RNs who want to keep their current jobs. Still, it's best for Floridians, as students must crisscross the state to complete 1,000+ clinical hours. The 75- to 78-unit curriculum asks students to balance 8 to 11 credits per term. Halfway through, they'll begin work on an advanced nursing project, which includes residencies during each of the final four semesters. Like the post-bachelor's program, the MSN-DNP is online with some on-campus work. The 35-credit program is specifically for ARNPs practicing in Florida, meaning incoming students should already be family nurse practitioners. Over five semesters, they'll complete a project and three residencies, plus courses in statistics, leadership, information management, and other classes designed for professional growth.
BSN required for:
MSN required for:
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, Hawaii
The School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene at UH Manoa has a unique admission policy: It allows students to enter its Family Nurse Practitioner program without any nursing experience as long as they have a baccalaureate in something. Aspiring leaders accepted into the Graduate Entry Program in Nursing take a fast-paced program that gets them ready for licensure and admission to the doctoral program. Once they join their cohort, they'll move through 77 post-BSN credits in lockstep for three years, starting with an on-campus summer intensive. Students can enter in other ways, too: with an associate degree in nursing, a BSN, or an Executive MBA in Health Care from UH Manoa Shidler College of Business. Classes employ online, face-to-face, and hybrid learning formats. Given its full-time model and the 1,000 supervised clinical hours, the DNP is best for those based in Oahu.
BSN required for:
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Family Nurse Practitioner is one of 12 focus areas in the post-BSN DNP at UIC College of Nursing, a massive teaching institution on Chicago's west side. The Department of Health Systems Science, which runs the 79-credit FNP program, employs over 50 instructors. FNP specialty courses use a hybrid model that brings students to campus at least once a month; foundational courses meet less regularly. Concentration courses include three practicums to go along with a three-course sequence on health management broken down into wellness care, acute and chronic diseases, and chronic diseases and related conditions. The DNP core is varied; students look at social factors of health as well as how to collaborate with colleagues. Students don't graduate without advanced knowledge in pharmacotherapeutics, physiology, financial planning, and health promotion. All of those come in handy when running clinical programs. Students also practice using the concepts during an 11-credit DNP project.
BSN required for:
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
University of Iowa College of Nursing offers pathways for RNs at nearly every level of education and expertise. First, the BSN-DNP is a hybrid program with three-year and four-year schedules. The MSN-DNP is a two- to three-year hybrid program for APRNs seeking FNP certification along with their doctorate. And the APRN-DNP is an online program with two- and three-year course plans for practicing FNPs who want a doctorate. So, students with a BSN take 83 credits, MSN-holders 49, and practicing FNPs just 29. Additionally, the College of Nursing allows post-bachelor's enrollees to seek dual certification as a family nurse practitioner and one of two other APRN specializations: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner. Doing so brings the total credit count to 102 and the clinical practice hours to 1,540 compared to just 1,000 in the standalone FNP.
BSN required for:
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
The ideal applicant for the Family Nurse Practitioner track of KU's post-bachelor's DNP is a practicing nurse within commuting distance of Kansas City. That's because, while most of the program's courses are online, students must visit the KU Medical Center for several classes, practicums, and exams. Also, most of the clinical sites are around Kansas City, with some outside sites to accommodate students further afield. The entire program is 75 units long, with courses leisurely divided across five years; the school recommends five to eight units each in the fall and spring semesters and two or three in the summer. However, students can modify the course plan to fit around their work schedules. That may be needed, as KU School of Nursing requests applicants have a year of clinical work experience. The school also prefers candidates who earned a 3.5 GPA in their BSN program.
BSN required for:
University of Maryland-Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland
The PMHNP DNP at the University of Maryland School of Nursing prepares nurses to assess, evaluate, diagnose, and treat individuals with mental health conditions across the lifespan. The curriculum focuses on evidence-based practice, systems leadership, and quality improvement. Nurses with a BSN can choose a 3-, 4-, or 5-year plan of study. Core DNP courses are delivered online; specialty courses are held in-person on the Baltimore campus and meet one day a week. Clinical rotations take place in a variety of settings across Maryland and in Washington, D.C. Students may have opportunities for subspecialization with populations such as geriatric patients, children, and patients with substance abuse disorders. BSN-prepared students complete 81 credits and 1,035 clinical hours. Post-master's students work with an advisor to devise a plan of study that takes into consideration what classes they have already completed. All candidates must complete a scholarly DNP project.
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts
Accreditation: CCNE
To apply to the DNP program at UMass Amherst, RNs must have a BSN (or higher). Or they can have an associate-level nursing degree and a bachelor's in a different discipline. They also need a 3.0 GPA, licensure, and the usual assortment of writing samples, recommendation letters, and statements of purpose. They don't, however, need to take the GRE. The College of Nursing's Family Nurse Practitioner concentration allows admitted students to enroll in a four- or five-year plan. Plus, the DNP is 100% online, with students finishing their practicums in their state. That flexibility makes the program worthy of a look from working nurses, who can perhaps reassess work-school balance one to two years into the program - after they complete foundational work. From then on, they'll be tackling clinicals, a capstone, and coursework each semester until graduation. The program ends with a project presentation and a final residency.
BSN required for:
University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
There are multiple ways to get into the DNP Family Nurse Practitioner track at UMass Medical School. The standard route into the hybrid program is by having a BSN. That takes students on a 78-credit program that features a standardized DNP core over Year 1, practicums and DNP project work in Year 2, and a smattering of coursework, project work, and practicums in Year 3. The second route is a pre-graduate option for RNs with a baccalaureate but only a diploma- or associate-level nursing degree. It only adds on two extra classes, which can be completed toward the beginning. The last route is the Graduate Entry Pathway for college graduates with zero nursing experience. That's a 128-credit program that takes an extra year, with the front end of the program packed with introductory classes in pharmacology, clinical care, and nursing concepts. Students in this track spend more time in internships.
BSN required for:
University of Michigan-Flint
Flint, Michigan
Accreditation: CCNE
RNs don't need a BSN to get into UM-Flint's DNP program, as long as they have a bachelor's in something. Of course, if admitted they'll have to take several prerequisites to wrap up the undergraduate portion. These classes, which include Transcultural Health Care and Community Health Nursing, tend to be online like the rest of the program. For those nurses entering straight into the BSN-DNP, the Family Nurse Practitioner concentration runs 69 to 75 credits. Within the concentration, there are four practicums, with corresponding coursework geared toward treating women, children, and people with mental illnesses. Enrollees complete additional practicums as part of the DNP core. All clinical practicums can be done in the student's region. The university runs a Dual MBA option for those interested in healthcare administration; students can cut down on the time to complete an MBA by applying 15 credits toward both programs.
BSN required for:
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Accreditation: CCNE
In a bid to make a doctorate affordable, the University of Minnesota School of Nursing offers multiple financial wards to incoming DNP students, including the Bentson Scholarship. The $20,000 award goes to 50 enrollees each year. That should make it easier to justify pausing a career to enroll in the three-year BSN-DNP program. (Students can stretch the 80-credit program to four years, if desired.) Enrollees will want to have easy access to Minneapolis, because they'll be on campus for nearly a week each term to take courses and meet with their advisor. That schedule ramps up in the second year, with students coming to campus several days every other week. Students can combine the power of a Family Nurse Practitioner degree with a Master of Public Health by pursuing a dual degree. It adds only two semesters to their program, as the final DNP project counts toward both curriculums.
BSN required for:
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, Missouri
Accreditation: CCNE
The University of Missouri offers a DNP in psychiatric-mental health primarily online. Students must visit campus about once a year. BSN-prepared PMHNP students complete 74 credits and 1,080 clinical hours. Students complete the clinical practicums near their home, and they are required to locate a preceptor. Nurses with an MSN who do not have an advanced practice specialty may enroll in the DNP program to gain a PMHNP certification. BSN-prepared nurses can complete the program in 4 years of full-time study or 5 or 6 years part time. Post-master's students can complete the degree in 3 or 4 years of part-time study. All students are required to complete the DNP Residency project, a scholarly project that includes research, identifying a practice problem, designing an evidence-based solution, implementing it, and evaluating outcomes. Applicants should have a 3.3 GPA for undergraduate nursing classes or a 3.5 GPA in their master's degree.
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Accreditation: CCNE
At UMKC School of Nursing & Health Studies, students should be able to manage their schedules so they can continue working while earning their degree. Though some of the online courses in the post-bachelor's program are synchronous, they are all scheduled for Thursday and Friday. And while clinicals correspond with a brief on-campus residency each semester, the rotations themselves can be scheduled for clinical sites near the student's home. The Family Nurse Practitioner track requires enrollees to complete 74 credits, and students who want to work can opt for a part-time load that adds another year to their commitment. Early units cover cultural diversity so students can relate to patients from different backgrounds, as well as introduce healthcare systems and advocacy so students are prepared to be leaders in their organizations. Later semesters are predominantly devoted to clinicals, project work, and a final 330-hour residency.
BSN required for:
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska
The DNP core at UNMC College of Nursing is 24 to 35 credits long. The linchpin of that section of the curriculum is the Clinical Inquiry course, a practicum built around students' specific goals and the setting in which they wish to work. There are another eight classes in biostatistics, epidemiology, evidence-based practice, assessment methods, systems change, policy, leadership, and finance. Students in the Family Nurse Practitioner track take a further 24 to 37 credits: pathophysiology, pharmacology, assessment, practice, health promotion, and primary healthcare for children and older adults. Students choose whether they wish to finish all the courses in three years or four. The total is a year shorter for students who come in with an MSN. Graduates should be able to secure certification as an Advanced Nurse Executive or a Certified Nurse Manager and Leader.
BSN required for:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The Family Nurse Practitioner specialty at UNC School of Nursing actually allows for further specialization. While there are required courses in gerontology, adult care, sexual health, and primary care for children, students can tailor other parts of their course plan to focus on specific populations. Thanks to two electives and a DNP project, they can open up their career possibilities, for instance, to work overseas or improve rural healthcare at home. The hybrid BSN-DNP is a full-time program that requires three years; there's no part-time option. To offset missed working costs, the School of Nursing works to support all students financially. It uses seven funds for merit-based awards and has further need-based funds. It hires teaching and research assistants. And those working in chronic illness prevention can apply for a fellowship. Finally, future nurse educators may be able to get their loan partially cancelled through the Nurse Faculty Loan Program.
BSN required for:
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Accreditation: CCNE
The Family Nurse Practitioner track of the DNP program at UNF's Brooks College of Health is structured for Florida-based nurses with a BSN, though MSN-holders looking for certification can also apply. Applicants need to have graduated with a 3.0 and have spent a year as a clinical RN. They also need to have an MAT score of 410 or GRE scores of 153 on the verbal, 144 on the quantitative, and 3.5 on the analytical. Once accepted, they can enroll full- or part-time in the 82-credit program. Though coursework is heavy toward the beginning, by the end the program consists mainly of practicums and a project. For full-time enrollees, the first residency comes five semesters in, with an additional residency each semester until graduation. All clinical sites are in northeastern Florida.
BSN required for:
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, Colorado
Accreditation: CCNE
Built for working RNs within driving distance of Greeley, Colorado, the DNP with Family Nurse Practitioner emphasis lets students take their time getting a doctorate. RNs with a bachelor's take 95 credits in five years, with no full-time option. For the first eight semesters, students have class meetings every Thursday, usually on campus. These feature a mix of theory, healthcare concepts, research, policy, and care. Toward the end of the second year, students take their first clinical. Semesters 9-14 are purely online. Students take a few more research methods classes, along with subject-specific coursework, before embarking on a final project their last year. The Extended Campus, which runs the program, charges non-residents the same price as Coloradans, so Wyoming and Nebraska residents might consider making the commute.
BSN required for:
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Accreditation: CCNE
RNs interested in family nursing have several options at Pitt School of Nursing. Those with a bachelor's degree can do the onsite BSN-DNP Family (Individual Across the Lifespan) Nurse Practitioner curriculum. The generalist degree is 95 credits, 18 of which come from clinicals. The distance education version features an identical curriculum, and students can do their hands-on training at established clinical sites outside of Pittsburgh. They can even do clinicals in their state of residence. The degree can be completed in three years with full-time study. FNPs who hold an MSN can grab their doctorate in the specialty, either onsite or online, with just 45 credits across two years of full-time study. Like the BSN-DNP, however, students can create individualized part-time plans. All FNP programs at Pitt include coursework designed to assist graduates in running a modern healthcare organization, such as leadership, ethics, public policy, grant writing, and database management.
BSN required for:
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California
Accreditation: CCNE
The psychiatric nursing DNP at the University of San Francisco has a focus on using medication to treat psychiatric disorders and making differential diagnosis of medical disorders with psychiatric symptoms. The program has pathways for BSN- and MSN-prepared students. In conjunction with the DNP, students can earn an optional MSN (if they only have a BSN) or a Master of Public Health (if they hold a BSN or MSN). Classes are delivered in a hybrid format that combines online coursework with on-campus Teaching Weekends, which meet twice a month all day on Friday and Saturday. PMHNP students also complete more than 1,000 clinical hours, and placements are selected by the faculty. Students are required to produce an evidence-based project designed to improve outcomes in a clinical setting. Applicants should have BSN or MSN with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0. All students must have a California RN license.
University of South Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Accreditation: CCNE
The University of South Alabama has three pathways to the DNP in family psychiatric nursing. Nurses with an MSN in PMHNP can earn a DNP in the same specialty by completing 36 credits. Nurses with an MSN in a different specialty area can earn a PMHNP DNP to gain certification as a psychiatric nurse. BSN-prepared nurses can complete their MSN and DNP in PMHNP. The program requires 69 credits for BSN to DNP students and 60 credits for MSN-prepared nurses seeking a new specialty. Classes are online with a few required meetings in Mobile, Alabama. Students complete clinical rotations with a preceptor near their home. All students must produce a scholarly, evidence-based project to create an improvement in patient outcomes. Nurses must have at least 2 years of psychiatric nursing experience before they begin the clinical portion of the degree. Students may start in the fall or spring.
University of South Florida-Main Campus
Tampa, Florida
USF College or Nursing doesn't offer online programs, per se, but the BSN-DNP Family Health concentration is meant to be accessible to working nurses. On-campus classes are often held just once or twice a week. Clinical practicums occur in the Sunshine State, so enrollees need a Florida RN license. Students go at their own pace, choosing between multiple full-time and part-time options to complete their 82 credits and 720 clinical hours. The units could be done in as few as 7 semesters or as many as 13. The curriculum includes courses in systems leadership, informatics, diagnostics, research, and statistics. Of course, given the FNP specialty, students also take individual courses and practicums around older adults, children, and families. FNP applicants can enter with an MSN, though they'll have to work with the college to settle on a course plan.
BSN required for:
University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, Texas
Accreditation: CCNE
The University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio doesn't run a generic Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Although it might not be apparent from the course plan, the school infuses the curriculum with the university's core values, including faith and innovation. The DNP's Family Nurse Practitioner concentration for post-bachelor's students features a blend of periodic on-campus meetings with synchronous and asynchronous online classes. The 77 units are meant to be completed over three years of full-time study. This includes first-year work covering pathophysiology, policy, statistics, research, and assessment. Second-year students begin taking practicums and working on a final project, which extends into the third year. The Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions considers applicants who hold a BSN, earned a 2.75 overall GPA and 3.0 in nursing subjects, and have an RN license from Texas or a compact state. There's no testing requirement.
BSN required for:
University of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
UToledo's BSN-DNP features a Family Nurse Practitioner specialty that takes three years of full-time study to complete. Course loads remain consistent throughout, running between 9 and 12 credits per term. A five-year, part-time plan is available for students who want to continue working. Both course plans mix online and on-campus classes and mandate a specific course order. Students in practicums will likely spend time at one of ProMedica's 13 Ohio and Michigan hospitals, as well as at The University of Toledo Medical Center. Applicants need a 3.0 from their BSN program and an Ohio nursing license. The College of Nursing awards graduate assistantships to select DNP students looking for funding, as well as a handful of scholarships to students who maintain a 3.0 GPA.
BSN required for:
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Accreditation: CCNE
The UVA School of Nursing looks for RNs with two years of full-time experience to join the Family Nurse Practitioner track of its BSN-DNP program. Once enrolled, students spend two years to get their MSN and another two years to snag the DNP. Alternatively, students can seek approval for an accelerated plan of study that runs through 85 credits, including 1,120 clinical hours, in just three years. Those practicums can come from outside Virginia, if the student arranges them. The nursing school participates in the federal Nursing Faculty Loan Program, which pays off up to 85% of loans in exchange for a teaching commitment. But it also runs its own fund, the UVA Future Virginia Nurse Faculty Loan Assistance Repayment Program, for those who agree to teach in the commonwealth after graduation. Other educator-oriented financial aid includes 30 or so graduate teaching assistant positions filled by the college each year.
BSN required for:
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, Washington
Accreditation: CCNE
Using a broad-based curriculum, the Family Nurse Practitioner track of UW's DNP program produces graduates who work in everything from primary care to HIV care, from dermatology to neurology. The 93-credit DNP, only available on a full-time basis, uses a hybrid format. First-year students are on campus weekly for a slate of courses shared with DNP students in other tracks: policy, health equity, leadership, health economics, and the like. Second-year students also make weekly forays to the School of Nursing's Seattle campus, though at that point they're mostly in courses specific to their track, such as Pediatric Diagnostic Health Assessment and Management of Adults. Even into the third year, students will occasionally be on campus in between clinical immersions, partly to present their doctorate project. Graduates should be able to sit for ANCC or AANPCP certification.
BSN required for:
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Tacoma, Washington
Accreditation: CCNE
Using a broad-based curriculum, the Family Nurse Practitioner track of UW's DNP program produces graduates who work in everything from primary care to HIV care, from dermatology to neurology. The 93-credit DNP, only available on a full-time basis, uses a hybrid format. First-year students are on campus weekly for a slate of courses shared with DNP students in other tracks: policy, health equity, leadership, health economics, and the like. Second-year students also make weekly forays to the School of Nursing's Seattle campus, though at that point they're mostly in courses specific to their track, such as Pediatric Diagnostic Health Assessment and Management of Adults. Even into the third year, students will occasionally be on campus in between clinical immersions, partly to present their doctorate project. Graduates should be able to sit for ANCC or AANPCP certification.
BSN required for:
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Accreditation: CCNE
The UWEC Department of Nursing lets DNP enroll in a three-, four-, or five-year course of study so they can balance school and outside commitments. It's conceivable for students to work, even on a full-time plan, given that the curriculum features no more than 11 credits per term and on-campus courses are usually restricted to one day per week: Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Students in the post-bachelor's Family Nurse Practitioner focus take 73 credits. The post-master's DNP allows nurses who already earned an FNP-related MSN to take 31 credits to get their doctorate. They jump right into 800-level courses in epidemiology, advanced practice theory, organizational leadership, and informatics. Nearly half of their credits go toward practicums and project work.
BSN required for:
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Enrollees in UWM's Doctor of Nursing Program can spread their 65 credits across anywhere from three to four and a half academic years, with both spring and fall starts available. The difference is a program that is 9 to 12 credits per term versus one that is 6 to 8. Students in the Family Nurse Practitioner specialization can compete for the Milton and Joan Morris DNP Fellowship, along with other College of Nursing scholarships and graduate assistantships for doctoral candidates. Though it will take some schedule alterations, the college welcomes students to study global health from abroad. They can help pay for their travel with the Conway Scholarship. Applicants to the DNP need a BSN, a 2.75 undergraduate GPA, recent GRE results if they have below a 3.2, and a nursing license from the U.S.
BSN required for:
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Accreditation: CCNE
Aside from spending one day a week in Oshkosh, DNP students in the Family Nurse Practitioner specialty take courses from home and their clinicals from around Wisconsin. The BSN-DNP program is 74 credits and can be completed as part of a three-year or five-year course plan. Full-time enrollees spend their first year taking mostly online classes. In their second year, they partake in supervised clinicals and start preparing a capstone project. Over the course of the final five semesters they spend 672 hours in practicums, 224 hours on a capstone, and 336 hours in a final DNP residency. Post-MSN students who aren't APRNs get a reduced schedule of 65 credits. Enrollees who are APRNs create individualized study plans based on their clinical hours, competencies, and prior coursework in assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology. Post-bachelor's students need Wisconsin licensure and a 2.7 GPA to apply. Post-master's students must have a 3.5.
BSN required for:
MSN required for:
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
Accreditation: CCNE
PMHNP students in the University of Wyoming's DNP program prepare for careers in rural psychiatric mental health care. The degree is a full-time, 3-year program designed for nurses with a BSN, and there is no part-time option. Master's-prepared nurses who want to earn a new specialization may enter the program, but they must take the entire 84-credit curriculum and 1,200 clock hours of practicum experiences. The program is distance-accessible, but students must make frequent trips to the campus in Laramie. In the first year, students attend orientation, health assessment intensives and other intensives, and a clinical boot camp. In the second and third years, they must come to campus 3 or 4 times per semester. Students must also be available on Wednesday mornings for synchronous webinars. Practicums must take place in Wyoming, north-central Colorado, or southern Montana. Students also complete a practice-oriented DNP project in their final year.
Viterbo University
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin, welcomes both nurses with a BSN and nurses with an MSN to its Family Nurse Practitioner DNP program. The post-bachelor's program is designed to take three years, as is the post-master's for students who hold APRN certification. (Post-master's students without APRN certification face an almost identical course load to post-bachelor's students.) Post-BSN students take 64 credits, smoothed out into a manageable six to nine units per term. The didactic coursework is frontloaded, so the final year is all clinical seminars and practicums. The post-MSN program doesn't have a summer semester, and students complete 26 of their 30 credits in the first two years; the final fall and spring terms are spent solely on the DNP project. In both study plans, practicums can be completed outside Wisconsin and several classes are online, but students must still regularly travel to campus.
BSN required for:
MSN required for:
Washburn University
Topeka, Kansas
By incorporating MBA courses in accounting, marketing, and entrepreneurship into its DNP program, Washburn University aims to create APRNs who can direct clinical programs and run healthcare organizations. Its BSN-DNP Family Nurse Practitioner specialty is 75 credits and slated to take nine semesters. But students can reassess their schedule a year in and decide to speed up the program. Students who already have an MSN but no APRN certification shave a few credits off, needing 70 units to get their DNP. Those with FNP certification need 44. Washburn's also gone to the trouble of creating tracks that allow FNPs to get a new specialization. Enrollees take 57 credits to get a DNP via the FNP to Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track. All of the pathways are online and practicums are held in participants' state of residence, so RNs who apply just need a license in their state.
BSN required for:
Washington State University - Vancouver
Vancouver, Washington
Accreditation: CCNE
The WSU College of Nursing emphasizes flexibility for students entering the DNP - Family Nurse Practitioner track. For one thing, students can pace themselves. Though the full-time program can be completed in three years, students can do a part-time schedule that spans four or five. Second, it's a hybrid program that mixes online work with digestible on-campus chunks that can be completed in Vancouver, at WSU-Spokane or WSU-Tri-Cities, or even in Yakima or Walla Walla. Finally, northern Oregon residents can complete clinicals in their state - and may even only pay resident tuition. Applicants must have a BSN and a Washington RN license. The post-baccalaureate curriculum includes three courses and associated practicums on primary care. The first is about promoting good health and preventing disease. The second is about acute illnesses. The last is about chronic illnesses. Each covers the entire lifespan, rather than a particular age group or gender.
BSN required for:
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Accreditation: CCNE
The 76-credit BSN-DNP at WKU features part-time and full-time course plans so that working nurses can go at their own speed. First-year students in the full-time Family Nurse Practitioner track spend four weekends each term in Bowling Green taking seminars; the rest of the classes are online. In their second year, they add a few on-campus weekday courses to the mix along with clinicals. That pattern holds for their third and final year. Leadership classes pop up throughout the curriculum, creating pathways to administrative work after graduation. Still, practice isn't neglected, as students log over 1,000 hours in the program conducting primary care for infants, children, adolescents, and adults. The School of Nursing looks for RNs who have a BSN and hold licensure from Kentucky or a compact state.
BSN required for:
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas
Accreditation: CCNE
The Family Nurse Practitioner DNP at Wichita State prepares RNs to work in a rural setting or a bigger city like Wichita. Students may have clinicals in both a bustling urgent care and a rural clinic. The 74-credit post-bachelor's program runs for nine semesters. Though a few classes are online, most are held on campus during the week. Also, though the course plan has a prescribed sequence, two spots are slotted in for electives within the first year, opening up the possibility to prepare to become a nurse educator or drill down into gerontological care, for instance. Perhaps they'll choose to incorporate it into their evidence-based nursing project. All students get plenty of coursework in drug therapy and pathophysiology, among other areas. RNs with an MSN and APRN licensure can apply to the DNP - Individual/Family Focus program, which is run online and requires 29 credits of work.
BSN required for:
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota
BSN required for:
