Overview
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program admits students once per year for a fall start. Applicants are evaluated with respect to the University of Utah, Office of Graduate Admissions and College of Nursing requirements, and with respect to the pool of applicants. The College of Nursing adheres to the University of Utah's policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity in admission decisions.
Applying to the DNP program requires completion of one application that is used by both the University of Utah, Office of Graduate Admissions and the College of Nursing. Due to the competitive nature of admission to our specialty tracks, applicants may only apply to one specialty track. Applications are due December 1 for the following fall semester. We will notify DNP applicants of their admission status in late February.
Eligibility Checklist
To apply to the DNP Program you must have:
- An earned or in-process Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university.
- In addition to the institution’s regional accreditation, the nursing program within the institution must be accredited by CCNE or ACEN.
- Applicants may participate in the admissions process while completing the BS in Nursing degree. If recommended for admission, degrees must be awarded prior to enrollment.
- Post-MS to DNP specialty track applicants will have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master’s degree in Nursing OR a non-nursing field.
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. The cumulative GPA is calculated by the Office of Admissions using academic records from all institutions an applicant has attended. Degrees from competency-based institutions are awarded a 3.0 GPA.
- An active, unrestricted Utah state RN license by the time you enter the program.
- Applicants are encouraged to have at least one year of direct patient care experience before entering the DNP program in the fall semester.
Application Requirements
- Submission of FutureU application. Applications open in August. Click HERE to apply.
- Transcripts from ALL post-secondary institutions attended. Unofficial copies may be submitted for initial review.
- Current resume
- Personal Goal Statement (limit of 1-2 pages)
- Three letters of recommendation from professional or academic references.
- Verification of RN or APRN licensure. If the RN license will not be posted by the application deadline, please upload a document stating the anticipated date of the NCLEX.
- International applicant requirements
Deadline
Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on December 1 to begin study the following fall. Incomplete and late applications will not be reviewed.
Prerequisite Course Requirements
Individuals admitted to the DNP Program must show proof of completion of two prerequisite courses before starting course work in the fall.
- Prerequisites must be completed with a minimum B- grade within 5 years of the anticipated start date.
- Prerequisites do not have to be completed before the December 1 application deadline and may be completed during the admissions cycle.
- Prerequisite courses can be completed at any regionally accredited college/university or community college. Online courses are acceptable if the institution is accredited.
The Prerequisite Course Equivalency Chart includes statewide equivalent courses. If a course has been taken and is not listed on this chart, please send the course information (course name, course number, date taken) to gradstudentinfo@nurs.utah.edu:
The University of Utah offers courses to meet the prerequisite requirement:
- NURS 5905 Clinical Physiology (spring and summer semesters)
- NURS 5550 Practical Statistics (summer semester)
- These courses are online and taught by College of Nursing faculty. A Non-Degree Seeking Student application for spring or summer must be submitted to take these courses.
Required for all specialty tracks of the DNP Program except for the Post-MS to DNP specialty track.
For the fall 2024 admissions cycle, the prerequisite course is needed if:
- BS in Nursing graduation date is before 2019.
- Upper-division (300 or 3000-level or higher) physiology or pathophysiology course was not included in the undergraduate curriculum.
- An upper-division (300 or 3000-level or higher) course was taken and the grade received was lower than a B-.
- A basic statistics course must have been taken within five years of the anticipated start date of the DNP Program and passed with a minimum B- grade.
- Any basic statistics course fulfills this requirement, undergraduate or graduate level.
Admitted Student Intent to Enroll
To secure your place in the upcoming DNP fall cohort, click here to submit the non-refundable $500 intent to enroll fee. The $500 deposit will be credited toward your first semester’s tuition.
If the enrollment deposit is a financial challenge, you may request a deposit extension in writing to gradstudentinfo@nurs.utah.edu.