Overview
Students are admitted to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program once a year to begin in the fall semester. Admission to the DNP Program is competitive and limited. Each year, there are more qualified applicants than spaces available in each of the DNP Specialty Tracks. Applicants are evaluated with respect to the University of Utah and departmental 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.
Applicants must meet the minimum admission requirements for, and be accepted by, both the University of Utah and the College of Nursing. Applicants should note that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the DNP program.
Eligibility
Evidence of an earned or in-process bachelor's degree in Nursing from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university. The University of Utah Office of Admissions will determine if an applicant’s degree meets the Graduate School's requirement of a recognized Bachelor's degree.
- The bachelor's degree in Nursing must be awarded by a nationally accredited nursing school from either,
- The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Accreditation (CCNE), or
- The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
- Applicants may participate in the admissions process while completing the BS in Nursing degree. If offered admission to the DNP Program and the University of Utah, degrees must be awarded prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. Degrees from competency-based institutions will be awarded a 3.0 GPA.
- Verification of licensure as an RN or APRN in at least one of the jurisdictions of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. If recommended for admission to the DNP Program and the University of Utah, the RN license must post prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
- Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to have at least one year of direct patient care experience before beginning the DNP program.
Prerequisite Course Requirements
Individuals offered admission to the DNP Program must show proof of completion of prerequisite courses before starting the program.
- Prerequisites must be completed with a minimum B grade (B- grade will not be accepted).
- Prerequisites may be completed during the admissions cycle and do not have to be completed before the December 1 application deadline.
- Prerequisite courses can be completed at any regionally accredited college/university or community college. Online courses are acceptable if the institution is accredited.
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 must be submitted in order to take courses before becoming a matriculated student in the fall.
The Prerequisite Course Equivalency Chart includes equivalent courses at some universities and colleges in Utah. 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.
Required for all specialty tracks of the DNP Program with the exception of the Post-MS to DNP specialty track. This prerequisite is NOT required for the MS Program.
For the fall 2022 admissions cycle, the prerequisite course is needed if:
- BS in Nursing graduation date is before 2018
- 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 (B- grade will not be accepted)
- Required for the MS Informatics, MS Education, and all specialty tracks of the DNP Program
- A basic statistics course must have been taken, and passed with a minimum B grade (B- grade will not be accepted), within five years of the anticipated start date of the graduate program (between 2018–2023 for the current admissions cycle)
- Any basic statistics course fulfills this requirement, undergraduate or graduate level
Application Requirements
- Applications for fall 2023 open on September 1. Click HERE to apply
- Evidence of an earned or in-process Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited US college or university
- Transcripts from each post-secondary college and university attended. Unofficial copies may be submitted for initial review. If offered admission to the University of Utah, official copies will be required prior to beginning course work
- Current resume
- Three (3) letters of recommendation from professional or academic sources
- Goal Statement (limit of 1-2 pages)
- Verification of licensure as an RN or APRN. If the RN license will not be posted by the application deadline, please upload a document stating the anticipated date of the NCLEX
- Prerequisites: Upper-division pathophysiology and statistics courses. Click HERE for details.
- International applicant requirements
- The GRE is not required for admission to the DNP Program
Deadline
A complete application must be received by 11:59 PM Mountain Standard Time on December 1 for the following academic year. Incomplete and late applications will not be reviewed. The requirements for a complete application are listed below.
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.