Graduate Admissions
The College of Nursing graduate programs admits students once a year to begin in the fall semester. Admission to the DNP Program is limited and selective. Successful 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. Applicants are evaluated with respect to university and departmental requirements and with respect to the pool of applicants.
The College of Nursing encourages applicants to attend a College of Nursing Graduate Programs Information Session before submitting their application.
Completed applications are due DECEMBER 1. Applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed.
Admission Requirements
- Completed University of Utah application for graduate admission
- Evidence of an in-process or completed Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from a regionally accredited university or college, and a nationally accredited nursing school from either,
- The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Accreditation (CCNE), or
- The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
- Transcripts from each post-secondary college and university regardless of whether or not a degree was earned
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Verification of licensure as an RN or APRN in at least one of the jurisdictions of National Council of State Boards of Nursing
- A current resume or curriculum vitae
- Three (3) professional letters of recommendation
- Professional goal statement
- Upper-division physiology/pathophysiology prerequisite
- International applicant requirements
- GRE not required for our DNP (except dual DNP-PhD track) and MS programs
Applicants to the Neonatal Specialty Track: The National Certification Corporation requires the equivalent of two (2) years of full-time clinical practice experience (within the last five years) as a registered nurse (RN) in the care of critically ill neonates or infants in critical care inpatient settings is required before a student begins clinical courses. Students may enroll in preclinical courses while obtaining the necessary practice.
Prerequisite Course Requirement
Fall 2020 Admissions Cycle: Prerequisite required if BS in Nursing graduation date is before 2015, or upper-division physiology or pathophysiology course was not included in the undergraduate curriculum, or course was taken and the grade received was lower than a B.
Please check the MS and DNP Prerequisite Course Equivalency Chart for most universities and colleges in Utah.
The prerequisite course may be completed during the admission process. The University of Utah offers NURS 5905 Clinical Physiology as an online course in spring and summer terms. Applicants may enroll in this course as a Non-Degree Seeking Student. If applicants choose to take the prerequisite in the summer, you must enroll in NURS 5905 to ensure that a grade is posted before the fall semester begins.