Eligibility and Prerequisites

Eligibility

• Evidence of an earned or in-process 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)
• 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 post prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
• 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 the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. If offered admission to the DNP Program and the University of Utah, the RN license must post prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

Please note: Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the DNP Program.

Prerequisite Course Requirements

Individuals admitted to the MS and DNP programs must show proof of completion of prerequisites before starting the program. Prerequisites must be completed with a minimum B grade. Prerequisites do not have to be completed before the December 1 application deadline.

Upper-division Physiology/Pathophysiology Course

For the fall 2021 admissions cycle, the prerequisite course is needed if:

• BS in Nursing graduation date is before 2016.
• Upper-division physiology or pathophysiology course was not included in the undergraduate curriculum.
• An upper-division course was taken, and the grade received was lower than a B.

Upper-division courses are usually numbered 3000-level or higher.  Please check the MS and DNP Prerequisite Course Equivalency Chart for equivalent courses at most universities and colleges in Utah.

The University of Utah offers NURS 5905 Clinical Physiology as an option during spring and summer terms. Applicants may enroll in this course as a Non-Degree Seeking Student.

Please note: This prerequisite is not needed for the Post MS-DNP or MS Informatics specialty tracks.

Statistics Course

A basic statistics course must have been taken, and passed with a minimum B grade, within five years of the anticipated start date of the graduate program (between 2016–2021 for this admissions cycle).

• Any basic statistics course fulfills this requirement, undergraduate or graduate level.
• Not required for MS Program.