Online MSN to DNP Program

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)—DNP Path Overview

We offer a direct path toward earning both a master's degree in nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. If you possess a bachelor’s degree in nursing, completion of this MSN to DNP program is required to move on to the Doctor of Nursing Practice.

The Master of Science in Nursing program offers a balanced core curriculum and specialized courses in organizational theory, health care finance, human resources, and information and health care technologies.

Degree Pathways

Choose from six pathways designed to provide further knowledge in your chosen specialty:

• Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner: Focus on diagnosing, treating, and managing patients’ acute and chronic health conditions.
• Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner: Promote holistic health care to members of the adult and older adult population through assessment, diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment of chronic health problems.
• Executive leader: Focus on the principles of personnel management, policy development and implementation, budgeting, and the use of information technology.
• Family nurse practitioner, primary care: Promote holistic health care to adults and children in a family systems context through the assessment, diagnosis, and management of chronic health problems.
• Nurse educator: Learn to effectively teach patients/families, provide staff development, evaluate programs, and instruct undergraduate nursing students.
• Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner: Provide comprehensive psychiatric mental health care through the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and management of psychiatric mental health disorders, medical organic brain disorders, substance abuse problems, and complex co-occurring disease processes and disorders across the lifespan.

See the University Catalog for policy and degree plan information specific to this program.

Note: Residents of TN may not enroll in this program. Residents of the following states and territories may not enroll in the nurse practitioner population focus areas: HI, LA, NY, OR, UT, WA, Guam, Puerto Rico. In addition, residents of DC may not enroll in the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner population focus area or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner population focus area, and residents of the Virgin Islands may not enroll in the adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner or family nurse practitioner, primary care focus areas. Residents of WA or the Virgin Islands may not enroll in the executive leader concentration and residents of IN, IL, or WI may not enroll in the nurse educator concentration.