Health Care Leadership, Systems, and Policy D.N.P. Program

Applicants must hold a master’s degree in nursing or a related field (i.e., M.P.H., M.B.A., M.H.A.) and a current license to practice as a registered nurse in the United States. (Connecticut licensure is not required.) If the applicant’s bachelor of science degree is not in nursing, the master’s degree must be in nursing. Non-nursing master’s-degree applicants are required to have a portfolio review to determine the number of additional practice hours that may be required.

A total of 1,000 practicum hours is required for a D.N.P. degree. Those who entered with a master’s degree in nursing generally earned a minimum of 500 clinical hours. Practice hours prior to entry into the D.N.P. program for those with a non-nursing master’s degree will be determined by (1) the number of faculty-supervised hours in a health care management or policy experience and (2) the number of faculty-supervised hours in a management, policy, or administrative project or experience. Applicants who completed fewer than the hours needed to meet the required 1,000 hours must fulfill those hours through one or more of the following mentored/supervised leadership practica:

1. Mentored practicum: working with an experienced manager, administrator, or executive
2. Additional administrative systems/organizational activities, which are planned in collaboration with the faculty adviser, goal-defined, measurable, and appropriate to the systems/organization leadership role.

Clinical D.N.P. Program

Applicants must hold a master’s degree in nursing and a current license and certification to practice as an advanced practice nurse in the United States. (Note: Connecticut licensure is not required if practicing elsewhere.)

A total of 1,000 practicum hours is required for a D.N.P. degree. Advanced practice nurses enter with a minimum of 500 clinical hours from their M.S.N. program, which are applied toward the required total of practicum hours.

Hours for the Clinical D.N.P. program are accrued through mentored practica as a clinical leader/innovator with a population focus.

At this time, the Clinical D.N.P. program is not accepting applications from individuals residing in the following states: New York, Oregon, Washington.