Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice
Our Post-Master’s DNP program equips master’s-prepared nurses with the skills necessary to excel in practice and policy leadership, making them uniquely poised to impact healthcare quality and health equity.
About the Program
Emerge as a leader in practice and broaden your potential.
Penn Nursing’s renowned faculty and world-class academic partners provide students with personalized learning and mentorship opportunities. Graduates of the Penn Nursing Post-Masters DNP (DNP-PM) program are prepared to evaluate and apply nursing science to address practice gaps within communities and complex healthcare systems. Each track within the DNP program prepares students to excel in direct clinical practice, healthcare leadership, and policy development.
Program Information
Part-Time
Program Length
21 months
Financial aid available?
Yes
Start Semester
Fall
Learning Format
Online
Program Details
Curriculum
With all classes available online, our curriculum offers flexibility and convenience, and allows master’s-prepared nurses to earn their Post-Master’s DNP while balancing a full-time career. Students can also complete their DNP project at their own site of employment, bringing additional value and impact to their own institution. For more information about the DNP Scholarly Project, please consult the DNP Handbook or view previous DNP Scholarly Projects.
Another advantage of completing a DNP at Penn Nursing? Course faculty and project mentors include thought leaders across domains of nursing and healthcare. Through these foundational relationships, students garner access to a global network of experts who are instrumental to scholarly project development and implementation.
The Post-Master’s DNP plan of study includes 10 course units designed to be completed online in 21 months.
Click the link below to view the curriculum for this program in the University catalog or download a sample plan of study.
Requirements
Minimum qualifications for the program
MSN or Master’s degree in the field of Nursing.
Prerequisites
Graduate-level Research Methods Course with a grade of B or higher.
Licensure
RN and APRN
International Applicants
Click here for additional requirements
Application Deadlines
Fall 2024 Enrollment
Priority Deadline: November 1, 2023
Final Deadline: February 1, 2024
Latest Decision Notification: mid-February
*Dates subject to change without notice.
Costs & Tuition
The estimated total cost (tuition and fees) of the 2023 Post Master’s DNP program (11 CUs) is $74,995.
Your program costs will depend on your individual plan of study. Tuition is charged per CU based on your semester enrollment.
Discount available for employees of our Academic Practice Partners. Click here to learn more.
Program Outcomes
The Post-Master’s DNP program provides content in health policy, informatics, quality improvement, epidemiology, data analytics, leadership skills and applied healthcare accounting and economics. Based on their work experience, graduates often seek roles or additional responsibilities in clinical practice improvement, nursing education, and clinical program leadership.
Penn Nursing has developed the DNP program with a specific aim to prepare highly impactful leaders in practice and executive leadership.
At completion of the DNP program, a student will demonstrate the competency to effect advance high-quality, equitable and accessible healthcare by:
- Developing ways to improve health and healthcare outcomes through translating research, evaluating evidence-based practice, and implementing innovative ideas.
- Applying project management acumen and data analytics to improve outcomes for patient/family, systems, or community-based care.
- Disseminating practice knowledge that contributes to nursing and interprofessional scholarship.
Standards for nursing education are established by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. These Essentials outline the foundational competencies that are core to all advanced nursing practice roles. The DNP Essentials (2006) underpin the DNP curriculum that endeavors to prepare leaders to identify and meet the health needs of society. The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is internationally recognized as a leader in educating and preparing the next generation of nurses and healthcare leaders to address these pressing healthcare needs in an ever-changing world with unprecedented complexity. DNP graduates are prepared as practice scholars who integrate evidence and practice while inspiring and leading a culture of inquiry and action in their everyday work.
Cyd Villalba, DNP, MS, RN-BC, PMP
DNP Program Alumna
“At Penn, the coursework is intense but stimulating, and there’s both encouragement and expectation that this unique opportunity will be used to benefit others.”
Program Activities
Promising Approaches
Influencing health care and health care workplaces through leadership, policy implementation, and patient care takes incredible skill and thoughtfulness. Penn Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program is an example of how to do it right.
