Nursing - Doctor of Nursing Practice (Post-Master's)
Fully Online
Overview
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree prepares nurses with a blend of clinical, organizational, economic, health care improvement, and leadership skills to serve as clinical and/or administrative leaders in healthcare systems. DNP prepared nurses may also serve as educators in a variety of settings. As a practice-focused doctoral program, the DNP program focuses on practice that is innovative and evidence-based, reflecting the application of credible research findings.
Doctor of Nursing Practice courses are offered online to allow working nurses the opportunity to complete their degree with a flexible schedule.
Point of Pride
Nurses with Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees report faster salary growth, more opportunities for promotion, and higher job satisfaction.
Graduate Advisor
Kristen Anderson
(309) 438-0657
Edwards 112H
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How to Apply
University Admission Requirements
A student applying to a doctoral program must:
- have earned a master's degree or equivalent in a discipline appropriate to the specific doctoral program
- provide three letters of recommendation
- present unofficial transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. The unofficial transcript should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses and course grades for each term. If accepted, official transcripts can be emailed from the university to GraduateAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, Graduate School, 209 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 4040, Normal, IL 61790-4040.
International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Office of Admissions.
Additional Program Admission Requirements
Prior to enrolling in nursing coursework students must meet health and safety compliance requirements, to include drug testing, a criminal background check, a physical examination, and several immunizations. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in dismissal from the major.
International applicants must comply with the International Applicant Requirements as directed by the Illinois State University Office of Admissions. Please apply early in the application time frame to ensure adequate time to review transcripts.
To be considered for this program, you must meet the following requirements.
Master’s Degree
You must have a Master of Science in Nursing from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
GPA
You must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 for the last 30 hours of graduate or 60 hours of undergraduate coursework. This includes courses in which you are currently enrolled.
Certification and Licensure
You must be certified and licensed as an advanced practice nurse:
- Certified Nurse Practitioner
- Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
It is also acceptable to have completed a master’s degree program in nursing administration.
Other MSN specialties will be considered.
Graduate Coursework
Your graduate coursework must include a graduate level epidemiology course.
In addition, a graduate level statistics course is a corequisite of the DNP program. Students must have completed a graduate level statistics course within one year of entering the DNP program. If the graduate level statistics course was taken more than one year prior to entering, students must take and pass a proficiency examination available through MCN, or complete this course during the first summer semester of the DNP program in conjunction with one required DNP course.
Practice Hours
Use the practice hours form to submit practice hours completed from your MSN program.
Also, submit a letter of verification of practice hours on MSN program letterhead from your MSN program director or appropriate program representative.
Credentials Evaluation Service Academic Report (International Students Only)
International applicants must submit to Mennonite College of Nursing a Credentials Evaluation Service Academic Report from CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) or WES (World Education Services). International applicants must comply with the International Applicant Requirements as directed by the Illinois State University Office of Admissions.
English Proficiency Scores (International Students Only)
International students applying to this program must have a TOEFL score of at least 79 iBT or IELTS score of 6.5 band.
Submission Materials
To apply to this program, you must submit the following materials.
Curriculum Vitae
Submit your current curriculum vitae.
Essay
Write a three-page, double spaced essay that describes your career goals and area of interest for the Scholarly Project.
Copies of Certification and licensures
Submit copies of the following:
- RN license in your state of residence
- Advance Practice Nurses (APN) certification (when applicable)
- Advance Practice Nurses license (when applicable)
Academic References
Include on the application the names and email addresses of at least two professional or academic references from persons qualified to assess your potential to succeed in the DNP program. One reference must be from a doctoral prepared individual, such as a previous graduate faculty, nursing colleague or collaborative physician. Your recommenders will receive instructions to complete and upload this reference form to the recommender site.
Plan of Study
If applying to the summer term, students follow the traditional 7 semester plan of study. If applying to the fall term, students automatically default to following a 10 semester plan of study. This is due to course sequencing and course offerings.
Global Access to Online Degree Programs
When applying, international students applying to a fully online program must agree to our international online and hybrid programs disclosure and disclaimer statements. Due to limited on-campus courses, immigration documentation cannot be issued for students seeking F-1 or J-1 status.
Application Deadlines
- Summer Term — April 15
- Fall Term — July 15
Costs & Funding
See Student Accounts for information on tuition and fees. Funding for graduate students is available from several different sources. Students who have been admitted from contiguous states including Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin will receive in-state tuition.
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