EXPLORE OUR DNP SPECIALTIES
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The AGACNP specialty trains nurses to care for adults aged 17 and older facing complex, often life-threatening conditions. You’ll develop the skills to succeed in fast-paced clinical settings where you may order and interpret labs and diagnostic tests, and perform invasive procedures to provide critical, life-saving care.
Executive Health Systems Leadership (EHSL)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option
The EHSL DNP specialty prepares nurses to become influential leaders who drive innovation and excellence in healthcare organizations. You'll learn about healthcare finance, policy, informatics, safety, and quality improvement, gaining advanced skills necessary for senior leadership roles. Courses such as Leading to Implement and Sustain Organizational Change, Finance for Organizational Growth and Sustainability, and Health Policy & Healthcare Economics will equip you to make data-driven decisions, improve care systems, and lead effectively in today’s complex healthcare settings.
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The FNP specialty prepares nurses to provide comprehensive, holistic care for individuals and families throughout their lives. Through courses such as Pediatric Care, Pediatric Pharmacology, Advanced Practice Care for Women’s Health, and Advanced Practice Care for Older Adults, you’ll gain the knowledge and confidence to manage a wide range of health conditions, from common, episodic illnesses like coughs and ear infections to chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. You’ll graduate prepared to create personalized, evidence-based treatment plans that promote lasting health and wellness for patients of all ages.
Nurse Anesthesiology (NA)
Full-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The NA specialty trains nurses to provide safe, high-quality anesthesia care using advanced scientific knowledge and clinical skills. You'll learn to manage every aspect of the perioperative process, from before to after surgery, ensuring patients’ safety and comfort while utilizing state-of-the-art pharmacological and scientific methods.
Nurse-Midwifery (NM)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The NM specialty trains nurses to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care across all life stages. You’ll support individuals during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, while also offering gynecologic, family planning, and preconception services, as well as care for healthy newborns in their first 28 days of life. You’ll graduate prepared to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care in various settings, from hospitals and birthing centers to private practices and home environments.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The PNP specialty trains nurses to provide compassionate, comprehensive care to patients from infancy to age 21. You'll learn to address the unique health needs of each developmental stage, supporting healthy growth and development in children, helping adolescents understand health risks, and empowering young adults to develop lifelong wellness habits.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The PMHNP specialty trains nurses to provide compassionate, evidence-based mental health care that emphasizes the connection between mind and body. You’ll develop expertise in diagnosing and treating conditions like depression, anxiety, and social disorders through various therapeutic approaches. You’ll graduate ready to build trusting relationships with patients, working collaboratively in both short- and long-term care to create personalized treatment plans that foster healing and emotional well-being.
Post-Master’s DNP
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option
The Post-Master’s (MS-DNP) DNP specialty builds on experience earned in a traditional Master of Science program. MS prepared students will explore the underpinnings of practice, healthcare policy, leadership, and quality improvement. Students will gain the understanding of how to address population health issues in addition to individual health issues.
Graduate Nurse Practitioner (NP) Certificates
If you are an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) but are not ready to commit to the DNP program, consider applying to one of our graduate NP certificates. We offer NP certificates in the following specialties:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Midwifery
Additional Program Options
If you are interested in attaining broader advanced clinical practice skills with strong research competencies, consider taking advantage of our dual Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees. You will be prepared at the highest level of nursing science and professional nursing practice, and with advanced skills for engaging in research to create, apply and translate new knowledge to improve health care – in practice domains and/or academia.
The dual degree DNP/MPH option addresses the need for nurses to have advanced education in public health that prepares them to improve population health services and expand the scope and quality of the healthcare for diverse populations of individuals across the lifespan. The dual degree DNP/MPH option seamlessly blends the College of Nursing – DNP Program with the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health MPH online programs to provide students with a structured 3.5-year full-time program of study. Students are admitted simultaneously into both programs so they can begin them both at the same time.
SANEs are essential nurses, who provide specialized care to survivors of sexual assault. Our program aims to improve awareness around sexual assault, increase available resources and training, and expand service locations. Applications open to students in the University of Arizona DNP program who are in their clinical year.
The Rural Health Professions Program (RHPP) is an innovative program to create a community of doctorally-prepared advanced practice registered nurses who have didactic and clinical expertise in providing care to rural and medically underserved patients and will serve as leaders in improving the quality and access to care for these patients. RHPP scholars complete additional coursework that focuses on the care of rural and medically underserved populations.
The Rural Telehealth Certificate Program (RTCP) is a graduate certificate available to DNP students. Students complete additional coursework and clinical hours that focus on the use of telehealth technology in a rural setting.
Interested students may pursue two advanced practice specialties simultaneously. More information on our DNP Program of Study page:
Students should be aware of the following additional requirements when pursuing a dual specialty option:
- Timeline: Requires one additional year (3 semesters).
- Clinical Requirements: 720 hours for each specialty, total = 1440 hours.
- RISE and CPI: Attend RISE 3 times and CPI 2 times
- DNP Project: During the last year with second specialty.
- Apply: First fall semester the student must meet with their academic advisor, with advisor approval can apply in the spring semester.
Program Outcomes
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program strives to prepare professionals in all specialties to provide equitable care of unsurpassed excellence to lead in today's progressively complex healthcare structure. Students are immersed in an educational environment that cultivates the development of their professional identity and nurtures personal health, resilience, and well-being. The DNP program prepares graduates to work and make expectational improvements in the healthcare environment by:
- Generate and disseminate nursing practice knowledge to stimulate research and improve clinical outcomes.
- Improve health outcomes through scientifically based advanced practice within a specialty.
- Engage in and lead collaborative practice teams.
- Influence clinical practice transformation and policy initiatives.
Ready to take the next step?
See the full admissions requirements and application process on the DNP Admissions page.
Disclosure Statement: DOE 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v)
In accordance with regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v) by the Department of Education, The University of Arizona College of Nursing discloses that the curricula of the DNP program meet licensure and certification requirements of all states. This has not yet been determined for the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Although the University of Arizona has sought information from other jurisdictions regarding licensure requirements, these requirements are subject to change. If you intend to seek professional licensure or certification outside of Arizona, you should contact the appropriate state licensing agency to obtain the most up-to-date information regarding licensure or certification requirements in your desired state of practice prior to accepting admission offers.