Admission Requirements

DEGREE

• Applicants must have a degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Following is a list of degrees accepted for the Post-Master’s DNP specialty:
  • Master of Science in Nursing, with an Advanced Practice specialty
• Following is a list of degrees accepted for all other DNP specialties:
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
  • Post-Baccalaureate BSN
  • Master of Science in Nursing, Entry to the Profession of Nursing (MS-MEPN)
  • Master of Science in Nursing
• Applicants currently enrolled in their advanced-licensure or pre-licensure program may receive admission conditional upon successfully completing their program before the start of the DNP program
• The following degree is required for Specialty Certificate Programs:
  • Master of Science in Nursing, with an Advanced Practice specialty

GPA

• Applicants must have earned a minimum GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 ="A") or higher in nursing coursework in the most recent nursing degree.
• See the DNP GPA Calculator for assistance, if needed
• The Nurse Anesthesia Specialty has additional GPA requirements, see below

RN LICENSE

• Applicants for the Post-Master’s DNP specialty must have a current, unencumbered APRN license
• Applicants for all DNP specialties must have a current, unencumbered RN license
• Applicants currently enrolled in their advanced-licensure or pre-licensure program may receive admission conditional upon securing the required license before the end of their first semester in the DNP program

REFERENCES

• Applicants must submit two references from a professional colleague (i.e. supervisor, faculty, program director, etc.)
• The Nurse Anesthesiology Specialty requires three references

TRANSCRIPTS

• Applicants must submit transcripts from all post-secondary education institutions
• All transcripts must be verified by NursingCAS within 2 weeks of the application deadline. No exceptions.

CV

• Applicants must submit their CV (PDF format preferred)
• Applicants are required to use the DNP Applicant CV Template.

APPLICATION

• Applicants must submit both the NursingCAS and the UArizona Graduate College applications

Policy for Full and Part-Time DNP Admissions

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduate nursing program is rigorous and prepares nurses as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) and for advanced roles in Administration.  The DNP program builds on knowledge and skills that a nurse has learned in their bachelor’s (BSN) or masters (MSN) of nursing science program and has continued to develop over time working in a clinical environment. The DNP program requires that all students have the equivalent of 1 year of full-time clinical experience (1,800 hours) prior to starting their clinical year in the DNP program.  The clinical year is full-time (10-14 units) comprised of a rigorous academic course and immersive clinical training schedule during the Spring, Summer and Fall semesters.  

Admission Options:

1. Full-Time  – To be eligible to apply for the full-time option, applicants must have completed a minimum of 1 year (1,800+ hours) of RN experience before they submit their application. Each specialty requires the experience to be in specific areas. See the drop-down menus below. Due to the rigor and pace, full-time students are strongly advised to work fewer than 12 hours/week while enrolled in classes. Full-time students in the Nurse Anesthesiology specialty are strongly recommended to not work at all
    
2. Part-Time  – The part-time option is open to students who prefer a part-time schedule and to those with fewer than 1,800 hours of RN experience at the time of application submission. With a less rigorous schedule, part-time students are expected to work as an RN ~900 hours/year to accumulate the 1,800 required hours prior to the start of the DNP clinical year. Note: Part-time students will automatically transition to full-time students during their clinical year – which is the final three semesters of the DNP Program.
   *NOTE: Based on the rigor and required clinical hours of the Nurse Anesthesiology program, there is no part-time option. Nurse Anesthesiology students are not recommended to work while in the program.

Clinical Placements

Clinical placements for all students are arranged with appropriate preceptors and administrators. Priority is given to arranging clinical placements in the student's geographical area. If clinical placement(s) in the student's geographical area are unavailable, or if the student needs additional faculty support for skills development, the student can be required to complete their clinical experience(s) in a different approved geographical area.

State Authorizations

Recent changes to the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 include a series of regulations on individual state authorizations concerning distance education programs. The State Authorization Regulations require the University of Arizona and the College of Nursing to comply with individual state higher education authorizations of our programs, and thus, we may not be able to offer programs in certain locations. The College of Nursing also complies with state Board of Nursing and/or Nurse Practice Act requirements, which may limit the availability of our programs in certain states where on-campus teaching is considered integral to nurse practice. You can confirm your state's status on the University of Arizona Online Website.

Image

Questions? 
States shown in red or gray may or may not approve licensure from the UA College of Nursing program. Students should contact Thomas Johnston, Director of Clinical Operations, for specific information. P: 520-621-0486 | E: tjohnston@email.arizona.edu

Mandatory In-Person Attendance Requirements

• All DNP students (except Nurse Anesthesiology) are required to attend the in-person mandatory components of the curriculum:
  • Clinical Immersion (CI) occurs during the first week of each semester in Tucson, AZ, for students in their clinical year, lasting 3 to 5 days.
    • CI 1- January
    • CI 2- May
    • CI 3- August
  • Clinical Preceptorships – Final year of the program

      – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 

• Nurse Anesthesiology specialty students are required to attend the in-person mandatory components of the curriculum:

  • Resident Intensive Summer Experience (RISE) - 1 week each time
    • CRNA Orientation - June of First Year
    • CRNA RISE 1 - June of Second Year
    • CRNA RISE 2 - June of Third Year
  • Clinical Intensive
    • Clinical Preparedness Intensive (CPI) - December of Second Year
    • Clinical Skills Intensive (CSI) - January of Second Year
    • Optional January White Coat Ceremony
  • Gross Anatomy - First Summer in person, 5 weeks
  • Simulation Labs - 16 hours per semester in the first year  
  • Clinical Residency

Starting Fall 2026, all incoming students will benefit from a revised curriculum aligned with the latest American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials and evolving healthcare needs. Highlights include:

• Optimized course sequencing for a better learning experience and progression.
• Expanded clinical hours for select specialties, aligning with updated national recommendations.
• Compliance with recently updated national standards for exceptional preparation for advanced practice and leadership preparation.

Programs of study for each specialty reflecting these updates are available here.
NOTE: Post-graduate certificate students will continue with the current plan of study, while new DNP degree-seeking students will enroll in the revised curriculum.