Doctor of Nursing Practice

DEGREE

• Applicants must have a degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Accepted degrees for all DNP specialties:
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
  • Post-Baccalaureate BSN
  • Master of Science in Nursing, Entry to the Profession of Nursing (MEPN)
  • Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
• Post-Master’s DNP and Specialty Certificate Programs:
  • Master of Science in Nursing, with an Advanced Practice specialty
• Applicants currently enrolled in their advanced-licensure or pre-licensure program may receive conditional admission, pending successful completion of their program before the DNP program begins.

GPA

• Applicants must have earned a minimum GPA of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in nursing coursework for their most recent nursing degree.
• See the DNP GPA Calculator for assistance, if needed
• NOTE: The Nurse Anesthesia specialty has additional GPA requirements listed below

LICENSURE

• All applicants to DNP specialties must hold a current, unencumbered RN license.
• Applicants for the Post-Master’s DNP specialty must also hold a current, unencumbered APRN license.
• Applicants currently enrolled in an advanced-licensure or pre-licensure program may receive conditional admission, pending receipt of the required license before the end of their first semester in the DNP program.

REFERENCES

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

TRANSCRIPTS

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

CV

• Applicants must submit their CV in PDF format
• Applicants must use the DNP Applicant CV Template.

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 Preceptorship – 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 the second year
  • Clinical Skills Intensive (CSI) - January of the 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

The DNP graduate nursing program prepares nurses for advanced practice and leadership roles as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) and healthcare administrators. Building on prior BSN, MSN, or MEPN education and clinical experience, the program combines rigorous coursework with immersive clinical training. All students must complete the equivalent of 1 year of full-time RN clinical experience (1,800 hours) before beginning their clinical year. The clinical year requires full-time enrollment (10–14 units) in the program's final Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters.

Admission Options:

1. Full-Time Program: Applicants who have completed at least 1,800 hours of RN experience before applying may qualify for the full-time option. Some specialties may require additional clinical experience; please review specialty-specific requirements below. Due to the program’s academic intensity, full-time students are encouraged to limit employment to fewer than 12 hours per week while enrolled. Students in the Nurse Anesthesiology specialty are strongly advised not to work during the program.

2. Part-Time Program: This option is intended for students who prefer a reduced course load or who are still completing the required 1,800 RN experience hours at the time of application. Students are expected to work approximately 900 RN hours per year to meet the experience requirement before entering their clinical year. All part-time students transition to full-time enrollment during the final three semesters of the program. A part-time option is not available for the Nurse Anesthesiology specialty due to the program’s intensive clinical and academic requirements.

Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)

EXPERIENCE- Applicants must have completed at least 1 year (a minimum of 1800 hours) in one of the following areas listed below to apply full-time.

• Adult ICU (preferred experience)
• Medical-Surgical
• Emergency Department
• Post-Anesthesia Care
• Adult Step Down
• PCU/Telemetry         

CERTIFICATIONS

• Applicants must have earned the following certifications by program start: ACLS and BLS
• ACLS and BLS certifications must be issued by the American Heart Association

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

EXPERIENCE- Applicants must have completed at least 1 year (a minimum of 1800 hours) in any RN role to apply full-time.

Nurse Midwifery (NMW)

EXPERIENCE- Applicants must have completed at least 1 year (a minimum of 1800 hours) in one of the following areas listed below to apply full-time.

• Labor & Delivery
• Birth Center
• Postpartum
• OB/GYN Office

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

EXPERIENCE- Applicants must have completed at least 1 year (a minimum of 1800 hours) in one of the following areas listed below to apply full-time.

• Inpatient Psychiatric (preferred experience)
• Emergency
• Neuro Unit
• Substance Abuse Treatment Facility

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)

EXPERIENCE- Applicants must have completed at least 1 year (a minimum of 1800 hours) in one of the following areas listed below to apply full-time.

• Inpatient Pediatric Acute Care
• Pediatric Emergency
• Pediatric Intensive Care (PICU)
• Outpatient Pediatric Specialty Clinic
• Outpatient Pediatric Ambulatory Clinic or Urgent Care
• Pediatric Primary Care
• Pediatric Home Health
• Pediatric School Health
• NICU

CERTIFICATIONS

• Applicants must have earned the PALS certification through the American Heart Association by the start of the program.

MS to DNP No specialty (general)

EXPERIENCE- Applicants must have completed at least 1 year (a minimum of 1800 hours) in any RN role to apply full-time.

In addition to the general DNP requirements above, the Nurse Anesthesiology specialty also requires:

GPA

• Applicants must have completed all courses below with a C or better and an overall 3.0 or higher GPA within 10 years of the application deadline
  • Chemistry: 1 semester
  • Biology: 1 semester
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology: 2 semesters
  • Statistics: 1 semester
• See the DNP-NA GPA Calculator for assistance, if needed

REFERENCES

• Applicants must submit a total of three references from professional colleagues

EXPERIENCE

• Applicants must have completed at least 1 year (a minimum of 1800 hours) of critical care ICU work within the last 3 years.
  • The following experiences will count toward this requirement: coronary, cardiac, burn, medical, surgical, trauma, and neuro.
  • The following experience will not count toward this requirement: neonatal ICU, emergency room, pediatric ICU.

CERTIFICATIONS

• Applicants must have earned the following certifications by the application deadline: ACLS, BLS, PALS, CCRN
• ACLS, BLS, and PALS certifications must be issued by the American Heart Association.

• Applicants MUST reside in the United States and hold an unencumbered RN license in the United States.
• Complete the online NursingCAS application and the University of Arizona Graduate College Application by the university's international application deadline.
• Submit a minimum TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 550 on the paper-based test or 79 on the internet-based test, or an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) composite score of 7 with no subject area score below 6.
• Transcripts and Degrees: Submit CGFNS documentation for nursing degrees earned outside the United States. Please see the Transcript Requirements above for complete instructions on submitting international degrees and transcripts.