DNP Project Resources

DNP Project Tool Kit

All students pursuing a DNP degree must complete a DNP project before graduation. The DNP Project Tool Kit offers comprehensive, step-by-step guidance on developing and implementing a project and writing the DNP Project document.

Tool Kits for students starting their:

DNP Projects in 2025   DNP Projects before 2025

DNP Final Defense Guide

DNP students must follow the instructions and deadlines listed in the Final Defense Guide below. Questions should be directed to the Office of Student and Academic Affairs (OSAA) at con-osaa@arizona.edu.

DNP Final Defense Guide

DNP Committee - Special Member Request

Step 1: The student must contact their DNP Project Committee Chair to request approval to become a special member.

Step 2: Complete and submit the form below to request a special member for a DNP Project committee. Note that each DNP Project committee can have only one special member who must hold a doctoral degree (DNP, PhD, MD, DO, PharmD, etc.). The submitted form will be automatically sent to the College of Nursing Office of Student & Academic Affairs (OSAA) for review and approval. OSAA will notify students and their DNP Project Committee Chair of the status of the request for a special member within 10 working days of submission.

Special Member Request Form

DNP Project Proposal Defense Information

Students can only schedule their DNP Project proposal defense once they receive approval from the DNP Project committee chair. Students cannot submit their project for IRB approval until they have successfully defended their proposal. To pass the DNP Project proposal defense, students must achieve an overall score of 80% or higher on their proposal document, as evaluated by two or more committee members.

Students are required to:

  • Work with their committee to establish a date and time for the proposal defense
  • Submit a DNP Project proposal document to the DNP project committee for review and evaluation at least 10 days before the scheduled DNP Project proposal defense.
  • Develop and present a PowerPoint presentation and defend their DNP Project proposal to their DNP Project committee

The DNP Project committee will determine if a student passes their DNP Project proposal defense based on evaluation of the written DNP Project proposal and the student's DNP Project proposal defense presentation.

The written DNP Project proposal document will be evaluated by the DNP Project committee per the criteria in Appendix 9: DNP Project Proposal Document Evaluation of the DNP Project Tool Kit.

NOTE: The DNP Project committee chair will submit the DNP Project Proposal Defense Form to con-osaa@arizona.edu for processing within 2 working days after the DNP Project proposal defense.

DNP Project Final Defense Information

Only when the DNP Project committee chair approves can the student schedule their DNP Project final defense. Students are required to submit a DNP Project final document to the DNP project committee for review and evaluation at least 10 days before the scheduled DNP Project final defense. Passing the DNP Project final defense requires an overall score of 80% or greater on the final document from two or more committee members. In addition, the student is required to develop a Poster or PowerPoint presentation and defend their final DNP Project before their DNP Project committee. The DNP Project committee will determine if a student passes their DNP Project final defense based on evaluation of the written final DNP Project and the student's DNP Project final defense presentation.

The DNP Project committee will evaluate the written DNP Project proposal document according to the criteria outlined in Appendix 13: DNP Project Final Document Evaluation of the DNP Project Tool Kit.