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Overview
The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program is an online program with intensive on-campus experience that focuses on the preparation of leaders in clinical nursing who can improve quality of care for individuals and populations through advanced practice and through improving systems of care. The curriculum is based on national standards for DNP education and the program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Students seeking the Doctor of Nursing Practice are choosing a terminal academic degree for clinicians, not a research-focused degree. The DNP program students will learn skills that a Master’s level prepared nurse practitioner will use with individual patients in practice, they will also be taken beyond the provider patient relationship to a systems level thinking skill set. The DNP learns the necessary skills to affect a population of patients. The DNP is more rigorous because it requires competent writing skills, high level thought, and skill set competence which can be utilized in a healthcare systems level.
Quick facts
Official name
Doctor of nursing practiceCampus
Program type
DoctorateAcademic home
College of NursingDelivery mode
Blended, some campus visits requiredAccreditation
Higher Learning Commission, Commission on Collegiate Nursing EducationCredit hours
70Estimated cost
$62,230.00*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.
Career prospects
The post-master’s (MSN) entry point is designed for graduate-prepared nurses who want to develop the knowledge, skills and expertise to become clinical scholars, transformational leaders and function at the highest level of nursing practice while obtaining a terminal degree in nursing practice.
Program structure
Delivery of this program is blended: You will complete most course work online, but on-campus visits are required.
Courses are semester-based. Students typically take two to three classes each semester and finish in three to four years.
Course work includes
- Evidence-based practice for the DNP
- Epidemiology
- Health informatics
Delivery
Blended, some campus visits requiredCalendar system
SemesterTypical program length
3-4 yearsTypical course load
2-3 classes per semesterAccreditation
The University of Missouri-St. Louis is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.
The UMSL DNP program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Faculty spotlight
Dr. Elise Schaller has been part of the University of Missouri-St. Louis’s (UMSL) College of Nursing faculty since 2018. She has expertise in pediatric health and a passion for developing nursing leadership and health care systems. She taught undergraduate students direct patient care and developed undergraduate- and graduate-level curricula based on her extensive pediatrics experience. While teaching and mentoring primary care pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) and doctoral candidates, she also recently began directing doctor of nursing practice (DNP) and post-graduate certificate programs.
She has 12 years of experience in primary care and worked as a registered nurse and a hospitalist PNP. Schaller established, led and evolved onboarding programs for hospitalist PNPs while completing management duties and working alongside multidisciplinary medical teams. She teaches practical skills and has a unique perspective on working in inpatient units, magnet hospitals and private practice settings.