Doctor of nursing practice (DNP)

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program admits students once a year. Applications and supplementary materials for admission must be submitted by July 15th for the summer/fall semester admission. Upon review, qualified applicants with completed applications will be scheduled for an interview prior to admission.

Graduate students in the University of Delaware School of Nursing are held to exceptional standards with an expectation to complete high-quality scholarly writing assignments in a competent manner. All incoming Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students are required to complete the free online Scientific Writing course offered through Stanford University to facilitate scholarly writing preparation. This writing course consists of 8 self-paced units that will require 2-6 hours per unit to complete. If you desire continuing education credit, there is an additional fee for this service, however this is not required for our DNP program. Upon completion of the Stanford Writing course, please present a Statement of Accomplishment no later than December 31st of you first graduate academic year. Students are required to upload this document into Project Concert in the Documents tab. You will be introduced to Project Concert during orientation.

Admission Criteria:

Students will be admitted to the program based on enrollment availability, and their ability to meet the following minimum recommended entrance requirements:

• A baccalaureate degree in nursing from a CCNE, CNEA, or ACEN accredited School of Nursing (for Post-Baccalaureate Program).
• A master’s degree in nursing from a CCNE, CNEA, or ACEN accredited School of Nursing (for Post-Master’s Program).
• An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (post-baccalaureate); a master’s GPA of 3.5 or higher (post-master’s).
• Certification as an APRN (post-master’s)
• Eligible for RN licensure in Delaware
• A letter from Master’s program indicating the number of clinical hours completed.

Admission Requirements

• A written statement of goals and objectives that clearly identifies the applicant’s career goals and how admission to the program will facilitate his or her professional objectives.
• Three letters of recommendation from an academic, employer and/or other professional source, preferably from those holding graduate degrees. All letters of recommendation should be uploaded by each reference person to the Office of Graduate Studies online application website.
• Official results from the TOEFL or IELTS exam taken within the last 2 years (for non- native English speaking applicants only).
• Copy of U.S. Registered Nurse (RN) license(s)
• A curriculum vitae or resume.
• A successful interview with the DNP Program Coordinator and members of the DNP Subcommittee.
• Prior to the students first clinical course they must have completed one year of full time (or the equivalent) work experience as a registered nurse (RN).

UD Tuition

The 2024-2025 UD graduate student tuition rate per credit hour is $1,406.

Tuition Credit

Due to a College of Health Sciences Dean’s Scholarship, the student tuition rate is lower than the published UD graduate tuition rate. The final student tuition rate for the DNP program is $1,069/credit. Please contact the department for more information.

Q: Do I need to take the GRE’s?
A: No. The GRE is no longer a requirement of the graduate application process.

Q: Do I need a Delaware nursing license if I live in another state?
A: Graduate students are required to have a Delaware nursing license.

Q:Can I do the clinical rotations in my own state, or do I need to do the clinical in DE?
A: Clinical rotations can be done in any state. Clinical rotations are subject to final approval by the faculty member teaching the course. Contractual arrangements must be made between each clinical agency and the University of Delaware.

Q:Can any of the courses taken in another graduate program be counted toward this degree?
A:Up to nine graduate credits may be transferred from another graduate program, pending approval of the course by the Director of Graduate Practice Programs.

Q: How long do I have to complete course requirements? 
A: Students must complete all course requirements within five years of matriculation.

Q: How often do I have to come to campus in Newark, DE?
A: The courses are offered online with some on-campus learning experiences. Students may be required to be on campus between 2-8 days a semester

Q: Where can I learn more about certification? 
A: The following web sites can provide additional information on certification.

• American Nurses Credentialing Center
• American Association of Nurse Practitioners