Advance your nursing career

DePaul’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will give you the leadership, business and research skills you need to work effectively with advanced health care providers, administrators and researchers. You’ll develop the clinical skills necessary to create and implement treatment plans, and you’ll master the tools to improve outcomes, safety and quality of care for your patients and their families.

Choose one of the following required tracks:

• Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Anesthetist (in conjunction with NorthShore Health Systems)
• DNP Completion – Nurse Anesthetist
• DNP Completion – Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Midwife

Classes are offered online and at the Lincoln Park Campus.

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Application Deadlines

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the deadline.

Enrollment Term	Application Deadline
Fall	July 15
Winter	November 8
Spring	February 1
Summer	April 15

Admission Requirements

Submit an online application, personal statement, résumé, official transcripts and letters of recommendation.

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Required Courses

You’ll complete 10 core courses, track concentration requirements and a DNP project.

Learn More

 

$40M

DePaul recently invested more than $40 million in new College of Science and Health facilities and programs, including a fully renovated nursing simulation lab.

 

93%

of Nursing graduates were employed, continuing their education or pursuing other goals within six months of graduation.

Study with industry-leading faculty

Learn from professors like Joseph Tariman, PhD, RN, who has published numerous articles on multiple myeloma and ethical frameworks for decision-making in nursing practice and research. Professor Tariman was recently inducted into the American Academy of Nursing as a Fellow for his significant contributions to myeloma nursing.

“The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program gave me the knowledge and critical-thinking skills to succeed at my job. Whether I’m explaining the risks and benefits of an anesthetic to a patient, or describing the pathophysiology of certain diseases to my students, I use what I learned from the DNP program every day.”

Susan (DNP ’14)

Nurse anesthetist and nurse educator, NorthShore University HealthSystem 

Alumni Network

You’ll benefit from extensive networking opportunities with DePaul’s strong alumni network. Nearly 3,000 Nursing alumni are working in the Chicago area at places like Lurie Children’s Hospital, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Scholarships

Graduate school is an investment in your future. Learn more about the financial aid and scholarship opportunities available to you.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Admission

????The spring, summer, and fall applications for the DNP bachelor's or master's entry RN for adult gerontology nurse practitioner and family nurse practitioner tracks are currently available. For DNP completion program, current Certified: Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Midwives can apply year round with a rolling admission process.

DNP applicants have the option of applying through DePaul’s online application or through NursingCAS, the online, centralized application service for nursing programs nationwide. Instructions for both options are listed below.

Attention Nurse Anesthesia Applicants:

Please note that the nurse anesthesia program is offered jointly with NorthShore University Health System’s School of Nurse Anesthesia. Students applying to the nurse anesthesia program should follow NorthShore’s application instructions and admission deadlines. For details on admission requirements and deadlines, please visit the NorthShore website. NursingCAS is currently not being used for application to NorthShore University Health System's School of Nurse Anesthesia.  Please contact NorthShore directly with all questions at anesthesiaschool@northshore.org?.

Admission Requirements for BSN & Master's Entry RN NP Track Students

Admission Requirements for DNP Completion Program Students

The School of Nursing has the option to waive admission requirements.

Prospective students?: This program is not available to students who plan to complete their clinical practicum in any of the following states: Arizona, California, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Tennessee, and Washington. In addition, if you plan to obtain your advanced practice licensure outside of Illinois after graduation from this program, we urge you to contact your state's licensing agency to confirm restrictions and requirements unique to your state before beginning an online nursing program. 

Registered Nurses with a master's in Nursing or a MSN may receive up to 12 credit hours of transfer credit for prior education completed within the last 5 years, with individual review of all transcripts. In addition, applicants with current certification as an Advanced Practice Nurse from an accredited program, and current licensure as an Advanced Practice Nurse in their state of residence will receive advanced placement in the program.

Applicants holding an MS degree in Nursing or MSN degree without certification as an Advanced Practice Nurse will be required to hold current licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of Illinois prior to the first day of classes. Applicants holding an MS degree in Nursing or MSN degree with certification as an Advanced Practice Nurse will be required to hold current licensure as a Registered Nurse and as an Advanced Practice Nurse in the State of Illinois, and current certification from a national certifying body (e.g. American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Nurses Credentialing Center) in their area of specialty area of practice prior to the first day of classes.

Guidelines for Letters of Recommendation

?Letters of recommendation should be frank and detailed and should indicate how long and under what circumstances the recommender has known you (i.e., student, assistant, advisee, employee, etc.).

A recommendation is most helpful when it provides specific information concerning your intellectual and personal characteristics and performance; it should relate to your suitability for graduate study beyond information that is available on college transcripts and employment records.

While the admissions committee is particularly interested in learning more about your intelligence, independence of thought, and overall promise, character and fitness, information on your special interests, motivations and personal qualities may distinguish you from other applicants.

Directions for Submitting Letters of Recommendation

While completing the online application, applicants enter the name and contact information of their recommender. The recommender will receive an email with a link to upload their letter directly into the application. Please be certain you enter the name and contact of your recommender accurately as it cannot be updated after submitting.

International Students

International students (those who were educated outside of the U.S. and/or require an F1 visa) must take additional steps to be considered for admission. Please visit the International Student Admission page for exact information.

Applying Directly to DePaul

• Submit the DePaul online application at www.depaul.edu/apply
• upload your personal statement and curriculum vitae (CV) through the online application. 
• Pay the $40 application fee through the online application.
• Send official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended to the Office of Graduate Admission at the address below. (Colleges and universities that issue official electronic transcripts can email them to gradtranscripts@depaul.edu.)
• If required, submit your TOEFL score directly from ETS. DePaul’s institution code is 1165.

Mailing address:
The Office of Graduate Admission
College of Science and Health
DePaul University
2400 N. Sheffield Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614-2215

Applying Through NursingCAS

Applicants to the DNP program have the option of applying through NursingCAS. Applying through NursingCAS allows you to submit your application to DePaul and other institutions nationwide through one centralized application. 

Detailed instructions for completing your NursingCAS application can be found at the following:

How to Complete a NursingCAS Application video 

Preparing to Apply -- NursingCAS

• Visit https://nursingcas.liaisoncas.org/apply/  and click “Apply Now” to initiate your application.
• Click on “Create Account” and complete the required fields.
• Save your personal statement in the “Personal Statement” section of NursingCAS. Title it “DePaul University DNP Program.” Attach the statement to DePaul University prior to e-submitting your application.
• Request that your references be submitted via the “References” section of NursingCAS. Attach your references to DePaul University prior to e-submitting your application.
• Upload a copy of your CV or resume into the “Documents Upload” section of NursingCAS. Remember to attach your resume to DePaul University prior to e-submitting your applications. 
• Complete DePaul’s Supplemental Question Sheet, upload it into the “Documents Upload” section of NursingCAS and attach it to DePaul University prior to e-submitting your application.
• If required to submit a GRE score, you should report your score in the “Tests” section of the NursingCAS application. Have your official score sent directly from ETS to DePaul University. DePaul’s institution code is 1165.
• Submit official transcripts from each college or university attended. All official transcripts must be mailed from the issuing institution’s registrar’s office directly to NursingCAS. In order to expedite the processing be sure to include the Transcript Request Form. Have the transcripts mailed to the following address:

NursingCAS
P.O. Box 9201
Watertown, MA 02471 

Note: You must input all of your college level coursework into the NursingCAS application. Be sure to have a copy of your transcript(s) in hand or accessible in order to complete this section. All college level coursework (including in-progress coursework) must be entered into the application in this section. There is a short, instructional video posted here on how to accurately complete this section. And detailed instructions are posted here. This will be the most time-consuming aspect of the application process.

If you would rather have NursingCAS staff enter in your coursework data on your behalf then you have the option of paying an additional fee to use the Coursework Entry Service. Click here to learn more about the service. The data entered into this section is used to calculate GPAs in order to make admission decisions.

• Transcripts from international institutions must be evaluated by a transcript evaluation service, DePaul University and NursingCAS both accept Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) so this is the recommended evaluation service for international applicants who wish to apply to DePaul using the NursingCAS application. International credit evaluations should be mailed to NursingCAS at the address above.
• If required to submit a TOEFL score, you should report your score in the “Tests” section of the NursingCAS application. Have your official score sent directly from ETS to DePaul. DePaul’s institution code is 1165.

 

Helpful Hints on Using NursingCAS

Use the Quick Status Menu while logged into your NursingCAS application to check to see if your transcripts have been received or use this link, https://portal.nursingcas.org/?rm=status_transcripts. You can also use the Quick Status Menu to check to see if your references have been submitted.

Questions about NursingCAS

For questions regarding the NursingCAS application please contact NursingCAS support via phone at 617-612-2880 Monday – Thursday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM Eastern Time and Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Eastern Time and via email at nursingcasinfo@nursingcas.org. Or post questions to NursingCAS by following their Twitter and/or Facebook accounts. Detailed instructions and FAQs are available too. Instructional videos are posted on the NursingCAS YouTube channel.

Monitor the Status of Your Application

The “My Messages” section of the NursingCAS application will include any messages that NursingCAS or a school has sent to you. Please check your “My Messages” to see if you have received any vital information about your application. Messages will be sent to the “My Messages” inbox and your personal email address that you used to create your account.

Use the “Quick Status Menu” options to check to see if your Transcript(s), Reference(s), or Payment(s) have been received after you submit them. To check to see which Designations you have selected (in other words programs you have applied to) click on the Designations option under the “Quick Status”.

Degree Requirements

Course Requirements

Doctoral Core (40 credit hours)

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
NSG 522	FINANCE AND COSTING IN HEALTH CARE	4
NSG 540	CULTURE, ETHICS, AND POLICY ANALYSIS	4
NSG 550	HEALTHCARE ECONOMICS	4
NSG 551	LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR	4
NSG 552	PROGRAM EVALUATION	4
NSG 554	INFORMATICS AND TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS	4
NSG 580	BIOSTATISTICS & RESEARCH METHODS FOR ADVANCED PRACTICE	4
NSG 600	EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE RESEARCH	4
NSG 601	EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE RESEARCH II	4
NSG 602	DNP PROJECT PRACTICUM	4
NSG 603	DNP PROJECT CANDIDACY CONTINUATION	0

Concentration Requirements

In addition to the Doctoral Core requirements, students must complete the track requirements for their one designated concentration track.

Other Requirements

DNP Project

Students will be required to complete a DNP Project which represents the cumulating work for their DNP program. The project is expected to be a tangible academic product that reflects the student’s educational experiences and should be evaluated by an academic committee. The DNP Project for the DePaul DNP students (NSG 600, NSG 601, and NSG 602) will include:

1. a needs assessment of an aggregate population, APN practice setting, healthcare institution policies, or healthcare delivery models using an Evidence Based Practice approach;
2. development and implementation of a research project to improve the health of a population, change practice, influence health policy, or revise healthcare delivery models;
3. evaluation of the program; and
4. a publishable quality manuscript and a formal oral presentation will be presented to the student's DNP Committee for approval.

A poster representing the DNP Project will be produced by the student for presentation at the Grace Peterson Research Colloquium.