The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is an 18-month program in which students complete a standard didactic phase of coursework offered in a distance learning format and a specialty practicum with clinical quality improvement experiences scheduled in the last three-quarters of the curriculum.
Students must have completed an accredited Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program and will complete at least 600 indirect care hours in the DNP program at Midwestern University. DNP graduates must demonstrate specific foundational and concentration-related competencies encompassing the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials.
Students enrolled in the DNP program complete planned, supervised, and evaluated practicum experiences that consist of quality improvement projects within the states where they are licensed. Applied practicums consist of projects tailored to meet the core competencies of doctorally-prepared nurses.
DNP students must conduct translational, evidenced-based quality improvement projects to improve the health of the population foci supervised by a project committee.