Whether you are a current undergraduate nursing student or a recent graduate putting those skills to work, our Doctor of Nursing Practice program will help you raise your skill level and prepare you to influence health care outcomes. With a focus on innovation, data analytics, and leadership, you will learn best practices to contribute to public health. Building on our rich history of excellence in nursing education, Saint Mary’s College will help you elevate your career.

You may complete this program with a focus in one of two areas: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AG-ACNP)  or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). You will be eligible for licensure as a nurse practitioner with prescriptive authority in most states after completion of the DNP in any track. Additionally, with the completion of your track, you will be prepared to take a national exam administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center to be certified as Board Certified Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC).

Who Should Apply

• College senior nursing students, recent college graduates with a BSN, practicing registered nurses and military nursing personnel
• Nurses who want to improve health care outcomes through data-informed decisions
• Nurses interested in developing best practices for patient care

Prerequisites

• BSN from a nationally accredited (NLN or CCNE) college or university
• Applicants must have had a statistics course in their BSN program. If it has been more than 7 years since taking the statistics course, a refresher course is highly recommended.

How to Strengthen Your Application

For those still in school:

• Complete the prerequisite courses and work to achieve the highest GPA you can
• Engage in leadership opportunities
• Gain practical experience through clinical internships
• Build relationships with your professors to secure letters of recommendation
• Formulate clear goals for your nursing career that include graduate education

For those currently practicing:

• Brush-up on required courses including statistics
• Continue developing your leadership skills
• Reconnect with professors and former supervisors to secure letters of recommendation
• Formulate clear goals for your nursing career that include graduate education

Application Requirements

• A BSN from a nationally accredited (NLN or CCNE) college or university. The most competitive candidates will have maintained at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in undergraduate coursework
• Submission of a completed application for the track you wish to pursue
• Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions
• A recent statistics course
• Unencumbered license or eligibility for RN licensure in the state where clinical course work hours will be completed
• Substantive personal statement that reflects on the DNP role and your desire to pursue the specific track for which you are applying
• Three letters of recommendation from academic and/or other professionals. Recommenders should be able to evaluate your clinical abilities, critical thinking skills, and potential for successfully completing graduate school. Recommender must have acted in a supervisory capacity. At least one letter of recommendation should be from faculty. Recommendations from friends, relatives, or coworkers will not be accepted and will cause your application to be delayed or denied.
• A current resume or curriculum vitae
• For those applying to the AG-ACNP track, acute care work experience is required either prior to enrollment or within the first year of the program

Essential Abilities:
For a student to be admitted to any of the nursing programs at Saint Mary’s College, the student must:

• Meet all prerequisite admission standards as defined by the College and the Department of Nursing Science
• Be able to demonstrate the essential abilities for participation in the nursing program with or without reasonable accommodation.

Applications for the fall term open September 1

The priority application deadline is May 1; applications will remain open after May 1 on a rolling basis as long as seats are available. You can reach our application here.

IMPORTANT NOTICES

Admission to the program is subject to all applicable authorizations from the state(s) in which the RN resides and practices.

Saint Mary's College is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission to conduct practice experiences in the state of Washington for the DNP FNP program.

As a result of state boards of nursing and the Department of Education regulations, we are not currently accepting applications for the DNP program from students residing in and/or planning clinical work in the following states:

• Alabama
• Georgia
• Louisiana
• New York
• North Carolina
• Tennessee

Applicants Seeking Advanced Standing

Please note: A maximum of half of the credits needed to earn your DNP may be transferred in and counted towards your DNP if you have completed a nursing clinical master’s degree. It is at the discretion of the faculty whether or not the courses you have matched will qualify for advanced standing. The Program will notify you which courses will satisfy DNP requirements at Saint Mary’s College.

Please be prepared to provide a course syllabus if one is requested. All transcripts will be reviewed to verify the information provided.

Accreditations

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Saint Mary's College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.