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, graduates with an MSN, 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
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
Applicants must submit a completed application for the track they wish to pursue.
All applicants must have completed a BSN from a CCNE or ACEN nationally accredited college or university prior to beginning the program.
The most competitive candidates will have maintained at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in undergraduate coursework.
Official transcripts are required from every college or university attended. Current Saint Mary's students will have an official transcript requested from the Registrar's office on their behalf by the Graduate Admission team.
Applicants must have taken a statistics course within the last 7 years and prior to the start of the program.
Applicants must hold an unencumbered license or be eligible for RN licensure in the state where clinical coursework hours will be completed.
Applicants are asked to submit a substantive personal statement that reflects on the DNP role and their desire to pursue the specific track for which they are applying.
Applicants are asked to provide three letters of recommendation from individuals who have worked with them in academic and/or professional settings. At least one reference must be from a current or former faculty member. Recommenders should be able to evaluate your clinical abilities, critical thinking skills, and potential for successfully completing graduate school. Professional recommenders must have acted in a supervisory capacity.
Applicants are asked to submit a resume or curriculum vitae that includes education and any post-baccalaureate professional work experience, licensures and certifications, and other relevant professional experiences and involvement.
- International applicants will be reviewed for the status of their undergraduate institution's accreditation and are required to be living and working in the United States while completing the program.
- Applicants graduating from international programs must have had their credentials reviewed by the CGFNS, graduated with a United States-comparable BSN documented on the CES report, passed the NCLEX exam or received RN licensure by endorsement, and are practicing with an unencumbered Registered Nurse license within the United States.
- Applicants for whom English is a second language must submit official TOEFL (80+) or IELTS (6.5+) scores, unless the undergraduate degree was earned at an institution where English was the primary language of instruction.
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.