School of Nursing

The DNP is a practice-oriented doctoral program designed to prepare experts in specialized advanced nursing practice that is innovative and evidence-based, reflecting the application of evidence-based research findings. We have three specializations within the DNP program: the post-master’s specialization (for master’s prepared advanced practice nurses), the nurse anesthesia DNP (for baccalaureate prepared nurses who want to provide anesthetic care, and the family nurse practitioner DNP (for baccalaureate prepared nurses who would like to provide primary health care across the lifespan). Learn more about the purpose of the DNP degree from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

Graduates of SIUE’s School of Nursing have successfully become licensed in their field in several states across the US. Applicants who intend to use their degree to practice in a licensed discipline outside of Illinois should visit SIUE’s Consumer Disclosures and contact the School of Nursing to find out how an SIUE Nursing degree can help you achieve your career goals.

International students are ineligible to receive a student visa for our Graduate Nursing programs.

The Post-Master’s DNP (PM DNP) specialization is a part-time program, based upon the number of hours in which students are enrolled each semester. Post-master’s students are expected to be employed, preferably in their specialty areas, while in the program. Their DNP projects will usually be completed at their places of employment. Both post-baccalaureate options (the NA and FNP) are full-time programs offered over three years and are offered in an hybrid format (some face to face, and some online courses). The NA and FNP students will work on development of their project over several semesters, working under the guidance of faculty mentors. Working full-time while in the NA and FNP program is not encouraged.

The first step in the application process is to download the application for Graduate Admissions. In the Doctoral Programs section of that page, applicants will find a link to the PDF hard copy of the application. Please print that application, complete the appropriate parts for the specialization desire, and prepare a check for $30 for the university application fee. On that application, please provide a list of all post-high school institutions attended, and contact each institution for transcripts (additional application instructions). Applicants for all three specializations must complete the School of Nursing doctoral application, as well as provide three references. The PM DNP applicants must complete the Potential Project Statement, and the NA DNP and FNP DNP applicants must provide a Goals Statement. Please gather all of these documents into one Application Packet and submit to SIUE Graduate Admissions, Campus Box 1047, Edwardsville IL 62026-1047.

• FNP DNP applications are due by February 1 for August admission.
• Post-Master’s DNP Applications are due by March 1.  
• NA DNP applications are due by June 1 for the following May.

You must have either a baccalaureate or master’s degree in nursing (e.g., BSN, MSN, MA, or MS) in order to apply to the SIUE DNP program. For the PM DNP, the master’s degree in nursing must be a clinical degree (e.g., maternal-child health, medical-surgical, public health, mental health, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife) or in nursing administration. Applicants for the NA DNP and FNP DNP must have completed a baccalaureate degree in nursing.

No, we do not require any standardized tests for admission consideration.

You must submit transcripts from EACH college or university that you attended.

We do not recommend enrolling in courses as an unclassified student before admission to the DNP program. Please note that the School of Nursing can only accommodate unclassified graduate students AFTER current DNP students have enrolled in their courses.  If there is space available in classes after current student enrollment, unclassified students may be registered on a first-come, first-served basis. However, our class sizes often prohibit this practice. To discuss taking courses as an unclassified graduate student, please contact the Graduate Academic Advisor at 618-650-3930.

Applicants to any of the DNP specializations are expected have a minimum of 1 year of professional nursing practice. The NA DNP applicants must have one year of recent adult critical care experience.

A student is allowed to transfer up to 1/3 of the total required credit hours for a degree from unclassified status or from another university.  Students who wish to transfer a course from another university will be required to submit a transcript showing successful completion of the course, as well as a course syllabus to determine equivalency. The syllabus will be reviewed by SIUE doctoral faculty and must be approved by the faculty.

Students are STRONGLY encouraged to submit a syllabus for a potential transfer course PRIOR to taking it.  Students must earn a grade of A or B in order for a course to be accepted from unclassified status or from another university.

The PM DNP will is offered primarily online, with two immersion experiences, a six-day experience at the beginning of the program and a three-day immersion at the beginning of the second year. The NA DNP and the FNP DNP are offered in a hybrid format, with some online courses, and some face-to-face courses provided on the Edwardsville campus.

The curriculum has been developed to build upon prior course work throughout the program. Courses will be offered in a set sequence each academic year. Any change in the sequence in which courses are taken must be approved by the Assistant Dean for the Graduate Program.

The Blackboard course management system is used at SIUE for online courses.  Each course will follow are specific format to facilitate navigation as students enroll in each course. Students will access syllabi, course calendars, and other course materials through Blackboard.  Asynchronous discussion boards are often used for assignments to allow students to post information and for the instructor and other students to respond.  Live chats may also be used for small group discussion.  Synchronous class sessions may also be held using specialized conferencing equipment.

All students should have a computer with soundcard, webcam, printer, and headset (defined as microphone and headphones) to access email, Cougarnet, Blackboard, and conferencing. Computers may be a desktop or a laptop based on personal preference. Within the PM DNP, students will need to bring a laptop computer that can access the internet through SIUE’s wireless system during the immersion experiences. We recommend a fast processor, at least 2 gigabytes (GB) of random access memory (RAM), and over 40 GB free disk space. An internet service provider (ISP) is required and can be hardwired, wireless, or satellite. A USB flash drive may be helpful for back-ups and bringing presentations to class. However, all students also have access to a virtual hard drive via Blackboard (located under the “My Content” tab of Blackboard). Software should include:

• Microsoft Office software, which is available for free to SIUE students
• Antiviral software if using personal PC
• Free software such as Quicktime, RealPlayer, etc.

AACN requires that all DNP programs consist of a minimum of 1,000 hours of post-baccalaureate, supervised specialty practice. The PM DNP transcripts of admitted students will be evaluated individually to determine the number of hours that need to be completed. NA DNP students will complete almost 2700 practicum hours, and the FNP DNP students will complete over 1000 practicum hours while in the program.

The tuition for the DNP program is $650 per credit hour. With additional fees dependent upon whether the course is online or face-to-face.

Prospective graduate students are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at 618-650-3880 to discuss funding options. Any grant or scholarship opportunities that become available through the School of Nursing will be announced to students via email.  Additional funding opportunities are available through the Graduate School.

Prospective students are welcome to meet with the Graduate Academic Advisor to discuss the programs offered and the admission process.  Please call 618-650-3930 or 618-650-3956 to set up an appointment.