At Saint Louis University Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, our Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) is a practice-focused doctoral degree that educates nurses to become expert clinicians, leaders in health policy, and catalysts for improved health care delivery in an interprofessional environment.
This online program is available to students who possess a master's degree in an advanced practice area such as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist. We offer two options within the Master of Science in Nursing-Doctor of Nursing Practice (M.S.N.-D.N.P.) program: advanced nursing practice and nurse executive leader.
Program Highlights
The School of Nursing at SLU is renowned for excellence in nursing education. U.S. News and World Report consistently ranks our graduate program as a top program in their Best Graduate Schools survey.
- Full- and part-time curriculum plans
- Responsive faculty who are nationally recognized for teaching excellence, nursing leadership, scholarly research and student mentorship
- Faculty advisors who are individually assigned to mentor each student throughout the program
- An online library
- An online writing center
- State-of-the-art teaching facilities
Curriculum Overview
The post-master's D.N.P. program requires a total of 30 credits beyond the M.S.N. At the discretion of the Valentine School of Nursing, you may be able to transfer five to six credits of comparable graduate-level coursework.
The curriculum provides flexible sequencing of courses that are offered online in the fall, spring and summer semesters. The program requires one visit to the St. Louis campus at the end of the program to present the D.N.P. project. This project is based on your interest and synthesizes the knowledge you gain throughout the program. It will focus on a practice change initiative in risk reduction, such as a program evaluation, a quality improvement project, an evaluation of a new practice model, a consulting project or a pilot study.
At SLU, we partner with you on preceptors and clinical placement. Besides being paired with a faculty mentor with expertise in each student's desired field of study, the Valentine School of Nursing has a three-tiered process for helping students obtain preceptors for their clinical rotations.
Careers
Doctor of Nursing Practice program graduates are prepared to be nurse clinicians or educators. Graduates influence health policy at institutional, local, state and national levels and formulate strategies to maximize patient health.
Admission Requirements
The Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing adheres to the principles of a holistic admission process in which selection criteria are broad-based and linked to our University’s and school’s mission and goals. While we do consider academic metrics, we also look at applicant experiences, attributes, potential for success, and how applicants may contribute to the school’s learning environment and to the profession.
SLU accepts applications to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Master of Science in Nursing-Nurse Practitioner (MSN-NP) programs from students living in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Depending on the state, clinical fees may be required.
General Applicant Criteria
- A cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or more on a 4.00 scale.
- A degree in nursing from a program accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency.
- An unencumbered registered nurse license in the state in which clinical experience will be done.
Applicant Criteria for the Doctor of Nursing Practice - Post Master's APRN DNP:
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This program is available to students who possess a master's degree in an advanced practice area such as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist. We offer two options within this program: Advanced Nursing Practice and Nurse Executive Leader. SLU’s 30-credit-hour program requires one trip to campus and can be completed in one year.
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Must have recognition as an advanced practice nurse in the state in which clinical experiences will be done.
- Successful completion of advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and advanced health assessment at the graduate level.
- Inferential or biostatistics course within the last five years. (This may be taken at Saint Louis University during the summer prior to the start of the DNP program).
Applicant Criteria for the Doctor of Nursing Practice - Post Master's non-APRN DNP Nurse Executive Leader:
Application Requirements
Applying for the Post master-D.N.P. program requires careful planning to ensure that all admission requirements are met. You may experience a delay in processing if the application instructions are not followed exactly as listed.
Please follow the five steps outlined below to apply:
- Step 1: Application
Submit the application form and pay the associated fee through NursingCAS. Select Saint Louis University. - Step 2: Transcripts
Please submit your official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended directly to NursingCAS. They will provide details when the application is initiated. - Step 3: Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Attach your CV/résumé documenting your education, clinical nursing experience and service to the nursing profession/community within the NursingCAS application. - Step 4: Professional Goal Statement
Attach your professional goal statement within the NursingCAS application. The goal statement should outline your goals for doctoral study, research translation area of interest for the capstone project and your career goals. The statement should be one-to-two pages and double-spaced. - Step 5: RN License
Attach a copy of your unencumbered registered nurse license in the state in which clinical experience will be done within the NursingCAS application.
International Students
International students on F-1 or J-1 student visas are not eligible for admission to this nursing program because this program is offered completely online.
Application Deadlines
Admissions are rolling until the following deadlines:
- Fall semester start: July 15
- Spring semester start: December 15
- Summer semester start: April 15
Review Process
Applications will be reviewed shortly after all application requirements have been submitted.
Tuition
Tuition Per Credit | Tuition | Cost Per Credit |
| Doctor in Nursing Practice (DNP) | $1,400 |
Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:
Net Price Calculator
Information on Tuition and Fees
Miscellaneous Fees
Information on Summer Tuition
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Financing for this program may be available through grants, scholarships, loans (federal and private) and institutional financing plans. For price estimates, please review the SLU cost calculator.
The Saint Louis University Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing offers scholarship and graduate research assistantship opportunities to eligible graduate students. Additionally, most nursing students will participate in a tuition assistance program provided through their employer.
For more information, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.
Accreditation
The Saint Louis University Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing is fully approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program and post-graduate advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) certificate program at Saint Louis University's Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 665 K Street N.W., Suite 750, Washington, D.C., 20001. The commission's phone number is 202-887-6791.
1. Knowledge for Nursing Practice: Integrates an understanding of nursing’s distinct and shared disciplinary perspectives and applies theoretical and empirical knowledge from the humanities and natural, social, behavioral and nursing sciences to form the basis for clinical judgment and innovation in nursing practice.
2. Person-centered Care: Engages in nursing care through the relational lens, which fosters caring relationships, mutuality, active participation, and individual empowerment in the delivery and communication of compassionate person-centered nursing care through cura personalis.
3. Population Health: Collaborates with diverse stakeholders for the advancement of effective partnerships, health policy and improvement of equitable population health outcomes related to the social determinants of health.
4. Scholarship for Nursing Discipline: Applies, translates, and implements best evidence and client values into clinical decision-making.
5. Quality and Safety: Enhances quality of care while minimizing risk of harm to clients and providers through system effectiveness and individual performance.
6. Interprofessional Partnerships: Collaborates across professions with care team members, clients, clients, families, communities and other stakeholders to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience and strengthen outcomes.
7. Systems-Based Practice: Effectively and proactively coordinates resources to provide safe, quality and equitable care to diverse populations within complex healthcare systems to address social and structural determinants of health.
8. Informatics and Healthcare Technologies: Utilizes information processes and technologies to manage and improve the delivery of safe, high-quality, and efficient healthcare services.
9. Professionalism: Cultivates a sustainable professional nursing identity, accountability, perspective, collaborative disposition and ethical principles that reflect nursing’s characteristics and values.
10. Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development: Participates in activities and self-reflection through Ignatian pedagogy that foster personal health, resilience, and well-being while supporting the acquisition of nursing expertise, lifelong learning and the leadership continuum.
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| NURS 5000 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| NURS 6110 | Health Care Delivery Systems | 3 |
| NURS 6130 | Interprofessional Collaboration (75 Clinical Hours) | 3 |
| NURS 6140 | Leadership in Health Care (75 Clinical Hours) | 3 |
| NURS 6150 | Clinical Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 6160 | Evidence-Based Practice I (75 Clinical Hours) | 3 |
| NURS 6170 | Evidence-Based Practice II | 3 |
| NURS 6805 | Introduction to Applied Statistics for Healthcare Research | 3 |
| NURS 6960 | Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Management (Can be taken over multiple semesters, 3 credits total) | 3 |
| NURS 6961 | Doctor of Nursing Practice Project (Can be taken over multiple semesters, 3 credits total, 225 Clinical Hours) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 |
Continuation Standards
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
Plan of Study Grid
| Year One |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| NURS 6150 |
Clinical Informatics () |
3 |
| NURS 6110 |
Health Care Delivery Systems () |
3 |
| NURS 6160 |
Evidence-Based Practice I |
3 |
| | Credits | 9 |
| Spring |
|---|
| NURS 6130 |
Interprofessional Collaboration () |
3 |
| NURS 6140 |
Leadership in Health Care () |
3 |
| NURS 6170 |
Evidence-Based Practice II |
3 |
| | Credits | 9 |
| Summer |
|---|
| NURS 6805 |
Introduction to Applied Statistics for Healthcare Research |
3 |
| NURS 5000 |
Epidemiology |
3 |
| | Credits | 6 |
| Year Two |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| NURS 6960 |
Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Management |
3 |
| NURS 6961 |
Doctor of Nursing Practice Project () |
3 |
| | Credits | 6 |
| | Total Credits | 30 |
