Doctor of Nursing Practice - Post MSN to DNP

Entrance Requirements

All students applying for admission to the program must have:

• MSN degree from an accredited nursing school
• Current unencumbered RN licensure in the state of residence
• Current certification as an advanced practice nurse (nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife, or registered nurse anesthetist) or as an advanced nurse administrator
• A cumulative 3.5 GPA from previous MSN coursework (strong applicants with a 3.25-3.49 cumulative GPA from MSN coursework will be considered)
• Graduate level statistics course that includes descriptive and inferential statistics, taken within the last five years (must have achieved a grade of B or higher)
• Application deadline for fall term is July 1st
• Application deadline for spring term is October 1st

Application Requirements

All students applying for admission to the program must submit:

• Non-refundable application fee
• Resume or curriculum vitae describing nursing experience and education and the applicant's progression in advanced practice or leadership positions
• Two letters of recommendation from professional colleagues familiar with advanced practice nursing or leadership competence. References should address the applicant's potential for success in the DNP program
• All official transcripts
• Documentation of the number of faculty-supervised clinical hours completed in the MSN program
• Admission essay explaining reasons for enrolling in the DNP program. Address future professional goals, including plans for scholarship to meet the DNP Project
• Admission interview (may be conducted by phone)
• The priority deadline is April 15th for the cohort beginning the following August

Contact Us

For additional information, please contact the Graduate Admission Office at graduate.admission@cuw.edu or 262.243.4300.

Please note: in clinical experiences, students are required to work in healthcare systems or clinics, and must comply with any vaccination requirements of the clinical sites.

States have established standards of practice for the nursing profession. While at the present time, we cannot provide a particular state’s educational requirements for licensing, we can assure you that we will provide you with the contact information for the state Board of Nursing for the state in which you are considering seeking licensure.

Please Note
We are not accepting new students from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Tennessee or Wyoming. Additionally, Washington D.C. students are required to do clinicals in Virginia.

Concordia University of Wisconsin is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission to conduct practice experiences in the state of Washington for the post master’s DNP program. For more information, please go to Nursing Commission’s website at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/NursingCommission/NursingPrograms.aspx.

1. Synthesize liberal arts and scientific background into advanced nursing roles.
2. Develop leadership skills for quality improvement initiatives related to advanced nursing roles across health care delivery systems.
3. Demonstrate advanced levels of scholarship and analysis in implementing and evaluating evidence-based approaches to advanced nursing roles at the systems level.
4. Evaluate information systems and patient care information technologies to improve health care.
5. Influence health care policy development as related to health care delivery systems and the nursing profession.
6. Lead intraprofessional and interprofessional teams to influence health outcomes of individuals and populations.
7. Use cultural, epidemiological, biostatistical, and environmental data to influence clinical prevention and population health outcomes at the systems level.
8. Model scholarship, professionalism, and excellence in advanced nursing roles.
9. Use advanced clinical judgment, systems thinking, and accountability to provide evidence-based care in the area of specialization or in systems leadership.

To accommodate the schedules of working professionals, our DNP program is centered on an inclusive and supportive cohort class strategy. The Program can be completed in two years. Courses integrate elements to meet the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice. Students complete residency hours in areas of their choice to develop and hone leadership and practice skills.

Year 1, Semester 1

Year 1, Semester 2

Year 2, Semester 3

Year 2, Semester 4

A minimum of 500 residency hours must be completed during the program to reach the 1,000 required DNP hours. Of the 500 required DNP hours, no more than 120 hours can be in indirect patient care experiences outside of the student’s current practice. The balance of the hours will be obtained through the DNP project and leadership activities. Faculty may contact the mentor at any time for verification of hours and progress of goals/objectives.