D'Youville Ranks as Top Private University in the Region
For the second consecutive year, D'Youville is ranked as the top private university in Western New York in recognition of its academic excel...
Read moreMove into advanced practice nursing with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Overview & Distinctions
Overview
As healthcare has become more complex, the demand for health care professionals who can successfully collaborate as part of a multi-functional healthcare team has become more important than ever.
Doctors of Nursing Practice (Family Nurse Practitioner) expand on what they’ve learned as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to take on leadership roles in primary patient care, healthcare administration, research, and education.
Our doctoral program combines traditional coursework with clinical fieldwork, graduate-level research and online learning over the course of six consecutive semesters, allowing you to complete the program in as little as two years.
If you're a professional nurse who wants to enhance your knowledge and expand your professional career prospects, earning your doctor of nursing practice degree with a focus in family nurse practitioner might be the ideal offering you've been searching for.
Our Family Nurse Practitioner DNP degree is offered online and on campus.
What You'll Learn
As a student in D’Youville’s DNP program, you’ll learn from working professionals from a wide array of career paths and specialties. As professionals engaged in the day-to-day practice of healthcare, they’ll be able to educate you about cutting-edge healthcare issues, share their knowledge of advanced practice and guide you as you move forward in developing the next stage of your career as a Doctor of Nursing Practice (Family Nurse Practitioner).
Our program integrates knowledge in the dimensions that define contemporary healthcare. You'll learn the full spectrum of knowledge that today’s healthcare leaders need to master including communications, business and financial principles, and cultural sensitivity.
At D'Youville, you can earn your Doctor of Nursing Practice degree as Family Nurse Practitioner your way — your plan of study will be personalized for your needs after a detailed evaluation of your transcripts and your documented clinical experience.
Why Choose D'Youville?
- You can start in either the fall or the spring semester.
- Our flexible program is designed for both working professionals who want to pursue their degree part-time or students who are able to dedicate themselves to full-time study.
- Our faculty are clinical experts in their fields and recognized for their student-centered approach that emphasizes individualized instruction and career guidance.
- Benefit from an individualized plan of study that is created for you after a detailed evaluation of your transcripts and documented clinical hours
- D’Youville’s nursing program reflects the college’s mission to educate professionals who contribute to the world community through leadership and service to others.
- Established in 1942, D'Youville's nursing program has an excellent reputation as one of the best in the region for high-quality, student-centered education.
Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements
Applicants to D'Youville's Doctor of Nursing Practice degree with a focus in Family Nurse Practitioner program must meet the following requirements:
- Completion of a master's degree with specialty preparation as an advanced practice nurse (nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist or nurse midwife) from a CCNE or NLNAC accredited program at a college or university (or CNO in Ontario).
- Minimum graduate grade point average of 3.25 (based on a 4.0 system).
- Official transcripts from each college or university attended; this must include all undergraduate and graduate work.
- Copy of an active, unencumbered license as a professional registered nurse and advanced practice certification in New York state or Ontario.
- Current CPR certification with a psychomotor component.
- Copy of current national certification (or exam-eligibility) as an advanced practice nursing in a specialty area (where applicable).
- Documentation of the number of clinical hours completed in prior master's degree program.
- At least two years of relevant professional experience.
- Current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Evidence of active membership on CV in at least one professional organization.
- Favorable review with a panel of D'Youville College nursing faculty members.
- Three letters of reference; the faculty prefer that one come from a college-level professor if possible and at least one from an employer or colleague with an advanced or terminal degree, focusing on the applicant's potential for success in the doctoral program.
- A written personal statement outlining how the applicant expects this degree to assist in achieving specific career goals.
- Any applicant may choose to submit GRE scores if they believe their application does not adequately reflect their potential to succeed in a doctoral program.
- If an applicant meets all admission criteria and is attending or has previously attended a doctoral program, he or she must get a letter from that school of nursing stating the applicant is in good standing and can register for classes.
Canadian RN students must submit two licensure items:
- A copy of original Certificate of Registration (issued upon passing of initial examination)
- A copy of Annual Registration Renewal (showing current unencumbered license)
An applicant may choose to submit GRE scores if they believe their application does not adequately reflect their potential to succeed in a doctoral program.
Prerequisites
Applicants to Doctor of Nursing Practice (Family Nurse Practitioner) degree program must complete the following undergraduate course prerequisites:
- Statistics
Canadian students must submit a 'course-by-course' evaluation (or equivalent) of all Canadian college and/or university transcripts through the World Education Services (WES).
Use the Online Course Equivalency database to see whether the courses you've taken at other institutions can be counted towards a degree at D'Youville.
Transfer Credit Policy
Students may transfer up to nine graduate credits with grades of B or better into their program at the discretion of the program director. Credits must be earned from an accredited institution in courses required by the program being pursued.
Curriculum
Curriculum
Find detailed course information for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) for Family Nurse Practitioner program, tools to plan your education, and complete academic policies and procedures in the D'Youville academic catalog.
In the Specific Area of Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NUR-701 | Health Literacy & Population Health Outcomes | 3 |
| NUR-702 | Evidence-Based Practice & IT Healthcare Delivery | 4 |
| NUR-703 | Biostatistics for Advanced Nurse Leaders | 2 |
| NUR-704 | Community-Based Care of Aging Population | 3 |
| NUR-705 | Ethical Topics in Advanced Nursing Practice Seminar | 3 |
| NUR-709 | Advance Practice Role for Doctoral Nursing Leaders | 3 |
| NUR-711 | Translational Capstone: I Identify Project | 2 |
| NUR-712 | Translational Capstone II: Design And Pilot Project | 2 |
| NUR-713 | Translational Capstone III Implement and Evaluation | 3 |
| Total Credits | 25 | |
Interdisciplinary Course Work Required for this Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HAPH-653 | Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
|
HAPH-652
|
Health Care Economics | |
| OR | ||
|
HAPH-648
|
Introduction to Health Care Finance | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
|
NUR-613
|
Nursing Leadership and Communication | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
An individual gap analysis assessment will be made of each applicant's transcripts to determine what additional courses or clinical hours may be needed to satisfy the DNP requirements.
Careers
Careers
Career Outlook
From hospitals to community clinics, from research facilities to private practice, and from educational institutions to the military, nurses are in high demand.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that the nursing profession will increase 19% per year until at least 2022, making nursing, in their words, one of the few professions that’s growing “faster than average” in the United States.
But if you’re a nurse with a master’s degree in an advanced practice specialty, you probably already know this. What you might not know is that the changing landscape of health care has created an increasing need for nurses who can function in leadership roles in everything from research to advanced clinical care, private practice and research. As someone with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner, you’ll have the credentials you need to assume these leadership positions in the future.
Job prospects for DNPs
A DNP degree can greatly expand your career options, allowing you to assume an advanced role as a healthcare professional. Typically, nurses with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree can seek expanded career opportunities in:
Hospitals
Nurses with DNP degrees often find themselves playing a larger role in developing patient treatment plans, conducting research and using their knowledge to develop new policies and procedures for healthcare administration.
Research
The advanced knowledge you’ll gain while earning your DNP can help you enter new roles in research facilities pursuing new ways of treating diseases, coping with medical issues and developing new cures.
Private Practice
Many nurses with doctorates are starting their own private practices focused on advanced practice in a wide range of specialties.
Physicians’ Offices
More and more physicians are discovering the benefits of partnering with advanced practice nurses with doctorates in order to address the expanding demands of healthcare practice and administration.
Public Health
Both policymakers and public health professionals are increasingly relying on the expertise of nurses with advanced degrees in order to address the increasingly-complex issues of public health and public health administration.
For more information about careers in nursing, visit: www.DiscoverNursing.com and www.nln.org.
Graduate Nursing Degrees at D’Youville
The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that nursing profession will increase 19% per year until at least 2022. Denise Dunford, DNS, FNP-BC, APRN, an associate professor at D’Youville, explains why D’Youville’s graduate programs prepare students to meet demands and take leadership roles in healthcare.
D'Youville Alumni Success
The D'Youville graduate nursing degree programs allow graduates to obtain leadership roles in primary patient care, health care administration, research, and education. Hear from alumni who have taken their education at D'Youville and turned it into promising careers.
School of Nursing In The News
View All
D'Youville Announces New Visual Identity and Mascot
Two weeks ago, D'Youville announced a new Athletic identity - the Saints. Yesterday, the university revealed the school's new logo and masco...
Read more
COVID-19 Communications Plan for Students and Parents
At D'Youville, we understand students and their parents throughout the country are experiencing significant concern regarding COVID-19, thei...
Read more