Doctor of Nursing Practice

Mission Statement

The mission of the School of Nursing is to be Christ-centered, people-focused, student-oriented, quality-driven, and future-directed in preparing qualified persons to serve a diverse population through the holistic profession of nursing.

Components for Learning

At AU, we offer a flexible program catered to you, the working nurse. If you are a RN with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, you can apply directly to the DNP program.

All classes are offered online, so you can learn anywhere. You will still meet your cohort and professors in person during a 2-3 day session, held once per semester for five consecutive semesters and once at the end of the program.

In addition to coursework, you will complete a scholarly project and a clinical residency. The evidence-based project may include a quality improvement (QI) focus, a policy change, or perhaps a protocol development for your facility. Your advisor will guide you in this process. Throughout your time in the program, you will develop this project, from the conceptual stages to research and investigation to implementation and dissemination of the results.

Clinical residencies are required for all Doctor of Nursing Practice students. At the conclusion of your Doctoral program you will have completed at a minimum 1,000 clinical hours. While it is your responsibility to find a clinical preceptor, AU works hard to establish relationships with clinical partners, to aid you in your search. Your clinical and in-class experiences at AU will also prepare you for the national accreditation exam you must take to become certified to practice in your field. 

Special Requirements for Admission

Minimum requirements:

• Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 averaged from all nursing degree programs.
• Active and unencumbered RN license
• CPR certification
• Current immunization record by start of program

Application Process

• Complete online application and pay application fee
• Two Letters of Recommendation
• Personal Statement
• Official Transcripts from all former academic institutions
• Resume

The Doctor of Nursing Practice mostly online FNP track is a 73 credit hour, nine semester program designed to train nurses for the Family Nurse Practitioner role and the ability to sit for a national certification exam with the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Students will start with core curriculum and complete 600 clinical hours in the first four semesters then transition into the DNP Scholarly Project preparatory courses and work on 500 additional clinical hours mostly designed in project completion. Students are required to come to campus in their first residency course semester and their last residency course semester to meet with faculty and fellow students while gaining assistance with their project.