Online Doctorates in Nursing (DNP)

ARWU Rank:
14

Established: 1740
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Post-Master’s

Residency Requirements: None

This fully online DNP elevates advanced practice nurses’ clinical and leadership expertise. Spanning 2-3 years, its asynchronous format suits working professionals. Students focus on evidence-based practice, healthcare innovation, and systems improvement, completing a scholarly project. Penn’s distinguished faculty guide graduates to lead in healthcare settings, shape policy, and enhance patient outcomes, tapping into the university’s prestigious resources and network.

Length: 2-3 years

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
17

Established: 1876
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Residency Requirements: None

This fully online DNP advances nurses’ clinical and leadership skills. Over 3 years, its asynchronous format accommodates working professionals. Students focus on evidence-based practice, healthcare innovation, and systems improvement, completing a scholarly project. Johns Hopkins’ expert faculty guide graduates to lead in healthcare, influence policy, and enhance patient care, leveraging the university’s prestigious resources and global reputation for excellence.

Length: 3 years

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
35

Established: 1789
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Clinical residency, on-campus intensives

This DNP advances nurses’ clinical and leadership skills. Mostly online, it requires clinical residency and on-campus intensives over 3 years, integrating flexibility with hands-on practice. Students focus on evidence-based care, innovation, and systems improvement, completing a scholarly project. UNC’s expert faculty guide graduates to lead in healthcare, influence policy, and enhance patient outcomes, tapping into the university’s esteemed resources.

Length: 3 years

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
39

Established: 1838
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Residency Requirements: On-campus immersion experiences

This DNP enhances nurses’ clinical and leadership expertise. Mostly online, it includes on-campus immersion experiences over 2-3 years, combining flexibility with practical training. Students focus on evidence-based practice, healthcare innovation, and systems leadership, completing a scholarly project. Duke’s renowned faculty guide graduates to lead in healthcare, shape policy, and improve patient care, leveraging the university’s prestigious resources and network.

Length: 2-3 years

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
47

Established: 1851
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Residency Requirements: None

This fully online DNP strengthens nurses’ clinical and leadership skills. Over 3 years, its asynchronous format supports working professionals. Students focus on evidence-based practice, healthcare innovation, and systems improvement, completing a scholarly project. UMN’s expert faculty guide graduates to lead in healthcare, influence policy, and enhance patient care, leveraging the university’s strong resources and reputation for excellence.

Length: 3 years

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
82

Established: 1870
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Education

Residency Requirements: On-campus residency, clinical components

This program trains nurse educators for academic and clinical roles. Mostly online, it includes on-campus residency and clinical components over 3 years, blending flexibility with hands-on practice. Students focus on curriculum design, teaching strategies, and research, guided by OSU’s expert faculty. Graduates meet nursing education demands, leveraging the university’s strong resources to advance nursing education and policy.

Length: 3 years

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
82

Established: 1870
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
DNP – Clinical Expert

Residency Requirements: On-campus residency, clinical components

This DNP enhances clinical expertise for advanced practice nurses. Mostly online, it includes on-campus residency and clinical components over 3 years, balancing flexibility with practical training. Students focus on evidence-based practice, innovation, and systems improvement, completing a scholarly project. OSU’s expert faculty guide graduates to lead in healthcare, influence policy, and improve patient care with robust resources.

Length: 3 years

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
82

Established: 1870
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
DNP – Nurse Executive

Residency Requirements: On-campus residency, clinical components

This DNP prepares nurses for executive leadership in healthcare. Mostly online, it includes on-campus residency and clinical components over 3 years, merging flexibility with practical experience. Students focus on leadership, management, and health policy, completing a scholarly project. OSU’s expert faculty guide graduates to lead organizations, shape policy, and improve outcomes, leveraging the university’s strong resources.

Length: 3 years

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
 101-150

Established: 1855
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Required to attend in-person intensive sessions.

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a professional, practice-focused doctoral degree designed to prepare highly qualified advanced practice nurses to be leaders and deliver expert nursing care and ultimately improve health care outcomes. This degree is designed for you if you are a nurse who plans to continue in a practice role, and you have already received a bachelor's or master's degree with a major in nursing.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: 3.5+

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 101-150

Established: 1855
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice

Residency Requirements: Intensive 3-4 day on-campus session at the beginning of each semester.

The MSU College of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) curriculum prepares Advanced Practice Registered Nurses to provide clinical, organizational and systems’ leadership at the highest level.

Length: 2 to 3 years

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
 201-300

Established: 1839
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (DNP)

Residency Requirements: On-campus visit is required for five days during the summer before course work begins for orientation to the DNP program. Additional campus visits will be required throughout the program, approximately once per year.

A doctorate in nursing practice from MU can help you advance your career in gerontology. If you want to become a clinical expert in advanced nursing, empower other nurses, and effect system wide improvements in care, this may be the degree for you.

Length: 3 to 6 years

Required GPA: 3.3+ undergrad, 3.5+ grad.

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 201-300

Established: 1839
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP)

Residency Requirements: On-campus visit is required for five days during the summer before course work begins for orientation to the DNP program. Additional campus visits will be required throughout the program.

A doctorate in nursing practice from MU can help you advance your career in family nursing. If you want to promote good health, prevent injury and disease, and manage chronic illnesses, this could be the program for you.

Length: 3 to 6 years

Required GPA: 3.3+ undergrad, 3.5+ grad.

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 201-300

Established: 1839
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Nursing Leadership and Innovations in Health Care (DNP)

Residency Requirements: On-campus visit is required for five days during the summer before course work begins for orientation to the DNP program. An additional campus visit will be required at the end of the program.

A doctorate in nursing practice from MU can help you advance your career as a nurse leader. If you want to deliver innovative care, provide quality outcomes and lead change, this program could be for you.

Length: 3 years

Required GPA: 3.5+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
 201-300

Established: 1839
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (DNP)

Residency Requirements: On-campus visit is required for five days during the summer before course work begins for orientation to the DNP program. Additional campus visits will be required throughout the program.

A doctorate in nursing practice from MU can help you advance your career in pediatrics. If you want to provide comprehensive health care from birth through young adulthood in primary or specialty settings, this could be the program for you.

Length: 3 to 6 years

Required GPA: 3.3+ undergrad, 3.5+ grad.

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 201-300

Established: 1743
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Periodic on-campus requirements.

Prepares graduates to perform at the highest level of advanced nursing practice. The foundation for practice expertise with a population health focus will enable the graduate to plan and lead evidence-based interventions, quality improvement strategies and health policy changes that address patient safety, promote patient-centered care, and reduce health disparities among diverse groups. Three concentrations are available in a hybrid online and on-campus format: Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: 3.0+ undergrad, 3.5+ grad.

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 201-300

Established: 1865
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Nursing (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Attendance on campus at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City is required.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program at the KU School of Nursing offers a flexible learning environment to prepare nurses at the highest level of practice. The DNP curriculum provides sophisticated, cutting-edge experiences that help nurses actively engage in a complex, dynamic and demanding health care field. Skills in collaboration, innovation and evaluation, complemented by advanced practice nursing skills, will prepare nurses to shape the future of health care.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: 3.5+ undergrad, 3.25+ grad.

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 201-300

Established: 1837
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctorate in Nurse Anesthesia Practice, DNAP

Residency Requirements: Minor residency requirements.

The mission of the Department of Nurse Anesthesia is to provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to work as part of an interprofessional team to serve the public through the delivery of safe, cost-efficient, quality anesthesia services and to develop leaders and scholars who will advance the specialty of nurse anesthesia through research, scholarship and public service. The department achieves this mission by establishing an environment that values excellence, stimulates creativity and recognizes achievement. The overall objective of the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program is to prepare graduates who have acquired knowledge, skills and competencies in patient safety, perianesthetic management, critical thinking and communication to fulfill their professional responsibility as certified nurse anesthetists.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
 201-300

Established: 1837
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Students will come to VCU three times per year at the beginning of each semester, generally for 2-3 days at a time.

The DNP degree is the highest practice degree in nursing. With the increasing complexity of health care and the nationwide demand for more doctorally prepared nurses, our program will increase the number of expert practitioners prepared to translate research into evidence-based practice. Our graduates also will be prepared to lead teams of health care professionals in a wide variety of settings to improve patient outcomes. Our DNP program emphasizes patient safety and quality improvement, leadership, health policy, and organizational systems. With an online format geared toward the working nurse, students will come to VCU three times per year at the beginning of each semester, generally for 2-3 days at a time.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
 301-400

Established: 1821
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Required residency for a five-day primary care seminar, also for a two- to three-day project presentation at the end of year 3, as well as required residency for a final skill assessment.

This program option provides the theoretical and practical foundations necessary for nurses to become advanced practice nurses, specifically in working with adolescent (ages 13 and older) and adult patients. As the United States population ages, adult-gerontology is an expanding area that offers abundant opportunities in palliative care, home health, long-term care, assisted living and others. Students who complete this program option will be eligible to sit for the ANCC and AANP certification exams.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: "3.0+ undergrad, 3.3+ grad. "

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 301-400

Established: 1821
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Executive Leadership (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Two- to three-day project presentation at the end of year 3.

This program option is designed for nursing leaders in senior management positions or those with substantial leadership experience. You will focus on intrapreneurial and entrepreneurial approaches to leadership. You will work on experiential projects, often within your organization or community.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: "3.0+ undergrad, 3.3+ grad. "

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 301-400

Established: 1821
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Required residency for a five-day primary care seminar, also for a two- to three-day project presentation at the end of year 3, as well as required residency for a final skill assessment.

This option prepares registered nurses for leadership in primary care settings treating families and individuals of all ages. This option offers didactic and clinical experiences that prepare you to deliver high-quality, patient-centered primary care. We recommend that you have some clinical experience before starting this program option, but it is not required. Due to the rigorous nature of this program option and the clinical hours required, we strongly recommend that you not work full-time while pursuing this degree.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: "3.0+ undergrad, 3.3+ grad. "

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 301-400

Established: 1821
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Nursing Practice (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Two- to three-day project presentation at the end of year 3.

This program option is for nursing professionals interested in improving patient care, affecting health policy and being a nursing leader. This program prepares you to incorporate evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary organizational concepts, policy and research into clinical practice and leadership.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: "3.0+ undergrad, 3.3+ grad. "

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 301-400

Established: 1966
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice

Residency Requirements: Required periodic on-campus intensives.

Doctor of Nursing Practice is the terminal clinical degree that prepares advanced practice nurses with the knowledge and skills to lead population health and health system change.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: 3.2+

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 301-400

Established: 1807
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Majority of specialty courses meet on campus. All on campus/face-to-face courses are held one day per week.

The DNP program prepares elite nursing professionals to lead in today's increasingly complex health care system, applying evolving best practices to make dramatic improvements in patient care.

Length: Variable

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: No

ARWU Rank:
 301-400

Established: 1891
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Residency Requirements: Minor residency requirements.

Drexel's accredited online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice and offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. The mission of the DNP program is to prepare individuals to assume leadership roles as executives or practitioners and to apply evidence-based practice to improve individual, family, and community health outcomes. Nurses who graduate from Drexel's DNP program are well-equipped to fully implement the science developed by nurse researchers in PhD, DNSc, and other research-focused nursing doctorates.

Length: N/A

Required GPA: N/A

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
 301-400

Established: 1963
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Nursing Practice D.N.P., Executive Track

Residency Requirements: Residency project and clinical residency courses.

The post-master’s Executive Doctor of Nursing Practice track is a dynamic and engaging academic curriculum that prepares the nurse executive for multiple dimensions of administrative responsibilities within varied healthcare environments. The Executive D.N.P. track extends and enhances the knowledge, skill and performance of the healthcare system leaders in a wide variety of clinical and administrative environments. The program prepares nurses at the highest level of practice for the current healthcare environment based on a strong scientific foundation for practice; offers flexibility and emphasis on evidence based practice, leadership and organizational analysis; and provides analytic skills to examine practice innovations involving completion of the residency project during the clinical residency courses.

Length: 9 semesters

Required GPA: N/A

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
 301-400

Established: 1963
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Nursing Practice, D.N.P.

Residency Requirements: Minor residency requirements.

This post-master’s D.N.P. doctoral program is designed to prepare nurse practitioners, clinical nurse-specialists, certified nurse midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists for leadership roles in specialized areas of advanced nursing practice. This program prepares nurses at the highest level of practice for the current health care environment. Candidates must have a M.S.N. degree with advanced practices.

Length: 5 to 7 semesters

Required GPA: N/A

Required Master's Degree: Yes

ARWU Rank:
 401-500

Established: 1867
Country: United States

Online Doctorate Program Name:
Doctor of Nursing Practice

Residency Requirements: Minor residency requirements.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program, offered by the WVU School of Nursing, prepares nurses with the skills and knowledge to evaluate the most up-to-date research, and to determine how to use outcomes in daily practice, implement new methods of treatment and health care delivery, and improve patient health. Graduates will be able to play a leadership role in the development of health care policy. This post-graduate program can be completed with as few as 33 credit hours.

Length: 8 semesters

Required GPA: 3.0+

Required Master's Degree: Yes