Doctor of Nursing Practice FAQs

Although all DNP tracks are available online, students may elect to take select coursework onsite at the Anschutz Medical Campus, which is located in Aurora, Colorado, adjacent to Denver. The campus is home to several health profession education institutions, including the CU College of Nursing, and is the CU site of the collaborative Colorado School of Public Health. The campus offers many new facilities with state-of-the-art technology and is home to two three Magnet Hospitals. Prospective students are invited to explore the campus.

The University of Colorado College of Nursing offers a BS-DNP option as well as 5 different post-masters tracks. If you have your BSN and are looking to gain an MS degree in leadership or clinical practice (APRN) as well as your DNP, the BS-DNP options are right for you. Please see the BS-DNP Program for more information. Students with a BSN wishing to obtain a Masters in Public Health (MPH) as well as a DNP should apply to our dual degree DNP/MPH Program.

If you have an MS in leadership or clinical practice (APRN) and wish to complete your education with a terminal degree, the post masters tracks are best for you. There are 5 tracks of entry.

1. APRN track. This is for applicants practicing as a CNS, NP, CNM, or CRNA.
2. Health Systems Leadership (HSL) track. This is for applicants who wish to pursue additional education with a leadership focus. Both APRNs and non-APRNs with a master’s degree may apply.
3. Veteran and Military Health Care and Leadership (VMHCL) track. This is for applicants who wish to pursue additional education with a focus on veteran and military health.
4. Dual degree DNP/MPH track. Applicants wishing to receive a Masters in Public Health (MPH) as well as a DNP degree can apply for the the dual degree track. This is a joint effort between the Colorado School of Public Health and the College of Nursing. Applicants must apply to both programs and applications are reviewed by both schools.
5. The Public Health Nurse (DNP-PHN) track. This track offers a population focus in public health nursing specialization. Much of the coursework in the DNP-PHN program is interprofessional, including Colorado School of Public Health core courses.

All didactic courses are available through distance technologies. Practicum courses may be arranged locally in consultation with program advisors, course instructors, and local preceptors. There may be on-campus classroom sessions when the student begins the capstone series.

You need to hold a certification in an APRN specialty area to apply for the APRN option. For other tracks, please refer to the DNP-PHN, DNP/MPH, HSL, and VMHCL programs for clarification.

The BS-DNP option allows students to complete their coursework in a chosen APRN specialty prior to completion of the DNP degree. Our post-masters tracks, including the DNP/MPH track, do not offer the opportunity to become an APRN.

Part time and full time options are available. Please refer to the sample plans of study for estimated time-frames for completion of all tracks as a full - or part-time student. Full-time status at the University of Colorado is a minimum of 5 credits. Students may opt to take a heavier course load than is depicted in sample the full- and part-time program plans to complete the program more rapidly.

Sample plans are listed below:

• DNP PHN Part Plan
• DNP PHN Full Plan
• DNP MPH Part Plan
• DNP MPH Full Plan

No. Residents of other states may seek admission to this program. Out-of-state tuition applies to those who are not Colorado residents. However, the CU College of Nursing DNP program is approved by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) so permanent residents of 15 other western states may be eligible for doctoral education in Colorado at the in-state tuition rate.

Applications to all tracks begin at the College of Nursing. Please visit the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program page for information and admissions requirements.

Applicants are encouraged to identify interest in their specific chosen track:

• APRN
• DNP/MPH
• DNP-PHN
• Health Systems Leadership (DNP-HSL) or
• Veteran and Military Health Care Leadership (DNP-VMHC-L)

in the first sentence of the required essay. For our dual degree program (DNP/MPH), College of Nursing Admissions staff will collaborate with CSPH Admissions staff to ensure a seamless process for dual degree applicants. A team of faculty from both schools will review applications as a part of the dual admissions process.

The courses focus student efforts on a final project as the culmination of the DNP education. In the series, the student identifies, develops, and implements a project that addresses a systems-level practice or patient issue.

Students who are matriculated into the DNP/MPH are charged for semester hour tuition based on whether the course is in a Nursing course or a Public Health course.

Tuition is initially charged at the higher rate of Public Health tuition. Students who register for Nursing courses will have a credit posted to their tuition bills. This is to reduce the tuition amount owed in order to match the College of Nursing tuition (in and out of state) rates.

This credit will be applied to the student’s account approximately two weeks after the start of classes. School of Public Health courses will not receive a credit, just those taken through the College of Nursing.

Please read the following carefully: The charges for the semester are not corrected to the College of Nursing tuition rate but instead you will receive a credit adjustment to your bill for nursing courses.