Our complex healthcare environment benefits from advanced knowledge and practice expertise, which can positively affect healthcare outcomes for individuals and populations. Colorado Technical University's Doctor of Nursing Practice program is designed for licensed RNs with a Master's in Nursing who are looking to continue on to the Doctorate level, which is the terminal degree for nursing. Demand for nurses with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree continues to grow as employers are quickly recognizing the unique contributions that expert nurses are making in the practice arena, reports the AACN.¹

¹American Association of Colleges of Nursing, June 2024 https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/dnp-fact-sheet

This program is not a Nurse Practitioner program or a PhD and is designed for students with an active, clear, and unencumbered RN license in the US. Applicants must also have a programmatically accredited Master of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Program Overview

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a terminal degree for nurses who are interested in becoming a nursing practice expert. Applicants must hold a current, active and unencumbered license to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the United States, as well as a programmatically accredited Master of Science in Nursing degree from a institutionally accredited institution.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice is designed to build on the skills, talents and educational groundwork of a Master of Science in Nursing program and helps students prepare for advanced nursing roles in systems leadership and administration, maximizing the application of evidence to improve healthcare outcomes. The program provides instruction in healthcare delivery systems, health economics and finance, health policy, research methods, translation of evidence into practice, concepts in population health, and nursing leadership.

This program does not lead to additional licensure or certification. As such, CTU has made no determination regarding prerequisites for licensure or certification in any state or jurisdiction.

College of Nursing Mission Statement:

Through an innovative curriculum and student- centered teaching, the nursing faculty teaches, supports, and inspires students to become competent, caring, and accountable professionals who serve a diverse client population within a dynamic health care environment.