Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Elevate your MSN to a nursing doctorate and prepare for the highest levels of professional nursing practice or executive health care leadership with the Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (PM-DNP).

What is a DNP?

A DNP is one of the highest levels of education within the nursing practice. Compared to MSNs, DNPs have an advanced understanding of patient care; disease diagnosis, treatment, prevention; and more. They’re qualified for advanced leadership roles including work in higher education, public health or as c-suite/chief executives.

The DNP-prepared nurse is uniquely equipped to meet the current need in the health care system to bridge patient care with broad impact: applying and translating evidence into practice to improve outcomes for individuals, populations, organizations and/or systems.

Who can get a DNP?

The post-master’s DNP is suited to nurses who have earned the MSN with any specialty in their master’s-level studies. For nurses who are bachelor’s-prepared, learn about our DNP with Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP-FNP) program that positions you for FNP and leadership roles.

What career opportunities are available for a DNP?

The DNP qualifies you to take nursing beyond individual patient care. Stepping into roles outside the clinical setting allows you to positively impact health care and patient populations with knowledge of advocacy, ethics and policy. Advanced nurse leader roles range from working directly with patients to managing teams and solving complex practice problems.

Roles may include:

• Director of nursing
• Executive VP of health care
• Nurse faculty
• Health care lobbyist
• Nurse consultant

These positions may have a median annual income of $125,900 and projected growth rate of 40 percent through 2031, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Why earn your Post-Master’s DNP at Sacred Heart?

Sacred Heart University is known for its excellence in nursing education. With CCNE-accredited programs at all levels of study, from BSN to DNP programs, Sacred Heart has state-of-the-art facilities, nursing expertise and industry relationships that can propel you to continued career advancement and long-term success. 

In addition to nursing expertise, Sacred Heart is committed to a whole-person approach to patient treatment and nurse leadership. The practice-focused curriculum explores the interrelationship between policy, advocacy and ethics on clinical practice and emphasizes processes for patient safety and communication of medical trends and statistics that prepare capable health care leaders.

Students can focus their coursework in leadership or in education, to prepare for either a leadership role within an organization or a faculty position at the university level.

Program Highlights

Flexible Pace

Complete your 34-credit post-master's DNP at your own pace in three to four years. Count your MSN clinical hours toward DNP-required practice hours.

Hybrid Learning Format

Online coursework allows flexibility for working nurses and is complemented by occasional on-campus, full day meetings once per term, to utilize world-class facilities.

Dynamic Course Offerings

Take courses in evidence-based practice, health care policy and population health with electives in education and executive leadership.

Specialized Tracks

Focus on either education or executive leadership, to prepare for your desired professional pathway suitable for a doctorally prepared nurse.

Practice-Focused Curriculum

Coursework is highly focused on leadership and practice and includes an evidence-based quality improvement project that demonstrates mastery of advanced nursing practice.

Outstanding Faculty

Sacred Heart’s DNP faculty are all doctorally prepared professors who will work closely with you throughout coursework, clinical and your final project.

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