The CCNE-accredited online DNP program from Simmons University will prepare you to advance to the highest level of professional nursing practice — and to drive meaningful change in health care as a nurse leader.The CCNE-accredited online DNP program from Simmons University will prepare you to advance to the highest level of professional nursing practice — and to drive meaningful change in health care as a nurse leader.The CCNE-accredited online DNP program from Simmons University will prepare you to advance to the highest level of professional nursing practice — and to drive meaningful change in health care as a nurse leader.
Recognizing the increasing complexity of our nation’s health care environment, Nursing@Simmons offers an online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), for registered nurses who have earned their MSN. The Nursing@Simmons online DNP program integrates evidence-based practice with strong analytical and leadership principles to prepare nurses for the highest level of professional nursing practice.
The post-master’s online DNP program prepares nurses to advance their clinical practice through the implementation of evidence-based research. DNP-educated nurses are prepared as systems thinkers who become leaders in a variety of health care settings, transform health care systems and policies, and improve outcomes for patients and communities.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Simmons University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Simmons University offers two nurse practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate (PGC) tracks – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). More information on the Post-Graduate Certificates can be found here.
Scholarships are available for qualified applicants admitted to the upcoming cohort.
The final deadline for the September 2024 cohort is July 22, 2024.
The Nursing@Simmons online DNP program prepares students to:
Empowering and educating nurses since 1902, Simmons University offers an online doctoral program for registered nurses who have earned their MSN. Nursing@Simmons is designed to bring the Simmons on-campus experience to you through a dynamic, virtual platform.
As a Nursing@Simmons student, you will:
Not sure if our DNP program is right for you? Click here to see our other program offerings.
If you’re looking for an alternative option to advance your nursing career, Simmons offers streamlined online post-graduate certificate programs to prepare current Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to pursue board certification in a different specialization.
Post-Graduate Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner:
Graduate ready to sit for the ANCC or AANP Family Nurse Practitioner board certification exam.
To view specific plans of study, visit the FNP course sequence page for full-time and part-time schedules. Ready to take the next step? Learn more about the FNP application requirements and upcoming deadlines.
Post-Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner:
Graduate ready to sit for the ANCC or AANP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner board certification exam.
To view specific plans of study, visit the PMHNP course sequence page for full-time and part-time schedules. Ready to take the next step? Learn more about the PMHNP application requirements and upcoming deadlines.
In our online post-master’s certificate programs, you’ll experience the Nursing@Simmons innovative learning environment and support services, including predictable online course scheduling and clinical placement support.
To be eligible, you must be a licensed, certified APRN with a graduate degree in nursing (MSN or DNP). Request information to learn more about the online post-graduate certificate programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
A DNP degree prepares board-certified nurse practitioners (NPs), who have earned their MSN degree, to reach the highest level of professional nursing practice. DNP-educated nurses have the advanced skills needed to assume leadership in a variety of health settings, to improve patient outcomes, and to enhance health care delivery systems.
No. A nurse practitioner (NP) is a job title that refers to a nursing professional with graduate-level training. A DNP — or a Doctor of Nursing — is a terminal academic degree awarded to a nursing professional who has completed the highest level of training in nursing practice.
A DNP degree does not grant authority to write prescriptions. To write prescriptions in any of the 50 states, nurse practitioners (NPs) — some of whom hold an MSN while others hold a DNP — must be board-certified. (Note that in certain states, NPs must be supervised by a physician to write prescriptions.)
A DNP degree allows you to academically add the title of “Doctor” to your name. However, it does not give you the professionaltitle of “Doctor,” which is reserved to physicians/medical doctors. Some states have strict legislation about where and when a nurse can be referred to as a “doctor.”
This depends on your current experience level. Many DNP programs offer different paths of study — which can take under two to four years to complete — based on a candidate’s current credentials, such as an RN license, a BSN, or a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).
No. Nurse practitioners (NPs) undergo a distinct nursing-focused training, averaging six to eight years of postsecondary education to obtain licensure and begin practicing. Medical doctors/physicians (MDs) undergo four years of medical school, which is followed by an accredited residency training program; their postsecondary education averages 11 years.1
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1 Differences Between a Nurse Practitioner and a Doctor. NurseJournal. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
