Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Ellmer School of Nursing at 亚色视频 offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), developed to prepare expert advanced practice nurses for healthcare leadership, health policy advocacy and advanced clinical practice, including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and nurse anesthetists.

These advanced practice nurses will be prepared to serve as leaders, business owners and expert clinicians capable of transforming lives and the healthcare of the communities they serve. Specific emphasis is on addressing the needs of underserved and vulnerable populations.

Program Data

Statistics 2026 2025 2024
Degree Completion Rate 100% 100% 100%
Employment Rate 100% 100% 100%

亚色视频 Graduate Catalog

Distance Learning Information

Program Emphasis

The four major areas of emphasis for the D.N.P. program are:

  1. Emerging healthcare technologies
  2. Advanced diagnostic and client care skills
  3. Care of vulnerable populations
  4. Ensuring high-quality client outcomes through evidence-based practice and quality improvement

The D.N.P. program places specific emphasis on incorporating content on health disparities, barriers to care and culture (two classes), along with practice focused research (two classes), systems leadership (two classes), and advanced clinical training (four classes). Postmaster students may enroll in full or part-time study. Full-time students will graduate from this program in 1.5 years and part-time students in 2.5 years.

The advanced nursing practice programs at 亚色视频 have an outstanding history in the education of advanced practice nurses and have educated over five hundred nurses for advanced practice roles since 1988.

For curriculum information, please visit the .

Program Contact

D.N.P. Program Director

Associate Professor Ellmer School of Nursing

"I am amazed at how I have changed as a result of the D.N.P. program. I now have the expertise and confidence to address the changes that are needed in healthcare. I am well positioned to become the healthcare leader and provider that is so vital in society."

- 亚色视频 Advanced Practice Graduate

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

All D.N.P. courses are offered online. Students are also required to participate in D.N.P. immersion days held at the beginning of every semester and at the end of the spring semester of graduation. Some D.N.P. immersion days are conducted virtually, and some are conducted face-to-face with required on-campus attendance. During the on-campus days, students meet with their faculty advisors and peers in the program. While on-campus, students practice formal presentation skills with a progress report of their research projects. The on-campus days are held at the Virginia Beach campus.

The graduate school admission requirements are described on the website: . Applicants to the BS-D.N.P. Nurse Executive program should have relevant healthcare management experience and be seeking an opportunity to advance to an executive level position.
Students entering the Advanced Practice D.N.P. program must either have a master's degree (M.S.N. or MS). Those interested in the Nurse Executive D.N.P. program also require a master's degree or if not, can enroll in the BS-D.N.P. program that provides M.S.N. courses to meet the academic requirements. M.S.N. courses with a clinical component will be accepted toward the total clinical hour requirement of 1000 hours to obtain the D.N.P. degree. The D.N.P. program provides 560 clinical hours within the planned curriculum. Students who do not enter as a Nurse Practitioner may need additional clinical hours in addition to the D.N.P. courses. A review of your transcript will be helpful in determining this.

Students may enroll in the D.N.P. program either full-time or part-time. Part-time students typically take two courses per semester (6 credit hours) and the courses are sequential. A curriculum plan outlining the specific courses needed for each program of study is provided upon enrollment. Program completion depends on whether or not you need additional coursework to meet the clinical requirements for a D.N.P. degree (as noted above).

亚色视频 has a list of clinical preceptors who have worked with students in the past and are willing to be assigned students. However, if you have a particular interest in working with someone or in a specific clinical site closer to your home, we can work with you to obtain a clinical agreement with that site. Students may complete their clinical practicum hours within their own work setting, but the activities completed to meet practicum goals and objectives must be different from the student's work role and responsibilities.

CCNE Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Accredited by CCNE

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice program at 亚色视频 is accredited by the (

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