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College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

At a Glance

Our Doctor of Nursing Practice program prepares nurses at the highest level of nursing education, providing the knowledge and skills to transform practice. This 30-credit program is fully online, and you can begin study in either the fall or spring semester. The program is designed to enable working nurses to complete their degrees while continuing full-time employment.

Online
Full Time
Part Time
Rolling Admission

Degrees Offered

Total Credits

DNP

30 Credits

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Congrats to our first cohort of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduates!

Share the news! Current Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students are invited to join our referral program.

Overview

Amplify your career while working full-time with our 30 credit, online Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Our flexible 7-week course format prepares you for leadership roles in healthcare organizations or nursing education.

Program Highlights:

  • Flexible Schedule – 7-week courses allow you to progress while maintaining full-time work.

  • Scholarships are available - the Hawk Alumni Scholarship (25%) and Education Alliance discount (10%).

  • Interdisciplinary Curriculum – Learn in an interdisciplinary program that includes management courses in partnership with UHart’s Barney School of Business, ranked among the Princeton Review’s Best Business Schools for 16 consecutive years.

  • Practicum Experience – Complete 500+ hours applying classroom learning in real-world settings.

  • Scholarly Project – Develop solutions to improve practice and demonstrate leadership, scholarship, and collaboration.

Close-Knit Cohort

Benefit from a close-knit DNP cohort—learn, grow, and support each other throughout the program.

Your Leadership, amplified.

Our DNP program also features courses in management offered through our highly ranked Barney School of Business, to give students broader knowledge of finance and operations.

Impactful Scholarly Projects

Every DNP student’s scholarship project has profoundly impacted the nursing profession, patient care, and outcomes. Fall 2024 projects included patient fall prevention, nurse education, and colon cancer screening initiatives.

Degree Requirements

The DNP is a 30-credit program. Most students will enroll in 6 credits each fall, spring, and summer.

For full course descriptions, please see the course catalog.

The DNP is a 30-credit program. Most students will enroll in 6 credits each fall, spring, and summer.

For full course descriptions, please see the course catalog.

  • NUR 700 — Knowledge for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
  • NUR 701 — Population Health (3 credits)
  • NUR 702 — Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development (3 credits)
  • NUR 703 — Quality and Safety in Health Care Practice (3 credits)
  • NUR 704 — Systems-Based Practice (3 credits)
  • NUR 705 — Scholarship for Advanced Nursing Practice I (3 credits)
  • NUR 706 — Scholarship for Advanced Nursing Practice II (3 credits)
  • MGT 607 — Managing Organizational Processes (3 credits)
  • MGT 700 — Innovation and Project Management (3 credits)
  • MGT 719 — Advanced Project Management (3 credits)

     

Your career, elevated.

Admission

Applications are accepted for either a fall or spring semester start. 

Requirements:

  • M.S. in Nursing from an accredited institution and accredited nursing program, with a GPA of at least 3.0.
  • Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended indicating completion of a baccalaureate degree in nursing and a master’s degree in nursing.
  • A copy of your current licensure as a registered nurse without restrictions in the state in which you reside.
  • A telephone or virtual interview with the Program Director.
  • Two letters of recommendation, preferably one from an academic source and one from a current employer.
  • Statement of goals and purpose of pursuing the DNP.

Faculty & Staff

Susan Pettorini- D’Amico
Part-time Faculty
Nursing

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Edith Ouellet
Executive Director and Chair of the Nursing Department
Nursing

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Carol Polifroni
Part-time Faculty
Nursing

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Mary T. Allegra
Part-time Faculty
Nursing

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Leona Konieczny
Part-time Faculty
Nursing

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Meet Your Success Counselor

Christopher Stuck
Assistant Director of Graduate Success
Admission - Graduate

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Have Questions?

We're here to help!
Prospective students: contact your grad success counselor, Christopher Stuck.

Current students: contact Program Director, Joyce Thielen.

Additional Information

Mission
To prepare future nurse leaders and advance the level of education of registered nurses while fostering their professional and personal development.
 
Philosophy
We emphasize quality teaching complemented by scholarly and creative expression, clinical expertise, dedicated community service, and service to the profession of nursing. We are dedicated to the preparation of persons who enrich the nursing profession by responding flexibly and creatively to both professional and societal issues.

We believe that students seek relevant learning experiences grounded in experiential learning and have a clear commitment to the identity of the professional nurse. We believe that the best learning takes place in an environment of support where students are respected, and their life experiences honored. The ideal education setting is a learning community that allows student to realize their full potential as reflective, active, and life-long learners. Because we are committed to the idea that active involvement is essential to effective learning, we foster an environment of interaction among students and faculty. We expect all students to participate in their own learning and to facilitate the learning of others by participating in collaborative learning groups and partnerships, respecting each other’s opinions and questions, and by establishing a commitment to learning and critical and creative thinking. We strive to create a global community of scholarly caring.

  1. Incorporate scholarship, research, and analytic methods to lead evidence-based practice change and continuous quality improvement.
  2. Foster interprofessional collaborations to improve health outcomes and quality of healthcare for diverse populations.
  3. Synthesize advanced theoretical concepts from nursing and other scientific disciplines to support organizational and system leadership strategies.
  4. Appraise critical healthcare legislation using knowledge of health policy to facilitate advocacy initiatives, social justice and ethical care.
  5. Incorporate process improvement methods to improve the quality and safety of care delivery.

Tuition

Summer 2025, fall 2025 and spring 2026 tuition rates for the Nursing, DNP program are below.

Per Credit Rate
Doctor of Nursing Practice $1,061.00

Accreditation

ccne.jpgThe baccalaureate, Master's degree, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs in nursing at the University of Hartford College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001; telephone: 202.887.6791. Information about the accreditation process is available at CCNE.

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