Advance Your Nursing Practice - and the Nursing Profession
Take a bold step toward the highest level of nursing leadership by pursuing your DNP online with Herzing.
Commit to your future as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) and as a leader in research, administration and policy advocacy: go from BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) online with Herzing University. Our program features:
Eight specialty areas
Completion time of 28 to 32 months, depending on your choice of specialty
Designed for working nurses, 100% online coursework plus clinicals. Convenient and flexible study with no live class sessions
Course content that aligns with American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials
Includes a DNP practice project designed to demonstrate your leadership through implementation
We pledge your clinical placement
Achieve Even More as a DNP-Qualified Nurse
While you can become an APRN, nurse educator or nurse administrator with a master’s degree, earning your DNP offers you the opportunity to build additional skills in leadership, research and advocacy that can broaden your career options even further.
As a graduate of this program, you will be able to:
Demonstrate competency-based judgement and holistic caring concordant with an advanced nursing practice specialty or role in diverse populations
Generate, synthesize, translate, apply and disseminate scientific evidence for advanced nursing practice
Apply ethical principles to shape the future of healthcare delivery with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion; systems-based practice; team-based care collaboration, informatics and technology; career-long learning
Demonstrate a professional identity which includes accountability, perspective, collaborative disposition and comportment that reflects nursing's characteristics and values
Implement an advanced nursing practice specialty or role in selected practice settings
With our online BSN to DNP program, you can learn to manage healthcare teams, conduct and apply new research in your practice and contribute to systemic change that improves healthcare for all.
Plus, you'll hold a qualification that fewer than 1% of nurses nationwide (and fewer than 14% of APRNs) have achieved, demonstrating to your employers that you’re committed to advancing the profession.[1]
[1] https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/all-news/article/data-spotlight-trends-in-nursing-phd-programs
Your clinical placement is our pledge.
We understand securing clinical placement as part of an MSN degree program is one of the biggest concerns students face. At Herzing, we offer guidance and support through our step-by-step Clinical Guidance Process to ensure you can get the clinical practice experiences you need.
As a Herzing student, we’ll encourage you to find your own preceptor and clinical sites as there are many benefits to doing so. However, we provide extensive support should you find difficulty along the way. With Herzing, you are never on your own.
Because of our strong relationships with healthcare providers across the U.S. and our comprehensive Clinical Guidance Process, we are confident in our ability to help you find clinical placement. So much so that if you are unable to find a clinical site on your own, we pledge to step in and help you secure clinical placement.*
*Subject to terms and conditions outlined in the enrollment documents.
About the Herzing Online BSN to DNP
The online DNP program consists of 62 to 74 credits, depending on the specialty you choose. Whichever area of practice you decide on, you’ll complete coursework online, pursue in-person clinical or practicum experience near you and produce a practice project residency that applies principles of improvement science to solve a real-world problem in nursing.
What Will I Learn in the Online BSN to DNP Program?
Courses in the 33-credit BSN to DNP core curriculum cover management, education, nursing research and advanced topics in population health. To prepare you for a future as an agent of change, the curriculum emphasizes strategic application of improvement science to help drive better-quality care.
It culminates in a nursing project designed to synthesize the leadership theories and skills you have learned throughout the program. You can complete project hours at your place of work or in a different setting.
After graduation, you’ll be equipped to pursue roles at the highest level of leadership in nursing practice and administration, as well as in policy development and patient advocacy. You can also pursue an additional area of practice with one of our Post Master’s Certificate programs.
Core course topics include:
- Introduction to Advanced Nursing Competencies
- Epidemiology, Research and Theory
- Knowledge for Nursing Practice
- Improvement Science
- Collaborative Practice
- Telehealth to Expand Health Care Access and Delivery
- Technology and Nursing Informatics in Advanced Practice
- Professionalism and Leadership for Advanced Practice
- Systems-Based Practice
- Scholarship for Nursing Practice
- Population Health
Specializations for the Online BSN to DNP
Herzing University offers eight specialty options for online BSN to DNP students.
Prepare for emergent care of patients from adolescence through the senior years.
- 71 total credits, 585 clinical hours
- 315-360 project residency hours
- Eight semesters (32 months)
- Clinical Placement Pledge
Prepare to provide evidence-based primary care for adolescent and adult patients under the supervision of a physician or an independent practitioner depending on the state in which you practice.
- 68 total credits, 540 clinical hours
- 315-360 project residency hours
- Eight semesters (32 months)
- Clinical Placement Pledge
Equip yourself to provide primary care to patients across the lifespan under the supervision of a physician or independently, depending on your state regulations.
- 68 total credits, 585 clinical hours
- 315-360 project residency hours
- Eight semesters (32 months)
- Clinical Placement Pledge
Focus your practice on the healthcare needs of women and girls from adolescence through to the elder years.
- 74 total credits, 990 clinical hours
- 315-360 project residency hours
- Eight semesters (32 months)
- Clinical Placement Pledge
Learn to lead teams, assess care quality and provide financial and administrative leadership that supports excellent nursing practice.
- 62 total credits, 135 clinical hours
- 315-360 project residency hours
- Seven semesters (28 months)
- Clinical Placement Pledge
Prepare to make a difference for the health of whole communities as a leader in public health nursing. Develop healthcare strategies, asses policy impacts and more.
- 62 total credits, 135 clinical hours
- 315-360 project residency hours
- Seven semesters (28 months)
- Clinical Placement Pledge
Support the need for primary mental health care with our PMHNP specialization option. Courses cover counseling, pharmacology and more.
- 71 total credits, 540 clinical hours
- 315-360 project residency hours
- Eight semesters (32 months)
- Clinical Placement Pledge
Make a difference for the very youngest patients as a primary care provider supervised by a physician or in private practice, depending on your state.
- 68 total credits, 585 clinical hours
- 315-360 project residency hours
- Eight semesters (32 months)
- Clinical Placement Pledge
The Herzing University Difference
At Herzing, we want to help you become the leader your community needs—and help you reach your nursing career goals. That’s why we provide:
- Convenient online education that gives you more control over your schedule
- Mentorship and guidance from nursing faculty with extensive clinical experience
You're Much More Than a Number
At Herzing, we believe that providing you with a caring, supportive community will have a positive impact on your learning experience. We know our students by name and are committed to your academic, personal, and professional success. Discover why Herzing's student-first approach, individual attention, and caring community set us apart from other colleges and universities.