Doctor of Nursing Practice (Post-Baccalaureate)

Continue your nursing education with a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. A doctor of nursing practice degree is designed for students and professionals interested in pursuing education in advanced practice nursing. To help narrow your studies and professional focus, you will choose a degree role of primary care nurse practitioner (NP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS program is currently on hold) or nurse administrator/nurse executive, along with a population focus of either adult-gerontologic or family nursing. 

As the knowledge necessary for a nursing career rapidly expands and patient care becomes increasingly more complex, the need for DNP graduates continues to grow. Throughout our rigorous and in-depth curriculum, you'll learn how to identify information-processing challenges and evaluate informatics solutions, helping to improve workflows and eliminate everyday obstacles. Coursework will also teach how to advocate for social justice and ethical health policies, giving a voice to those who need it.

Upon graduation, you'll have mastered strategies used in needs assessment and have learned how to successfully implement effective health care interventions, programs and policies. This enhanced knowledge will equip you with new skills, additional tools and more connections, making you well-prepared to advance your career.

There are a number of scholarships available to students seeking a graduate degree from UW-Eau Claire. For example, the Donald and Leatrice Mathison Nurse Practitioner Graduate Student Scholarship awards two $5,000 scholarships to a promising student with financial need who is studying to become a nursing practitioner. 

There are also a number of assistantships, fellowships and grants available to our graduate students. Learn more about additional scholarships and resources available to you by checking out our scholarships page.

Financial Aid at UW-Eau Claire

Working to make your education affordable is very important to us. We are here to walk you through the financial aid process and make applying for aid and paying your bill as easy as possible. To get this process started, please contact our staff in Blugold Central — our one-stop shop for tuition and financial aid. 

Learn more about our financial aid process at UWEC.

Accreditation information

The baccalaureate degree in nursing, the master's degree in nursing and the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, D.C. 20001, (202) 887-6791. The baccalaureate and master’s degree programs are accredited through Dec. 31, 2021, and the DNP degree program is accredited through Dec. 31, 2026. The programs are approved by the Wisconsin State Board of Nursing.

Licensure information

The U.S. Department of Education requires institutions to disclose information for programs leading to professional certification or licensure about whether each program meets state educational requirements for initial licensure or certification.  

The requirements of this program meet licensure in the following states: Minnesota, Wisconsin

The requirements of this program do not meet licensure in the following states: N/A

It has not been determined whether the requirements of this program meet licensure in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming.

By earning your DNP degree, you open doors to endless career possibilities. Whether you're interested in becoming a nurse practitioner or working in a specialty area like midwifery, our CCNE-accredited program will bring you one step closer to achieving your goals.

Doctor of nursing practice careers

• Nurse practitioners
• Clinical nurse specialists
• Nurse administrators

Dive into subjects like organizational and systems leadership, evidence-based practice and research utilization, information systems and patient care technology. Our DNP curriculum is designed so that you will become an expert in interprofessional collaboration, improving patient and population health outcomes, effecting change and evaluating health outcomes. Toward the end of your education, you will develop and present on a project in a phenomena of interest that focuses on advancing the nursing profession.

Classes for DNP students may include:

• Advanced Nursing Practice and Informatics
• Philosophical, Theoretical, and Ethical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice
• Advanced Epidemiology and Biostatistics for Population Health
• Organizational Leadership and Health Policy for Advanced Nursing Practice
• Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Clinical Practice
• Advanced Health Assessment: Adults and Older Adults

Learn more about the doctor of nursing practice, adult-gerontology-administration degree in the UWEC course catalog.

Learn more about the doctor of nursing practice, adult-gerontology-primary care nurse practitioner degree in the UWEC course catalog.

Learn more about the doctor of nursing practice, adult-gerontology-clinical nurse specialist degree in the UWEC course catalog.

Learn more about the doctor of nursing practice, family health-administration degree in the UWEC course catalog.

Learn more about the doctor of nursing practice, family health-nurse practitioner degree in the UWEC course catalog.

Prior to applying, we strongly encourage you to contact Dr. Catherine Kenney, admissions coordinator, Graduate Nursing Programs, to review your career goals, discuss your interest in the program and address any questions you might have about the program. Information sessions are also available so that you can better understand the graduate nursing program options at UWEC.  

We are continuing to collect BSN-DNP applications at this time. 

Please submit the following materials for admission to the DNP program:

• A completed University of Wisconsin-Online Admission Application and a $56 University application fee. This fee may be paid by credit card at the time you submit the university application. 
• A separate nonrefundable $35 program application fee that must be paid by a separate check or money order. Please write checks to “UWEC” and “Nursing grad app fee” in the memo. Checks can be mailed to the address below.

UW-Eau Claire
Office of Admissions
Schofield Hall 111
105 Garfield Avenue
Eau Claire, WI 54701

• Transcripts of your academic work from the institution that granted your baccalaureate degree in nursing and from any institution from which you have completed coursework necessary for admission (e.g., an undergraduate statistics course if taken at an institution different from your degree-granting institution) to be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.
• The DNP Demographic Data Form including information about your RN license. You must have a valid RN license in the U.S. to apply. An RN license in the state of Wisconsin is required by July 1 after being admitted to the DNP program. Special consideration/exceptions may be obtained for applicants completing a BSN and are licensure eligible.
• References from three individuals who are knowledgeable about your clinical ability and/or potential for graduate study (e.g. employer, nurse manager, supervisor or instructor). You will need to complete the top section of the form and send it as an attachment to your reference providers. Use only the DNP Reference Form.
• The DNP graduate admission essay when you submit your application to the university. You'll find the questions and instructions in the BSN to DNP Application Essay Details document.
• Your resume/curriculum vitae.

You can submit your Demographic Data Form and resume/curriculum vitae electronically to admissions@uwec.edu. Please have your references submit their completed forms to the same email address.

For consideration for admission, an applicant must have:

• An undergraduate degree in nursing (with at least a 3.00 GPA) from a program accredited by CCNE, NLN or ACEN.
• A U.S. RN licensure (Wisconsin RN license required by July 1 immediately following admission).
• Prerequisite course content in undergraduate statistics and health assessment (minimum grade of C). 

The priority application due date for the DNP program is January 4. The Department of Nursing Graduate Curriculum and Admissions Committee reviews completed applications after the priority date. Following admission to the nursing program, students must in a timely manner provide required health record information, information to conduct a criminal background check and evidence of current CPR certification.

Please contact Dr. Catherine Kenney (715-836-3638, kromricc@uwec.edu) or Patricia McGregor, university services program associate (715-836-4834, mcgregpj@uwec.edu) if you have any questions about the application process. 

We offer the post-baccalaureate (BSN to DNP) option on both a full-time and part-time basis. In the BSN to DNP Program Plan, you will find information about the part-time and full-time program plans. The full-time plan is for three years and the part-time plans are for four and five years. 

All graduate coursework is taught by nursing faculty who hold doctoral degrees. Courses will be offered over the summer, fall and spring terms, with classes beginning in fall 2021. Students select a population focus of either adult-gerontologic or family health nursing, and a role preparation as an administrator (at least 68 credits) or adult-gerontologic primary care nurse practitioner or family nurse practitioner (at least 73 credits).

Students complete at least 1,050 hours of clinicals for an administration focus and at least 1,087 hours for advanced clinical practice (NP, CNS). To facilitate graduate study, courses at the 700 level are offered on a block schedule, therefore meeting once per week, either on Monday or Tuesday. Courses at the 800 level are offered via a combination of weekly classroom with online enhanced, or via a hybrid format with immersion days and online format. 800-level courses are taught on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Clinical practicums require additional time scheduled during the week, though many of these hours can be arranged within a one-hour driving distance from your home community/region. 

Thinking about a degree in nursing? Here are other programs you may be interested in exploring.