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Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) - Executive Track

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Executive Track

Advancing Evidence into Practice

Innovate

Planning to drive healthcare innovation and influence policy? Get the analytic skills and evidence-based practice principles you need in the DNP Executive Track at Johns Hopkins. You'll forge your own intellectual path and wrap up your curriculum with an intense DNP final project experience.

Apply Your Experience

You'll address significant healthcare problems-defined by your interests and based on your experience-in real time and in your practice setting. And you'll find numerous opportunities for collaboration, challenging problems for study, and a tradition of rigorous scholarship.

Executive Mentorship

For the selected DNP Executive Track students, the Nurse Leader Executive Mentorship Program has the potential to bring life-changing experiences and learning opportunities. The experience offers avenues to share expertise, and engage and positively influence tomorrow's professional healthcare leaders. Financial support is available.

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Why Hopkins?

No. 1 DNP Program
  • Demonstrate organizational and systems leadership for quality and safety in healthcare systems
  • Apply clinical scholarship, as well as information systems and technology, to provide and/or transform healthcare
  • Use strategies of risk reduction/illness prevention, health promotion, and health maintenance to improve the care of individuals, families, and populations
  • Develop, evaluate, advocate, and provide leadership for healthcare policy that shapes healthcare financing, regulation, access, and delivery


DNP Final Project

DNP graduates remain in practice, leading cross-professional teams in the improvement and provision of informed quality healthcare. The knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct such work is developed across the program and applied in the conduct of the DNP final project.  The DNP final project is the student’s original work that establishes them as a Hopkins Nursing clinical scholar.

Project Requirements       DNP Projects


Additional Information

View the recording of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Executive Track, DNP Executive Track/MBA, and DNP Executive Track/MPH virtual information session.

Watch Now

 

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Executive Track graduate Beth Abate talks about advanced care for geriatric patients and her role as a nurse practitioner.

Learn more about the DNP Executive Track/MBA Dual Degree

DNP Executive Track/MBA Dual Degree

Learn More About the DNP Executive Track/Master of Public Health (MPH) Dual Degree

DNP Executive Track/MPH Dual Degree

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Application Deadline

Summer Entry
November 1, January 15

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Request Information

Speak with an admissions officer to learn more about our program.

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Additional Program Options

Learn about our Master's and Doctoral program offerings.

Degrees & Programs

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Iquo Andrews-Cooper
DNP, MSN, RN, FNP-C
I currently work in pain management. I love what I do, I enjoy my patients. But I also wanted to learn more about what I could do to help them on a larger scale. The knowledge I gained is going to help me do that.
Iquo Andrews served the U.S. Army for 21 years, retiring to further her nursing career. In addition to work as a family nurse practitioner mostly within the military community, Andrews-Cooper spent about five years in medical surgical and cardio-thoracic step down units and in the surgical intensive care unit.
DNP Executive Track
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Requirements

Admission Criteria

  • Master's Degree in Nursing from an ACEN or CCNE accredited college or university or an equivalent degree from a comparable foreign institution
  • Scholastic GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • RN licensure
  • Three Letters of Recommendation (2 professional and 1 academic preferred)*
  • Official Transcripts (from all post-secondary schools)
  • Current Resume/CV
  • Goal statement/project proposal (demonstrating commitment to nursing practice and scholarly pursuit)
  • Interview with faculty (if moved forward by admissions committee)
  • Applicants who earned fewer than 552 clinical hours as part of their advanced nursing coursework should email [email protected] for information about the best pathway to your DNP**
  • Students should have an identified clinical site for conducting a scholarly project at the time of matriculation
  • TOEFL or IELTS if English is not your native language

Information for applicants with international education

Admissions Application
 

*References should be recent, written for the purpose of your application to this program and from professors who know you as a student or employers who know you as a professional in a job setting preferably in a supervisory role. Personal references from colleagues, friends, or family members do not meet the requirement.

** Applicants are required to have 375 clinical hours as part of their advanced nursing coursework. Students who have between 375 and 552 clinical hours will have to complete additional clinical hours as part of a practicum. If you have an entry-to-practice Master’s degree, earned fewer than 552 clinical hours as part of your advanced nursing coursework, or hold a Master’s specialty in education, please email [email protected] to discuss your educational background with an Admissions Counselor.

Prerequisites

Graduate Level Biostatistics (3 credits): Demonstrates evidence of statistical literacy and statistical reasoning enabling students to critically read and evaluate healthcare literature. Course must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university with a letter grade of B or better. Grade of B- will not be accepted.

Student Sponsorship

This program does not qualify for F-1 or J-1 student sponsorship. Legal Permanent Residents and non-immigrants who are otherwise physically present in the U.S. and in a status that allows for full or part-time study, may pursue this program.

Transfer of Credits

Credit transfers cannot be applied to the DNP Executive Program.

 

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Curriculum

The program's executive session format can be completed in six semesters of study, integrating approximately 5 days of on-site immersions during the first year with online and virtual learning experiences.

Onsite Dates

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) - Executive program's executive session format can be completed in six semesters of study, integrating approximately 3 on-site immersions of 3 days each during the first year and one on-site symposium event lasting 1 day the second year combined with online and virtual learning experiences. The DNP/MBA joins the DNP Executive program in year 2 of their 3 year program. The new DNP/MPH dual degree joins the DNP-Executive in the fall semester of year 1.

View the Immersions and Symposium Calendar

Course of Study (Students Admitted in Summer 2019)

First Year (21 Credits)

  • Summer (5 Credits )
    • Problem Discovery (3)
    • Health Finance (2)
  • Fall (7 Credits)
    • Nursing Inquiry for Evidence-Based Practice (3)
    • Advanced Nursing Health Policy (2)
    • Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care (2)
  • Spring (9 Credits)
    • Translating Evidence into Practice (3)
    • Project Advancement (3)
    • Electives* (3)

Second Year (19 credits)

  • Summer (8 Credits)
    • Analysis and Evaluation of Individual and Population Health Data (3)
    • Health Information Systems and Patient Care Technologies (2)
    • Elective* (3)
  • Fall (6 Credits)
    • Project Application (3)
    • Elective* (3)
  • Spring (5 Credits)
    • Project Evaluation and Dissemination (3)
    • Clinical Data Management and Analyses (2)

 

*Electives may be taken at the School of Nursing, School of Medicine, Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Carey Business School.

Note: A minimum of 1000 practice hours are required for the DNP program (prior MSN -552 clinical hours plus 448 DNP practicum hours).
** DNP Executive Track students are not permitted to take Electives in the first 2 semesters.  A total of 9 elective credits are required.  Course credits can range from 1 to 3 and dispersed across semesters 3 through 6

 

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Tuition & Other Costs

View the costs for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Executive Track.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is a DNP?

    The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a doctoral degree for nurses at the highest level of nursing practice (https://www.aacnnursing.org/Education-Resources/AACN-Essentials).

  • What are the differences between the DNP and PhD programs?

    The DNP program prepares nurse leaders for evidence-based practice in both direct patient care and executive roles. This requires competence in translating research in practice, evaluating evidence, applying research in decision-making, and implementing viable clinical and organizational innovations to change practice.

    The PhD program is designed to prepare nurses for careers as research scientists, often in academic or governmental positions.  View Comparison Chart

  • Are graduates able to become nurse educators in schools of nursing?

    Yes, many schools of nursing offer tenure track faculty positions to nurses with DNPs and PhDs.  Additional coursework and training as an educator can also be beneficial for those with a doctoral degree in nursing that would like to teach.  Check out our Nurse Educator certificate at https://nursing.jhu.edu/academics/programs/post-degree/nurse-educator/ .

  • Is the program accredited?

    Yes, our DNP program has full accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education until 2019.

  • Are GRE scores required?

    GRE scores are not required for the DNP Executive track. 

  • Is part-time study an option?

    The DNP-Executive track is designed to fit into the schedule of someone working full time in a clinical setting.  The course work and scholarly project are intended to complement their work focus. 

  • Is a dissertation or final project required?

    A dissertation is not required. A DNP scholarly project will be completed by the end of the program.  The DNP final project is the students’ original work that establishes them as a Hopkins Nursing clinical scholar.  DNP Scholarly Project Requirements and examples of previous Projects can be found on our website.

  • Am I eligible for this program if I am not an advanced practice nurse?

    All applicants must have earned a minimum of 552 clinical hours as part of their post-licensure master’s program. Nurses who do not have advanced practice licensure should contact the Office of Admissions for an eligibility review at [email protected].

  • What is the difference between the DNP-Executive and the DNP-Advanced Practice tracks?

    The DNP-Executive track is a post-Master’s program for nurses who have already obtained advanced practice licensure.  The DNP-Advanced Practice track at the JHSON is for nurses who are seeking advanced practice licensure as a Nurse Practitioner or Clinical Nurse Specialist.

  • Is the DNP-Executive track entirely online?

    There are four onsite visits associated with the DNP-Executive track that are spread throughout the program.  Specific onsite immersion dates will be posted on the program website.

  • What if I have more questions?

    Contact Laura Panozzo, Assistant Director of Recruitment for the DNP Executive tracks, at [email protected] with any additional questions or to schedule a phone call to discuss ways to make your application as strong as possible.

  • What should I do if I am unsure of where I will complete my scholarly project?
    If you are not currently working in a practice environment where a DNP project might be feasible, please contact the Office of Admissions, [email protected], to discuss your options.
     
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Funding Opportunities

Scholarships

The School of Nursing sets aside a limited amount of merit-based funds for students who demonstrate strong academic ability, leadership skills, outstanding community service, and other personal strengths and accomplishments. These merit awards are granted for achievement, not financial need. There is no separate application to apply for a scholarship. Each student is considered upon applying for admission. Scholarships range from $10,000 to $30,000.

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Other Funding Sources

All funding opportunities should be pursued to meet your educational costs. There are organizations that provide scholarship awards ranging from $100 to full tuition and stipend awards. Begin your search early. Application deadlines are typically 6-9 months in advance of the academic year.

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Loans and Loan Forgiveness/Repayment Assistance Options

Loans are an important component of assisting students in meeting their educational expenses. Student Financial Services encourages individuals utilizing loans to fully understand the terms of each loan and borrow only what is needed. We also advise individuals to research loan repayment and employment options which can assist in meeting loan repayment obligations.  Student Financial Services has gathered a list of loan forgiveness and repayment assistance options that can be explored via the link below.

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