DNP Nursing at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Programme overview

The doctor of nursing practice (D.N.P.) program prepares nurses for the highest level of advanced practice nursing focused on direct patient care (i.e., nurse practitioner) or as leaders in health care systems. Graduates receive preparation in such key areas as evidence-based practice, organization and systems leadership, ﬁnance, health policy, information technology, population health, quality improvement, patient safety, and translational research with the goal of improving patient and population health outcomes. The program credits range from 60–75 credit hours for those with baccalaureate preparation and 36 credits hours for those with M.S.N. preparation.

Faculty: School of Nursing | Department: Nursing | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chapel Hill, NC, United States

What you will study

The Ph.D. program of study is a minimum of 54 credits of academic coursework including a qualifying examination and a dissertation. The program credits range from 60–75 credit hours for those with baccalaureate preparation and 36 credits hours for those with M.S.N. preparation.

Career pathways

Each student is admitted to a speciﬁc advanced nursing practice population or specialty area and assigned a faculty advisor appropriate to the student's educational and career goals. Students work closely with internationally renowned faculty from nursing and other disciplines to develop the skills and expertise needed to launch their program of research and pursue a successful career in academic and health care settings.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School minimum (applies to all graduate programmes): a four-year bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) from an accredited institution completed before graduate study begins and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) or better; application via the Graduate School online application with transcripts, three recommendation letters, statement of purpose and CV, plus any programme-specific tests/materials; international applicants add a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test score; admission decisions are made by each programme.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applicants apply for a start term; fall is the main start term. Very few programmes admit new students for spring or summer terms.

Graduate applications and payment must be received by the deadline of the academic programme applied to, which varies by programme; the application closes at 11:59pm Eastern Time on the deadline date. The Graduate School recommends complete applications by December 15, 2026 for full fellowship consideration.

Apply through the official page: https://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/instructions/

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