DNP Programs in Colorado (CO)
There are several Rocky Mountain High colleges and universities in Colorado offering accredited Doctor of Nursing Practice degree programs. From Colorado Springs to Aurora to Greeley… Find the DNP program with the specialization that best fits your career goals.
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American Sentinel University
American Sentinel University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program is a post-Master’s program and is CCNE accredited. They offer two tracks:
- DNP – Educational Leadership
- DNP – Executive Leadership
The Education Leadership track is a practice-based program designed to prepare deans, directors, and senior managers to develop and lead education programs for nurses in a hospital or academic setting.
Applicants should have 3+ years of full-time leadership experience as a Nurse Educator in the last 10 years. They should be a licensed RN. They should be Master’s prepared. Prospective students who do not hold a Master of Science in Nursing (i.e they hold another related Master’s like MBA, MHA, MPH, MEd, etc) will be required to enter a six-credit hour bridge program before they can enter in the DNP Educational Leadership program.
The Executive Leadership track prepares nurses with a Master’s degree as well as those with Master’s in other related fields (e.g. MBA, MHA, MPH, MEd, etc.) for leadership roles in today’s health care system.
Applicants should have 3+ years of senior leadership experience as a nursing executive. Prospective students not holding an MSN but who have 3+ years of leading advanced practice nurses may enter into a six-credit hour bridge program and then enter the DNP Executive Leadership program.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
2260 South Xanadu Way
Suite 310
Aurora, CO 80014
(800) 729-2427
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Beth-El College of Nursing & Health Sciences
University of Colorado’s Beth-El College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Colorado Springs offers two Doctor of Nursing Practice pathways. The program is offered as a BSN to DNP pathway as well as a a MSN to DNP pathway.
Students entering the BSN to DNP program will be required to take the core MSN courses, Nurse Practitioner specialization courses, and the DNP core courses. Upon completion, the student will be eligible to sit for a nation Nurse Practitioner certification exam.
Students entering the post-Master’s program will be required to have a Master of Science in Nursing degree from a CCNE or NLNAC accredited program and be nationally certified as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. No GRE is required, but an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a graduate cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher is required.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
(719) 255-3498
University of Colorado
College of Nursing
University of Colorado’s College of Nursing was the first school in the Rocky Mountain region to offer a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in 2005. The program prepares its graduates to be clinical leaders by offering two DNP pathways: the BSN to DNP pathway and the MSN to DNP pathway.
The BSN to DNP pathway is available to applicants with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Students in this program will earn a Master of Science in Nursing with an advanced practice specialization while working on their DNP degree. They will choose from eight different MSN specializations which include:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Adult Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Nurse Midwifery
- Health Care Informatics
- Women’s Health Care
Applicants to the BSN to DNP pathway must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an NLNAC or CCNE accredited institution. Preference is given to those students whose cumulative undergraduate GPA is 3.0 or higher. For those with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0, the GRE is highly recommended.
Prospective students entering the MSN to DNP program must possess both a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing from NLNAC and CCNE accredited schools. They must possess an unencumbered RN license as well as be certified in their advanced practice specialty.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
Mail Stop C288
13120 East 19th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045
(303) 742-8503
University of Northern Colorado
School of Nursing
University of North Colorado’s School of Nursing offers two Doctor of Nursing Practice programs. The two pathways are the post-Bachelor’s (BSN to DNP) and post-Master’s (MSN to DNP) pathways. Depending on which pathway is selected, it typically takes students 2-4 years of study to complete.
The post-Bachelor’s program is designed as a four year part-time hybrid program to allow students to continue practicing as an Registered Nurse while attending school. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an NLNAC or CCNE accredited program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale are required for entry.
The post-Master’s program is designed as a two year part-time hybrid program so that students can contentue practicing as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse while attending school.
Applicants into the MSN to DNP program are required to have both Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing degrees from NLNAC or CCNE accredited programs with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Prospective students must be nationally certified as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. They must be eligible for licensure in Colorada as both an RN and a APRN.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
Greeley, CO 80639
(970) 351-2293
