Doctor of Nursing Practice
Program Highlights:
- Curriculum designed to develop leaders who are able to expand their impact on the health of society by improving quality of care, patient outcomes, and health policy.
- Features curricular threads in leadership, inquiry, social justice and ethics, and integrative health.
- Prepares graduates as holistic practitioners who understand different healing methodologies and practice collaboratively with those who seek care.
- Courses are conducted using a blended format of in-person immersion weekend sessions and web-based learning modalities.
- Three program tracks: (1) Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), (2) Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), or (3) Nurse Practitioner (NP) to DNP.
- Students admitted to the FNP or AGPCNP track are registered nurses who hold a bachelor of science in nursing or a Master's degree in nursing and become primary care NPs in the corresponding population focus and earn the DNP degree.
- Students admitted to the NP to DNP track are Master's-prepared, certified, licensed, and employed NPs who retain their NP specialty and earn the DNP degree.
- FNP and AGPCNP students enroll in a 3-year, 76 credit program of study.
- NP to DNP students retain their specialty and enroll in a 2-year, 40 credit program of study.
- Graduates of the FNP track are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification examination and graduates of the AGPCNP track are eligible to sit for the national AGPCNP certification examination.
- Approved by the Oregon State Board of Nursing for licensure.
For more program specific information, visit the School of Nursing and Health Innovations.
Already a Nurse Practitioner (NP) Seeking the DNP Degree?
Master's-prepared NPs who wish to retain their NP specialty and earn the DNP degree complete the NP to DNP track.
See the "NP to DNP Admissions Requirements" section below and select "NP-DNP" on the Graduate School Application.
Master's-prepared nurse practitioners who wish to change their NP specialty to either FNP or AGPCNP and earn the DNP degree complete either the FNP or AGPCNP track, respectively. See the DNP-FNP or AGPCNP Admission Requirements section below and select "DNP-FNP" or "DNP-AGPCNP" on the Graduate School Application.
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
The DNP-FNP program prepares students to become FNPs at the doctoral level. These health care professionals work independently, and collaboratively with other health care professionals, to diagnose and manage acute and chronic health conditions, and promote health and wellness to families and individuals of all ages.
The University of Portland’s DNP-FNP program meets the state educational requirements for FNP licensure in Oregon, California, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Hawaii, Georgia, New York, Texas, Utah, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The University of Portland has not determined whether the program meets the FNP licensure requirements for other states, but can do so on a case by case basis. Please contact Stacey Boatright at boatrigh@up.edu if you have questions about a state not listed above.
*NEW* Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)
The DNP-AGPCNP prepares students to become AGPCNPs at the doctoral level. Students in this track receive advanced training in geriatric and palliative care.
The University of Portland’s DNP-AGPCNP program meets the state educational requirements for AGPCNP licensure in Oregon, California, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Hawaii, Georgia, New York, Texas, Utah, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The University of Portland has not determined whether the program meets the AGPCNP licensure requirements for other states, but can do so on a case by case basis. Please contact Stacey Boatright at boatrigh@up.edu if you have questions about a state not listed above.
Graduate School Application
DNP (FNP or AGPCNP) Admission Requirements:
- DNP Writing Sample
- Essay prompts specific to the FNP or AGPCNP focus are provided within the application.
- Current Resume
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- The online application will prompt you to provide email addresses for three references. A request will be sent directly to your references and they can upload a Word document or PDF letter.
- Alternatively, completed letters of recommendation may be emailed as a signed attachment to gradschl@up.edu or sent via mail to the University of Portland, ATTN: Graduate School, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, Oregon, 97203, directly by the reference.
- A bachelor's degree in nursing or a Master's degree in nursing from a school of nursing accredited by an appropriate national nursing accrediting body
- Official Transcripts (from all previously attended academic institutions)
- Must be submitted directly from the institution
- Electronically to gradschl@up.edu
- By mail to the University of Portland, ATTN: Graduate School, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, Oregon, 97203.
- International Applicants: Transcripts from foreign universities must follow the above guideline as well as be in English or be accompanied by an English translation certified as authentic
- Current unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license to practice in state of residence
- RN licensure in Oregon is recommended
- RN licensure in the state in which a student completes clinical hours is required
- Additional cost may be incurred for clinical placements outside of Oregon
- GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) in the most recently completed nursing program
- Preference given to Oregon and Washington applicants with at least 2 years of experience as an RN
- An admission interview upon request of the School of Nursing and Health Innovations
- International Applicants: Official test score from TOEFL (minimum score of 100), IELTS (minimum score of 7.5), or Duolingo (minimum score of 120) is required.
- International Applicants: Proof of financial support will be required to attend the University of Portland, but is not required for application review
NP to DNP Admission Requirements:
- DNP Writing Sample
- Essay prompts are provided within the online application.
- Current Resume
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- The online application will prompt you to provide email addresses for three references. A request will be sent directly to your references and they can upload a Word document or PDF letter.
- Alternatively, completed letters of recommendation may be emailed as a signed attachment to gradschl@up.edu or sent via mail to the University of Portland, ATTN: Graduate School, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, Oregon, 97203, directly by the reference.
- A Master's degree in nursing from a school of nursing accredited by an appropriate national nursing accrediting body
- Official Transcripts (from all previously attended academic institutions)
- Must be submitted directly from the institution:
- Electronically to gradschl@up.edu
- By mail to the University of Portland, ATTN: Graduate School, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, Oregon, 97203.
- International Applicants: Transcripts from foreign universities must follow the above guideline as well as be in English or be accompanied by an English translation certified as authentic
- Current unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license to practice in state of residence
- RN licensure in any state in which clinical hours are completed is required
- Additional costs may be incurred for clinical placements outside of Oregon
- Current unencumbered nurse practitioner license in state of practice and currently employed as a nurse practitioner in a clinical setting
- Nurse practitioner licensure in any state in which clinical hours are completed is required
- Additional costs may be incurred for clinical placements outside of Oregon
- Current national nurse practitioner certification
- GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) in the most recently completed nursing program
- An admission interview upon request of the School of Nursing and Health Innovations
- International Applicants: An official score from the TOEFL (minimum score of 100) or IELTS (minimum score of 7.5), or Duolingo (minimum score of 120) exam is required
- International Applicants: Proof of financial support will be required to attend the University of Portland, but is not required for application review
Application Timeline:
- Application Deadline: April 1
- Applications are accepted beginning one year prior to the cohort start.
- Completed applications will be reviewed January-February
- Qualified candidates will be invited for interviews March-April
- Summer semester begins in May (please refer to the academic calendar for specific dates)
Program Contact:
International Applicants:
- Please note the additional application requirements listed above in the "Admission Requirements" section
- For additional information, visit International Student Services
