Nurse Practitioner
About the Program
St. Catherine University has been on the forefront of nursing education since 1905. Our nurses are leaders who think holistically and equitably about the needs and wishes of patients, families and communities. In the Nurse Practitioner option of our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, you develop the clinical reasoning skills to think on your feet and analyze medical, personal, familial and cultural circumstances in order to manage care.
At St. Catherine, we recognize that health is not simply the absence of disease or disability; health is about quality of life our capacity for joy in life, regardless of health status or age. For a St. Catherine nurse, honing the skills of the healing arts is both a practical and deeply spiritual journey. Through your education and close relationships with our faculty, you discover your calling in a lifelong expedition. Our nursing curriculum is infused with a strong sense of social justice born of the University’s Catholic teaching mission. While becoming increasingly skilled in the science of nursing, you sharpen your eye for inequities to improve the quality of healthcare for all. You come to recognize that as a nurse, you have the perspective and power to initiate positive change.
Our Curriculum
The DNP: Nurse Practitioner option offers Pediatric and Adult-Gerontology tracks which prepare students to sit for the national certification exam in their selected area of specialty. Students also study issues related to healthcare programs, population health, and complex healthcare systems to complete the remaining requirements for the DNP degree.
The 68-credit DNP: Nurse Practitioner option can be completed in three years. Courses meet in a hybrid (on campus and online) format Students also complete clinical experiences during the 2nd and 3rd years of the program
A plan of study is also available for current nurse practitioners with a master’s degree in nursing who are seeking a second specialization area and a clinical doctorate.
Sample Plan of Study
Courses marked with * are for students on the Pediatric track and ** are for those on the Adult-Gerontologic track. Unmarked courses are required for both tracks.
YEAR 1
FALL
Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice
Introduction to Biostatistics
Advanced Pharmacology Across the Lifespan
SPRING
Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice
Evidence-Based Practice: Interprofessional Perspectives and Competencies
Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan
SUMMER
Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan Diagnostic Reasoning and Clinical Management
YEAR 2
FALL
Leadership for Advanced Practice Nursing
Healthcare Economics and Finance
* Health Promotion in Primary Care: Pediatric
** Health Promotion in Primary Care: Adults and Older Adults
SPRING
Advanced Outcome and Evaluation
Advanced Evidence-Based Practice
* Primary Care I: Common and Acute Conditions in Pediatric
** Primary Care I: Common and Acute Conditions in Adults and Older Adults
SUMMER
DNP Integration I
* Primary Care II: Chronic Health Challenges in Pediatrics
* Primary Care Clinical I: Pediatrics
** Primary Care II: Chronic Health Challenges in Adults and Older Adults
** Primary Care Clinical I: Adults and Older Adults
YEAR 3
FALL
DNP Integration II
* Primary Care III: Chronic and Complex Conditions in Pediatrics
* Primary Care Clinical II: Pediatrics
** Primary Care III: Chronic and Complex Health Challenges in Adults and Older Adults
** Primary Care Clinical II: Adults and Older Adults
SPRING
Healthcare: Power, Policy and Politics
DNP Integration III
* Primary Care Clinical III: Pediatrics
** Primary Care Clinical III: Adults and Older Adults
SUMMER
DNP Integration IV
**Primary Care Clinical IV: Pediatrics
** Primary Care Clinical IV: Adults and Older Adults
Tuition and Fees
The 2024–25 tuition rate for the DNP: Nurse Practitioner option is $1,200 per credit. Additional costs include fees for student services and technology ($330 per term), books and lab kits (prices vary by course), etc.
How to Apply
The application deadline is January 15 for Fall enrollment.
To be eligible for admission, applicants must have:
• A bachelor’s or graduate degree from an institution accredited by a nationally recognized, regional accrediting association.
NOTE: The bachelor's nursing program (i.e. initial major or upper division, post-baccalaureate second major) or comparable master's-level program in which the nursing degree is awarded must be accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, with a grade of Bor higher in every nursing course
• A current unencumbered nursing license
• Preferred (but not required): Two years of recent clinical practice as a registered nurse, with at least one year of experience in the area of specialization
The DNP: Nurse Practitioner application requires the following materials:
• Admission essay
• Current résumé
• Video statement
• One recommendation
• Transcripts from all degree-granting institutions
• Official scores from TOEFL or IELTS (if native language is not English)
• Credential evaluation from World Education Services (if college/university coursework was completed outside the U.S.)
Visit our website for detailed application instructions, or to learn more about the DNP: Nurse Practitioner option: stkate.edu/graduate
This document provides information about graduate studies at St. Catherine University. The information may change at any time. Contact the Office of Graduate Admission to confirm program and application details
10/2024