Doctor of Nursing Practice

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The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Visionary Leadership is a practice doctorate that will prepare experts in specialized advanced nursing practice to apply credible research and translate evidence-based practice into improved health outcomes. The DNP provides development of advanced competencies for increasingly complex practice and enhanced leadership to strengthen practice and healthcare delivery within the inter-professional work environment.

The eight DNP essentials provided by the AACN and the foundational concepts and mission of Colorado Christian University’s School of Nursing have served as the framework for development of the DNP student learning outcomes. This program is appropriate for any MSN-prepared nurse seeking a terminal clinical degree, including, but not limited to: Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), nurse administrators, and nurse educators. In an effort to develop both advanced nursing knowledge of students, and the opportunity to gain wisdom from a biblical worldview, the DNP program learning outcomes represent the intersection of the profession of nursing with the values of truth and grace.

Admission Requirements

Have earned a graduate GPA of 3.0 or above based on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent from a nationally accredited university.
Have an active, unrestricted or unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state in which the clinical/practicum experience will be completed.
Have completed a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) from an accredited school of nursing.
Complete the CAGS application to the DNP program, including essay, professional recommendation, and applicable fees.
Completion of the DNP admission process.

Required Courses for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (30 credit hours)

30 credit hours consisting of the following classes:

Graduation Requirements for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree

The faculty recommends students in the Doctor of Nursing Practice to the Board of Trustees as candidates for graduation when they have completed the following requirements:

Have a total of 30 credits post-MSN with a letter grade of C or better for any course and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on the University’s 4.0 grade scale in all CCU course work.
Successfully complete all required DNP courses, 525 clinical hours, residency requirements, and a final capstone project (approved by their faculty advisor/mentor) with satisfactory outcome dissemination in the final capstone course and in good standing to graduate.
Have a total of 1025 clinical hours post-BSN.
Maintain current RN licensure in the state of residency.
Formal and timely application for graduation by the date specified by the University Registrar.
No outstanding financial obligations to the University.