Doctor of
Nursing Practice
Flexible Schedules,
High Demand Specialties
EXPLORE OUR DNP SPECIALTIES
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The AGACNP specialty trains you to care for adults aged 17 and older facing complex, often life-threatening conditions. You’ll develop the nursing skills to succeed in fast-paced clinical settings where you may order and interpret labs and diagnostic tests, and perform invasive procedures to provide critical, life-saving care.
Executive Health Systems Leadership (EHSL)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option
The EHSL DNP specialty prepares you to become an influential nurse leader who drives innovation and excellence in healthcare organizations. You'll learn about healthcare finance, policy, informatics, safety, and quality improvement; skills necessary for senior leadership roles. You'll be equipped to make data-driven decisions, improve care systems, and lead effectively in today’s complex healthcare settings.
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The FNP specialty prepares you to provide comprehensive, holistic nursing care for individuals and families throughout their lives. You’ll gain the knowledge and confidence to manage a wide range of health conditions and graduate prepared to create personalized, evidence-based treatment plans that promote lasting health and wellness for patients of all ages.
Nurse Anesthesiology (NA)
Full-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The NA specialty trains you to provide safe, high-quality anesthesia care by combining advanced scientific knowledge with clinical skills. You’ll manage the entire perioperative process using the latest pharmacological and scientific techniques to ensure patient safety and comfort. You’ll graduate prepared to administer all types of anesthesia, provide pre- and post-anesthesia care, and continuously monitor patients during procedures.
Nurse Education Leadership (NEL)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option
The NEL specialty prepares you to become a leader and educator in both academic and healthcare settings. You’ll gain expertise in advanced nursing concepts, innovative teaching strategies, competency-based learning, and educational leadership. Through mentored experiences and hybrid coursework, you’ll be equipped to guide the next generation of nurses, elevate staff development, and influence the future of patient care.
Nurse Midwifery (NM)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The NM specialty trains you to provide comprehensive, patient-centered nursing care across all life stages. You’ll support individuals during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, while also offering gynecologic, family planning, and preconception services, as well as care for healthy newborns in their first 28 days of life. You’ll graduate prepared to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care in various settings.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The PNP specialty trains you to provide compassionate, comprehensive nursing care to patients from infancy to age 21. You'll learn to address the unique health needs of each developmental stage, supporting healthy growth and development in children, helping adolescents understand health risks, and empowering young adults to develop lifelong wellness habits.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option Clinical Specialty
The PMHNP specialty prepares you to deliver compassionate, evidence-based mental health care that integrates mind and body. You will learn to diagnose and treat depression, anxiety, and social disorders through multiple therapies, graduating ready to form strong patient relationships and create personalized treatment plans for healing and well-being.
Graduate Nurse Practitioner (NP) Certificates
Not ready to pursue your DNP just yet? As an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), you can continue advancing your career through one of our graduate Nurse Practitioner (NP) certificate programs in the following specialties:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Education Leadership Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Midwifery
Additional Program Options
The dual degree DNP/MPH option addresses the need for nurses to have advanced education in public health that prepares them to improve population health services and expand the scope and quality of the healthcare for diverse populations of individuals across the lifespan. The dual degree DNP/MPH option seamlessly blends the College of Nursing – DNP Program with the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health MPH online programs to provide students with a structured 3.5-year full-time program of study. Students are admitted simultaneously into both programs so they can begin them both at the same time.
If you are interested in attaining broader advanced clinical practice skills with strong research competencies, consider taking advantage of our dual Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees. You will be prepared at the highest level of nursing science and professional nursing practice, and with advanced skills for engaging in research to create, apply and translate new knowledge to improve health care – in practice domains and/or academia.
SANEs are essential nurses, who provide specialized care to survivors of sexual assault. Our program aims to improve awareness around sexual assault, increase available resources and training, and expand service locations. Applications open to students in the University of Arizona DNP program who are in their clinical year.
The Rural Health Professions Program (RHPP) is an innovative program to create a community of doctorally-prepared advanced practice registered nurses who have didactic and clinical expertise in providing care to rural and medically underserved patients and will serve as leaders in improving the quality and access to care for these patients. RHPP scholars complete additional coursework that focuses on the care of rural and medically underserved populations.
The Rural Telehealth Certificate Program (RTCP) is a graduate certificate available to DNP students. Students complete additional coursework and clinical hours that focus on the use of telehealth technology in a rural setting.
Interested students may pursue two advanced practice specialties simultaneously. More information on our DNP Program of Study page:
Students should be aware of the following additional requirements when pursuing a dual specialty option:
- Timeline: Requires one additional year (3 semesters).
- Clinical Requirements: 720 hours for each specialty, total = 1440 hours.
- RISE and CPI: Attend RISE 3 times and CPI 2 times
- DNP Project: During the last year with second specialty.
- Apply: First fall semester the student must meet with their academic advisor, with advisor approval can apply in the spring semester.
Full-Time Option Part-Time Option
The Post-Master’s (MS-DNP) DNP specialty builds on experience earned in a traditional Master of Science program. MS-prepared students will explore the underpinnings of practice, healthcare policy, leadership, and quality improvement. Students will gain an understanding of how to address population health and individual health issues.
Program Outcomes
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program strives to prepare professionals in all specialties to provide equitable care of unsurpassed excellence to lead in today's progressively complex healthcare structure. Students are immersed in an educational environment that cultivates the development of their professional identity and nurtures personal health, resilience, and well-being. The DNP program prepares graduates to work and make expectational improvements in the healthcare environment by:
- Generate and disseminate nursing practice knowledge to stimulate research and improve clinical outcomes.
- Improve health outcomes through scientifically based advanced practice within a specialty.
- Engage in and lead collaborative practice teams.
- Influence clinical practice transformation and policy initiatives.
Ready to take the next step?
See the full admissions requirements and application process on the DNP Admissions page.
Disclosure Statement: DOE 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v)
In accordance with regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v) by the Department of Education, The University of Arizona College of Nursing discloses that the curricula of the DNP program meet licensure and certification requirements of all states. This has not yet been determined for the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Although the University of Arizona has sought information from other jurisdictions regarding licensure requirements, these requirements are subject to change. If you intend to seek professional licensure or certification outside of Arizona, you should contact the appropriate state licensing agency to obtain the most up-to-date information regarding licensure or certification requirements in your desired state of practice prior to accepting admission offers.