Nursing DNP
- Doctoral Degree
- Hybrid
- Online
- Greeley Campus
- Online
- Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Bachelor's
- Post-Master's
See Course of Study
Fall Term (Aug.)
$771/Credit
A Nursing DNP Program for Working Nurses
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the highest nursing degree you can earn that is focused on clinical care. You can earn your DNP doctorate as either a post-bachelor’s or post-master’s student.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at UNC is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Concentration (Post-Bachelor’s)
This concentration is for working nurses who have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). You will become a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and earn your DNP degree. If you already have a master’s degree, we also offer a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Graduate Certificate that is for post-master’s students.
Hybrid Delivery: you will attend part-time in a hybrid format (a mix of online and in-person activities) to fit your busy schedule. See the Course of Study section below for details.
This pathway will prepare you as a clinical expert who provides primary care and manages diseases for patients of all ages (children to older adults). You’ll also be prepared to serve communities and individuals that don’t have easy access to care.
- Become a clinical expert in primary care.
- Apply critical thinking and leadership skills.
- Advocate for better health care policies.
- Provide health promotion and disease management.
Post-Master’s Concentration
This completely online DNP program is designed for practicing MSN / Advanced Practice nurses. This is a practice-focused doctorate that prepares you as an expert clinician and a leader in health care delivery.
Convenient Online Program: You will attend online part-time so that you can fit your studies around your schedule.
Advanced Nursing Practice: Our DNP program will give you the highest level of scientific knowledge and expertise in nursing practice.
- Achieve the highest level of practice expertise.
- Lead change in health care systems and organizations.
- Use critical thinking and policy knowledge to advocate for patients.
Nurse Practitioner Job Opportunities and Income Potential
Nurse Practitioner Job Growth
Expected growth from 2024-2034
Your Career as a DNP Provider
FNP Certification and APRN Licensure for Post-Bachelor's Students
After you complete the program, you will be qualified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. You will apply for national certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
In Colorado, you can also be credentialed as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). If you plan to work outside of Colorado, please see the Licensure Eligibility by State section below.
All DNP Students
You will be highly qualified for advanced practice provider roles in hospitals, clinics and specialty facilities. You will be a clinical expert with applied critical thinking and leadership skills. Completing this program also means that you will have earned the terminal degree for advanced practice nurses.
What do you want to improve for patients, populations, your organization, or even healthcare in general? You’ll be able advocate for and implement the changes you think will make a real difference.
Course of Study
Hybrid Delivery
- You can complete the program in five years, attending part-time (fewer than nine credits per term).
- This program uses hybrid (partially in-person and online) delivery. Some courses are hybrid and some courses are delivered fully online.
- Each term you are in hybrid classes, you will attend one day per week (Thursdays) in person.
- Most hybrid courses are delivered in Greeley on the UNC campus.
- Some courses will be at our Loveland Center at Centerra.
- Additional in-person hours are required for your scheduled clinical and practicum work, described below.
To see specific course offerings, visit an example current students page for the FNP Post-Bachelor’s Concentration.
Courses and Requirements
This is a 84-credit doctoral degree program.
FNP Post-Bachelor’s Concentration – Courses and Requirement Details.
Simulation / Lab, Clinical and Practicum Hours
You will complete a minimum of 1,125 applied hours while enrolled in the program courses:
- FNP Simulation / Lab hours: 90 minimum.
- FNP Clinical Hours: 765 minimum. At least 180 of the clinical hours must be with a nurse practitioner. Some of these hours can be with a nurse midwife.
- DNP Practicum (Scholarly Project) Hours: 270 minimum.
The clinical courses involve advanced skills labs, evidence-based practice simulations and clinical decision-making competencies. They also include clinical hours in advanced practice skill acquisition.
Our Clinical Placement Coordinator will help you find clinical placements and qualified preceptors. You will also be expected to take an active role in networking and identifying clinical opportunities, as personal connections are often instrumental in securing a willing preceptor. Preceptors include licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and physician assistants.
Can Be Completed Fully Online
- You can complete this program in 2+ years, attending year-round and part-time. How long it takes you to complete the program will depend on your personal progress in program courses and your DNP Scholarly Project.
- Coursework is delivered completely online.
To see specific course offerings, visit an example current students page for the Post-Master’s Concentration.
Courses and Requirements
This is a 44-credit doctoral degree program, which includes required practicum scholarship hours.
Post-Master’s Concentration – Courses and Requirement Details.
Scholarly Project Hours
DNP scholarly project practicum hours are completed as part of your program coursework. You need a minimum total of 1,000 combined clinical and DNP scholarly project hours to successfully complete your DNP. The specific hours required will be determined by your previous academic history and personal goals.
You will be able to work remotely with your scholarly project advisor for your project proposal and defense. On-campus visits/sessions can be arranged if desired.
Optional Graduate Certificate or Area of Focus
You will work with your advisor to identify focused elective credits to support your professional interests or to earn a graduate certificate.
Focused elective courses will be visible on university transcripts but not your diploma.
Graduate Certificates will be visible on your transcripts, and you will receive a hard copy certificate in addition to your diploma. Certificate options include…
- Nursing Education Graduate Certificate (UNC School of Nursing)
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner (UNC School of Nursing)
- Business/Leadership Focus (through UNC Monfort College of Business)
- Public Health Sciences or Rural Public Health Focus (through UNC / Colorado School of Public Health)
If you have taken graduate courses that align with program courses, you can request transfer credit. Approved transfer credit can reduce the cost of completing this degree. Program faculty will review your transfer credit to confirm that it matches course content and objectives. See the full graduate transfer credit policy for details.
Have Questions? Get in Touch!
Rapha Xavier
Enrollment Counselor
Carolyn Bottone-Post
Post-Masters Program Coordinator
Michaela Romero
FNP Post-Bachelors Program Coordinator
Tuition Rate
Simple Per-Credit Tuition Rate
You pay the same rate whether you are in-state or out-of-state.
Per Credit
Rate for the 2025-26 academic year (fall, spring and summer terms).*
No Student / Technology Fees
Certain courses, e.g., field experiences, may include course fees to support added services and materials.
*Tuition for the 2026-27 academic year will be decided mid-June 2026.
Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP): UNC provides a health insurance plan to all degree-seeking graduate students who are enrolled in 6 or more credits for a term. If you have comparable insurance coverage, and do not want to be charged for SHIP coverage, you can opt out of this plan. Please visit the UNC Student Health Insurance pages for more information.
Estimates of additional costs: For the purposes of determining financial aid, UNC follows Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) and federal guidelines to develop an estimated, average Cost of Attendance (budget) for different student classifications. For your personal tuition estimates, we recommend using the program-specific tuition information above. But UNC’s official Cost of Attendance/Student Budgets page can help you identify other estimated expenses for which you may be responsible while completing your program.
Federal Financial Aid
Degree-seeking students are encouraged to apply for federal financial aid. Doctoral degree students need to be enrolled in a minimum of 5 credits per academic term for financial aid eligibility. Full-time enrollment is based on 9 credits per term.
You will complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The UNC Applying for Aid page provides important dates, including the release date and deadline for each academic year (a Fall-Spring-Summer cycle which begins each August).
- Late FAFSA submissions are still accepted throughout the academic year, but you may not be considered for the maximum amount of aid.
- If the priority deadline has passed for the upcoming/current school year, we encourage you to apply for FAFSA consideration as soon as you enroll for your first courses.
- Depending on the time of year, you may be able to submit an application for the current academic year and an early/priority application for the following academic year.
You can also find helpful information in the Federal Student Aid Resources.
Program Eligibility
General Admission Requirements
- Have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or better, on a 4.00 point scale, for the most recent degree earned or current degree in progress.
- If you are in the process of completing a previous degree or have special GPA considerations, please read the specific requirements for this program type.
- Note: the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is NOT required for graduate school admission.
Program-Specific Admission Requirements
Post-Master’s DNP:
- Possess both a BSN degree and an MSN degree from accredited (NLN/ACEN or CCNE) programs in nursing.
- National APRN certification and APRN license
- One year of clinical experience
Post-Bachelor’s FNP:
- Possess a bachelor’s degree from an NLN or CCNE accredited institution with an upper division major in nursing.
- RN license
- One year of clinical experience
Eligibility for Out-of-State Students
Eligibility by State
UNC can offer distance learning in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the major U.S. territories. We check for changes in state rules as needed. Some states may have extra rules for internships, clinical placements, and student teaching. Visit the State Authorization page to learn more.
Licensure Eligibility by State (FNP Post-Bachelor’s Concentration Only)
UNC’s professional licensure programs are designed to lead to Colorado licensure. Each state sets their own requirements, so a UNC program might not lead to licensure in other states. Visit the UNC Licensure page to learn more about which states UNC programs meet educational requirements for licensure.
It’s important to understand requirements in the state where you plan to work. Visit the State Licensure Boards page to find each state’s licensing agency and contact information. Questions? Contact Licensure@unco.edu.
International Student Eligibility
DNP Post-Master’s Concentration
You are eligible to apply: We accept international students to online UNC programs. We can’t guarantee that our programs meet distance education requirements for every country. Before you apply, check your country’s policies and regulations. You should not apply if you live in a country that is subject to U.S. sanctions.
No student visa: Students in online UNC programs do not need to come to the United States. You will not get a student visa or receive any immigration documentation. You do not need to provide financial documentation when applying.
You will need to provide proof of your English language ability or complete the UNC Intensive English Program. Please visit the International Admissions page for information about:
- Minimum English language requirements
- Applying as an international student
Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Bachelor’s Concentration
This school is authorized under Federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students.
If you are not a U.S. citizen and do not have an existing U.S. visa status, you would be seeking F-1 or J-1 visa status to be able to come to the U.S. to complete this program. You will need to submit financial documentation to prove that you can pay for tuition and living expenses while you will be in the U.S.
If you have a sponsor for your U.S. education, please check with them about any restrictions for your program choice, location, or ability to take online or hybrid courses.
You will need to provide proof of your English language ability or complete the UNC Intensive English Program. Please visit the International Admissions page for information about:
- Minimum English language requirements
- Financial documentation
- Applying as an international student
Meet with an Enrollment Counselor
Meet the Program Faculty
Visit the Academic Department
Are You Ready to Apply?
Thank you for your interest in this UNC program! Here are some elements you can check to be sure you are eligible and ready to apply to this program.
Program Eligibility
See the Program Eligibility section above.
Licensure Eligibility by State
This program is related to a state licensure, endorsement or other credential. If you intend to pursue a credential outside of Colorado, please check the Licensure Eligibility by State section above.
International Applicants
Please see the International Student Eligibility section above to check your eligibility for this program.
Application Deadline
The deadline for completed applications (including all supplemental materials) each year is July 15. Additional applications will be considered on a space available basis. You may contact nursing@unco.edu to see if applications are still being accepted for the upcoming Fall term.
Application Process Details
In the Nursing CAS application system, click on the “Add Program” tab, search for “University of Northern Colorado” and choose one of the following programs via the “+” icon:
- Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice
- Post-Bachelor’s Doctor of Nursing Practice Family Nurse Practitioner
Start term: Fall Term (Aug.)
View the full program-specific application details for each program in the UNC Graduate Catalog.
Apply to This Program
Start Your NursingCAS Application