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- Programs
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College of Doctoral Studies
Online doctorate in nursing degree
College of Doctoral Studies
Online doctorate in nursing degree
Become the nurse leader patients deserve
Combine scientific findings and advanced nursing practices in your online doctorate in nursing degree to help improve health care environments and treatment outcomes. This degree program is designed for working nurses who want to complete an online doctorate in nursing. They’ll learn advanced practice and leadership strategies to improve practice settings, healthcare outcomes and design, deliver and evaluate projects to impact project outcomes.
Flexibility is key as a doctoral candidate. That’s why all our courses are 100% online and typically 8 weeks long. You’ll begin your applied project from the start. This allows you to follow scheduled milestones throughout your program, which organizes your project into achievable segments. You’ll work with your Applied Project Chair and receive helpful feedback from day one.
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Find the nursing doctoral degree for you
Skills you’ll develop with core doctorate in nursing degree courses
Doctor of Nursing Practice
- Advanced nursing
- Executive leadership
- Scholarly Innovation
- Advanced practice management
Outlook for workers with a doctorate in nursing degree
*The DNP does not prepare students for professional certification or state licensure as a nurse or as an advanced practice nurse.
Doctorate in nursing degree course requirements
Doctor of Nursing Practice
You’ll take 31 credits of advanced program-specific knowledge to complete this terminal degree. Your Applied Project begins during the first course instead of later in your program so you can build on the advanced knowledge learned at each stage of study. This helps you build your project gradually and identify obstacles early to avoid possible delays and rushing at the end of your program. You’ll work with an assigned Applied Project Chair throughout your program so you can benefit from critical feedback along the way.
Program Purpose Statement
The Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree program prepares graduates in innovative and evidence-based nursing practice that integrates evaluation and application of research evidence and leadership into practice, and develops a commitment to scholarship and advancement of the nursing profession. This program does not prepare students for any type of professional certification or state licensure as a nurse or an Advanced Practice Nurse.
Tuition and financial aid
Affordable, locked-in tuition
DOCTORAL: $810 Tuition cost per credit
Cost per credit applies to all doctoral degrees.
Ways to pay — and save. Explore your options.
From grants and scholarships to transfer credits and federal financial aid, there are a variety of ways to pay for school and save on tuition.
Student experience
Over 1 million alumni have earned their degrees while balancing work, school and life. So can you.
How to apply for your Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program
Once you’ve selected your degree program, choose your start date from our calendar, apply for free and register before the deadline (usually one week before the program starts). Then you'll speak to an enrollment representative to begin class.
- No application fee — no obligation!
Experienced faculty
Learn from accomplished, real-world faculty members who lead in the fields they teach. Our instructors go through a careful vetting process before joining our faculty ranks. They include industry leaders who encourage, challenge, and inspire our students.
Raelene Brooks, PhD
Dr. Brooks is the Dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Phoenix. As a nursing researcher, she studies the long-term outcomes and weight regain in the bariatric surgery population and completed her PhD in Nursing Science at the University of San Diego.
Dr. Brooks has been a registered nurse for over 25 years and practiced extensively in the areas of: ICU, trauma, and critical care. Her publications include a focus on nursing education, critical care, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her roles in a deanship span over a decade. She has attained tenure twice during her academic career in the state of California serving as a professor in prelicensure nursing education. She is an appointed Doris Howell Scholar and a champion for women’s health and wellness. She is an active member of several professional nursing associations including American Association of Colleges of Nursing, National League of Nursing, and Association for Critical Care Nursing.
“The healthcare of this nation is evolving at a rapid pace and there continues to be healthcare inequality,” states Brooks. “I am invested in preparing students to be innovative, inclusive, and creative decision makers. There is value in tradition. However, we cannot afford to stay confined to the traditional theory and framework in nursing education. Innovation, adaptation, and transformation in tandem with the traditional framework in nursing education will help to prepare our graduates to be contributors to the solution and meet the healthcare challenges facing our nation today and in the future.”
— Dr. Brooks
Institutional accreditation
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Phoenix are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is aligned with leading industry organizations, such as:
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN®)
- Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)
Doctorate in nursing degree FAQs
The approximate program length is 22 months, but it depends on a few factors including whether you take breaks during your program.
Completing this degree can prepare you to take on the most senior health care practice positions, including Nurse Manager, Health Information Management Director or Clinical Director. You can also qualify to teach nurses as a Nursing Professor, Clinical Nursing Instructor or Associate Professor.
Yes, all our courses are available online, including the Applied Project. You’ll take one course at a time over 8 weeks. You and your peers will engage in discussions, assignments and learning activities. Plus, you’ll learn from faculty who bring their own real-world experience and an average of 25 years of industry experience. You’ll learn skills important to drive your career growth, impact care outcomes, help you lead care institutions and guide the next generation of nurses.
