The Rockhurst University Online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program prepares nurses to lead change, translate evidence into practice, and improve outcomes for patients, populations, and healthcare systems.
Kansas City Post-Master's DNP Program: Why Rockhurst?
With a practice-focused, student-centered approach, students in our online DNP program develop a scholarly project addressing a meaningful, real-world practice challenge while building expertise in leadership, quality improvement, population health, innovation, and systems thinking. The DNP program is fully online, with residency hours completed in the student's local area.
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A distinctive feature of this post-master's DNP is intentional faculty mentoring and advising that connects students’ coursework, professional goals, and scholarly interests throughout their doctoral journey. For advanced practice nurses, the DNP provides a pathway to the terminal degree while expanding their capacity to lead beyond individual patient care and influence broader health systems.
Full-time students can complete our program in two years, and we require fewer credit hours and clinical (residency) hours. In addition, Rockhurst MSN graduates can transfer credit for clinical hours and have already completed the Informatics and Inferential Statistics courses.
MSN-to-DNP and Other Degree Pathways
Our online DNP program is appropriate for MSN-prepared registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and other graduate-prepared nurses who want to expand their impact beyond individual patient care and take on greater responsibility for evidence-based practice, healthcare leadership, quality improvement, and systems-level change. The program is structured so healthcare professionals can continue working full-time while completing coursework.
Online DNP Program Fast Facts
- DNP Cost & Aid: Find per-credit cost and fee information on the Saint Luke's College tuition page. The program requires 31-37 credits, depending on transfer credits.
- Format: Online
- Time to Completion: 2 years full-time, 3 years part-time
- Concentrations: Leadership
- Curriculum: DNP Course Catalog
- Start Dates: 13-week calendar, 3 times a year (August, January, May)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Doctor of Nursing Practice Admission Requirements
You may start an application if you:
- Have a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from a Commission on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)–recognized nursing program accredited by CCNE or ACEN.
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2.
- Have an active, unencumbered nursing license in the state where you practice.
- Application portal
DNP Admission Process, Step II:
- $50 application fee is required to complete the application.
- Official transcripts are required from all universities, colleges, and other post-secondary educational institutions attended.
- Current resume/CV including details of responsibilities and specific job experience.
- Two professional letters of recommendation sent directly to the admissions office from current or previous supervisors, prior nursing faculty, or other individuals who can address your clinical knowledge, skills, and prospective aptitude for success within a graduate program of study. Letters may not come from direct peers or family members. Letters must come from a direct supervisor in practice.
- Personal statement (400 to 800 words) addressing the following:
- Discuss why you want to pursue your specialty of choice.
- Describe how your past and/or ongoing work experience will enhance your experience in this program.
- State your goals/plans upon completion of the degree.
- Interview with DNP faculty (to be scheduled once all other items are submitted)
What can you do with a DNP degree?
A Doctor of Nursing Practice opens roles beyond direct patient care — healthcare administration, health policy, nursing education, clinical research, and systems-level leadership. Rockhurst's online DNP program builds expertise in quality improvement, population health, and organizational leadership, preparing graduates to lead practice change at the department, organization, or health-system level.
Healthcare Administrator ($123,860)
Health Care Policy Advocate ($80,390)
Specialty Academia/Higher Education ($107,000)
Medical Research Professional ($81,250)
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
DNP Program Outcomes
Grounded in Jesuit values of service, reflection, intellectual excellence, and care for the whole person, the program prepares nurses to lead with purpose and compassion. Students graduate as confident clinicians, thoughtful leaders, and evidence-driven change agents equipped to create meaningful and sustainable improvements in healthcare.
Additional DNP program outcomes include:
- Disseminate scientific and theoretical concepts from nursing and other disciplines to improve nursing practice in a multitude of settings.
- Generate organizational and systems leadership skills to promote ethical, safe, and high-quality patient care.
- Develop leadership skills that emphasize ethical and critical decision-making, collaboration, and systems perspective in patient care.
- Disseminate research to guide clinical decisions, practice settings, resolve practice problems, work as a change agent, education, and professional practice.
- Blend appropriate technology use with care management, collaboration, education, and decision-making.
- Advocate for consumers and interprofessional health team members through policy development and implementation.
- Lead, collaborate, and integrate broad, organizational, client-centered, and culturally appropriate concepts in the planning, delivery, management, and evaluation of evidence-based clinical prevention and population care and services to individuals, families, and aggregates/identified populations.
Popular DNP Courses @ Rockhurst University
This foundational course examines the roles and responsibilities of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)-prepared nurse as a clinical leader, scholar, and change agent within complex healthcare systems. Students explore leadership, evidence-based scholarship, systems thinking, and the ethical and professional responsibilities of advanced nursing practice.
Quality improvement is a central topic in health care. "Report cards" are widely available, evaluating the care and service offered by companies and, increasingly, by individual employees. Effective health care managers must understand the array of performance measures and how to implement them. This course will evaluate the issue of quality from a variety of perspectives including customers, purchasers, regulators, and health care professionals.
These courses prepare Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students to develop and refine their scholarly project. Emphasis is placed on project planning, ethical and regulatory considerations, and measurable outcomes. During the course, students are introduced to practicum expectations and requirements, submit a formal DNP project proposal, and are assigned to a faculty mentor to provide guidance throughout the practicum and completion of the DNP scholarly project.
RU Doctor of Nursing Practice FAQs
How long does it take to complete the online DNP program?
Students can finish Rockhurst's online Doctor of Nursing Practice in two years full-time or three years part-time. Courses run on a 13-week calendar with three start dates each year — August, January, and May — so you can begin the DNP program without waiting for a traditional fall semester.
Do I need an MSN to apply, or is there a BSN-to-DNP path?
Rockhurst's online DNP is a post-master's program. To apply, you need a Master of Science in Nursing from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program, a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher, and an active, unencumbered nursing license in the state where you practice. There is currently no BSN-to-DNP entry point.
How many residency hours does the DNP require?
The AACN requires 1,000 post-baccalaureate practice hours for the DNP degree. Rockhurst accepts up to 500 hours from your completed MSN, leaving roughly 500 DNP residency hours. Most students complete those hours in their local area within their current organization as part of their scholarly project.
Can I work full-time while earning my DNP online?
Yes. The online DNP program is designed for practicing nurses — coursework is fully online, and most students build their scholarly project around a real challenge in their own workplace. Qualifying hours spent on that project can count toward the DNP residency requirement.
What's the difference between a DNP and a Ph.D. in Nursing?
A Doctor of Nursing Practice is a practice-focused terminal degree; a Ph.D. in nursing is research-focused and prepares nurse scientists to generate new knowledge. Rockhurst's online DNP prepares you to translate existing evidence into practice and lead quality improvement, population health, and systems-level change.
How much does the online DNP program cost?
Tuition for Rockhurst's online Doctor of Nursing Practice is $1,000 per credit hour for the 2026–27 academic year. The program requires 31-37 credit hours depending on the student's transfer credits upon entry. Saint Luke's College maintains additional program fees and current payment information on its tuition page.
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