Advance your nursing career at KU.
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Why Choose KU's DNP Program
Now with fewer credit hours and faster time to complete with full-time study- Clinical partnership with The University of Kansas Health System
- Preceptor relationships throughout Kansas and in 11 other states
- Nursing Education Exchange (NEXus) courses to tailor your degree
- Access Graduate Nurse Training Scholarships to defray the cost of your degree
New Curriculum for Every Program
The KU School of Nursing revised all program curriculum for newly admitted students starting in Fall 2026. All programs align with AACN Essentials and focus on student competency.
Why does this matter to you? The new curriculum empowers you to demonstrate what you know — what you are competent in doing — throughout every classroom, simulation, and clinical learning experience.
This new holistic approach to teaching ensures you can actually do the things we teach as you move through the program and graduate ready to practice with confidence.
Core Curriculum
Students in KU’s clinically-based Doctor of Nursing Practice program share the same core curriculum. Go to each DNP concentration page to learn about courses that are tailored for that concentration.
Program Objectives
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- Synthesize theory and evidence to provide equitable care for individuals and populations across the care continuum.
- Demonstrate exemplary levels of clinical judgment in delivering evidence-based, person-centered care to optimize health outcomes.
- Integrate ethical frameworks for implementation and dissemination of knowledge that advances nursing practice.
- Lead systems-based interventions that enhance informatics processes and quality and safety practices.
- Lead interprofessional teams that include patients, families, communities, and other stakeholders to improve care and strengthen outcomes.
- Exemplify a sustainable professional identity in nursing.
- Create strategies to support lifelong learning, critical self-reflection, and personal well-being.
Information Sessions
Join us online! These 30-minute sessions will give you an overview of KU graduate nursing degree and certificate programs, admission requirements, and the application process.
Complete our registration form to reserve your spot!
Can’t join us for these dates or times? We can still answer your specific questions.
- Please contact soninfo@kumc.edu to schedule a one-on-one conversation with a nursing academic advisor.
- Or fill out our Request Info form.
Admissions and Aid
Student Affairs
The Student Affairs team is ready to help you become a KU nursing student and succeed while you’re here.
They can:
- Counsel you about the best program to fit your needs
- Advise you which courses to take
- Review your transcripts
- Help you every step of the admissions process
Have a specific question? Email them at soninfo@kumc.edu or call 913-588-1619.
Tuition & Financial Aid
Our Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) school code is 001948.
Learn about the DNP tuition and fees by clicking the links below. These links will take you to the University of Kansas Medical Center’s Registrar’s site.
Scholarships
In academic year 2024-2025, the KU School of Nursing awards over $1.6 million in scholarships annually across all our programs, awarding scholarships to:
- 66 DNP students were awarded general university scholarships.
Post-Graduate Nursing Certificates
Do you already have your DNP but want to add a new specialty? We have a certificate that will help you. Every DNP program can be taken as a post-master’s certificate.
Graduate Nurse Training Scholarships
Are you interested in the KU Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, or Nurse-Midwife specialties? You may be eligible for a graduate nurse training scholarship.
Graduate Nurse Training Scholarships are funded through two Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) opportunities: MIDWIVES KAN and Advancing Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW): Grow and Stay.
Nursing Licensure
This program prepares students for an advanced practice specialty certification and APRN eligibility as a primary care certified nurse practitioner (CNP). APRN eligibility differs across states and many require a specialty certification. Specialty certifications are acquired through national exams that do not vary by state. For information on individual state's requirements, visit the National Councils of State Boards of Nursing website.
As of July 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education implemented Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v) that requires professional nursing programs to provide information on how their curriculum meets education requirements for professional licensing in each state. You may review KU School of Nursing's information on licensure by state.
Accreditation & Recognition
The KU School of Nursing is nationally accredited and state approved. See accreditation details.
Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing