Capella University (www.capella.edu), an accredited online university that has built its reputation by providing high-quality online degree programs for working adults, announced a new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. The DNP is the preferred credential for advanced practice nurses and will be the required terminal degree for the profession by 2015. More than 38,000 students are pursuing an online degree at Capella University (http://www.capella.edu), with 31 percent enrolled in Capella's doctoral degree programs, and 47 percent enrolled in Capella's master's degree programs.
“Students will be able to tailor their field experiences, as well as many of their course assignments, to match their needs and interests. The program culminates in a final capstone project that produces a practice- and evidence-based solution to a problem encountered during the field experience.”
Capella's DNP focuses on nursing leadership competencies
The DNP differs from a PhD because it concentrates on practical contributions to the nursing field, which also allows it to be completed more quickly than a research-focused PhD. Capella's DNP, unlike many DNPs that address clinical areas of nursing, focuses on the administrative, organizational, and systems leadership competencies required for a variety of nursing leadership positions. Capella's DNP curriculum also incorporates The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice established by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
Capella DNP offers individualized educational experience
"We've developed a program that offers the foundational knowledge all nursing leaders require, but also allows many opportunities to focus on individual areas of interest within the field," said Mary Bemker, RN, DSN, PsyS, faculty chair of Capella's Nursing Department. "Students will be able to tailor their field experiences, as well as many of their course assignments, to match their needs and interests. The program culminates in a final capstone project that produces a practice- and evidence-based solution to a problem encountered during the field experience."
Capella's DNP program will leverage the expertise and faculty of its current nursing programs, which include a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with Nurse Educator and Nurse Educator Bridge specializations, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), RN-to-BSN Degree Completion specialization.
Enrollment now open
Capella is now accepting enrollment applications for its Doctor of Nursing Practice.
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