Pathway
Find your pathway to DNP with Herzing University
Online DNP pathways for working nurses with a BSN or MSN
| Accreditation | CCNE accredited1, Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission |
|---|---|
| Specializations | Choose from several advanced nursing specialization options, including several nurse practitioner specialties |
| Eligibility | Pathways designed for current registered nurses who hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Master of Science in Nursing |
| Format | 100% online didactic courses, hands-on clinical experience, and completion of a DNP Practice Project |
| Curriculum | Develop a superior understanding of population health, complex healthcare system design, technology and informatics, improvement science, and nursing leadership |
| Clinicals | We pledge your clinical placement |
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Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best online graduate nursing programs in 2025
Transform advanced nursing practice with a DNP
Leverage your experience as a beneficiary of nursing knowledge and grow into its creator. Earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and equip yourself with the tools to become a leader in the nursing profession.
Doctoral-level preparation is the future of advanced practice nursing. The healthcare system needs you to lead change. Use your expertise and degree to become the change you’ve always wanted to see. You are doctorally possible with Herzing University.
Career-focused curriculum
Discover the crucial knowledge and skills required to succeed in your work and build a foundation for continued career growth.
Flexible schedule
We work hard to help you maintain school-life balance, striving to be as flexible as possible for busy non-traditional students.
Virtual services
Access to extensive virtual services, including academic advising, tutoring, support services, technical support and library services.
Lifelong support
We support your ongoing career advancement by providing comprehensive, personalized student services with lifelong career coaching.
Rolling admissions
No application deadlines to worry about. Apply when you’re ready and prepare to get started soon.
Choose a nursing school who knows nursing
We have strong roots in nursing education and support the entire nursing education ladder, from our diploma-level practical nursing program all the way up through our advanced practice master’s degrees and post master’s certificate nursing programs.
We are excited to offer the Doctor of Nursing Practice, our first doctoral-level nursing program to usher our students into the new era of advanced nursing practice.
Cutting-edge curriculum
Our DNP curriculum is developed in compliance with the competencies of the AACN new Essentials (2006, 2021) and utilizes the most current and innovative resources.
Extensive support
You’ll have an Academic Coach for each DNP course. Your online learning experience is personalized and asynchronous, with access to a host of student services.
Practiced Faculty
Learn from the best. Each of our doctorally-prepared faculty wields a wealth of practice experience, scholarship, and academic expertise to guide individualized student development and scholarly projects, including their dissemination and publication.
A proud history in nursing
We’ve done this for a long time—training nurses at the diploma, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels for many years.
A top grad nursing program
Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best online graduate nursing programs in 2025.
Over 90% Student satisfaction
Our overall student satisfaction rate, according to the 2024 Herzing Graduate Survey.
Meet Our Leadership
"The Doctorate in Nursing Practice is the next step for nurses to reach the peak of education in their desired profession. Our DNP will allow nurses to design, implement and complete a project of their choosing and then have the opportunity to share their knowledge with the nursing community to better improve patient care or processes.
We are excited for students to grow as they add to their next tier of learning at the doctoral level."
Dr. Tricia Wagner DNP, APRN-BC
Associate Dean of Nursing for Graduate ProgramsA leader, educator, and advanced practice nurse that currently serves as the Associate Dean of Nursing for Graduate Programs, Dr. Wagner has a practice specialty as both an adult-gerontology and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. She completed her Diploma RN and BSN in Springfield, Missouri and her MSN and DNP through the University of South Alabama, Mobile. She has 30 years’ experience in healthcare with 20 years as a nursing executive in both academia and healthcare organizations. She has been ensuring that nurses have the opportunity to reach their desired education potential for many years.
Dr. Wagner is instrumental in developing new programs within the academic setting for both the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. Dr. Wagner has led initiatives for organizations to include Dedicated Education Units and Nursing Residency Programs (RNs and NPs) for both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. She has successfully obtained grant funding to support the growth of students in their chosen specialty and support the organizations where they obtain the education.
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The Student Experience at Herzing
I knew that earning my degree would open more opportunities where I currently worked, and I wanted to make a change.
Tricia Brown
Business | Online CampusFaq
Frequently Asked Questions
Didn't find the answer to your question? Send us an inquiry and we will be happy to answer all your questions!
Yes! There are many reasons why it’s worth pursuing a DNP, including:
- Reach the height of the nursing profession with the terminal degree in nursing
- Advance your skills regardless of your specialty
- Prepare for future APRN education requirements
- Doctorally-prepared nurses are needed to translate evidence and research
- Earn a key role in improvement science
- Become a better educator/teacher
- The healthcare system needs doctorally-prepared nurses
In October of 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) endorsed the Position Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing, which recommended moving the current level of preparation needed for advanced nursing practice from the master’s to doctorate level.
The AACN set an initial goal to phase out master’s level prep for APRNs and transition fully to DNP by 2015. That deadline has come and gone, and a master’s level education remains the minimum requirement to practice as an APRN (additional requirements vary per certification).
However, the transition has been discussed for many years—and not only by AACN. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) set a goal of 2025 to move all entry-level nurse practitioner education to the DNP degree.
While enrollment in DNP programs has increased continuously for 20 years running as of the AACN’s most recent Annual Survey, a DNP has not yet become required to practice as an APRN.
However, the landscape is changing and the DNP is trending towards becoming the standard for APRNs at the highest level.
How long it takes depends on the college education you’ve already earned and if you choose a full-time or part-time pathway.
The fastest path would be a situation in which you have earned an MSN and are ready to commit to the DNP program full-time. You can potentially earn your DNP in as few as 24 months (2 years).
The DNP is a practice-focused doctoral degree, while a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing is a research-focused degree. Some key differences include:
- PhD students are trained to develop new knowledge for both the science and practice of nursing, while DNP students learn the skills necessary to translate evidence from the research and put it into practice. Program curriculums vary accordingly.
- PhD students complete a dissertation, while DNP students complete a minimum number of clinical hours and/or a scholarly project
- Credit requirements can vary
- Unique employment opportunities upon graduation
The DNP represents the terminal degree in nursing, meaning it’s the highest degree you can earn in nursing. It’s one level higher than the MSN. The main differences include:
- Curriculum differences
- Certification requirements
- Enrollment trends
- Salary potential
- How long it takes to earn
Learn more about the difference between MSN vs. DNP.
Salaries vary widely across different types of jobs in advanced practice nursing, and earning a DNP can potentially apply to them all. However, earning a DNP can potentially help you compete for higher pay.*
According to the 2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey, registered nurses whose highest education was a DNP reported a median salary of about $100,000, 11% higher than the $90,000 median for those who had earned as much as a master’s degree.
No, you don’t need a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to begin working towards a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Current licensed registered nurses who hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing may apply for our BSN to DNP program in a specialization of their choosing and begin working toward a DNP right away – without having to earn an MSN first.
There are a few considerations to keep in mind:
- If your primary goal is to pursue a specialization such as Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), earning a DNP is not currently required. You can choose an MSN-FNP program and earn the master’s degree education you need to become an FNP.
- It takes more time to complete a BSN to DNP curriculum compared to an MSN alternative. In the case of FNP, the MSN-FNP program takes 20 months compared to 32 months in the BSN to DNP-FNP program.1
- If your primary goal is to earn the terminal degree in nursing and reach the top of the field, a BSN to DNP program offers less time and lower cost than earning an MSN and DNP separately. Once again using the case of FNP, a BSN to DNP-FNP program takes less time (32 months) than earning an MSN-FNP and DNP separately (20 months each = 40 total months).
Contact our admissions team and we can help you determine what degree pathway is right for your lifestyle and overall career goals.
1. All program length estimates reflect average time to complete for full-time students and may vary. We strive to help you learn at a pace that’s right for you.
Yes, by earning a doctorate degree you can potentially be referred to as a “doctor.” However, some states may require DNP nurses to fully clarify their role if the title “Dr.” is used.
Even without formal state requirements, you should always clearly disclose your credentials with patients to avoid confusion.
Accreditation & Disclosures
1. The doctor of nursing practice program at Herzing University Madison is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin.
Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
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Discover the educational pathway designed to maximize your career potential. Reach for greater heights with Herzing University.