Quick facts about the Herzing University Doctor of Nursing Education program
| Enrollment | Choose full-time (5 semesters, 20 months) or part-time enrollment (7 semesters, 28 months); 6 start dates per year |
|---|---|
| Format | 100% online didactic classes and completion of a DNE Scholarly Project |
| DNE Project | Put your academic foundation to practice in the DNE Project, which is woven throughout the duration of the program; you may be able to complete project hours with your current employer |
| Admissions | Eligibility requirements include a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a minimum 3.0 GPA |
| Curriculum | Students have the opportunity to physically develop an online course, as well as learn how to incorporate AI into curriculum |
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Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best online graduate nursing programs in 2025
Earn the terminal degree in nursing and help develop the next generation of nurses
The Doctor of Nursing Education (DNE) is a 39-credit graduate program which prepares the MSN-prepared RN to become a doctorally-prepared nurse educator. The degree program provides students with fundamental knowledge and skills in learning strategies, innovation in teaching (AI, learning management systems), nursing informatics, curriculum development and assessment, and much more.
Take the next step towards new heights in your academic career. Earn the terminal degree in nursing online and become a highly qualified nurse educator. Your career goals are 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.
Your pathway: courses & curriculum details
Our DNE curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary knowledge, innovation, curriculum design, learning assessment, and evidence-based practice impacting nursing education. The DNE program offers the opportunity to develop an education-focused scholarly project over the duration of the program.
The program includes a course dedicated to innovation and learning strategies, including the study of best practice with social media, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Learning Management Systems (LMS), and more. Students will even have an opportunity to develop an online course of their own.
All didactic courses are delivered online. The DNE Project encompasses 405 total hours.
| Program | Months i | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor of Nursing Education (DNE) | 20 | 39 |
i. Average number of months for students to complete program.
Full curriculum details
Meet Our Leadership
"The Doctor of Nursing Education (DNE) is the ideal program for nursing educators who have a desire to grow their teaching and leadership skills through the achievement of a terminal degree.
The DNE provides an opportunity for nurse educators to earn their terminal degree in nursing, with a curriculum that is specifically focused in meeting the educational needs of nurse educators. Providing a 100% online curriculum, this program offers the flexibility needed by many nurse educators."
Dr. Jenny Atzen DNP, RN, CNM, CNE
Program Chair - Doctor of Nursing EducationDr. Jenny Atzen is an accomplished healthcare professional with more than 25 years of nursing experience spanning women's health, education, and leadership. Currently serving as Program Chair for the RN to BSN, MSN-Nurse Educator, and DNE programs, she brings a rich background of clinical and educational expertise to her role. Dr. Atzen's clinical foundation includes 12 years as a labor and delivery nurse followed by 10 years of practice as a Certified Nurse Midwife. She maintains her connection to patient care through clinical practice focused in obstetrics and women’s health. As a Certified Nurse Educator with a decade of teaching experience across pre-licensure and post-licensure nursing programs, Dr. Atzen is passionate about supporting adult learners to pursue educational goals while balancing professional and personal responsibilities.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition & Cost
The cost of tuition for the DNE program is $755 per credit.
You can potentially earn even greater savings by transferring credit from prior college coursework, applying for financial aid, or potential partnership opportunities through your employer.
Our goal is your career advancement. That’s why we are always working to improve our curriculum and processes to make our program as affordable as possible while preparing you best for success in your work.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
You may be eligible for multiple scholarships and grants, both through Herzing University and several national scholarship websites.
Military/Veteran Discounts
Veterans, Active Duty U.S. Servicemembers, and spouses may qualify for a 10-20% tuition discount.
Admissions requirements
Students interested in applying for the Doctor of Nursing Education program must meet all the following criteria:
- Successful completion of an MSN program with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.00 or higher
- MSN must be an ACEN, CCNE, or NLN accredited program
- Must not have failed from previous doctoral program
- Unencumbered RN license
- Background and clinical compliance checks may be required at the discretion of the student’s project hours site
Accreditation & Recognition
Our accredited & recognized online school
We strive to earn rank as one of the top private, nonprofit universities in the United States. Just as you work every day to become the best version of yourself, so do we as a university.
We are proud to have attained institutional and programmatic accreditation in addition to industry recognition for our accomplishments helping students earn a college education and find career success.
Ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the best online graduate nursing degree programs in 2025.
Herzing University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Waived Enrollment Fee
Discover the educational pathway designed to maximize your career potential. Reach for greater heights with Herzing University.
Teach the next generation of nurses
According to a 2024 report from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, nursing schools in the U.S. were forced to turn away over 65,000 qualified applicants in 2023 due to a lack of resources, with faculty shortages being commonly cited as the primary issue. The nursing profession needs nurses like you to advance into teaching roles and make nursing education possible for thousands of potential nursing students.
What can you do with a doctorate in nursing education? You can pursue many types of teaching jobs for students across all degree levels:
- Clinical setting. You may work in a teaching hospital or other clinical environments.
- Academic setting. Earning a doctoral degree can help you qualify for more potential jobs as a professor of nursing in a classroom environment.
- A mix of both clinical and academic. Some educators may split duty between a college/university and clinic/hospital depending on an organization’s needs.
Job outlook*
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse educators earn an average salary of $86,530 per year. Earning a doctoral degree can potentially help you qualify to teach higher level courses, which may translate to a higher salary.
Employment of nursing instructors and teachers is expected to increase by 18% from 2023-2033, representing an additional 16,100 jobs. Nurse educators are in high demand, and earning a DNE puts you in a great position to compete for a growing number of teaching positions in the field.
Faq
Frequently Asked Questions
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We also offer a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program with specialization options for nurses who hold either a BSN or MSN, including several nurse practitioner specialties as well as specializations in nursing leadership and administration and public health.
Yes, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), Nursing faculty shortages are limiting student capacity at a time when the need for registered nurses continues to rise.
The AACN’s 2018-2019 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing report found that “nursing schools turned away 75,029 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2018 due to an insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors, and budget constraints.”
The AACN cites the following primary reasons for the nurse educator shortage:
- Faculty age continues to climb, and a wave of retirements is expected over the next 10 years
- Higher compensation in clinical settings draws candidates away from faculty roles
- Master’s and doctoral nursing programs are not generating enough candidates for nurse educator programs
The result is that nurse educators are in very high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 18% increase in employment from 2022-2032, significantly higher than most other types of postsecondary teachers.*
With the proper education and experience, nurse educators may specialize in two different ways:
- Type of care. High-demand areas of care will seek nurse educators with those specialties— possibilities including adult health/gerontology, psychiatric & mental health, pediatrics, public health and many others. Demand for all specialties will fluctuate based on evolving demographics and long-term industry trends.
- Student education level. Educators may favor training students in one of several levels of nursing, including practical/vocational nursing, registered nursing (associate or bachelor’s degree), master’s degree or doctoral degree level positions.
Our program can be completed in less than 2 years: 20 months, or 5 semesters when you choose full-time enrollment.
Choose part-time enrollment and you can complete the program in 7 semesters, or 28 months.
If you are not already a registered nurse, your first step is to earn your degree in nursing and become a licensed RN. You will then need to earn a master’s degree in nursing education to become a nurse educator.
Depending on what type of opportunities you seek, there may be additional advanced training needed. For some positions as a professor you may be required to earn a doctorate in nursing.
Each school designs their own nursing education curriculums for unique types of students, which results in several different types of naming conventions at the doctoral level—each with their own meaning. Some of the most common names include:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The DNP is a practice-oriented degree, focused in clinical practice, leadership, and advanced nursing roles. Emphasis is placed upon evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership.
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD). The PhD is a research-focused degree which places greater emphasis on academia and scholarship in nursing. .
- Doctor of Education in Nursing Education (Ed.D). These are general Doctor of Education programs for which they offer a nursing education concentration. Leadership, policy, and educational practice is the focus of the Ed.D.
- Doctor of Nursing Education (DNE). The DNE represents a doctoral curriculum designed to fully prepare students for educational roles and leadership in nursing. Programs are focused on curriculum development, teaching methodologies, and assessment strategies in nursing.
Due to the significant shortage of nurse educators, any Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) can potentially be in high demand on the job market, which includes MSN graduates who pass the CNE certification exam.
If you currently have an MSN and you’re mostly interested in teaching undergraduate nursing courses, choosing a shorter post master’s certificate in nursing education program (8 months) is a viable pathway.
While MSN-prepared graduates are capable of teaching undergraduate courses, doctorally-prepared nursing educators can potentially be better prepared to teach graduate-level courses as well. A Doctor of Nursing Education program also includes advanced coursework outside the scope of an MSN program.
Your career goals as an educator are what really matters. Our admissions team can help you decide if the MSN/certificate or DNE pathway makes the most sense for you.
The National League of Nursing identifies the following as the primary nurse educator core competencies:
- Facilitate learning
- Facilitate learner development and socialization
- Use assessment and evaluation strategies
- Participate in curriculum design and evaluation of program outcomes
- Function as a change agent and leader
- Pursue continuous quality improvements in the nurse educator role
- Engage in scholarship
- Function within the educational environment
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The Student Experience at Herzing
I feel that I have so much more confidence now that I’m a graduate- at the age of 62!
Margot Complesi
Healthcare | Online CampusDisclosures
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
Waived Enrollment Fee
Discover the educational pathway designed to maximize your career potential. Reach for greater heights with Herzing University.