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Program Overview
The Advanced Practice DNP is a practice-focused doctorate in an advanced specialty of nursing practice, comparable to clinical doctorates in other health disciplines such as pharmacy, physical therapy, and medicine. The Advanced Practice MSN-DNP will give you the skills you need to excel in today's complex, challenging and ever-changing healthcare environment.
The E-DNP is a practice-focused doctorate for current nurse executives/administrators focusing on leadership and specifically designed in a flexible, hybrid format for the working professional. This program, which is based on the DNP core, offers specialized leadership courses and integrates the content throughout the students' immersion experiences in hospitals, healthcare systems and businesses.
The Advanced Practice DNP/PMHNP is the Advanced Practice DNP with a specialization focus in advanced practice psychiatric nursing for the non-psychiatric Nurse Practitioners who want the certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). This expanded MSN-DNP Program includes the didactic and clinical courses required to sit for the ANCC certification as a PMHNP.
Sneak Peek | Fairfield University School of Nursing and Health Studies
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Dorothy Vittner
Assistant Professor
Nursing
Suzanne Strazza
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Requirements & Curriculum
Required Courses
| Epidemiology and Biostatistics |
| Advanced Healthcare Policy |
| Research Methods for Evidence-Based Practice |
| Role Reflective Practice for MSN-DNP Students |
| Healthcare Economics and Marketing |
| Population Health |
| Research Translation for Clinical Practice |
| Information Technology for Healthcare Improvement |
| Leadership & Interprofessional Collaboration |
| DNP Immersion* |
| DNP Seminar I |
| DNP Seminar II |
PMHNP Concentration
In response to the overwhelming demand for mental health care today and frequent requests from non-psychiatric Nurse Practitioners for education in psychiatric-mental health care to better meet the needs of their clients, the Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies offers an expanded MSN-DNP program that includes the didactic and clinical courses required to sit for ANCC certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Individuals who currently hold certification as a non-psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (e.g. FNP, ANP, PNP, etc.) and are interested in achieving additional certification as a PMHNP may apply to the Advanced Practice MSN-DNP program with a specialization focus in advanced practice psychiatric nursing.
Egan Admission
MSN applicants for the DNP must hold a master's degree in nursing from a regionally accredited college or university (or the international equivalent) with a grade point average of 3.2 or higher overall and in the nursing major. Advanced Practice candidates must be eligible for APRN licensure in the state of Connecticut. Applications are reviewed by the Graduate Admission Committee.
More About Post Masters Doctor of Nursing Practice
Career & Professional Opportunities
Career & Professional Opportunities
Upon completion of the Fairfield University DNP program, graduates will possess the following competencies:
- Independently provide culturally sensitive and evidence-based care to individuals and populations in a defined area of advanced nursing practice.
- Demonstrate critical thinking at the highest level of practice and accountability in the management of healthcare systems, considering ethical, legal, and socially just patient-centered care.
- Translate research into practice through critique of existing evidence, evaluation of outcomes, and implementation of projects that contribute to the development of best practices.
- Integrate science and theory from nursing and related disciplines within a reflective practice framework to inform clinical judgments, resolve dilemmas in healthcare, and serve as a patient care advocate.
- Evaluate patient, population, and healthcare system outcomes using fiscal analysis and cost-effective strategies to achieve quality improvement.
- Analyze the use of healthcare information systems and patient care technology to assure high quality healthcare outcomes.
- Lead collaborative interprofessional relationships and partnerships to transform healthcare delivery systems and improve health.
- Assume a leadership role in the analysis, development, implementation, and evaluation of policies to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
DNP graduates will be prepared to be practice leaders in a variety of roles, including:
- Quality management executives in healthcare organizations
- Advance practice caregivers in acute, community, and long-term care settings
- Directors of clinical programs
- Faculty responsible for clinical program delivery and teaching
Diversity and Inclusive Excellence
Diversity and Inclusive Excellence
As a Jesuit, Catholic university, Fairfield is dedicated to diversity and inclusion; to radical hospitality in service of racial, social, and economic justice.
Egan Newsletter
Egan Newsletter
Learn more about what our faculty, students, and alumni are doing, as well as stay up-to-date on our rankings and accolades, programs, and more.
Egan Update
Egan Update
We invite you to view the Egan Update, a year in review of Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies news.
Faculty & Staff
Faculty & Staff
Fairfield University’s Egan School boasts experienced faculty who inspire students to become leaders across social and healthcare environments. These students are actively engaged with faculty in practice, policy, scholarship, and service.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Doctor of Nursing Practice is a practice-focused doctorate comparable to advanced clinical degrees in other health disciplines such as Medical Doctor (MD), Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). The degree represents the highest academic preparation for nursing practice, focusing on expanded scientific knowledge related to providing comprehensive direct care across all settings. Grounded in clinical practice, the DNP moves the focus of advanced practice nursing from the level of the individual patient to the population level by using a cross-population perspective to assess, manage, and evaluate common problems.
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), safe nursing practice in today's increasingly complex health care system requires improved translation of scientific evidence into practice. With a DNP, you'll be able to assume a leadership role in an increasingly complex healthcare system during this critical era of healthcare reform.
The future of nursing rides on the DNP, and the shift in the industry is occurring right now. Members of AACN voted in 2004 to support advanced practice nursing at the doctoral level by 2015. This means that the DNP is the preferred degree for students wishing to be a nurse practitioner (NP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), nurse midwife (CNM), or nurse anesthetist (CRNA). For more information on the DNP, visit AACN.
Fairfield University offers:
- Personalized attention & strong faculty-student mentorship opportunities
- A rigorous, experiential, and inspirational academic experience
- A reputation for graduating highly skilled nurse practitioners
- Stellar on-site technological resources
- A state-of-the-art simulation laboratory
- Exceptional media resources available onsite and remotely
- In keeping with our Jesuit mission, an emphasis on the ethical, legal, and socially-just implications of patient-centered care
The primary difference between the two is that a PhD is research-focused and the DNP is clinical-focused. The PhD is specifically designed to teach students how to conduct original investigation that advances the knowledge of a discipline. In contrast, a DNP is comparable to clinical doctorates in other health disciplines such as pharmacy, physical therapy, and medicine. DNP students focus on advanced practice areas of specialization, including nurse executives, acquiring a population perspective in addressing common patient problems within a specialty area. DNP students complete a final Project that applies existing knowledge to address a clinical problem. The DNP Project results in a publishable paper that demonstrates the effectiveness of a clinical innovation on patient outcomes.
Nurses with a Masters degree are eligible to apply for the MSN to DNP students. Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Anesthetists should select the advanced practice track (ADNP). Other Masters-prepared nurses who currently hold leadership positions in healthcare are eligible to apply for the Executive MSN to DNP (EDNP) program. Please note that 1000 post-baccalaureate clinical hours are required for the DNP degree.
Yes, many of our students attend school part-time while working full-time, but we have both full-time and part-time curricular plans available.
MSN applicants for the DNP must hold a master's degree in nursing from a regionally accredited college or university (or the international equivalent) with a grade point average of 3.2 or higher overall and in the nursing major. Advanced Practice candidates must be eligible for APRN licensure in the state of Connecticut. Applications are reviewed by the Graduate Admission Committee.
No, the GRE exam is not required for admission to the Post-Masters’ Advanced Practice track or the Executive track. However, for applicants that have earned a GPA below 3.2, GRE scores may strengthen your application by demonstrating your ability to achieve the academic standards required at the doctoral level.
Call or email Dr. Joyce Shea, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2575 for more information.