DNP

Post-Master's Doctor of Nursing Practice

Q: Is Fairfield's Post-Master's DNP offered online?

Yes. The program is offered online or in a hybrid format.Online students attend synchronous class sessions, so you meet in real time with faculty and classmates, and the degree can be completed full-time or part-time in 18 to 24 months while you keep working.

Format & Location

On-Campus (Fairfield, CT), Online

School/College

Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies

Start Dates

Fall (September), Spring (January)

Application Deadline

Fall Priority: July 15, Spring Priority: December 1

Completion

18-24 months

Schedule

Full-Time or Part-Time

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Fairfield University's Post-Master's DNP is a CCNE-accredited practice doctorate for master's-prepared nurses, including APRNs and nursing leaders. Offered online or hybrid with synchronous classes and completed in 18–24 months, it builds advanced skills in evidence-based practice, leadership, quality improvement, and policy—with an optional path toward PMHNP certification.

Turn your Master’s into a DNP.

The program is designed for Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners and aspiring nursing leaders with a non-practitioner Master’s degree.

Students will develop skills in evidence-based care, quality improvement, healthcare policy, leadership, research methods, informatics, and more.

Prepare for advanced nursing practice.

The DNP program prepares students for advanced nursing practice by developing their ability to independently provide culturally sensitive, evidence-based care and demonstrate critical thinking in healthcare management. Students will learn to translate research into practice, integrate science and theory for reflective practice, and evaluate outcomes through healthcare information systems and fiscal analysis.

Specialize in mental healthcare.

Individuals currently certified as a non-psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (e.g. FNP, ANP, PNP, CNM, etc.) may apply to the Post-Master's DNP program with a specialization focus in advanced practice psychiatric nursing. This track will offer the didactic and clinical courses required to sit for ANCC certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).

Designed for working nurses.

Students in the post-master’s DNP program can enroll in the online or hybrid program. Those enrolled in the online option will attend synchronous class sessions for optimal student engagement with faculty and peers.

Fairfield University Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies

The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies ranks among the nation's top nursing schools. Building on the expertise you've already earned, this advanced practice doctorate pairs rigorous, evidence-based coursework with the depth of a Jesuit education. You'll graduate ready to lead at the highest level of nursing practice, shaping care, guiding teams, and improving outcomes for the patients and communities you serve.

Modern brick-and-glass campus building bears the sign “The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies,” beneath a bright, calm sky.

Find Out More

Course Requirements

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Contact Us

Graduate Admission
gradadmis@fairfield.edu
(203) 254-4184

Admissions

From your first admission conversation to graduation and beyond, you’ll find support at every turn. The Fairfield University student support network is dedicated to meeting your needs.

You’ll receive personal, academic, and financial guidance as you complete your Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Meet Your Graduate Admission Counselor

Admission Requirements

Tuition and Financial Aid

At 30 to 32 credits and $1,220 per credit (estimated $36,600 to $39,040, 2026–27 rate).

Credits: 30-32
Cost per Credits: $1,220
Estimated Tuition: $36,600-39,040

Estimated tuition does not include fees or annual cost-per-credit increases. Figures are based on the 2026-27 rate.

Tuition & Costs

Financial Aid

Additional Financial Resources

Two smiling professionals—a man in blue scrubs and a woman in a black clinic jacket—stand with arms crossed in a bright, welcoming office.

PMHNP Specialization & Certification

Nurses currently certified as a non-psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (FNP, ANP, PNP, CNM, and others) can pursue the Post-Master's DNP with a specialization in advanced practice psychiatric nursing.

The track provides the didactic and clinical coursework required to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) exam as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC). All students will need to have completed 1,000 immersion hours, with a minimum of 250 hours completed at Fairfield University.

Dorothy Vittner

Director of Post-Master’s DNP Program | Associate Professor, Nursing

dvittner@fairfield.edu

Career Outlook

Graduates of the Post-Master's DNP move into the highest levels of nursing practice and leadership: advanced practice roles, nurse executive and clinical director positions, faculty appointments, and health-system leadership. Nurse practitioners earn a median annual salary of $132,300, and the field is projected to grow 40% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Career Outcomes

Recent Roles

Assistant Professor of Nursing
Nurse Practitioner Specialist
Family Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Manager
RN Supervisor
Clinical Research Nurse
Clinical Informatics Nurse
Infection Control
Nurse ICU Nurse
Bedside Hospice Nurse

Continued

Recent Employers

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Mount Sinai Health System
NYU Langone Health
Stony Brook Medicine
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
St. Francis Hospital
North Shore Children's Hospital
Southwest Community Health Center

My professors have provided an incredible level of support, consistently going above and beyond to help me succeed both academically and professionally. Their mentorship has not only guided me through the DNP journey but has also strengthened my confidence as a nurse leader and scholar. Fairfield has provided me with more than an advanced education—it has helped me recognize my potential, expand my professional goals, and develop the confidence to make a greater impact on nursing practice and patient care.

- Robert Davis, DNP'27

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Fairfield University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Learn More at https://www.ccneaccreditation.org

Frequently Asked Questions

The DNP is the terminal practice degree in nursing. Graduates move into advanced practice, nurse executive and clinical leadership, faculty, and health-system roles.

Yes. The program is offered online or in a hybrid format.

Online students attend synchronous class sessions, so you meet in real time with faculty and classmates, and the degree can be completed full-time or part-time in 18 to 24 months while you keep working.

Fairfield’s Post-Master’s DNP is designed for nurses who already hold a master's degree, including Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (FNP, ANP, PNP, CNM, and others) and master's-prepared nursing leaders. It is an MSN-to-DNP pathway, not an entry-level or BSN-to-DNP program.

If you don’t have an MSN but you would like to continue your nursing education with a DNP, consider Fairfield’s Nurse Anesthesia and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) programs.

Yes. Non-psychiatric Nurse Practitioners can add a specialization in advanced practice psychiatric nursing.

The track provides the didactic and clinical courses required to sit for the ANCC Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) certification exam.

The Post-Master's DNP is typically completed in 18 to 24 months. It is offered full-time or part-time, with fall (September) and spring (January) start dates.

Priority application deadlines are July 15 for fall and December 1 for spring.

Applicants to the DNP program must hold an MSN from an accredited college or university, or its international equivalent, with a grade point average of 3.2 or higher both overall and within the nursing major.

Those applying as Advanced Practice candidates must also be eligible for APRN licensure in the state of Connecticut.

All applications are reviewed by the Graduate Admission Committee.

The program is 30 to 32 credits at $1,220 per credit, an estimated $36,600 to $39,040 based on the 2026–27 rate (excluding fees).

Financial aid and additional resources are available for graduate students.

A DNP is a practice doctorate focused on clinical leadership, translating research into care, and improving outcomes.

A PhD in nursing is research-focused. The DNP fits nurses who want to lead advanced practice and health systems rather than pursue an academic research career.

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Post-Master's Doctor of Nursing Practice