Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette offers two online pathways to the Doctor of Nursing (DNP) advanced practitioner degree. The post-master's curriculum is for MSN graduates in the Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Executive concentrations and is for experienced nurses interested in leadership roles involved in policy making, management, research and education. The BSN-to-DNP curriculum is designed for BSN-prepared nurses to gain the practice and leadership skills required for the DNP. In this program, BSN-to-DNP students can also earn the Master of Science in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner concentration and apply for an advanced practice FNP license in as little as 18 months.
Coursework for these programs is online with the exception of on-campus activities prior to the start of the program and at the conclusion of the program when synthesis projects are presented. There are several residency courses with clinical practicum requirements in both programs.