Nursing (DNP) - Leadership
Degree Offered: DNP
Program Leadership:
KT Waxman, RN, DNP, FAAN, Program Director
Annette Carley, RN, DNP, NP, Associate Director
Admissions Inquiries:
NursingAdmissionsSupport@ucsf.edu
Program Description
The UCSF School of Nursing offers two pathways for nurses to achieve the profession’s highest practice degree: the Doctor of Nursing Practice.
- The BSN Entry to DNP — Advanced Nursing Focus pathway enables individuals with a bachelor’s degree in nursing to become experts and leaders in health equity. Applicants will master the skills in one of several advanced specialties and complete their studies toward the DNP degree.
- The Post-Master’s Entry to DNP — Leadership Focus pathway prepares registered nurses who hold a master’s degree with the skills to innovate improvements and lead teams in developing approaches to care that address population needs.
A core component of the degree program is the DNP quality improvement project, in which students identify a health care practice issue and formulate a solution that improves outcomes. In direct consultation with faculty mentors, students will conceive, evaluate and present their scholarly work. They will also develop strategies to disseminate their scholarly work and to implement practices based on their conclusions.
The UCSF School of Nursing takes pride in its graduate programs, which represent a century of pioneering leadership that has produced many top influencers in the field in the U.S. and abroad. Among schools of nursing nationwide, the UCSF School of Nursing is one of the top recipients of research funding from the National Institutes of Health.
The UCSF School of Nursing has a dedicated faculty of more than 150 experts who share a passion for educating the next generation of health care leaders and leading innovative research that advances health equity for all. Faculty members at the school are distinguished leaders in their areas of expertise and have led – and continue to lead – innovations and policy improvements locally, nationally and around the globe.
The Nursing DNP program is offered by the UCSF Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs, administered by the UCSF School of Nursing, and delivered by faculty members in the UCSF School of Nursing.
Admission Requirements
BSN Entry to DNP — Advanced Nursing Focus
- Graduate of an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in nursing documented by an official transcript.
- Minimum GPA 3.0
- Registered Nurse with active license in CA. See additional details on website for non-California applicants.
- College level statistics course completed within five years of the start of the program.
- Resume or curriculum vitae. See additional details on website for information to include.
- Three confidential letters of recommendation for most specialties. See additional details on website for specialty-specific requirements.
- Goal statement and personal statement
Post-Master’s Entry to DNP — Leadership Focus
- Graduate of an accredited college or university with a master’s degree in nursing. Applicants who hold a master’s degree in another health-related field will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Minimum GPA 3.0
- Completion of minimum 240 practice hours during prior master’s or post-master's coursework. National certification in one of the four recognized Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN) roles (i.e. nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, and nurse-midwife ) may substitute for 500 incoming APRN practice hours. Current national certification as a certified nurse executive (i.e. NEA-BC or CENP) may substitute for 500 incoming practice hours. Up to 500 total incoming practice hours eligible; remaining hours to achieve final 1,000 post-baccalaureate nursing practice hours required for degree conferral will occur during the program of study.
- Registered Nurse with active license in CA or state where the DNP project will occur.
- College level statistics course completed within five years of the start of the program.
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Three confidential letters of recommendation
- Goal statement and personal statement
Learning Outcomes
Post-Master’s Entry to DNP — Leadership Focus
-
Knowledge for Nursing Practice
Synthesize advanced nursing science, theoretical frameworks, and interdisciplinary knowledge to evaluate complex healthcare challenges and generate innovative evidence-based approaches that transform healthcare delivery. -
Person-Centered Care
Design holistic, ethical approaches to care that integrate patient/family preferences and values, while critiquing existing delivery models to ensure equitable, empowering, and individualized care across diverse populations. -
Population Health
Analyze and integrate biological, psychological, social, and structural determinants of health to formulate innovative population-based interventions that optimize health promotion and disease management in partnership with communities and health systems. -
Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline
Transform nursing practice through rigorous evaluation, implementation, and dissemination of ethical and evidence-based innovations which advance the discipline and address complex healthcare challenges. -
Quality and Safety
Develop comprehensive quality improvement methodologies and evaluate their effectiveness in transforming care delivery through the application of improvement science, risk mitigation strategies, and evidence-based innovations. -
Interprofessional Partnerships
Design sustainable change initiatives that transform organizational culture, advance health equity, and improve health outcomes through collaborative practices. -
System-Based Practice
Create system-wide initiatives that optimize cost-effectiveness and resource allocation while evaluating their impact on quality, accessibility, and outcomes for diverse populations across healthcare delivery systems. -
Informatics and Healthcare Technologies
Formulate adaptive informatics and technological solutions and assess their effectiveness in optimizing equitable person-centered care, addressing practice gaps, and reducing health disparities. -
Professionalism
Develop professional nursing leadership grounded in ethical conduct social justice principles, and professional standards that reflects accountability and commitment to equity in healthcare delivery. -
Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development
Commit to a culture of lifelong learning and professional development by continual reflection of personal and organizational performance, sharing knowledge, and leading initiatives that advance nursing excellence and well being.
Additional Information
Program Faculty
Check Faculty tab for each of the DNP program pathways below.