DNP Frequently Asked Questions

Assembly Bill 867 (AB867) originally authorized the CSU to offer the Post-Master's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) as a pilot program for five years. The consortium of CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach, and CSU Los Angeles admitted the first cohort in 2012.

The CSU DNP successfully completed the pilot, and in October 2017, Assembly Bill 422 authorized the CSU to continue offering the DNP. The Southern California CSU DNP Consortium Program continued to work together to offer the Post-Master's DNP until 2022. The final Consortium cohort graduated in Spring 2024.

Effective Fall 2023, the DNP Post-Master's program is offered through the CSU Fullerton School of Nursing.

There are several factors that have created the need for advanced nursing education at the doctoral level. The changing demands of this nation's complex healthcare environment require the highest level of scientific knowledge and practice expertise to assure quality patient outcomes. The DNP is a practice-oriented doctorate, such as the Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Optometry, or Doctor of Physical Therapy, in contrast to the research-oriented PhD. The purposes of the DNP are to develop advanced competencies for increasingly complex practice, teaching, and leadership roles in nursing and to provide an advanced educational credential for those in practice.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has set the standard that the DNP will be the entry into practice for advanced practice nursing as of 2025.

Differences between other programs and the degree program offered by CSU Fullerton include the following:

1. Inclusion of curriculum for preparation for faculty role, including courses in curriculum development and teaching methods, as well as an elective opportunity for practice teaching;
2. A broader selection of advanced practice practicum courses; and
3. A three-semester integrative clinical scholarship series, embedded in clinical practice as required by the accrediting body CCNE, to complete the scholarly project of the clinical doctorate.

CSUF DNP Post-Master's uses a hybrid format, offering courses on-site and online.

Students are required to be available for classes all day on Fridays, for the entirety of the program. Students are required to be on-campus for coursework four Fridays a semester, supplemented with synchronous Friday courses and other and asynchronous online requirements.

The DNP program is a five (5) semester program scheduled as fall, spring, summer, fall, and spring.

Clinical practice is required and will vary based on the number of clinical hours documented as eligible through the master’s degree. Clinical hours are specific to your DNP role and can be completed in your place of employment. The DNP requires a total of 1,000 clinical hours upon graduation.

The doctoral project, the culminating experience, includes a three-semester Integrative Clinical Scholarship experience, embedded in a clinical setting, where the student prepares a scholarly doctoral product, such as a pilot study, translational research, program evaluation, consulting project or a quality improvement project. Students will accrue approximately 405 clinical hours during the doctoral project. Each student will work with a faculty team leader and doctoral committee.

The program is designed so that the student can work full-time and, with permission of current employer, the doctoral project may be completed within the students’ work setting. However, this is a rigorous and demanding doctoral curriculum and many students may find it appropriate to cut back on hours or take release time during some portions of their doctoral studies. Students are required to be available for classes all day on Fridays, for the entirety of the program

We have faculty with specializations in the following areas:

• Anesthesia
• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Management/Administration/Leadership
• Midwifery
• Nurse Practitioner: Adult, Adult/Geriatric, Acute Care Adult, Acute Care Pediatric, Family, Pediatrics, Psych/Mental Health, Women's Health
• Public Health Nursing

Current tuition and fees can be found on the Student Business Services link opens in a new windowopens in a new window website. Tuition and fees are subject to change. 

Doctoral students are eligible for financial aid. Students must complete the FAFSA application (CSUF School Code: 001137). For further information, please visit the CSUF Office of Financial Aid link opens in a new windowopens in a new window website.

Scholarships/Grants available for DNP students:

• CSU DNP Tuition Grant: Provided by the CSU Chancellor's Office; the grant reduces tuition for eligible students with financial need. To be eligible, students must complete a FAFSA each year. 
• CSUF ENRICH Grant link opens in a new windowopens in a new window: Enriching Nursing Representation to Impact Community Health (ENRICH) is a federally funded program to increase retention and graduation of full-time graduate/doctoral nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including students from racial and ethnic minority groups. 
• Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP link opens in a new windowopens in a new window): CDIP prepares promising doctoral students for CSU faculty positions by providing financial support, mentorship by CSU faculty and professional development and grant resources.
• Other Scholarships and Grant Opportunities  link opens in a new windowopens in a new window pdf filePDF file type

For Fall 2024, between 12 to 18 students will be admitted. Cohorts begin only in the fall semester. Admitted students are expected to complete the degree within 5 consecutive semesters of admission.

Yes! California State University, Fullerton, is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). In addition, each degree program within the School of Nursing at CSUF is accredited  link opens in a new windowopens in a new windowby the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The DNP program hosted an accreditation visit from the CCNE in the fall of 2013 and again in the fall of 2018. DNP was granted accreditation in the spring of 2014 and spring of 2019.

A full list of admissions requirements can be found by reviewing the admission requirements  link opens in a new windowopens in a new window page.

No, the GRE is not required.

Your Personal Statement (no more than 500 words) should describe your reason(s) for pursuing the Doctor of Nursing Practice at CSU Fullerton. You should identify at least one clinical problem or issue you might like to address in your DNP Project. Indicate the employment setting in which you plan to implement your project (should be your current employment setting or one you will obtain prior to beginning the program) and the specialty area (should be your current specialty) in which you will continue preparation (i.e., FNP, CRNA, CNS, nurse leader, etc.). Your Personal Statement is an opportunity for you to show the admission committee that you are a good fit with our program. This statement is an essential part of your application.

Documentation of prior practicum hours in an advanced practice program will be reviewed for acceptance towards clinical hour requirements in the DNP program. Examples of official documentation of nursing practicum hours include a copy of the form submitted to take national boards, a letter from the nursing school where master’s level clinical hours were completed, or a copy of certificate showing national certification (500 hours max is awarded for this option).