Nursing: Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner, D.N.P. - CHHS, UNH

Graduate

Nursing: Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner

Develop expertise across multiple areas—from systems theory and quality improvement to patient safety and health equity.
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Location
Online
Courses
23*
Credit
72 hrs.*
Full-time
4 yrs.
Part-time
Varies
nursing student working with a doctor

Nursing

The Family Nurse Practitioner Doctoral program at UNH offers advanced training in primary care and healthcare leadership for working nurses. Here you'll be able to develop expertise across multiple areas—from systems theory and quality improvement to patient safety and health equity. 

With a focus on online learning flexibility and hybrid clinical courses, personal leadership development, and innovative practice, our program prepares you for family nurse practitioner certification while earning a terminal degree. Through comprehensive coursework and practical applications, you'll master the essential competencies needed to lead healthcare transformation while creating your specialized career concentration.

UNH nursing licensure programs accept only students seeking licensure in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, or Vermont.

*Number of courses and course credit hours may vary, please reach out to your academic advisor for exact requirements.

Click below to get more information about UNH graduate programs

01
Request Information Form
Open icon icon to open the summary

We use text messages to communicate important event and application information (msg and data rates may apply).



By clicking the “Submit†button, I consent to receive communications (at the addresses and numbers that I provided) from Âé¶¹app and its partners or agents regarding admissions, student events, academic programs, scholarships, and other student‑related information, which may be sent through email, SMS/text messages and via automated technology or AI-powered systems.  I understand this is voluntary and not required as a condition for admission or enrollment. I may withdraw consent at any time. Message and data rates may apply.


Contact Cards

Online Graduate Recruitment
(855) 250-6699

Why get Bachelor of Science in nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice: Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner?

Our nation’s complex healthcare environment has created a great demand for innovative nurse leaders with specialized knowledge and advanced nursing practice expertise. The Bachelors of Science in Nursing to Family Nurse Practitioner Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN- FNP DNP) is a doctoral degree that prepares nurses for the highest level of advanced nursing practice. Students in the program have the opportunity to fast track through master’s level courses, take the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) licensing exam and graduate with the terminal DNP degree.

Why choose UNH's Doctor of Nursing Practice program?

This online BSN-FNP DNP is designed for nurses with a bachelor’s degree who wish to pursue academic preparation as a family nurse practitioner while completing a terminal degree in nursing. Students benefit from the focus on enhanced leadership, evidenced-based clinical and management skills, and development of advanced competencies for transforming healthcare delivery and practice. A dedicated UNH faculty advisor will help you balance the workload and manage your academic schedule. With small class sizes, our asynchronous program provides flexibility for working professionals. We offer several opportunities for on-campus visits during the program, including clinical practicum, doctoral symposium and graduation. Begin in January or August, and complete the coursework in 48 months.

Potential Careers

  • Advanced nurse practitioner
  • Chief executive officer
  • Chief nursing officer
  • Clinical nurse manager
  • Clinical nursing faculty
  • Director of nursing
  • Director of outpatient services
  • Director of quality &safety
  • Healthcare innovation officer

Curriculum & Requirements

01
Program Description
Open icon icon to open the summary

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program prepares nurses for the highest level of specialized nursing practice. DNP graduates are innovative leaders prepared to translate evidence into practice, improve systems of care and measure health outcomes in diverse settings. Students are required to plan, implement, and evaluate a quality improvement project customized to support their unique aspirations.

The Bachelor in Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN-DNP) program is for nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing who are seeking leadership development and certification as a Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner

Admission Requirements

  1. Registered Nurse licensure: An unencumbered registered nurse license in the United State
  2. Baccalaureate degree in nursing
  3. Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher in associate and baccalaureate programs
  4. Letters of recommendation: Three letters of reference pertaining to academic ability, professional competency, and personal character are required.
  5. Updated resume
  6. Professional statement: The professional statement must include a written essay responding to each of the following:
    1. Describe a clinical experience that demonstrates your critical thinking and readiness to enter doctoral study.
    2. Explain how you use a nursing theoretical/conceptual lens to improve care.
    3. Tell us about a U.S. policy or health issue you are passionate about and why.
  7. Interview: After initial review of the application, applicants may be contacted for an interview.
02
Requirements for the Program
Open icon icon to open the summary

Degree Requirements

Clinical Hours: 750*

Required Courses
NURS 812Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics3
NURS 814Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan3
NURS 815Leadership, Role, and Collaboration 3
NURS 816Health Promotion Theory and Population Health3
NURS 818Foundations of Evidence Based Practice3
NURS 820Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan3
NURS 910Genomics & Ethics3
NURS 911Diagnosis & Management - Diagnostic Reasoning3
NURS 917Biostats and Epidemiology3
HMP 933Quality and Process Improvement in Healthcare3
NURS 920FNP Health Management I - Didactic3
NURS 921FNP Health Management I - Clinical4
NURS 922FNP Health Management II - Didactic3
NURS 923FNP Health Management II - Clinical4
NURS 924FNP Health Management III - Didactic3
NURS 940FNP Health Management III - Clinical4
NURS 950Family Nurse Practitioner Health Management IV4
NURS 960Healthcare Finance Management3
NURS 964Information Systems and Technology Improvement3
NURS 966Creative Leadership: Embracing Disruption and Innovation3
NURS 967Evidence Based Practice Methods3
NURS 969Health Systems Policy, Economics & Financial Planning3
NURS 973Quality & Safety3
NURS 980Doctoral Scholarly Project I3
NURS 981Doctoral Scholarly Project II3
NURS 982Doctoral Scholarly Project III3
Total Credits82
*

FNP component Clinical hours are completed through the following required courses: NURS 921, NURS 923, NURS 940, and NURS 950
DNP scholarly project practicum hours (500) are completed through the following required courses: NURS 980, NURS 981, and NURS 982

03
Student Learning Outcomes
Open icon icon to open the summary

Program Learning Outcomes

The Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner builds upon the skills of the baccalaureate prepared nurse.

Upon completion of the BS-DNP program, the student is prepared to:
  • Integrate, translate, and apply knowledge from nursing and other disciplines, to formulate clinical judgment and innovation in nursing practice as well as synthesize comprehensive knowledge of advanced nursing practice, integrating scientific principles and clinical expertise to enhance patient outcomes.
  • Design person-centered care that builds on a scientific body of knowledge focusing on individuals with multiple complicated circumstances, including family and/or important others as well as critically analyze the effectiveness of person-centered care on patient outcomes, healthcare systems, and policy development through rigorous assessment and continuous quality improvement processes.
  • Advocate for healthcare delivery from public health prevention to disease management through collaborative activities for equitable population health outcomes as well as formulate and evaluate strategies to improve health outcomes for diverse populations, addressing social determinants of health and reducing health disparities.
  • Disseminate nursing knowledge to improve health care as well as critically evaluate current research and evidence-based practices in nursing, identifying areas for improvement and innovation.
  • Integrate established and emerging principles of safety as core nursing values to enhance quality and minimize harm to patients and providers as well as implement and evaluate quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety and care outcomes, utilizing evidence-based practices to minimize risks and optimize healthcare delivery.
  • Lead collaborative care teams to optimize patient outcomes and improve health care experiences as well as facilitate and evaluate effective collaboration with interprofessional teams to improve patient and population health outcomes, fostering a culture of teamwork and communication.
  • Coordinate resources for diverse populations to provide safe, quality, and equitable care as well as analyze and influence healthcare systems to optimize care delivery, advocating for policies and practices that enhance system efficiency and patient outcomes.
  • Utilize informatics and communication technologies in developing and delivering optimal healthcare services according to best practice and professional and regulatory standards as well as integrate and evaluate informatics and healthcare technologies to improve patient care, utilizing data analytics to inform clinical decision-making and enhance health outcomes.
  • Cultivate a sustainable professional nursing identity that reflects nursing’s characteristics and values as well as exemplify professionalism in all aspects of practice, demonstrating ethical behavior, accountability, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
  • Utilize leadership skills, change theories, and effective decision making in advanced nursing roles in the provision of care as well as engage in continuous personal and professional development, demonstrating leadership in clinical practice, education, and healthcare policy.
04
Disclosures
Open icon icon to open the summary

Nursing: Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner (D.N.P)

Location/Delivery: School of Nursing [Online Program]

This program is designed to prepare graduates for professional licensure/certification as follows:

Nurse Practitioner

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Certification
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Certification

The Âé¶¹app has determined this program meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in:1
Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont

Additional information and related resources are available on the Office of the Registrar's website.

1

State specific post-education requirements are subject to change. Students are responsible for confirming these requirements in their state of residence and intended practice.

05
Application Requirements & Deadlines
Open icon icon to open the summary

Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

  • Fall: N/A
  • Spring: May 1
  • Summer: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Online

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a . This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

  • Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
  • Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

The professional statement must include a written essay responding to each of the following.

  1. Describe a clinical experience that demonstrates your critical thinking and readiness to enter doctoral study.
  2. Explain how you use a nursing theoretical/conceptual lens to improve care.
  3. Tell us about a U.S. policy or health issue you are passionate about and why.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

Enrollment Deposit

This program requires an enrollment of $200. If admitted the deposit will be due by the deadline specified in your admit letter. For more information please see our .

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our for more information.

UNH Nursing Program Tracks: How to reach your goals

01
I'm starting with a high school diploma
Open icon icon to open the summary
02
I'm starting with an Associate’s Degree and Active Registered Nurse (RN) License
Open icon icon to open the summary
03
I'm starting with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Higher Degree
Open icon icon to open the summary

With your credentials, we recommend the Master of Science in Nursing (Direct Entry MSN) 

04
I'm starting with a Bachelor's Degree and Active RN License
Open icon icon to open the summary

Two academic tracks are available to you:

*Students are eligible for CNL certification exam

05
I'm starting with a Master of Science in Nursing and Active APRN License
Open icon icon to open the summary
06
I'm starting with a Master of Science in Nursing and Active RN License
Open icon icon to open the summary

The Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship

The aims to strengthen leadership and innovation by empowering nurses to accelerate healthcare transformation. Read about this through the eyes of a UNH nursing graduate.

headshot photo of Briana White

Cultivating Innovation - Finding the Grace

Briana White, Doctor of Nursing Practice '22G and participant in the prestigious Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship from 2019 to 2022 (sponsored by the Center of Creative Leadership, Johnson & Johnson and Nurse Approved), was eager to make an impact in the ever-changing nursing industry. Thrilled to be involved in a program that nurtures a spirit of innovation intended to change the landscape of healthcare through the triad of education, mentorship, and leadership, she used her current home care management experience to sculpt her DNP scholarly project. Her fellowship project implemented these principles to create a first-in-nation model of care for home health.

Best Grad Schools Nursing - Master's Degree 2023-2024

Advance your nursing career with a top-ranked nursing degree from the Âé¶¹app.

CCNE logo

UNH's Nursing Department is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Explore Degree Programs

01
Costs & Financial Aid
Open icon icon to open the summary

Tuition & Fees:

The Âé¶¹app’s online graduate tuition and fees information is available on the UNH Business Services Website. Program costs and technology fees are subject to change.

Course Fees: Specific courses may have additional course fees. Visit the  for more information. 

TUITION & FEES INFORMATION

Financial Aid:

Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans are a form of federal financial aid available to Graduate Students. To apply, you must complete the .

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION

 

02
Faculty
Open icon icon to open the summary

UNH Online PB DNP courses are taught by full-time faculty with excellent practical and pedagogical experience.