Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Program Overview
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at the Stony Brook University School of Nursing will prepare diverse clinical leaders who can influence healthcare outcomes, critically appraise evidence, and facilitate the transition of best evidence to best practices. The program, offered through distance education with on-site requirements, is designed for registered nurses who hold a baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing.
Graduates will ensure accountability for quality healthcare, utilize information technology to support and improve patient outcomes and healthcare systems, and set, influence, and implement health policies that secure improvements in global population health. Interprofessional teams with collaborative leadership will enable the DNP graduate to analyze complex practice and organizational issues to improve healthcare delivery models.
*The School of Nursing is currently only accepting applicants with advanced standing to the DNP program. Applicants must hold a Master of Science degree as an advanced nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife.*
Dr. Colleen Walsh-Irwin
Program Director
- Integrate and apply nursing’s disciplinary knowledge, theory, and complex evidence to generate new insights and exercise advanced clinical judgment in managing highly complex practice situations. (Domain 1)
- Design, implement, and evaluate person‑centered, culturally responsive, and equity‑focused care models for individuals, families, and populations with complex health needs. (Domain 2)
- Lead population‑level assessments, identify system‑level determinants of health, and design evidence‑informed interventions and policies that advance equitable population health outcomes. (Domain 3)
- Lead the translation, implementation, and dissemination of evidence to improve clinical outcomes, reduce health inequities, and transform care delivery across systems. (Domain 4)
- Apply improvement science and advanced analytic methods to evaluate care processes, design system‑level quality and safety initiatives, and influence organizational policies that minimize risk and enhance outcomes. (Domain 5)
- Lead interprofessional teams to design, evaluate, and sustain collaborative practice models that improve system performance and optimize outcomes for diverse populations. (Domain 6)
- Conduct organizational and systems analyses, lead system‑level initiatives that enhance efficiency, equity, quality, and effectiveness, and integrate advanced informatics, data science, and emerging technologies to drive transformation and support safe, high‑quality, evidence‑based care across complex healthcare environments. (Domains 7 and 8)
- Model advanced professionalism through ethical leadership, accountability, advocacy, and stewardship of the nursing discipline within complex healthcare systems. (Domain 9)
- Demonstrate advanced reflective practice, resilience, and leadership capacity to foster a culture of lifelong learning, professional growth, and organizational excellence. (Domain 10)
Our program is designed for registered nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing and is offered using an on-site, executive cohort model. Throughout the program, doctoral students will develop the foundational, clinical, organizational, systems, and leadership skills necessary for transforming healthcare delivery and improving outcomes for selected vulnerable patients and populations. Through the development of a selected DNP project and participation in DNP residencies, students may pursue study in various areas of clinical inquiry.
The program length is 87 credits, and a minimum of 1,000 hours of scholarly clinical practice is required.
Nurse practitioners and nurse midwives who hold a master’s degree in nursing may be eligible for advanced standing and enter the DNP program at the post-master's level. A gap analysis is conducted to confirm previous coursework and validate the number of clinical hours performed at the master’s level. The program length is a minimum of 42 credits. A minimum of 500 additional hours of scholarly practice is required to meet the 1,000+ post-baccalaureate scholarly practice hour requirement.
The DNP degree was adopted by the Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in response to several societal, scientific, and professional developments. Among these, the nursing shortage and the crisis in the healthcare system have collectively called for a major paradigm shift that will empower the advanced practice nurse to respond to these developments as they evolve. The DNP degree represents the highest level of preparation in specialty nursing practice.
The faculty of the School of Nursing is committed to a spirit of collaboration and mentorship. A major focus of the program is the development of a community of scholars, fostering a commitment to lifelong learning and cultivating an area of clinical scholarly inquiry.
The DNP program is offered in the following population foci:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology-Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Midwifery
- Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric-Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
*The School of Nursing is currently only accepting applicants with advanced standing to the DNP program. Applicants must hold a Master of Science degree as an advanced nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife.*
- Registered professional nurse licensure.
- Malpractice insurance as either a DNP student or a nurse practitioner student in the program specialty in which the student is enrolled.
- Baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing from an accredited program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended.
- Written statement – see the online application for essay requirements.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Current curriculum vitae/resume.
- An interview may be required.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended. Official transfer equivalency credits evaluation certificate by an accredited evaluation service, such as World Education Services (WES), to accompany transcripts from international institutions.
- Student malpractice insurance is required from admission through graduation.
- Current unencumbered registered nurse license from New York State.
- Certification of Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider (BLS) w/AED.
- Evidence of meeting university health requirements.
- Evidence of health insurance.
- All newly admitted students will receive an email from the SON Required Documentation email address, shown below, with detailed instructions to utilize the required CastleBranch web-based software system. This system requires a one-time fee and is where students will upload and manage required health and professional documents. son_required_documentation@stonybrook.edu
- Meet the SBU technology requirements.
The Stony Brook University School of Nursing reserves the right to change admission and program criteria to meet prevailing accreditation, regulatory, and registration requirements.
The Office of Clinical Placements facilitates the processing of clinical placement requests and contracts for all clinical affiliations within the baccalaureate, master’s, advanced certificate, and DNP programs. The office works collaboratively with faculty to secure clinical placement sites for students. Once a suitable site is identified, students submit a clinical placement request form for processing.
The office maintains electronic data systems and records related to students, clinical placement sites, clinical affiliation agreements, clinical contracts, and preceptors. Central to the clinical placement process for all programs is the establishment of a clinical affiliation agreement and clinical contract, which is executed between SUNY and the clinical site.
Upon final execution of a clinical affiliation agreement, SUNY procures and provides the site with a certificate of insurance or related protection evidencing the required insurance coverage. The provisions of a clinical affiliation agreement and clinical contract include the responsibilities and mutual terms that are agreed upon during the life of the agreement.
Please note that it is a Stony Brook Medicine policy that the School of Nursing is not permitted to pay for, approve, or participate in a clinical placement arrangement for our students that requires payment of any type by the School, student, or any other third party.
THE SCHOOL OF NURSING RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE ADMISSION AND PROGRAM CRITERIA TO MEET PREVAILING ACCREDITATION AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS.
