Perhaps you got into nursing because you loved caring for patients. Maybe you wanted to create change within healthcare systems in your area. You may be a nurse who loves practicing medicine with the personal touch that nursing allows. No matter what your reasons were for getting into the field, earning your doctorate of nursing practice degree will allow you to take your career to the next level.
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A doctorate of nursing practice degree is the highest level of practical education a nurse can achieve. Nurses who earn their DNP are not only able to perform advanced medical procedures – they’re also capable of becoming leaders within healthcare organizations, creating lasting change that positively affects doctors, nurses, and most importantly, patients.
SEE ALSO: New Jersey DNP Salary
Earning a DNP can take years of work, but many New Jersey colleges and universities offer convenient options to work with your busy schedule. If you’re ready to become a leader in nursing, earning your DNP is the first step.
1. Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fairleigh Dickinson University offers two convenient campus options to New Jersey nurses who want to further their education. FDU offers both full and part-time tracks, making it easy for you to find a time commitment that makes sense for your schedule. Nurses who graduate from the FDU DNP program are ready to make change in their organization with a specialization in leadership.
- Campus: Teaneck, New Jersey & Madison, New Jersey
- Type: Private
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Tuition: Approximately $23,000 per year
- Minimum time commitment: Two years for full-time students, longer for part-time students
- Online availability: No
- Degree requirements: Applicants must have their MSN degree with a GPA of at least 3.5, an RN license, three letters of reference, and experience as an advanced practice nurse. Applicants must also attend an interview and submit a writing sample.
- Programs: Students may specialize in clinical leadership or organizational leadership.
- School Site: Fairleigh Dickinson University – Doctor of Nursing Practice
2. Felician College
Felician College offers a competitive nursing program for nurses who are ready to earn their DNP. Students have the option of two different focus tracks, depending on their goals. Students who want to continue providing direct patient care are recommended to take the advanced practice track, while students who want to move into organizational leadership are encouraged to take the executive leadership track.
- Campus: Lodi, New Jersey
- Type: Private
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Tuition: Approximately $18,000 per year
- Minimum time commitment: Two years
- Online availability: Some
- Degree requirements: Applicants must have an MSN or master’s degree in a related field with a GPA of at least 3.0, an RN license, two letters of recommendation, successful completion of an undergraduate or graduate-level statistics course and a graduate-level nursing research course, personal statement, and personal interview.
- Programs: Students have two track options: advanced practice care or executive leadership.
- School Site: Felician University – Doctor of Nursing Practice
3. Monmouth University
Monmouth University offers a convenient, online, part-time option for busy nurses who want to earn their DNP degree on their own schedule. Students can move through courses as slowly or quickly as makes sense for them, as long as they complete their DNP within five and a half years of their start date.
- Campus: West Long Branch, New Jersey
- Type: Private
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Tuition: Approximately $19,000 per year
- Minimum time commitment: Varies depending on how quickly students choose to move through the program
- Online availability: Yes
- Degree requirements: Applicants must have an MSN and a GPA of at least 3.2, an RN license, at least one year of work experience as a nurse, two letters of recommendation, and a statement of vision. Applicants may be required to complete a phone or in-person interview.
- Programs: Doctor of Nursing Practice
- School Site: Monmouth University – DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice
4. Rutgers University
Students at Rutgers have the opportunity to specialize in several different areas and have the option of becoming certified in providing HIV care to patients. Rutgers offers unique weekend-only options for post-masters level students.
- Campus: Newark, New Jersey
- Type: Public
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Tuition: Approximately $17,000 for in-state students, $26,000 for out-of-state students
- Minimum time commitment: Two years
- Online availability: No
- Degree requirements: Applicants must have either a BSN or MSN, a GPA of at least 3.2, a minimum of two years of experience as a nurse, an RN license, and at least two letters of reference.
- Programs: Students have many specialization options, including practice (executive weekend program only), family nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner in emergency care, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, pediatric nurse practitioner, nurse anesthesia, leadership, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, women’s health nurse practitioner, nurse midwifery, or dual women’s health nurse practitioner/ nurse midwifery. Many specializations also offer the opportunity to become certified in HIV care.
- School Site: Rutgers School of Nursing – Doctor of Nursing Practice
5. St. Peter’s University
St. Peter’s University offers nurses several options for furthering their nursing career in both direct care and administrative fields. Graduates of the DNP program at St. Peter’s are ready to create change within healthcare systems, with a deep knowledge of leadership, economics, and best practices in nursing.
- Campus: Jersey City, NJ
- Type: Private
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Tuition: $1,177 per credit, the total number of credits depends on student’s track
- Minimum time commitment: One to five and a half years, depending on full or part-time status
- Online availability: No
- Degree requirements: Applicants must have their MSN, a GPA of at least 3.3, three letters of recommendation, a personal mission statement, and a national certification.
- Programs: Students may choose from several tracks: direct/ clinical, advanced practice, indirect/ non-clinical, or nurse executive/ administrative.
- School Site: Saint Peter’s University – Doctor of Nursing Practice