Admission Requirements and Contact Information
The
priority deadline for the DNP program will be 11:59pm on January 15
th. The second deadline is May 1
st
Contact Information
Student and Academic Services Office, School of Nursing
Program Website
+1 206-543-8736
asknursing@uw.edu
Requirements and Prerequisites
It is highly recommended that Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care track applicants have recent direct patient care experience of at least one year as a registered nurse in acute, critical, emergency, or similar care setting.
It is highly recommended that Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track applicants have recent direct patient care experience of at least one year as a registered nurse in psychiatric and mental health, behavioral health, or similar care setting.
An in-process or earned bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing from a nursing program that is accredited by a national accrediting body, recognized by the US Department of Education (e.g., CCNE, NLN, ACEN). A nursing degree must be completed prior to beginning your program of study.
A minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0, or a 3.0 GPA for the last 60 semester/90 quarter graded college/university credits.
Completion of a graded, for-credit basic course in descriptive and inferential statistics (three credits/one quarter) with a GPA of 2.0 or higher within five years of the program start:
If you hold an ARNP license, that must also be active and unrestricted in Washington state
International applicants must have an active, unrestricted U.S. RN license at the time of application; if you hold an ARNP license, that must also be an active, unrestricted U.S. license
Additional InstructionsLetters of Recommendation
Designate your recommenders online. They will receive an email requesting that they complete an online form. If your recommenders do not use email, contact the UW School of Nursing as soon as possible: 206.543.8736, asknursing@uw.edu.
You must have three letters of recommendation:
One academic, from a nursing class instructor or professor, clinical instructor or preceptor (if you have been out of school for a long time, consider choosing an academic recommender who is a professional in their work environment, understands the rigors of an academic nursing graduate program, and can recommend the applicant's potential to succeed in one)
One clinical, from a current clinical supervisor at your work, clinical instructor, or clinical preceptor who supervised you during your hands-on healthcare experience, and either practices in the role you seek (e.g., clinical nurse specialist, nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, population health nurse) or works with those in the role sought (RN, PA, MD/DO), and has knowledge regarding role performance requirements
One academic, clinical, or community recommendation
Guidelines
Recommendations should be current, have had contact with you during the last five years, and be able to speak to your ability to complete doctoral-level education.
Additional letters of recommendation will not be considered.
At least one letter of recommendation should be written by someone who has supervised you during your hands-on healthcare experience. Their letter should specifically speak to your ability to function in your chosen role (e.g., NP, CNS, NM, etc.). Ideally, this person would be an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (ARNP). If they are not an ARNP, they could also be an RN with exposure to the advanced practice role, a Physician Assistant, or Medical Doctor.
Family members or friends are NOT eligible to write letters of recommendation.
You will want to brief your recommenders ahead of time to discuss the questions they will respond to. Your references will be sent an email asking them to address the following:
How long have you known this applicant and in what capacity?
In making this evaluation, what group are you using as a basis for comparison? (Recommenders are sometimes unclear on the meaning of this. Suggestions you might share with your recommenders are: "other nurses you know who have gone on to graduate school" or "all undergraduate students I have taught" or "other nurses on your unit", etc.)
Admission to graduate study in Nursing – Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Washington is (select one of the following):
Next, each recommender will be asked to rate you on the following criteria, ranging from "Below Average (lower 50%)" up to "Truly Exceptional":
Overall academic ability, including analytical skills and conceptual thinking ability
Practice inquiry ability or potential
Oral and written communication skills
Clinical nursing competence
Leadership ability or potential
Creativity or innovative ability
Self-reflection ability and self-critique accuracy
Acceptance and use of constructive feedback
Integrity and trustworthiness
Finally, your recommender will respond to the following:
If desired, elaborate on any of your criteria ratings above
Describe the applicant's experience working with diverse groups, underserved populations, and their ability to respect individual differences
Describe what you view as the applicant's attributes that demonstrate their potential for contributing to nursing and health care through the role that this applicant is seeking (e.g., clinical nurse specialist, nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, population health nurse)
Describe what you view as this applicant's major strengths for completing the DNP program
Describe any concerns or reservations you have about this applicant's ability to complete the program or to perform in the role they are seeking
Non-Native English Speaker InformationGraduate School requirement: English language proficiency (ELP) is required for graduate study at the University of Washington. Therefore, every applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency as outlined in
Graduate School Policy 3.2.
Program requirement: All non-native speakers of English, regardless of citizenship, must show proof of English language proficiency as established by the UW School of Nursing and the UW Graduate School.
In addition to submitting official test scores per Graduate School Policy 3.2, applicants can meet the English proficiency requirements if they:
have received a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or an institution in an approved country, OR
can provide official documentation from the institution verifying the applicant's undergraduate degree is from an institution where all instruction was in English
We require minimum English test scores to ensure a student's success during clinical placements.
For information about required minimum English test scores, visit the International Applicants page of the DNP track you are applying to.
If you do not have a minimum test score in each category, you cannot apply to the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
Self-report your scores in your online application and request to send official English proficiency scores to the University of Washington (UW Institution Code: 4854).
International Student Information
Applicants who will need a visa should reference the
International Applicant Information page. If admitted to the program, international students requesting an F1 or J1 visa will be required to provide
financial ability documentation to the UW Graduate School.
Financial support is not available for international applicants.
If you attended a college or university outside of the U.S., upload a transcript translated into English to your application.
You must also submit a detailed credential/transcript evaluation for each non-U.S. post-secondary institution attended, which shows both U.S. credential equivalency and equivalent credits and grades for each course. For instructions, visit the International Applicants page of the DNP track you are applying to.