Overview

Unleash your potential with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. You’ve discovered your niche — caring for patients, ensuring health care delivery and improving outcomes. Yet, you strive to make an even greater impact. 

You picture yourself as a leader directly influencing nursing operations in your health care system, or you see yourself advancing patient care delivery through research. If you’ve already earned an MSN, take your career to the next level with the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s (UMKC) online MSN to DNP program designed to be tailored to your goals and current specialization.

UMKC’s School of Nursing and Health Studies continuously looks ahead. We factor in the health care industry’s evolving demands and how nurses like yourself persevere tirelessly on behalf of patients. In turn, we launched the region’s first DNP program. We further pioneered the online format, thinking about nursing professionals’ hectic schedules.

Through course work and interactive experiences, this online MSN to DNP prepares you to deepen your commitment to doctoral-level advanced practice nursing and leadership. Based on the American Association of College Nursing DNP Essentials, this program instructs you in implementing evidence-based practice and theory to provide better health care outcomes and delivery. Throughout, online-certified faculty heavily involved in national professional organizations guide your growth as they emphasize their own clinical experiences in conjunction with leadership skills and social advocacy.

Advance your nursing career with an MSN to DNP

A DNP marks the highest level of nursing practice you can achieve. This distinction shows you’re ready to evolve with the health care industry’s current and future challenges and continually refine patient services and outcomes in the process.

Not every nursing professional has taken the same path, however. You may strive to grow your leadership skills, or aim to transform care as a higher-level nursing professional. Considering these and more objectives, UMKC’s online MSN to DNP presents a choice of three tracks based on prior course work, all involving an individualized plan of study:

• Post-MSN, Advanced Practice to DNP: UMKC developed this track for nurses currently certified in an advanced practice (APRN) position. This scope includes certified nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives interested in expanding their clinical and leadership skills.
• Post-MSN to DNP: You’re considering returning to school to train for a new or second nurse practitioner role while also earning a DNP. This track helps you finish any courses needed to sit for your certification exam. Students may also specialize their knowledge further with a certificate, including as a pediatric nurse practitioner, women’s health nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, adult gerontology nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner or neonatal nurse practitioner.
• Post-MSN, non-APRN to DNP: You’ve already earned a master’s in nursing leadership, nursing informatics, public health, clinical research management or other administrative area and are interested in advancing on your current path. Advanced practice certification is not required but recommended to begin this track.

Whichever track aligns with your drive, UMKC’s program:

• Equips you to lead others in a rapidly changing health care environment
• Blends clinical, organizational, economic, interprofessional and leadership training
• Highlights how advanced theory and evidence-based research affect daily nursing practice
• Trains you to evaluate patient outcomes based on scientific research to elevate service delivery and patient outcomes
• Shows you how to influence organizational and public policy development
• Advances your practice skills and knowledge to improve care outcomes in your specialization

 

Program Structure

The MSN to DNP program supports your success with a 100% online format. You’ll complete courses online, with a blended synchronous or asynchronous structure used. The program requires a minimum of 31 credit hours.

There is an optional two-day, on-campus visit institute session upon your admittance to the program.

UMKC uses a semester-based format for this program. The typical online MSN to DNP student takes one to two courses per semester to finish their degree in two to three years.

Along with all course work and clinical experiences, you will highlight your knowledge with an evidence-based study. Your research must focus on transforming health care systems while touching on all DNP essentials.

Course work includes:

• The relationship between health care policy and advocacy
• How DNPs can become health care industry leaders
• The theoretical and philosophical foundation of nursing science in relation to research and practice
• The relationship between cost, efficiency and effectiveness in health care quality
• Evaluating and incorporating evidence-based research into clinical practice
• Epidemiology principles for assessing health outcomes across multiple populations

Courses

Delivery of this program is blended. You will complete all course work online with a mandatory summer residency at our Kansas City campus. The visit is part of course work that allows you to develop tools for success, peer support, role acquisition and mentoring on project activities with specific courses. For those returning for a new or second NP role and DNP, there are clinical residencies that are scheduled during the semesters you are enrolled in a clinical course. Clinical rotations can be arranged near your physical location.

Successful completion of the program requires 31 credit hours of course work.

Course planner

The chart below shows the courses offered in this program. Courses are 3 credit hours each, unless stated otherwise. The university reserves the right to change or cancel courses as needed.

Pre-requisite course work
NURSE 5550 Theoretical Foundations in Nursing
NURSE 5555 Nursing Research
NURSE 5612 Statistics I

Core course work
NURSE 5528 Healthcare Policy & Advocacy
NURSE 5602 Healthcare Systems & Leadership
NURSE 5608 Theory Development I
NURSE 5611 Healthcare Economics & Quality
NURSE 5613 Application of Evidence-based Practice I
NURSE 5617 Application of Evidence-based Practice II-DNP Clinical
NURSE 5620 Advanced Practice V-DNP Clinical (5 credit hours)
NURSE 5624 Advanced Practice VI-DNP Practicum (5 credit hours)
NURSE 5637 Healthcare Outcomes and Epidemiology

Nondegree-Seeking Enrollment

Prior to acceptance into the program, you may enroll in up to 6 credit hours as a nondegree-seeking (in some cases, post-baccalaureate) student. Enrollment does not guarantee acceptance. Learn more about nondegree-seeking university student admissions.

State Authorization

States require that the University of Missouri-Kansas City be authorized to deliver university-level distance/online education to their residents. Each state handles this process differently.

Please see our state authorization page for more information.

Not authorized

Students residing in some states are not eligible to enroll in this program. See our state authorization page for a full list of states in which this program is not authorized.

Authorized with stipulations

Students residing in some states may be eligible to enroll in this program, but certain stipulations exist. See our state authorization page for a full list of states in which certain stipulations exists for this program.

How to Apply

Fulfill the admission requirements

• MSN from a college or university nationally recognized by a nursing accrediting agency (CCNE or AACN)
• Minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale
• Current unencumbered Missouri licensure or unencumbered licensure in the state in which the student completes clinical requirements
• Minimum grade of B in these prerequisite courses: MSN nursing theory, MSN nursing research and graduate-level statistics. Statistics may be taken during the first semester of DNP courses.
• A personal interview is required.

Required documents

• Transcripts from each institution attended. Upload your official transcripts to the UMKC Office of Admissions ONLY. Please DO NOT submit official transcripts via NursingCAS.
• Three evaluation forms are required from:
  • Immediate supervisor
  • Faculty professor from your MSN program.
  • Professional reference able to assess your professional characteristics (charge nurse, medical doctor, nurse practitioner, unit director)
  • Please note: No reference from co-workers, patients, friends or family members will be accepted.

• Current résumé reflecting all experiences as an RN
• Proof of RN licensure
• Personal Statement of your professional goals (specific to the role/track to which you are applying) and how this program will help you achieve them (required length: one page maximum)
• Complete an interview.

Complete the online application

The application is a two-step process, applicants must:

1. Submit the online UMKC Application and submit official transcripts from each institution attended to the UMKC Office of Admissions ONLY. Please DO NOT submit official transcripts via NursingCAS.

2. Submit program application and materials through NursingCAS to UMKC’s School of Nursing and Health Studies by deadline stated above. Please review the NursingCAS website for the list of programs offered at UMKC’s School of Nursing and Health Studies.

Domestic application fee: $45.00
International application fee: $75.00

Note: If you were ever enrolled at UMKC as a degree-seeking student, you do not need to resubmit the general UMKC application fee.

Application fee waiver questions: Contact the UMKC Office of Admissions with questions via 816-235-8652 or 1-800-775-8652 or admissions@umkc.edu.

Apply to UMKC

Program Contact

Danny Kopitke Senior Student Recruitment Specialist
Online Programs Phone: 816-235-5693 Email: dkopitke@umkc.edu

Tuition and Fees

The tuition estimates do not include any Nursing clinical fees that may apply to the program. Please refer to UMKC Cashiers for further details.

These estimates are for illustrative purposes only and are based on academic year 2024-2025 information. They include:

• School of Nursing and Health Sciences graduate tuition rate of per credit hour for 31 hours
• Simulation lab fee of per credit hour for 31 hours
• Online course fee of per credit hour for 31 hours