National University to Offer Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 7, 2012) - National University, the second-largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California and the 12th-largest in the United States, will be launching an online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program in early 2013, the University announced today. The program will begin accepting applicants in September 2012, with the first cohort of 12 students projected to start in February or March of 2013.

The DNP program is designed to provide knowledge to nurses with master's degrees that will allow them to improve the quality and safety of healthcare in America through development of new nursing programs, protocols, systems, and administrative programs.

The program is geared toward nurses who have a greater interest in patient care and related systems than traditional research.

"This DNP program is designed to take students to a higher level of preparation for advanced Nursing Administration and Nursing Informatics practice," said Mary McHugh, PhD, RN, director and chair of National University's Department of Nursing. "We believe this leading edge curriculum will delight graduates and their employers because they will be so well prepared to make advanced contributions to nursing practice."

Graduates of the DNP program will also help fill the gap in the number of doctorally-prepared practitioners who can teach the next generation of nurses. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has recognized the nursing practice doctorate as appropriate for teaching advanced specialty practice.

The DNP degree requires at least 54 quarter units of graduate coursework. Forty-five of those units must be completed through National University's convenient online format. The program culminates in a Capstone Project conducted in practice sites.

For more information on entry requirements and how to apply, please contact Dr. Mary McHugh at mmchugh@nu.edu.

ABOUT NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1971, National University is the second-largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California and the 12^th-largest in the United States. With 22,000 full-time students and 129,000 alumni, National University is the flagship institution of the National University System. National University is dedicated to making lifelong learning opportunities accessible, challenging, and relevant to a diverse population of students. Four schools and one college -- the College of Letters and Sciences; the School of Business and Management; the School of Education; the School of Engineering, Technology and Media; and the School of Health and Human Services -- offer 100 graduate and undergraduate degrees and 22 teacher credentials at more than 45 locations throughout California and across the nation. A leader in online education, National University offers more than 70 degree programs via the Internet. National University is headquartered in La Jolla, California. To learn more, visit www.nu.edu.