Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Deepen your expertise and expand your career.

Next Start

Fall 2025

Clinical Placement

Coordinated for you by our dedicated, full-time placement coordinator

Executive Format

Online courses with on-campus learning 1-2 times per semester

Academic Support

Individualized guidance and program plans

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program is designed for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice. It is the only program of its type in West Michigan.

Courses are delivered in a primarily online with specialty practicums occurring in health care settings. Nurse Practitioner students are on campus 1-2 times per semester in our state-of-the-art Interprofessional Simulation Center (second and third year). You will have access to a dedicated full-time placement coordinator who manages all of your clinical placements and academic advisors who create tailored program plans for each student. Full-time and part-time academic plans are available.

DNP coursework is designed around the national agenda to transform American health care through interprofessional collaboration, health care policy advocacy, patient-centered care, quality/safety initiatives, and the use of informatics. We offer multiple emphasis areas:

Advanced Nursing Practice

Why Choose Grand Valley's Kirkhof College of Nursing?

Earn your degree from GVSU wherever YOU are. Our online curriculum conveniently fits in your busy schedule and we now offer degrees for students living outside of Michigan including:

Florida
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Maine
Massachusetts
North Carolina
Ohio
Vermont
Virginia

Attend an Information Session

Fall 2025 Cohort

The next application for the Fall 2025 cohort will officially open on January 13, 2025 with a preferred deadline of May 1. Applications will be considered after May 1, if seats remain available.

Do you have questions about the program or the application process? Contact Mike Stoll, Graduate Student Advisor at [email protected]

APPLY NOW

Let's talk about your academic goals today!

Contact the Office of Student Services to schedule an appointment with an academic advisor:
[email protected]
(616) 331-7160

Related Programs

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Financial Aid

GVSU is a great place for students to invest in their futures. The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships can help you maximize your investment by working with you to determine how to most effectively meet your unique needs.

HRSA ANEW Grant funding opportunity

Grand Valley State University has partnered with McLaren Health Care and Trinity Health Muskegon to transform the delivery of and access to primary, mental health, and substance use disorder care services in rural and underserved communities for nurses from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented minorities. This program provides financial support for qualified students from McLaren Health Care and Trinity Health Muskegon/Grand Rapids who gain admission into the GVSU Kirkhof College of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice program. To learn more about the HRSA ANEW opportunity and determine your eligibility, click here now!

The Kirkhof College of Nursing’s Master of Science in Nursing degree, Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate programs prepare registered nurses to take the national certification exam in their area of specialty (clinical nurse leader, primary care adult/gerontology nurse practitioner, primary care pediatric nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, or nurse executive). Graduates seeking to practice in a state other than Michigan must meet the requirements of that state. For more information regarding state licensure/certification requirements, please visit the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website at https://www.ncsbn.org/

Page last modified April 11, 2025

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