Duke University Online Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs (2024)

The Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) offers an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN to DNP), and Post-Master’s Certificate with eight nurse practitioner specializations:

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)
• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP)
• Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (PNP-AC)
• Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PNP-PC)
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
• Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)

The MSN and certificate programs typically require three campus visits while the BSN to DNP requires eight visits. Students also complete preceptorships at approved facilities local to them. Courses are delivered asynchronously for maximum flexibility.

In addition to an NP specialization, students may add another specialty from the following list:

• Cardiology
• Endocrinology
• HIV/AIDS
• Oncology
• Orthopedics
• Palliative Care
• Pediatric Behavioral and Mental Health
• Veterans Health Care

Through engaging online learning, campus intensives in the state-of-the-art simulation lab, and local clinical preceptorships, DUSON seeks to prepare nurses to serve in a variety of settings, which may include: urgent care facilities, emergency departments, hospitals, critical and acute care departments, surgical settings, intensive care units, primary care clinics, research facilities, government facilities, schools, rehabilitation centers, mental health facilities, long-term/nursing home facilities, and home health care situations.

Program graduates are eligible to take the nurse practitioner certification exams for their area of specialization. Duke University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina.

What to Expect from the Duke University Online NP Programs

Admission Requirements: All applicants must hold a current, unencumbered RN license for their state. Required application materials include official transcripts; three professional recommendations, a personal statement, a resume or CV, a copy of the RN license, and proof of English language proficiency if English is not the applicant’s first language. GRE test scores are not required but may be submitted at the student’s discretion.

The School of Nursing recommends that students have at least one year of professional work experience before applying for any of the programs. Neonatal nurse practitioner applicants must have two years of clinical work experience before beginning practic*ms. Pediatric Acute Care NP applicants are required to have at least one year of acute care pediatric work experience and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP applicants are required to have at least one year of acute care nursing experience.

• Specific Program Requirements:
• MSN: Students must hold a BSN from an ACEN or CCNE-accredited program with preference given to applicants with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Post-Master’s Certificate: Students must hold an MSN from an ACEN or CCNE-accredited program or have a master’s degree in a different discipline that is accepted by the faculty.
• BSN to DNP: Students must hold a BSN from an ACEN or CCNE-accredited program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher; undergraduate statistics course; a telephone or in-person interview may be required.

State Restrictions: Duke University accepts students from most states, however, applicants outside of North Carolina should check with the College of Nursing and Health Professions to confirm eligibility. Duke University cannot admit students from the following states at this time: Alabama, Louisiana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. In addition, residents of New York may be admitted, however, they may not complete clinical practic*ms in the state of New York. Prospective students should contact the licensing board of their specific state of residence to determine if the program meets state requirements for NP licensure.

Study Plan: The online NP programs are offered both part-time and full-time and begin in the Fall and Spring. Certain classes are only offered in Spring, Summer, or Fall, as designated by the university. The MSN can be completed in three years. A gap analysis will be completed for the Post-Master’s Certificates, therefore time to completion will vary, however, the expected duration is two years. The BSN to DNP with NP specialization may be completed in about four years. Students come to campus for a varied number of visits depending on their program and complete practic*ms at approved locations near the student.

MSN Curriculum: Courses for all specializations include Nurse as Scholar I: Science Development, Study Design and Statistics; Nurse as Scholar II: Evidence-Based Practice; Population Health in a Global Society; Professional Transitions: Advanced Nursing Practice; Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan: A Conceptual Approach; Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning in Advanced Practice Nursing; and Clinical Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nursing.

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP): This program comprises 48 credits plus 728 clinical hours. Specialty courses include Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Adolescents and Adult Patients; Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Adolescents, Adults and Older Adult Patients I: Clinical; Advanced Practice Nursing Care in Older Adult Patients; Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients I-II; Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients I-II: Clinical; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Acutely Ill Adult-Gerontology Patients Synthesis.
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP): This program requires the completion of 42 credits and 560 clinical hours. Specialty courses include Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Adolescents and Adult Patients; Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Adolescents, Adults and Older Adult Patients I-II: Clinical; Advanced Practice Nursing Care in Older Adult Patients; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Patients Synthesis.
• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP): This program requires the completion of 49 credits and 728 clinical hours. Specialty courses include Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Adolescents and Adult Patients; Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Adolescents, Adults and Older Adult Patients I-II: Clinical; Advanced Practice Nursing Care in Older Adult Patients; Advanced Practice Nursing: Pediatric Primary Care Essentials; Advanced Practice Nursing: Pediatric Primary Care Essentials: Clinical; Advanced Practice Nursing in Perinatal Care Patients; Advanced Practice Nursing in Perinatal Care Patients: Clinical; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Family Practice Patients Synthesis.
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP): This program comprises 43 credits plus 616 clinical hours. Specialty courses include Embryology, Pathophysiology and Development of Neonates, Infants and Toddlers; Advanced Practice Nursing in Neonatal Patients I-II; Advanced Practice Nursing in Neonatal Patients I-II: Clinical; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Neonatal Patients Synthesis (includes Advanced Practice Skills workshop).
• Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (PNP-AC): This program requires the completion of 43 credits and 616 clinical hours. Specialty courses include Advanced Practice Nursing: Pediatric Primary Care Essentials; Advanced Practice Nursing: Pediatric Primary Care Essentials: Clinical; Advanced Practice Nursing in Acute Care Pediatric Patients I-II; Advanced Practice Nursing in Acute Care Pediatric Patients I-II: Clinical; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Pediatric Acute Care Patients Synthesis (includes Advanced Practice Skills workshop).
• Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PNP-PC): This program comprises 43 credits plus 616 clinical hours. Specialty courses include Infant, Child, and Adolescent Advanced Development and Behavioral Health; Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Pediatric Patients I-II; Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Pediatric Patients I-II: Clinical; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Pediatric Primary Care Patients Synthesis (includes Advanced Practice Skills workshop).
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP): This program requires the completion of 49 credits and 616 clinical hours. Specialty courses include Foundations and Psychiatric Assessment Across the Lifespan; Foundations and Psychiatric Assessment Across the Lifespan: Clinical; Neurophysiology; Psychopharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse; Diagnosis and Evidence-Based Treatment of Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan; Diagnosis and Evidence-Based Treatment of Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan: Clinical; Assessment and Management of Addictive Disorders for the APRN; Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Synthesis Lifespan and Continuum of Care Clinical I-II; and an elective.
• Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner (WHNP): This program requires the completion of 45 credits and 672 clinical hours. Specialty courses include Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Adolescents and Adult Patients; Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Adolescents, Adults and Older Adult Patients I: Clinical; Advanced Practice Nursing in Perinatal Care Patients; Advanced Practice Nursing in Perinatal Care Patients: Clinical; Gender and Women’s Health; Advanced Practice Nursing in Women’s Health Across the Lifespan; Advanced Practice Nursing in Women’s Health Across the Lifespan: Clinical; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Women’s Health Synthesis.

Students in the MSN NP program may also choose to add one of the following specialties to their degree:

• Cardiology Specialty: This specialty requires the completion of 8 credits through the following courses: Advanced Practice Nursing: Cardiovascular Specialty I-II; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Adult-Gerontology Cardiovascular Synthesis.
• Endocrinology Specialty: This specialty requires completion of 8 credits through the following courses: Advanced Practice Nursing: Endocrinology Specialty I (Diabetes); Advanced Practice Nursing: Endocrinology Specialty II; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Endocrinology Specialty Synthesis.
• HIV Specialty: This specialty requires completion of 8 credits through the following courses: Epidemiology and Pathogenesis of HIV/AIDS; Pharmacologic Aspects of HIV/AIDS; Psychosocial, Political, Legal and Ethical Aspects of HIV/AIDS; Clinical Care and Treatment Issues in HIV/AIDS; and Clinical Care and Treatment Issues in HIV/AIDS: Clinical.
• Oncology Specialty: This specialty requires completion of 8 credits through the following courses: Advanced Practice Nursing: Oncology Specialty I-II; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Oncology Specialty Synthesis.
• Orthopedics Specialty: This specialty requires completion of 8 credits through the following courses: Advanced Practice Nursing: Musculoskeletal Specialty I-II; and Advanced Practice Nursing: Musculoskeletal Specialty Synthesis.
• Palliative Care Specialty: This specialty requires completion of 8 credits through the following courses: Foundations and Physical Aspects of Palliative Care Across the Lifespan; Psychosocial Aspects of Palliative Care Across the Lifespan; and Advanced Practice Nursing in Palliative Care Across the Lifespan Synthesis.
• Pediatric Behavioral and Mental Health Specialty: This specialty requires the completion of 8 credits through the following courses: Pediatric Behavioral and Mental Health Assessment and Management I-II; and Pediatric Behavioral and Mental Health Assessment and Management: Clinical.
• Veterans Health Care Concentration: This specialty is open to AGPCNP nursing students who will spend approximately 50% of their clinical practicum hours at locations within the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum: A gap analysis will be performed to determine the exact number of credits required for each nursing student accepted into the program. Students must meet the clinical practicum hour requirements for their specialty.

BSN to DNP Curriculum: The BSN to DNP requires the completion of 77 to 84 credits and 1,000 to 1,128 clinical hours depending on the NP specialization chosen. Students complete the MSN portion of their degree first, including campus visit requirements, and then move into the DNP portion. The DNP requires one 2-day orientation visit and four 2-5-day executive intensives in October, February, June, and the next October.

DNP courses include Evidence-Based Practice I: Locating and Appraising; Quantitative Analysis for Evaluating Health Care Practices; Scholarly Writing; Application of Finance and Budget Planning; Evidence-Based Practice II: Implementation And Evaluation; DNP Scholarly Project I-IV; Data-Driven Healthcare Improvement; Effective Leadership Transforming the Nation’s Health; and Health Systems Transformation. The Scholarly Project is completed over four semesters and requires at least 400 hours of work. Students typically spend at least 500 hours on their projects and keep track of hours for credit.

Online Experience: Online NP courses through DUSON are delivered asynchronously with required campus intensives throughout the program. A variety of methods are used to promote engaging online learning, including recorded lectures, discussion boards, online chat, email interaction, assignments, and assessments. Online students have access to admissions services, student services, academic advising, compliance services, data management services, and registration services. In addition, students have access to the online library, bookstore, career counseling, faculty office hours, and technical support.

On-Site Requirements: MSN and certificate students come to the Durham, North Carolina campus for three Nurse Practitioner Intensives (NPIs). Each visit typically lasts for 2-3 days. These visits give students the opportunity to interact face-to-face with peers and faculty, complete simulation experiences, and conduct hands-on activities.

Students in the BSN to DNP program come to campus for an initial 2-day orientation, four executive intensives of 2-3 days each in October, February, June, and the next October, and the three visits required for NPIs. Therefore BSN to DNP students come to campus eight times.