M.S. Nursing and DNP Dual Degree
Earn your master's and doctorate in one program.
The increasing complexity of patient care, the volume of knowledge available today and the very important need for the profession of nursing to help guide the future of health care policy and practice means that it’s critical for nurses to advance beyond the master’s level. This is an important time for health care policy in this country, and an important time for the profession of nursing.
Your DNP will prepare you to elevate nursing to the next level and make a meaningful and positive impact. Be at the forefront of emerging roles and complete population focused applied research with your selected patient population as part of the DNP program. Graduates are awarded both the Master of Science (MS) in Nursing and the DNP upon successful completion of all requirements.
Program Format
On-campus classes
Credits for Completion
74-79 credit hours
Cost of Tuition
Master's courses: $910/credit hour
Doctorate courses: $960/credit hour
Students are required to take core nursing courses at both the master's and doctorate level. Master's level courses are taught through classroom instruction, and the final years of the program include online DNP courses with no campus visits, allowing you to work as a nurse practitioner while you earn your DNP. Clinical hours (625 total hours for MS portion, with 1000 total hours) are completed throughout the program.
Students who choose to specialize as a family nurse practitioner (FNP) focus on providing primary care nursing across the lifespan, looking holistically at the physical, emotional, social and spiritual side of care. Regis offers two pathways for the FNP, a traditional program and one focused on rural and underserved communities. Preparation for national certification is incorporated into the curriculum, with Regis FNP graduates having one of the highest pass rates in the U.S.
The NNP specialization combines advanced knowledge in nursing theory, health care policy, ethics and leadership related to the role of the advanced practice nurse with intensive courses reflecting the unique learning needs of the NNP - including clinical management of the high-risk newborn as well as diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Graduates are prepared and eligible to take the National Certification Corporation (NCC) examination.
Get all the details on our Post-BSN to DNP program, including course requirements and application materials.
The DNP with the Advanced Leadership in Health Care (ALHC) specialization is for those with a background in nursing leadership. By becoming a leader in our nursing community, you’ll go on to help improve the practice of nursing and patient outcomes, while strengthening health care delivery overall.
The DNP with the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) specialization is for those with a background as an advanced practice nurse. A DNP degree will increase your level of clinical education and help strengthen your leadership abilities.
As one of the top nursing schools in Colorado, the Loretto Heights School of Nursing has been training generations of nursing professionals since 1948. Our graduates are recognized for their knowledge, competence, compassion, ethics and leadership abilities, as well as their commitment to social justice and community service.
The Loretto Heights School of Nursing (LHSON) at Regis University in Denver, Colorado is fully accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (AACN-CCNE).
How to Apply
To apply directly to the Post-BSN to DNP program, you will need:
Eligibility:
Tuition and Fees
Program tuition: $960 per credit hour for doctorate courses, $910 per credit hour for master's courses
Total program credits: 74-79 credit hours
Addtional fees may include background check and drug screen costs, application fees and clinical fees, among others. Credit hours required for program completion are calculated based on the number of clinical hours completed during your master's program.
Regis offers a variety of scholarships, grants and other programs to help you pay for school. Visit Financial Aid for more information.
The four to five year program includes completion of a Master of Science in Nursing degree (FNP or NNP) after two years, and DNP after completion of all final two to three years. The DNP portion of the program can be completed in either a two year, or three year option depending on each students preferred pace. Students may opt to complete only the MS portion, but are encouraged to complete the full program.
The Post-BSN to DNP program does allow students the opportunity to maintain employment. However, students may need to decrease hours in order to meet the clinical demands during the program.
We recommend that applicants have a minimum of two years of professional experience, although all BSN prepared nurses are eligible to apply. For those interested in the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) option, it is required that you have 2 years of Level III NICU experience.
You are eligible to apply, but admitted students must have a completed statistics course prior to taking NR 602 in the program. Regis University offers several statistics courses, and offers one specific to healthcare professionals (MT 274 Statistics for Health Professionals). We allow students to enroll in these courses as a non-degree seeking student. Additionally the course can be taken at any regionally accredited college or University including community colleges. For those in the Colorado area looking at the community college offerings, MAT 135 Introduction to Statistics will fulfill this requirement.
The Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice Dual Degree is offered by the historic Loretto Heights School of Nursing within the Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions.