DNP Benefits for Simmons Alumni, Students, and Faculty

NURSING@SIMMONS

If you are a Simmons alum, current Simmons MSN student, or Simmons faculty member, you can benefit from a streamlined application process and even save on tuition for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) online program. As a valued member of the Simmons community, you are eligible for an application fee waiver and may gain up to 6 credits toward your DNP. Learn more about these benefits below.

Current MSN Students and Alumni

Application Process

Current MSN Students and Alumni
If you are a current student or alumna/us of the Simmons Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program, you are eligible for a streamlined application process for the online DNP program. Applicants with a 3.0+ GPA qualify for an expedited application process that includes:

  • Reduced application requirements (including fewer letters of recommendation)
  • An application fee waiver
  • Expedited application review

To learn more, please complete this interest form or email the admission team at admissions@onlinenursing.simmons.edu and indicate you are a current Simmons MSN student or alumna/us.

Credit Waivers

MSN students or alumni may earn up to 5 credits toward their DNP program. To qualify, you must have earned a B or better in both NURP 589 and NURP 450. These two MSN courses at Simmons will exempt you from the NURP 670 and NURP 660 DNP courses. Alumni must have completed these courses within the past five years.

Having these two DNP courses waived will reduce the number of required credits from 30 to 25, allowing you to save as much as 16% on your total program tuition. 1

Reduced Clinical Hours

The clinical hours you completed in your MSN will count toward the 1,000 hours required in the DNP program. After successfully completing your MSN and earning acceptance into the DNP program, you will only need to complete 328 clinical hours to meet DNP requirements. As a DNP student, you also have the opportunity to complete clinical hours in your current workplace.

Faculty Members

Application Process

If you are a Simmons faculty member, you are already a skilled contributor to our Simmons community and do not need to complete certain requirements when applying to the DNP program.

As a Simmons faculty member, you:

  • will not have to submit any letters of recommendation.
  • do not have to pay the $50 application fee.
  • will only need to submit a statement of purpose OR a portfolio that demonstrates your doctoral-level writing ability, such as an article published in an academic publication or a master’s thesis. If you plan to include a published article or a master’s thesis in place of the statement of purpose, please let one of our admission counselors know.

Credit Waivers

If you teach either NURP 589 or NURP 450, you may have the opportunity to waive these courses.

To learn more and begin your application process, email the admission team at admissions@onlinenursing.simmons.edu and indicate you are a current Simmons MSN faculty member.

1 Based on 2019 tuition rates. ↑