Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Next Level: Your Nursing Doctorate

The Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing created the first practice doctorate in nursing in 1979. Since 2004, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) has been recognized by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing as the highest level of preparation for Clinical Nursing. Nursing doctorate graduates apply their education and expertise in leadership roles on the front lines of nursing, in clinical practice, administration, teaching, systematic improvement, and health policy design and development.

At Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, students in the DNP program have a unique opportunity to network with colleagues from around the country as they share ideas and experiences.

Interested in a Research Doctorate? Find out the difference here.


Program Highlights

  • As the innovator of the original doctorate in nursing practice, Case Western Reserve's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing is the foremost leader in DNP education
  • Our program is flexible in meeting the needs of distance education students, with an innovative executive format and cohort program that has partnerships with academic institutions and hospitals around the country
  • Our intensive course format allows DNP students to work full-time while they go to school. 
  • DNP students choose one of three elective sequences that expand the focus of their leadership: practice leadership, educational leadership and executive leadership.