21 month DNP Degree | Rasmussen University
Source: http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/nursing/doctor-nursing-practice
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:11
21 month DNP Degree | Rasmussen University
Nursing
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Doctoral Degree
Online Program
Next Start Date
October 05, 2026
Request More Information
Apply Now
21 months
finish in as few as
1
2 specialties
in Executive Leadership and Public Health and Policy
48–63
credits needed to graduate
2
Take Your Nursing Degree to the Highest Level
Want to transform the healthcare world with further nursing education? Take the next step and earn your DNP degree. Online and affordable, our Doctor of Nursing Practice program is designed for those who are called to lead at the highest level of nursing practice.
Our DNP program offers:
Expert faculty with vast community and clinical experience who are invested in your success and your future as a high-caliber thought leader.
Clinical hour flexibility: Build on your prior clinical hours with practicums that help you meet the DNP clinical hour requirement.
24/7 tech support.
Focus on impacting healthcare outcomes through either direct or indirect care with a choice of specializations—
Executive Leadership
or
Public Health and Policy
. Rasmussen University is one of the few institutions to offer a DNP in Public Health and Policy as a combined specialization. Either DNP specialization can help prepare you to drive meaningful change.
Let's Get Started
On this page:
Two Nursing Specializations That Lead the Way
Do you aim for excellence as a nurse leader or want to work for the public good in the policy arena? Each specialization includes a common foundation of shared courses, along with specialization-specific courses. In addition, practicum courses allow you to attain the required post-baccalaureate clinical hours, based on the clinical hours you’ve earned prior to entering the program.
Executive Leadership Specialization
You Bring
A passion for leading at the highest nursing level
Commitment to quality and excellence in nursing practice
The ability to thrive in fast-paced environments
You'll Study
Executive and inter/intra-professional team leadership
Managing through change
Cultural principles in healthcare
Quality and safety across diverse populations and complex health systems
Career Paths
Chief nursing officer
Director of nursing
Nurse administrator
Nurse executive
President/ vice president/ director of patient services
Specialization Courses
Executive Leadership I
Emphasizes transformative leadership through a focus on foundational professional skills. Topics include leadership and professionalism, relationship-building and communication, and business intelligence to thrive as a nursing leader. Practice experience required.
Executive Leadership II
Focuses on leadership strategies for change management, sustainable outcomes, quality and safety, and how to incorporate cultural principles across healthcare delivery. Topics include leadership strategies for change management and sustainable outcomes, high reliability theory for quality and safety, and processes for incorporating cultural principles into healthcare delivery. Practice experience required.
DNP Project
As part of the DNP program, you will complete a culminating project in your area of specialization. The DNP project demonstrates the application of knowledge and skills to address ethical, legal, financial and organizational aspects through implementation of a practice change to improve health outcomes.
Shared Courses
Organizational and Systems Leadership
Focuses on collaborative leadership as an integral aspect of advanced nursing practice to eliminate health disparities and promote patient safety and excellence in practice.
Professional Identity Development
Focuses on professional identity development with emphasis on developing skills needed to function as a resilient, practice-focused scholar in today’s ever-changing healthcare environment. Practice experience required.
Public Health and Policy Specialization
You Bring
Commitment to advocate for change
A genuine interest in health protection
The ability to influence others and negotiate
Project management and analytical skills
You'll Study
Impacts of policy on health at the local, national and global level
Policy design that impacts delivery, financing, regulation, quality, safety and access to healthcare
Leadership and influence in the public health field
Epidemiological principles in public health policy
Use of evidence-based practice to improve healthcare outcomes
Career Paths
Director of public health and policy
Health policy specialist
Government or policy activist
Healthcare leadership roles
Public health expert positions in academia, care facilities, health systems or insurance companies
Specialization Courses
Public Health and Policy I
Develops a comprehensive understanding of the application of epidemiological principles to the delivery of healthcare services and organizations to improve the health of people and their communities. Practice experience required.
Public Health and Policy II
Provides catalyst to comprehend, formulate and disseminate healthcare policy through the development, implementation and evaluation of health policy. Practice experience required.
DNP Project
As part of the DNP program, you will complete a culminating project in your area of specialization. The DNP project demonstrates the application of knowledge and skills to address ethical, legal, financial and organizational aspects through implementation of a practice change to improve health outcomes.
Shared Courses
Population and Global Health
Engages the practice of designing evidence-based programs and services to improve health outcomes through the use of epidemiological concepts, health promotion and disease prevention strategies and determinants of health.
Essentials of Healthcare Policy
Examines the importance and interdependence of policy and healthcare with focus on analysis of healthcare issues and policy making, policy process and impacts of globalization to enhance ability to advocate the nursing profession's influence on healthcare policies.
11-14 Courses to Complete // 48-63 Credit Hours
View Full Course Listing
Built for Working Nurses
Our program is designed for busy nurses, so you can continue to work while you earn your degree. We offer a DNP online curriculum, complemented by local practice experiences that are convenient and relate to your community and interests.
Support at Every Turn
Your DNP support team helps you move through each step of the program, and includes a dedicated academic advisor, graduate program faculty and mentors. You'll also have access to 24/7 robust research and writing resources and tech support.
Stand Out in the Crowd
Professional identity development is built into the DNP degree curriculum, with a focus on becoming a resilient, practice-focused scholar in today’s changing healthcare environment.
Take the Next Step—Talk to Us!
Completion time is dependent on the number of courses completed each term.
Credits needed to graduate depend on practicum clinical hours needed to reach required minimum.
Estimated total tuition and fees with no transfer of credit.
The Military Grant may not be combined with other grants or scholarships offered by Rasmussen University.
Nursing
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Doctoral Degree
Online Program
Next Start Date
October 05, 2026
Request More Information
Apply Now
21 months
finish in as few as
1
2 specialties
in Executive Leadership and Public Health and Policy
48–63
credits needed to graduate
2
Take Your Nursing Degree to the Highest Level
Want to transform the healthcare world with further nursing education? Take the next step and earn your DNP degree. Online and affordable, our Doctor of Nursing Practice program is designed for those who are called to lead at the highest level of nursing practice.
Our DNP program offers:
Expert faculty with vast community and clinical experience who are invested in your success and your future as a high-caliber thought leader.
Clinical hour flexibility: Build on your prior clinical hours with practicums that help you meet the DNP clinical hour requirement.
24/7 tech support.
Focus on impacting healthcare outcomes through either direct or indirect care with a choice of specializations—
Executive Leadership
or
Public Health and Policy
. Rasmussen University is one of the few institutions to offer a DNP in Public Health and Policy as a combined specialization. Either DNP specialization can help prepare you to drive meaningful change.
Let's Get Started
On this page:
Two Nursing Specializations That Lead the Way
Do you aim for excellence as a nurse leader or want to work for the public good in the policy arena? Each specialization includes a common foundation of shared courses, along with specialization-specific courses. In addition, practicum courses allow you to attain the required post-baccalaureate clinical hours, based on the clinical hours you’ve earned prior to entering the program.
Executive Leadership Specialization
You Bring
A passion for leading at the highest nursing level
Commitment to quality and excellence in nursing practice
The ability to thrive in fast-paced environments
You'll Study
Executive and inter/intra-professional team leadership
Managing through change
Cultural principles in healthcare
Quality and safety across diverse populations and complex health systems
Career Paths
Chief nursing officer
Director of nursing
Nurse administrator
Nurse executive
President/ vice president/ director of patient services
Specialization Courses
Executive Leadership I
Emphasizes transformative leadership through a focus on foundational professional skills. Topics include leadership and professionalism, relationship-building and communication, and business intelligence to thrive as a nursing leader. Practice experience required.
Executive Leadership II
Focuses on leadership strategies for change management, sustainable outcomes, quality and safety, and how to incorporate cultural principles across healthcare delivery. Topics include leadership strategies for change management and sustainable outcomes, high reliability theory for quality and safety, and processes for incorporating cultural principles into healthcare delivery. Practice experience required.
DNP Project
As part of the DNP program, you will complete a culminating project in your area of specialization. The DNP project demonstrates the application of knowledge and skills to address ethical, legal, financial and organizational aspects through implementation of a practice change to improve health outcomes.
Shared Courses
Organizational and Systems Leadership
Focuses on collaborative leadership as an integral aspect of advanced nursing practice to eliminate health disparities and promote patient safety and excellence in practice.
Professional Identity Development
Focuses on professional identity development with emphasis on developing skills needed to function as a resilient, practice-focused scholar in today’s ever-changing healthcare environment. Practice experience required.
Public Health and Policy Specialization
You Bring
Commitment to advocate for change
A genuine interest in health protection
The ability to influence others and negotiate
Project management and analytical skills
You'll Study
Impacts of policy on health at the local, national and global level
Policy design that impacts delivery, financing, regulation, quality, safety and access to healthcare
Leadership and influence in the public health field
Epidemiological principles in public health policy
Use of evidence-based practice to improve healthcare outcomes
Career Paths
Director of public health and policy
Health policy specialist
Government or policy activist
Healthcare leadership roles
Public health expert positions in academia, care facilities, health systems or insurance companies
Specialization Courses
Public Health and Policy I
Develops a comprehensive understanding of the application of epidemiological principles to the delivery of healthcare services and organizations to improve the health of people and their communities. Practice experience required.
Public Health and Policy II
Provides catalyst to comprehend, formulate and disseminate healthcare policy through the development, implementation and evaluation of health policy. Practice experience required.
DNP Project
As part of the DNP program, you will complete a culminating project in your area of specialization. The DNP project demonstrates the application of knowledge and skills to address ethical, legal, financial and organizational aspects through implementation of a practice change to improve health outcomes.
Shared Courses
Population and Global Health
Engages the practice of designing evidence-based programs and services to improve health outcomes through the use of epidemiological concepts, health promotion and disease prevention strategies and determinants of health.
Essentials of Healthcare Policy
Examines the importance and interdependence of policy and healthcare with focus on analysis of healthcare issues and policy making, policy process and impacts of globalization to enhance ability to advocate the nursing profession's influence on healthcare policies.
11-14 Courses to Complete // 48-63 Credit Hours
View Full Course Listing
Built for Working Nurses
Our program is designed for busy nurses, so you can continue to work while you earn your degree. We offer a DNP online curriculum, complemented by local practice experiences that are convenient and relate to your community and interests.
Support at Every Turn
Your DNP support team helps you move through each step of the program, and includes a dedicated academic advisor, graduate program faculty and mentors. You'll also have access to 24/7 robust research and writing resources and tech support.
Stand Out in the Crowd
Professional identity development is built into the DNP degree curriculum, with a focus on becoming a resilient, practice-focused scholar in today’s changing healthcare environment.
Take the Next Step—Talk to Us!
Completion time is dependent on the number of courses completed each term.
Credits needed to graduate depend on practicum clinical hours needed to reach required minimum.
Estimated total tuition and fees with no transfer of credit.
The Military Grant may not be combined with other grants or scholarships offered by Rasmussen University.