Doctor of Nursing Practice
Embracing and evolving from the challenges of innovation, education, and leadership forges from a person’s perseverance and the spirit of exploration and reflection to face past, current, and future endeavors in the healthcare industry.
If I had to encapsulate my journey in The Valley Foundation School of Nursing DNP program at San Jose State University in three words, it was genuinely inspiring, transformational, and evolving. I hope my experience can inspire others in their journeys.
-- Janice Yao Valadez, RN, MS, DNP
Our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is a 5-semester post-master's degree program designed to mesh with a full-time professional work schedule.
Quick Jump guide:
- Eligibility and Prerequisites
- Application Deadlines and Proceedures
- Tuition and university fees
- Applicant Resources
- DNP Program Information Page
Eligibility and Prerequisites
Prospective students applying for admission to the DNP program must have the following:
- Active, unrestricted California RN licensure and (if applicable) an advanced practice national certification
- Master's Degree in Nursing Science (MS or MSN). Or, a Master’s Degree in a health-related
field (e.g. Public Health, Health Administration) with additional post-baccalaureate
courses in nursing theories, research methods, trans-cultural nursing, and informatics.
- Master’s degree must be completed/received no later than Aug 1st prior to admission
- GPA of 3.0 or above, in pre-doctoral courses
- Meet requirements of San José State University Graduate Admissions
- Demonstrate sufficient preparation and practice experience as an APN, nurse manager, nurse administrator, executive, educator, or professional nurse.
- A personal written statement of purpose. Must be doubled-spaced and address the following: what you expect to accomplish in the DNP program and how the DNP program will advance your nursing career and practice. You may include your potential area of focus, which should be your primary area of focus for your DNP project.
- U.S citizenship or U.S permanent residency
Application Deadline and Procedures
The DNP program admits students in the Fall semester only. Admitted students will progress through the program as a cohort.
Three Steps to Admission
Tuition: SJSU Bursar's Office
For up-to-date tuition information, visit the Bursar's Office website.
- Select the appropriate Semester (Fall, Spring, or Summer)
- Scroll down to the "Doctoral" section for the DNP (called "Nursing" on the Bursar's site) tuition and fee breakdown
For special cases and details, please reach out to the Bursar's Office team for assistance.
Funding Support
All accepted students are encouraged to explore scholarship and other opportunities for financial support. This list can serve as a tool to help begin a scholarship search; it should not be considered comprehensive - rather, a jumping off point to begin a search.
Applicant Resources
- DNP Information Sessions: online info sessions are held throughout the Fall/Spring semesters. The schedule can be found on the Future Student Advising page.
- Applicants Residing Outside of CA: We are not currently accepting out-of-state applications. This is being actively pursued; please contact the program team at DoctorNursingPractice@SJSU.edu for inquiries.
- Financial Aid
- College of Graduate Studies pre-application advising