DNP-FNP Frequently Asked Questions
General
Q: What degree will I earn?
A: Doctor of Nursing Practice — Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP-FNP)
Q: What is the length of each program?
A: 36 months or 12 quarters of year-round experiences, including three summers
Q: When does the program begin?
A: Admitted students must participate in a mandatory orientation experience in June, prior to program start.
Applicant eligibility
Q: I want to be a family nurse practitioner but I am not a registered nurse. Can I attend the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis?
A: Prospective students first need to be a registered nurse (R.N.) before applying to the family nurse practitioner program. One option for students is to complete the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing. Graduates are eligible to apply to the family nurse practitioner program upon licensure. Applicants are all treated equally — no preference is made for alumni of UC Davis or the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis.
Q: May I apply to the DNP-FNP program with a Bachelor of Arts even if my major is non-health related?
A: Yes, the School of Nursing reviews all qualified applicants who earned a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, as long as they satisfy admission requirements, including R.N. licensure. No preference is made for applicants' undergraduate majors. Applicants are welcome to pursue any field that interests them.
Q: Do I need to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to apply to these programs?
A: No standardized tests are required.
Q: May I apply to the physician assistant and family nurse practitioner programs simultaneously?
A: No, applicants are only eligible to submit applications for one program.
Application information
Q: How many essays do I need to complete and submit in my application?
A: Applicants must complete three essays: 1) Statement of purpose and 2) Personal history and diversity statement (maximum 4,000 characters), and 3) Future interests or goals (maximum 3,000 characters). Please thoroughly review the DNP-FNP How to Apply document which provides guidance and specific details for responding to essays.
Q: For a strong application, how many letters of recommendation are required and from whom? Can letters of recommendation be sent directly to the school?
A: The school requires three letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation for the DNP-FNP program should describe the applicant’s strengths and potential, as well as major weaknesses, for completing the DNP-FNP program and moving forward with a successful career as a doctorally prepared family nurse practitioner. They should include professors, employers, supervisors or advanced practice providers who can speak to academic or clinical performance and be current, within the last two years. Letters are only able to be submitted through the UC Davis online recommendation system. As part of the application, you will be asked to list the recommenders' name and contact information. Upon entry, recommenders will receive an e-mail with instructions for submitting.
GPA
Q: What is the minimum GPA requirement?
A: A minimum 3.0 bachelor‘s-degree GPA and minimum 3.0 prerequisite science GPA is required for admission. We cannot guarantee review of applicants that do not meet this minimum requirement.
Q: Can I retake classes to improve my bachelor’s GPA?
A: Applicants’ overall bachelor’s-degree GPAs are final upon graduation. Taking additional courses or repeating courses after earning a bachelor’s degree does not change an applicant’s bachelor’s degree GPA.
Q: Can I retake classes to improve my prerequisite science GPA?
A: Yes. For prerequisite science courses, the highest grade is used to calculate an applicant’s science prerequisite GPA. Initial and repeated grades are not averaged.
Q: How are repeated courses calculated into my GPA?
A: If the course was repeated at the degree-granting institution prior to graduation, the overall GPA calculation is determined by the school’s grade forgiveness policy.
Q: Which courses are used to calculate the prerequisite science GPA?
A: Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Organic or Biochemistry and Microbiology or Bacteriology, with their associated labs, are used to calculate the prerequisite science GPA.
Prerequisite requirements
Q: What are the requirements to complete human anatomy and human physiology?
A: One course in human anatomy and one course in human physiology both with labs
OR
A combined human anatomy and human physiology series with labs completed over two quarters or two semesters:
- Only human anatomy and physiology are accepted. Animal, mammalian or vertebrate anatomy or physiology are not accepted.
- All courses must be completed in full prior to application submission.
- It is desired that these courses are completed within the past five years of when you plan to apply.
Q: I completed human anatomy and human physiology over five years ago. Am I still eligible to apply to the DNP-FNP program?
A: Yes, however it is preferred and strongly recommended that the human anatomy and human physiology prerequisite courses are completed within the past five years of when you plan to apply.
Q: Are prerequisites completed at community colleges or online looked at poorly or less competitive in comparison to those completed in-person at a university?
A: No. The School of Nursing reviews all applications equally, regardless of whether the course was completed in person, online, at a community college or at a university. Labs may also be completed online.
Q: Can prerequisites be waived?
A: If an applicant has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree or Entry-Level Master’s Prelicensure Nursing Degree from an accredited university (such as the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing), all pre-requisite courses may be waived.
Q: What is the minimum grade accepted for prerequisite course work?
A: All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. Advanced Placement (AP) scores awarded in high school do not fulfill prerequisites.
Time commitment and class schedule
Q: When are classes offered?
A: This program is fast-paced and thus academically challenging, inspiring and rewarding. In the hybrid program format, the courses are primarily asynchronous to allow the greatest flexibility for working nurses with varied schedules. Synchronous sessions are scheduled and are offered at a consistent time each week. In years two and three, students will incorporate assigned clinical rotations and, in year three, scholarly project practicum. There are four mandatory on-site immersions in Sacramento in the three-year program.