Program Admissions

The following are required for admission to the Doctor of Nursing Practice program:
  • Completion of online application
  • Master’s degree in nursing (MSN) from a nationally accredited program with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA
  • A copy of official transcripts for all post-secondary education
  • Two letters of recommendation (One letter must be from a direct supervisor or professional who can address the candidate’s clinical expertise and leadership potential. The second letter can be an additional professional recommendation or a letter from a recent academic instructor who can address the candidate’s strengths as a student.)
  • A copy of the candidate’s unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) and/or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) license in the state where the scholarly practica will be conducted
  • A statement of purpose (1-2 pages) that provides the candidate’s rationale for pursuing the DNP and shows how their interests align with the AACN Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice
  • A resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
  • Evidence of completion of a graduate-level statistics course, a graduate-level research course
  • Documentation of the number of supervised clinical hours completed in the candidate's previous master’s in nursing program
  • Interview

*GRE not required

Note: Colby-Sawyer College is unable to accept students from some states due to post-secondary higher-education requirements. There are also some restrictions for programs that lead to professional licensure due to the various requirements of individual state boards of nursing. The applicant is advised to check their state board of nursing for any restrictions.

For further information on professional nursing licensure at the state level, please use the following contact list (also available on the NC-SARA website).