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Graduate Programs

From its beginning, the Duquesne University School of Nursing has been defined by scholarship, innovation, and student centeredness. These qualities have led us to become a pioneer in graduate nursing education, offering online programs for nurses like you to advance your career. These include the:

Our online graduate programs are designed so that you can complete coursework from anywhere and on your own schedule. Courses are structured so that students share their learning and motivate each other. And our distinguished faculty are easily accessible and ready to help support you in your next level of learning and advancement.

New Program Offerings for Fall 2021

We are now accepting applications for two new post-master's certificates (PMC), which will begin the Fall 2021 semester:

PMC in Adult - Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Adult - Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners provide services, ranging from disease prevention to critical care, to individuals across the adult continuum who are physiologically unstable, technology dependent, and/or highly vulnerable to complications. Through our PMC program, you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to meet the increased demand for quality nurse practitioners who fill the gap in providing specialized care.

PMC in Psychiatric - Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

There is a growing demand for health care professionals who specialize in mental health, and such a specialization allows you to advocate for your patients holistically-addressing body, mind and spirit-to provide a unique blend of care and treatment. Our PMC coursework will advance your knowledge and skill in patient assessment, psychiatric diagnosis, treatment plan development, and medication prescription and management.

Master's Level

If you have earned your BSN and are looking to take the next step in your nursing career, our online Master of Science (MSN) in Nursing program offers the following specializations to help give you the focus to accomplish your goals:

MSN students can also earn concentrations in Nurse Education, Forensic Nursing and Transcultural Nursing.

Post-Master's Level

Online nursing certificate programs offer nurses with an MSN degree an opportunity to acquire specialized skills that may not have been offered in their master's degree program. Our post-master's certificates will prepare you for formal certification by professional organizations and include:

Doctoral Level

The need for doctoral prepared nurses has never been higher. And as it stands, less than 1% of all U.S. nurses hold this in demand credential.

As a doctoral student, you will meet with faculty advisors, attend virtual lectures by visiting professors and participate in seminars during a required on-campus orientation. You will also participate in a study abroad learning opportunity to gain a transcultural nursing perspective. This immersive fieldwork experience will allow you to gain a better understanding of a specific health care system and the cultural influences on that system in the United States or from a global perspective.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Clinical Leadership

Our online Doctor of Nursing (DNP) in Clinical Leadership program has a clinical focus and offers unique study abroad opportunities. With a DNP, you can drive organizational effectiveness, influence health care policy and provide leadership for evidence-based practice in nursing.

DNP in Executive Nurse Leadership and Health Care Management, Post-Bachelor's

If you are ready to fill the need for nurse leaders in today's ever-changing health care environment, then consider earning a Post-Bachelor's to DNP in Executive Nurse Leadership and Health Care Management. This online program, which includes business courses offered by the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, will prepare you for management and administration roles in a variety of health care settings.

DNP in Executive Nurse Leadership and Health Care Management, Post-Master's

Our online Post-Master's to DNP Executive Nurse Leadership and Health Care Management program can help you take your leadership skills and business acumen to the next/executive level. This holistic curriculum, with courses offered both by the School of Nursing and the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, will develop knowledge you can use to improve health care outcomes and transform organizations.

PhD in Nursing

Become a nurse scholar through our intensive, rigorous PhD in Nursing program. Applied research courses in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodologies will prepare you to function as an independent researcher upon graduation. This program can be completed in as little as three years and offers opportunities to study abroad.

PhD in Nursing Ethics

Our PhD in Nursing Ethics program is an interdisciplinary doctorate offered through the School of Nursing and the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts Center for Health Care Ethics. This online program may be completed in four years, with select residency requirements, including a study abroad component.

Preceptor Sites

Certain graduate courses require students to participate in a clinical preceptorship. A clinical preceptorship is a supervised clinical experience which provides the opportunity for students to apply knowledge gained in the theory portion of the graduate program to clinical practice.

As an enrolled student, you will learn the specific details about your preceptorships in your Blackboard course site. Your faculty, clinical coordinator and support team will partner with you to successfully complete your clinical hours.

Some examples of students' preceptor sites include:

  • Family practice offices
  • Internal medicine practices
  • Pediatrician offices
  • OB/GYN outpatient offices
  • Midwifery centers
  • Free community health care clinics
  • Federally qualified healthcare centers
  • Hospital and medical centers (Not applicable to FNP students)
  • County health departments
  • Fertility and reproductive health centers
  • Wellness centers
  • Cancer centers
  • Public schools
  • Convenient Care Clinics/Walk-in Clinics
  • University student health centers
  • Hospice
  • Nursing homes
  • Correctional facilities
  • Police departments (Not applicable to the FNP Students)

Want to become a preceptor? Download more information and apply at duq.edu/nursing-preceptors.