Nurse Executive DNP
Post-Masters Doctor of Nursing Practice
The Nurse Executive Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) track at the University of Central Florida prepares students for leadership and decision-making at the highest level in healthcare.
Led by nursing faculty experts and offered online, UCF’s Nurse Executive DNP track emphasizes evidence-based practices, encourages innovation and enhances leadership skills in a team-centered environment where students interact with prominent healthcare experts.
UCF’s Nurse Executive DNP track extends and enhances the knowledge, skill and performance of healthcare system leaders in a wide variety of clinical and administrative environments.
Program Objectives
- Model professionalism, role advocacy, and ethical practice to collaborate within interprofessional teams.
- Design, implement, and evaluate comprehensive care models for populations and/or systems and disseminate findings.
- Demonstrate leadership in practice and health policy.
- Utilize technology to evaluate data and its sources to inform practice and/or healthcare systems.
- Appraise the use of evidence in respective practice settings to optimize outcomes.
UCF’s program develops highly effective nurse leaders who are prepared to influence health systems at the highest levels by strengthening strategic thinking, systems leadership, and evidence-based decision-making grounded in real-world executive practice.”
Why Earn Your Doctoral Degree Online at UCF
Designed For You
Convenient, flexible online learning in a part-time format for working professionals. Plus, some clinical hours may transfer from prior graduate nursing coursework.
Invest in Your Future
Nurse executives are in high demand to manage today’s healthcare challenges and lead healthcare into the future, with job growth at 28%1.
Learn from Experts
UCF offers high-quality online instruction from nationally recognized faculty who are experts in their field. Learn about accreditation.
Student Success
“My time at UCF has been an incredible journey. The knowledge, mentorship and experiences I have gained have been transformative, and I am proud to carry this learning into my professional practice.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Nurse Executive DNP
Is the program fully online?
Didactic instruction is fully online and provided in an asynchronous format. DNP project completion requires in-person clinical hours. Students participate in a virtual DNP intensive twice per year (see below).
What is the DNP intensive?
The DNP intensive is a required and scheduled online event in both the fall and spring semesters.
During the DNP intensive, students participate in enhanced learning opportunities for individual courses as well as in program-specific competency education. It is intended to facilitate interaction with course faculty, program advisors and university-related services.
Additionally, DNP students who have completed their DNP projects will present their projects publicly.
Is there a full-time option?
No, there is currently not a full-time option for the Nurse Executive DNP track at UCF since students in the program are also working in a full-time position.
Graduate study requires a significant amount of dedicated time. Students are advised to set aside 3 to 4 hours per credit/per week. See plans of study below.
Do I have to find my own clinical sites and preceptors?
Program clinical sites are secured by the program director and students to meet the program and clinical course outcomes.
Curriculum Overview
UCF’s Nurse Executive Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) track is offered online in a part-time format, starting in either fall or spring.
The track includes 42 credit hours in online asynchronous instruction, two required virtual DNP intensives per year and a total of 1,000 clinical hours post-baccalaureate, which are required to award a DNP degree.
DNP students must complete a total of 1,000 clinical hours. Students may be eligible to transfer some hours from their MSN curriculum and must complete a minimum of 600 hours during the program. Additional clinical hours may be required to meet the required hours. See plans of study below and Verification of Clinical Hours form.
UCF’s Nurse Executive DNP has a dynamic and engaging academic curriculum that prepares the nurse executive for the multiple dimensions of administrative responsibilities within varied healthcare environments. This program extends and enhances the knowledge, skill and performance of healthcare system leaders in a wide variety of clinical and administrative environments.
Students in UCF’s Nurse Executive DNP complete an independent scholarly project derived from systems leadership practice and developed in depth with faculty supervision.
Students will take coursework incorporating the domains, concepts and competencies delineated by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials (2026).
Sample plans of study are below. View current information on tuition and costs for UCF Online graduate programs.
| Semester | Course | Credit Hours | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 | NGR 7855C: Evidenced Based Practice Development | 3 | 60 |
| NGR 7827: Concepts, Measurements & Data Management | 3 | ||
| Spring 1 | NGR 7853: Dissemination & Implementation | 3 | |
| NGR 7795C: Organizational Cultures of Excellence | 3 | 120 | |
| Summer 1 | NGR 7673: Epidemiology Principles in APN | 3 | |
| Elective (or NGR 7942L for Clinical Hours) | 3 | ||
| Fall 2 | NGR 7793: Leadership and Economics | 3 | |
| NGR 7779: Program Development & Management for DNP | 3 | ||
| Spring 2 | NGR 7911C: DNP Project 1 | 3 | 120 |
| NGR 7820: Innovative Technologies in Healthcare | 3 | ||
| Summer 2 | NGR 7912C: DNP Project 2 | 3 | 120 |
| NGR 7892: Healthcare Systems & Policy | 3 | ||
| Fall 3 | NGR 7913C: DNP Project 3 | 3 | 60 |
| NGR 7778C: Executive Leadership Development | 3 | 120 | |
| Total | 42 | 600 | |
| Semester | Course | Credit Hours | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 1 | NGR 7855C: Evidenced Based Practice Development | 3 | 60 |
| NGR 7827: Concepts, Measurements & Data Management | 3 | ||
| Summer 1 | NGR 7673: Epidemiology Principles in APN | 3 | |
| Elective (or NGR 7942L for Clinical Hours) | 3 | ||
| Fall 1 | NGR 7853: Dissemination & Implementation | 3 | |
| NGR 7795C: Organizational Cultures of Excellence | 3 | 120 | |
| Spring 2 | NGR 7793: Leadership and Economics | 3 | |
| NGR 7779: Program Development & Management for DNP | 3 | ||
| Summer 2 | NGR 7892: Healthcare Systems & Policy | 3 | |
| Fall 2 | NGR 7911C: DNP Project 1 | 3 | 120 |
| NGR 7820: Innovative Technologies in Healthcare | 3 | ||
| Spring 3 | NGR 7912C: DNP Project 2 | 3 | 120 |
| Summer 3 | NGR 7913C: DNP Project 3 | 3 | 60 |
| NGR 7778C: Executive Leadership Development | 3 | 120 | |
| Total | 42 | 600 | |
Application Requirements
To apply to the UCF’s Nurse Executive Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) track, you must meet the following:
- Fulfill the general UCF graduate admissions requirements (see Admissions section of the UCF Graduate Catalog).
- Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from a regionally accredited institution or equivalent.
- MSN in Leadership and Management, MBA, MHA or MS in related field. Applicants with a master’s degree with a non-leadership focus will be considered for admission. Additional practicum hours will be required for individuals with less than 400 clinical hours in their master’s program.
- A unencumbered Florida or Florida multistate RN license.
- No GRE required.
Students in UCF’s Nurse Executive DNP track must reside in and be physically located in the State of Florida for the duration of the program. Clinical placements occur within the Central Florida service area.
Please note: Online programs do not meet immigration requirements for students holding an F1 or J1 Visa to maintain status. If you have questions, please contact UCF Global at global.ucf.edu or call 407-823-2337.
Admissions Process
Ready to apply? You will need the following:
- Schedule an appointment with a UCF College of Nursing graduate program advisor to discuss your goals for graduate study. (Strongly recommended but not required.)
- Official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Curriculum vitae (CV) reflecting prior education, recent clinical and/or practice accomplishments, any recent scholarly work (publications, presentations, grants and/or research participation), awards and scholarships received, additional professional certifications, volunteer activities, and membership, leadership and activities with professional organizations and community service organizations. For recent graduates, this can include accomplishments as a student.
- Three professional recommendations.
- Written essay, 500 words or less, double spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins that addresses the following:
- Describe how earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice in the track to which you applied will help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
- Explain those personal and professional experiences that have helped prepare you for doctoral study and your readiness for doctoral study at this time.
- The final DNP project focuses on the implementation of an evidence-based change that impacts healthcare outcomes through direct or indirect care from a systems or population/aggregate focus. Describe an area of interest you believe could be improved through such a project.
An interview with faculty may also be required.
Admissions are decided by a committee of faculty and staff within the College of Nursing based on an applicant’s overall grade point average (GPA), GPA of the last 60 hours of undergraduate program, CV and written essay.
