Contact the School of Nursing
Need financial aid?
Find out about loans, grants and scholarships available to nursing students on our financial aid page.Nursing course curriculum
Review the Program of Study for a list of courses required to complete your nursing degree.Tuition & costs
Get information about NAU tuition and nursing program costs.Doctor of Nursing Practice
Learn more about our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, which builds on master’s education to provide expanded unique knowledge and expertise.Graduate admissions
Apply to the School of Nursing
Graduate applications are completed online through the Graduate College and then sent to the School of Nursing for review. There is no separate graduate nursing application.
Admission requirements
MS in Nursing Accordion Closed
These admission requirements apply to the following degrees:
Master of Science- Leadership, Quality, & Patient Safety with a focus in Nursing
Master of Science- Leadership, Quality, & Patient Safety with a focus in Nursing (Personalized Learning)
Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner, Master of Science
Requirements:
- Apply to the Graduate College of the university
- Baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited program; or an associate’s degree in nursing from an accredited program with a baccalaureate degree in another field.
- Minimum of a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in all nursing coursework of the baccalaureate program or the associate’s degree in nursing program. If the applicant’s GPA is below 3.0 , we recommend taking two graduate nursing courses. If the applicant’s grades are “B” or better, they could then apply to the graduate program.
- RN licensure:
- Master of Science- Leadership, Quality, & Patient Safety with a focus in Nursing students: A current RN license, in good standing. Graduate students living in Arizona during their enrollment at Northern Arizona University must have an RN license to practice nursing in Arizona.
- Family Nurse Practitioner, Master of Science students: A current RN license, in good standing, to practice as a registered nurse in Arizona or eligibility to obtain an Arizona license, or meet the regulations of the Arizona Board of Nursing regarding multi-state licensure.
- Completion of an undergraduate introduction to statistics course from a college or university with a grade of “C” or better, or a “pass”. Another option is completion of a graduate course in statistics, passed with a grade of “B” or better, and completed prior to enrollment in NUR 530 (EBP).
- Completion of an undergraduate course in nursing research with a grade of “B” or better.
- For applicants with an associate’s degree in nursing and a baccalaureate degree in another field, completion of undergraduate public health nursing (theory and clinical) course(s) passed with a grade of “B” or better is required.
- A comprehensive statement about your experiences, interests, and goals.
- If applying to the Family Nurse Practitioner, Master of Science track, we recommend 3-5 years of general nursing practice before applying. However, students may begin their core courses sooner and will be considered on an individual basis.
- A structured interview with School of Nursing faculty may be required.
Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner, Graduate Certificate Accordion Closed
- Apply to the Graduate College of the university
- Master’s degree in nursing form an accredited program
- A minimum of a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in all nursing coursework for the master’s in nursing program
- RN licensure: a current RN license, in good standing, to practice as a registered nurse in Arizona or eligibility to obtain an Arizona license, or meet the Arizona Board of Nursing regulations regarding multi-state licensure
- recommendation from three professional persons knowledgeable about your potential to work effectively in advanced professional and scholarly roles
- a comprehensive statement about your experiences, interests, and goals
- a structured interview with faculty may be required
To learn more, please visit the Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner, Graduate Certificate degree page.
Post-Graduate PMHNP Certificate Accordion Closed
- Apply to the Graduate College of the university
- Master’s or doctorate degree in nursing form an accredited program
- A minimum of a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in all nursing coursework for the master’s or doctorate in nursing program
- RN licensure: a current RN license, in good standing, to practice as a registered nurse in Arizona or eligibility to obtain an Arizona license, or meet the Arizona Board of Nursing regulations regarding multi-state licensure
- recommendation from three professional persons knowledgeable about your potential to work effectively in advanced professional and scholarly roles
- a comprehensive statement about your experiences, interests, and goals
- a structured interview with faculty may be required
To learn more, please visit the Advanced Practice, Master of Science Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree page.
Doctor of Nursing Practice Accordion Closed
- Apply to the Graduate College of the university
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is designed for nurses holding a master’s degree (MS) to obtain a doctorate degree in nursing. The DNP builds on master’s education to provide expanded unique knowledge and expertise. These graduates will have a broader capability to provide high-quality health care in a complex and increasingly strapped health care system. The DNP is an online clinical doctorate with emphasis on enhancing leadership expertise in rural and underserved populations.
Requirements:
- Master’s degree in nursing from a regionally accredited university and a nationally accredited nursing program. If the institution and the program are outside of the U.S., equivalent accreditation standards must be met.
- Accepted students will be required to provide an official letter directly from the degree issuing institution with the actual total number of clinical hours completed.
- Minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.0=A) in all nursing coursework of your master’s degree program.
- Current RN license in good standing to practice as a registered nurse.
Recommendation from three professional persons knowledgeable about the applicant’s potential to work effectively in advanced professional and scholarly roles. - A comprehensive statement about your experiences, interests, and goals in your personal and professional life that make you a good fit for this degree.
- Structured interview with faculty may be required.
Required documentation
Please review the list of documentation required once admitted to the Graduate Nursing Program on a master’s track.
Do you have a bachelor’s degree in another field?
For those who hold a baccalaureate degree in another field, please contact the School of Nursing to discover your options in nursing.