The information on this page applies to the post-master's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston. We also offer BSN to DNP tracks in Nurse Anesthesia and four Nurse Practitioner specialties.
Applications for our Post-master's Nurse Practitioner program are processed through Nursing Centralized Application System (NCAS). The NCAS application fee is $80, and the UTHealth Houston supplemental form fee is $60.00. Fees are nonrefundable and are not transferrable between terms or programs.
Please note: Per the regulations defining the number of allowable online course credits, UTHealth Houston is unable to sponsor students requiring an F-1 visa. Additionally, students admitted to Cizik School of Nursing must personally reside in the state of Texas before the first day of class.
Step 1: What you will need to apply
These items must be submitted through NCAS with your application:
- Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution you have attended.
- Three letters of reference attesting to your academic ability and potential for doctoral study. One reference should be from a professional colleague and another from a faculty member or an individual with a doctoral degree. Colleagues with doctoral level nursing preparation are preferred. The applicant letter of reference forms should be provided your references.
- A curriculum vitae or résumé that documents practice experience, professional activities, and presentations/publications.
- A 500-word, typed essay stating your area of practice interest, career goals, and reason for desiring doctoral study.
- If you have previous college coursework from another country, you must have coursework evaluated by Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).
Minimum Admission Requirements:
- A baccalaureate degree in nursing from a nationally accredited program.
- Master’s degree or post-master's earned from a nationally accredited program with a 3.0 GPA or above as:
- an advanced practice registered nurse (clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, or nurse anesthetist),
- a nurse leader, or
- a registered nurse with leadership experience and an MBA/MPH or equivalent.
- For advanced practice nursing tracks:
- Eligibility or approval to practice as an advanced practice nurse by the Texas Board of Nursing.
- Proof of current certification by a nationally recognized credentialing organization.
- Minimum of one year work experience in an advanced practice role.
- Graduate level nursing or equivalent research course with a grade of B or higher.*
*The course is not required to apply. If admitted without the prerequisite course, there will be an opportunity to enroll in the courses at UTHealth, or at other another institution. The course must be successfully completed prior to the first day of class.
Step 2: Apply through NCAS
Before you apply: Make sure you have selected the program that will meet your educational and future career goals. Applications are not transferable between programs or terms. Application fees are non-refundable and are non-transferable.
Applications for the Post-master's DNP program are reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received. However, applicants are encouraged to apply before the deadline. Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
Once an application is received via NCAS, you will be assigned a seven-digit application ID and granted access to applyUTH, where you can track the status of your application.
Step 3: Admission decisions
Qualified applicants will be interviewed by Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston DNP faculty to assess whether the program aligns with applicant’s educational needs and career goals.
To help ensure that Cizik School of Nursing’s student body closely reflects the diversity of our community, the school’s admission policy describes multiple factors taken into consideration in the admissions process. These admission factors are not assigned a specific weight or point value. Cizik School of Nursing considers the totality of each application and considers each of these factors.
Notification:
Once a decision is made, ApplyUTH is updated with the application status. If you are admitted, you will receive an email and a letter in the mail. If you are denied, you will receive a letter in the mail.
Please see the applications deadline page for approximate notification dates for prospective students who submit their applications by the priority date.
Step 4: Pre-enrollment requirements for accepted students
If admitted, enrollment is contingent upon successful completion of immunization screening, immigration status clearance, documentation of Texas nursing license, and clearance of the mandatory criminal background check and drug screening.
Your American Heart Association Basic Life Support (AHA-BLS) for the Health Care Provider certification must be current before any clinical placement. You may choose to take the AHA-BLS through Cizik School of Nursing’s Simulation and Clinical Performance Laboratory.
Get all the details in our New Student Guide.
Essential Skills in Nursing
Nurses must be able to demonstrate cognitive skills in critical thinking and logical/analytical thinking. Nurses must also have psychomotor skills, including fine motor dexterity, physical strength, coordination, and proper body mechanics. Observational skills are also required, such as the ability to hear within the normal decibel range, the ability to read English in regular to extra-fine print, and the ability to palpate/auscultate. Students must be able to demonstrate these skills, with or without reasonable accommodation. See HOOP 101, Disability Accommodation.
