Post Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice

  Advance in Health Systems Leadership  

The Post Master’s DNP program at UMass Chan Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing builds on the expertise of advanced practice nurses and nurse leaders for preparation at the highest level to transform health care to ensure best practice, and operations. Complexities of related to the healthcare environment requires an emphasis on addressing health inequities, social determinants of health, diversity & inclusion including local & community engagement.

Our program is ranked No. 1 in Massachusetts by AllNurses.com among public nursing schools in the United States. The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing is the only publicly funded nursing school in the Commonwealth where we provide expert knowledge and experiential learning. 

Application for Fall 2027 opens: October 4, 2026

Early admission deadline to reserve your spot: Feb. 1, 2027

Application deadline: April 15, 2027

Application Deadline: Applications completed after the Priority deadline will be considered based on seat availability, up until this final admission deadline. * For consideration after the Application Deadline, please contact our Admissions Counselor

Applicants must submit a completed application to NursingCAS by the deadline date to be considered for admission. Application status emails will be sent to the email provided on the application via NursingCAS.

At the completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

1. Critically appraise and communicate the best evidence for nursing practice to promote safe, timely, effective, efficient, ethical, equitable patient/family centered care.
2. Design and plan care delivery approaches grounded in the ethical principles of the nursing discipline to support and improve patient care and healthcare systems through organizational and systems leadership.
3. Lead and participate in interprofessional teams to collaborate and create healthcare solutions to improve population health outcomes.
4. Synthesize biopsychosocial data to create, provide and evaluate patient centered interventions to optimize health (individual, family, and group).
5. Interpret scientific data to create new strategies to address determinants of health that supports population health initiatives.

EXPLORE THE CURRICULUM

Curriculum under review. Changes will be published Fall 2026.

Meet the students of the Post-Master's DNP program
From the choir to the clinic, DNP student focused on leadership	Palliative care nurse, instructor, mother of three returns to UMass Chan to advance leadership skills
Learn more about Eugenia	Learn more about Shawna

Why our Post Master's?

• The commonwealth’s first and only public academic health sciences center consisting of 3 schools with the UMass Memorial Hospital on campus.
• A rich interprofessional environment for learning and practicum experiences.
• Affordable tuition compared to other programs.
• Clinically active, experienced, committed practicing faculty as APRNs and nurse leaders.
• A small faculty to student ratio ideal for graduate-level education.
• Flexible learning options, including hybrid in-class and on-line learning based on student preference.  

The Post Master’s DNP is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and meets The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) 2026 Essentials.

What Can I Do With a Post Master's DNP?

The purpose of the Post Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is to prepare Maters prepared nurses for advanced practice-focused leadership roles. The curriculum is designed for the student to develop advanced skills and knowledge in systems thinking, business acumen, translation of research and evidence to support decisions and innovation, and interprofessional collaboration. Graduates are prepared to assume advanced nursing leadership roles in all areas of healthcare, such as hospitals and community-based settings, health care agencies, and nursing schools. 

Post Master's DNP Requirements

GPA Requirement - GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred for all degrees. 

Education 

• Master’s degree in nursing or related health field completed at an accredited institution 
• Unrestricted licensure as a registered nurse 
• May hold a certification as an NP, CNS, CRNA, CNM 

Prerequisites Required with a B- or higher preferred - Statistics (no time limit on completion)            

Video Essay - You will be required to complete 3 video essay interviews in the supplemental application; you will have 2 minutes to respond to each essay. There is no additional fee to complete the essays.

Personal Statement  

• Personal Statement 1,000 words: 
  • What are your reasons, personal and/or professional for pursuing a program of study to obtain a DNP degree? (This response should be 500 words)  
  • What are your career plans as an advanced practice nurse with a DNP after graduation and in the future? (This response should be 500 words)  

References
Please submit 2 letters of recommendation from an academic or professional source, preferred within the last five years: 

• A professional reference should be from a former supervisor or professional colleague who can speak to your experience, competence, readiness, leadership, work ethic and dedication to your work. 
• An academic reference should be from a former faculty member or advisor. 
  
  

 “I gained a better understanding of the complexities of healthcare and in making changes in the healthcare system.”  DNP Graduate

“Reviewing evidence and critically appraising articles; working on interdisciplinary teams to improve patient outcomes; quality improvement initiatives and PDSA; healthcare financing; knowledge of CMS payment programs…”  DNP Graduate

“Strengthened ability to balance competing demands while in the program. Utilized the resources available within the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing to learn as much as I can”  DNP Graduate