| The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in the College of Nursing and Health is a post-Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program to prepare advanced practice nurses at the preferred preparation level of the professional doctorate. Nursing education has evolved with advanced practice nursing education moving from a post-bachelor’s certificate in the late 1960s to the masters program and now to the Doctor of Nursing Practice. The almost 50 years of evolution occurred as the nursing profession developed the science of nursing and refined professional nursing standards. In October, 2004 the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) endorsed the Position Statement on the Practice of Doctorate in Nursing which set the level of preparation for advanced nursing practice from the master’s degree to the doctorate level by the year 2015. The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Practice Nursing was approved by AACN in October, 2006. | 
