Students who do not plan to reside in New Mexico during the program should review state authorization and nursing board requirements before applying. Some state boards of nursing have restrictions or approval requirements for online nursing programs. Out-of-state students are encouraged to contact their state licensing board to confirm whether NMSU is approved in their state.
The maximum number of graduate-level semester credit hours that can be transferred and applied to the program is 12. Students wishing to transfer a course must have earned a minimum grade of B in the course, and the course must have been completed within five years of starting the program. DNP core courses must have been completed at the doctoral level to be considered for transfer or waiver. Requests for transfer credit based on graduate coursework at other institutions at NMSU must have prior approval from the School of Nursing Director and the dean of the Graduate School before credit will be applied at NMSU. The request to transfer credit must be concluded prior to the second semester registration period. For more information on policies governing transfer of credit, please refer to the NMSU ARP 4.61. Note: Clinical courses are not eligible for transfer.
Yes. Selected applicants will be invited to an interview with faculty via Zoom.
Yes, students are responsible for securing their own clinical placements, typically within their communities. However, School of Nursing faculty and staff will provide support throughout the process, including guidance on finding appropriate sites and preceptors. Clinical sites must be approved by the School of Nursing. Once accepted into the program, students will have access to a list of clinical sites with existing Affiliation Agreements through the School of Nursing (SON), which can help streamline placement.
Clinical hours vary by semester and by program, with most hours typically completed in the final year.
Yes. The NMSU School of Nursing DNP program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from a nationally accredited program is required for admission to the DNP-FNP, DNP-PMHNP, BSN to DNP[BC1.1] Programs, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. A Master's degree in Nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program is required for the MSN-DNP & Post-Graduate APRN Certificates (FNP & PMHNP) Programs, with GPA of 3.0 or better.
Yes. DNP students must attend a 2-day orientation at the start of the program. BSN-DNP students in the FNP and PMHNP specialty tracks attend a week-long, on-campus clinical immersion before the start of the third year. Post-Graduate APRN Certificates (FNP & PMHNP) – Yes. Students are required to attend a week-long, on-campus clinical immersion during the summer semester prior to the start of the program.
Admission is competitive, and cohort sizes are limited. Specific class sizes may vary based on the program specialty’s capacity.
Doctor of Nursing Practice – Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP-FNP)
- Total Clinical Hours: Minimum of 1,088 hours of supervised clinical experiences.
Doctor of Nursing Practice – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Clinical Hours: 1,088 hours of supervised clinical experiences.
MSN to DNP – Population Health Leadership
- Clinical Hours: Minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised clinical experiences. Students may apply clinical hours from their Master’s degree to the 1000-hour DNP requirement. For example, if a student completed their MSN in an FNP program and logged 700 hours of approved clinical hours, they would need to complete an additional 300 hours in the NMSU MSN-DNP program. In most cases, MSN-DNP students complete their clinical hours by working on their DNP project and participating in a leadership practicum.
Post-Graduate APRN Certificates (FNP & PMHNP)
Total Clinical Hours: Minimum of 768 hours of supervised clinical experiences.Applicants must provide contact information for three professional references, preferably colleagues or supervisors in clinical practice. A reference from a nursing professor is also acceptable.
Yes, however, the program requires full-time enrollment and is academically rigorous. Students should plan carefully to balance work and study. The SON recommends that students not work while completing their clinical rotations.
DNP project chairs are assigned based on the student’s area of interest and faculty availability. Student input is considered.
Yes. Scholarships and financial aid are available through NMSU. Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA in order to be eligible for graduate student loans. Please note that the GradPLUS loans have been eliminated by the federal government starting in 2026. At NMSU, students apply for scholarships through the NMSU Scholar Dollar$ portal after they are accepted to the program. Please note that the SON has a limited number of scholarships for graduate students; therefore we cannot guarantee that all students will receive an award every semester. PMHNP students (DNP and certificate) who reside in New Mexico are eligible for a stipend for all years in the program. These stipends typically range from $1000/semester during years 1 and 2, and $5000/semester in year 3. Students do not need to apply for the stipend.
