Specialty Areas Overview

As a student in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, you can choose to specialize in one of twelve areas. A brief description of each specialty is listed below.

medical provider holding an elderly woman's hand

Adult/Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist

This specialty prepares students to provide holistic, team-based care for adults and older adults. Graduates are not only prepared to independently manage primary care needs of adults and older adults, but are also prepared to be leaders in health systems with a firm grounding in evidence-based practice and system change.

Extended care nurse with elderly female resident

Adult Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Students will be prepared to lead and guide the management of complex health conditions, working with nurses and organizations, to provide care to adults and elders in a variety of settings. Graduates of this program work as expert clinicians and consultants in acute care settings, nursing homes, transitional care settings and specialty practices.

Nurse working with girl and her mother

Family Nurse Practitioner

Students are prepared for the clinical management of patients across the lifespan and within the context of their families and environment. Students are stimulated to assess the patient within an ever-widening system of interactions that help shape individual health and health care.

A patient receiving a shot in their upper arm.

Health Innovation and Leadership

This DNP specialty prepares students to be full interprofessional partners, to create innovative healing environments and to transform health care systems locally, nationally and internationally. Roles range from leading in formal executive positions to leadership at point-of-care delivery, from acute care to community care, from leading individual quality and safety programs to national and international health care initiatives.

patient having their blood pressure checked

Integrative Health and Healing

Students are prepared to work with individuals, families, communities and health systems to develop integrative approaches to health promotion, disease prevention and chronic disease management. An integrative approach includes engaging the patient as an informed and empowered partner, personalizing care and using all appropriate, evidence-based therapeutic approaches, including lifestyle changes, to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.

nurse in surgical scrubs with equipment

Nurse Anesthesia

This DNP program specialty prepares students to practice as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) at the highest level of clinical practice in this fast paced program that leads to a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and national certification examination eligibility.

Obstetric ultrasound patient

Nurse Midwifery

This specialty prepares students to provide holistic, team-based care for adults and older adults. Graduates are not only prepared to independently manage primary care needs of adults and older adults, but are also prepared to be leaders in health systems with a firm grounding in evidence-based practice and system change.

Nurse typing on a computer keyboard

Nursing Informatics

Students will be prepared to lead and guide the management of complex health conditions, working with nurses and organizations, to provide care to adults and elders in a variety of settings. Graduates of this program work as expert clinicians and consultants in acute care settings, nursing homes, transitional care settings and specialty practices.

Nurse with pediatric patient

Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist

Students are prepared for the clinical management of patients across the lifespan and within the context of their families and environment. Students are stimulated to assess the patient within an ever-widening system of interactions that help shape individual health and health care.

Medical professional with two pediatric patients

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care

This DNP program specialty prepares students to care for children and improve systems of care for children and their families. Pediatric nurse practitioner students learn to provide comprehensive pediatric assessments and management of health and illness issues. The program emphasizes health policy, evidence-based practice, informatics and program evaluation.

Medical professional with patient

Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Students are prepared for independent clinical practice to treat psychiatric disorders and mental health problems of people across the lifespan. Students learn to diagnose disorders and provide holistic treatment and lifestyle management, including pharmacological interventions, complementary and alternative therapies, and individual, group and family psychotherapies that promote mental health and reduce disability.

medical professional with female patient

Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner

This specialty of the DNP program prepares students to provide advanced practice care to women throughout their lifespan. The program teaches students about the unique needs, challenges and life transitions in women’s lives. Students gain expertise in educating women on prevention and health as well as diagnosing, managing and treating common and complex prenatal and reproductive health conditions. Graduates of the program serve as primary care providers through chronic and acute illnesses.