A doctor of nursing practice or DNP degree is a terminal nursing degree, meaning it is the highest level of education someone can achieve in this field. Many nurse practitioner programs offer DNP options, but there are other areas that nurses can specialize in when pursuing this highest level of education. Leadership tracks are popular, but there are other interesting options like population health and a combination DNP/PhD research degree. Here, we take a closer look at the DNP options in the state of Ohio.
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DNP Programs in Ohio
Ohio offers many DNP programs, and all of them have primarily online components. Entry points, clinical requirements, and on-campus requirements vary per school and program. Below, we cover the various programs available in the state to help you find a program that fits your needs and busy schedule.
Online DNP Programs in Ohio
All of the DNP programs in Ohio have some online component, which makes them convenient and flexible options for working professionals. There are options available for both BSN and MSN-prepared nurses.
Ohio Online BSN to DNP Programs
If you have a BSN, the following DNP programs are available in Ohio:
Ashland University
- Ashland, Ohio
- Campus
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $840 per credit + fees
Program Overview: The College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Ashland University offers a variety of DNP options for both BSN and MSN-prepared nurses. It’s 46 to 54 credit hours, with all classes offered online.
Nurses with a BSN, MSN, or MS degree can apply for the health systems leadership track, an online program that is offered in partnership with the College of Business and Economics.
The other option is the advanced practice DNP track, which takes two years or six semesters to complete. This track is designed for nurses with an MS or MSN degree or any certified advanced practice nurse. This option has between 32 and 38 credit hours.
Franklin University
- Columbus, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 38
Clinical Hours: Not specified
Tuition: $748 per credit + fees
Program Overview: Franklin University offers BSN-prepared nurses a 38-credit BSN to DNP Leadership option that can be completed in as little as two years. Students in this program will not earn an MSN; MSN requirements are met through two additional bridge courses that must be completed as prerequisites before gaining admission to the program. (Students who already have an MSN can enter directly into the MSN to DNP Leadership track.)
Classes are offered online, and the program is designed for working nurses. Most students continue to work full-time while in the program. Franklin offers several BSN to DNP nurse practitioner tracks as well.
Cedarville University
- Cedarville, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Not specified
Tuition: $750 per credit + fees
Program Overview: At Cedarville University, nurses have several DNP options. In addition to the school’s NP pathways, the university offers a 75-credit BSN to DNP track in Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Improvement that can be completed in approximately four years.
Cedarville also offers a post-master’s MSN to DNP degree that students can customize to their goals. These generalist programs can be between 35 and 68 credits, with the total credits and course progression determined by transcript review and the student’s desired outcome.
All DNP classes are offered online in a seven- or 14-week format, with classes being both synchronous and asynchronous. Full and part-time options are available.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
- Mount Vernon, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $798 per credit + fees
Program Overview: The DNP option at Mount Vernon Nazarene University focuses on systems leadership, emphasizing global healthcare needs. Students can enter into the BSN to DNP track or transfer up to 27 credits from a master’s program and enter the MSN to DNP track. It takes 3.5 years to compete.
This 60-credit program includes 1,000 clinical hours in all, 750 clinical hours and 250 DNP project hours. Classes are online, and students are required to find their own clinical preceptors.
Ohio University
- Athens and Dublin, Ohio
- Online with on-campus intensives
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: Between $608 and $648 per credit + fees for residents and $627 and $667 + fees per credit for non-residents.
Program Overview: At Ohio University, the 70-credit, 1000 clinical hour BSN to DNP program takes between two and four years to complete. Students can choose a direct care path and complete a nurse practitioner DNP, or they can enter the indirect patient care as a nurse educator or nurse executive.
Classwork is primarily online, with asynchronous coursework and part-time scheduling. Students take one class every seven weeks, making this program flexible enough for working professionals. There are also three on-campus intensives where students can network and get hands-on experience at either the Athens or Dublin campus.
Students with an MSN can enter the 36-credit MSN to DNP track. A gap analysis will determine how many clinical hours are required to finish the program for these students. Other program features remain the same, with online asynchronous courses and on-campus intensives.
University of Akron
- Akron, Ohio
- Online with on-campus intensives
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $462.50 per credit + fees for Ohio residents; non-residents pay $320 surcharge per credit
Program Overview: Akron University’s general practice DNP program has two entry options. The BSN to DNP track requires 71 graduate credit hours and 1,040 clinical hours. Those entering the MSN to DNP track will complete 37 credits and 540 clinical hours. Courses for these programs are offered online, but students must come to campus for intensives for two weekends every semester.
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Not specified
Tuition: $836 per credit + fees for residents; $851 per credit + fees for non-residents
Program Overview: BSN-prepared nurses can enroll in the BSN to DNP track at the University of Cincinnati. Applicants must have a BSN from an accredited nursing school and work experience as an RN. Nurses must choose from one of several specialties for this track. There are multiple NP tracks available, as well as a DNP in public health nursing and systems leadership.
The University of Cincinnati also offers a post-master’s MSN to DNP option designed for nurses with an MSN who want to advance their knowledge in health policy, patient care, population health, and leadership.
Most of the classes in the DNP program are fully online, with asynchronous courses and flexible scheduling, so students can choose when to complete their coursework. Students must also complete a DNP project as part of the program. Those who live within two hours of campus are expected to defend their DNP project in person, while those who live farther away can present their project virtually.
University of Toledo
- Toledo, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $800.53 per credit + fees for residents; $1,293.08 per credit + fees for non-residents
Program Overview: The University of Toledo offers a BSN to DNP option in its nurse executive track. This option is 69 credits with 100% online classes. The track is also available to post-master’s students; the MSN to DNP option is 59 credits. Post-MSN students can also choose the university’s clinical practice leadership DNP track, which is 41 credits.
All of these programs also have clinical practice requirements. The nurse executive pathway requires 1035 supervised clinical hours, and the clinical practice leadership track requires 540 hours. The clinical practice leadership pathway can be completed in 3.5 years, and the nurse executive pathway in five.
Ohio Online MSN to DNP Programs
Many of the DNP programs in Ohio require an MSN. We outline these programs in detail below.
Case Western Reserve University
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Online with on-campus intensives
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $2,425 per credit hour + fees
Program Overview: The Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University created the very first DNP program back in 1979. Today, the school offers flexible, innovative online programs designed so students can work full-time while completing their degrees. The following DNP programs at Case Western Reserve are for nurses who already have an MSN.
The 34-credit Executive Leadership Track has three online courses, with the remaining classes taught on campus as five intensive sessions. Each intensive consists of an eight-hour day, and there are three scheduled throughout the program. Students also have the option to arrange off-site courses with cooperating institutions.
Case Western Reserve also offers a Combined PhD/DNP Program. This program is designed for students who want to combine leadership and research. Students take the DNP and PhD programs concurrently, with an overlap of 11 credits between the programs allowed. The DNP/PhD program takes at least five years to complete and is quite intensive. Students complete both a PhD dissertation and a DNP project.
Kent State University
- Kent, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $10,706 per year + fees for residents, $19,954 per year + fees for non-residents
Program Overview: The College of Nursing at Kent State University’s DNP program is aimed at nurses who want to advance their knowledge of nursing practice and gain leadership skills to improve health outcomes for individuals and various patient populations.
The MSN to DNP program offers two concentrations: executive nurse and systems leadership. The executive nurse concentration focuses on preparing professionals for executive roles in high levels of healthcare administration, and the systems leadership concentration prepares clinicians to lead teams on quality improvement, research, and evidence-based practice. These specialties are between 46 and 49 credits.
BSN-prepared nurses can also apply for the systems leadership program, but they are required to apply for dual admission to an MSN program. Post-BSN students will begin enrolling in their DNP classes after two semesters of full-time study.
Miami University
- Oxford, Ohio
- Online with on-campus practicum
Modality: Online with on-campus practicum
Credit Hours: 36
Clinical Hours: Varies
Tuition: $795 per credit + fees
Program Overview: The Miami University DNP launched in the fall of 2024 to integrate with the school’s MSN tracks. This program focuses on preparing MSN-prepared nurses for complex leadership roles. The 36-credit MSN to DNP program is mostly online and has some on-campus practicum experiences. The program can be completed in as little as 21 months and is only open to applicants from the states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, or Kentucky.
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
- Columbus, Ohio
- Online with on-campus immersions
Modality: Online with on-campus immersions
Credit Hours: 37
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: $1,065 per credit + fees
Program Overview: The MSN to DNP at Mount Carmel College of Nursing offers three concentrations: clinical practice leadership, executive healthcare leadership, and executive academic leadership. Students move through the program in a cohort, and the program can be completed in 18 months or five semesters.
Most of the courses are online, and there are two on-campus immersions throughout the program at the Columbus, Ohio, campus. The two immersions, each lasting four to five days, take place during the first and second semesters of the program. There is also a two-day virtual immersion during the fourth semester.
Mount St. Joseph University
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 36
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $710 per credit + fees
Program Overview: At Mount St. Joseph University, the MSN to DNP is designed for post-master’s students, but the school also considers applicants with a BSN and a master’s degree in a related field or prelicensure MSN graduates with completed graduate certificates. For post-master’s students, this part-time program is 36 credits and can be completed in only six semesters. It’s the only program that gives students summers off.
This program can be completed entirely online and is designed so that people can continue working while finishing their degree. Students take two 10-week courses every semester and attend an online meeting at the beginning and end of each semester.
The Ohio State University
- Columbus, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: Varies
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $972.50 per credit + fees for residents; $1,802.44 surcharge for non-residents
Program Overview: Master’s-prepared nurses have two MSN to DNP tracks to choose from at OSU. The DNP Clinical Expert track is designed for nurses who want to reach the highest levels of expertise in patient care. For this program, nurses must have an MSN in nursing and hold a certification as an advanced practice nurse.
The other option is the DNP Nurse Executive track. This program is for nurses who want to focus on learning and transforming healthcare organizations. Applicants must have an MSN or a master’s in another field, like an MBA or an MPH.
Each program can be completed in two years full-time or three years part-time. Students will complete between 38 and 45 credits, depending on the track. All courses are online, and most meet at a set day and time at least once a week. There are no on-campus requirements.
Ursuline College
- Pepper Pike, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: Unspecified
Clinical Hours: 500
Tuition: $919 per credit + fees
Program Overview: The post-master’s doctorate at Ursuline College is designed for advanced practice nurses who wish to pursue a terminal degree. This MSN to DNP program is 100% online, with a total of 500 clinical hours. The school offers DNP programs for those who wish to pursue careers as nurse practitioners, as well as nursing informatics and nursing administration focuses.
Walsh University
- North Canton, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 34
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $745 per credit + fees
Program Overview: Walsh University’s MSN to DNP degree may be one of the most flexible in the state. The program can be completed in only 34 credits over five semesters or one year and eight months full-time. Part-time students can finish in eight semesters or two years and eight months. Courses are offered in both eight and 16-week formats, and all classes are delivered online.
Students in this program will complete a DNP project that investigates an administration or clinical-based problem chosen by the student. Students explore their chosen problems, read pertinent research and literature, and then implement their project during a clinical immersion experience.
Wright State University-Main Campus
- Dayton, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 34
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $961 per credit hour + fees for residents; $1,539 per credit hour + fees for non-residents
Program Overview: The 34-credit MSN to DNP at Wright State is a practice degree that prepares advanced practice nurses to function at the highest level of clinical practice. Students in this program have the flexibility to enroll in the program full- or part-time, and coursework is delivered online to help nurses complete the program in a way that fits their schedule.
Xavier University
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Online
Modality: Online
Credit Hours: 40
Clinical Hours: 1,000
Tuition: $767 per credit + fees
Program Overview: Xavier University’s Leadership and Population Health DNP is a 40-credit program that students can complete in 2.5 to three years. The program is eight semesters full-time, with students taking three to seven credits a semester. A part-time option is also available. In addition to classwork, students will complete 1,000 clinical hours, with up to 500 coming from a previous master’s program.
This program is entirely online, but course requirements vary by professor. Most classes are asynchronous, but some may require students to log in at specific times.
Shortest/Accelerated DNP Programs in Ohio
The lengths of these programs vary, in some cases quite significantly. If you’re interested in completing a DNP in as short a time as possible, consider one of the programs below.
Shortest BSN to DNP Programs
The shortest BSN to DNP program is the one offered by Franklin University. This program takes about two years to complete, but students must take two bridge courses before beginning the program, which can add more time.
Shortest MSN to DNP Programs
The DNP program at Mount Carmel College of Nursing can be completed in as little as 18 months. Although most of the courses are online, this program does require more on-campus time than any of the others. The program at Mount Carmel has two on-campus immersions, each lasting between four and five days.
Best DNP Programs in Ohio
Which DNP program is the best will depend on what you’re looking for. All of the programs in the state are pretty flexible, with each offering online components. Many of the schools offer DNPs focusing on leadership, but if you’re interested in something different, consider the combined PhD/DNP Program at Case Western Reserve or Xavier University’s Leadership and Population Health DNP.
Cheapest DNP Programs in Ohio
The University of Akron offers the most affordable program when considering the cost per credit, with each credit costing $462.50 for residents, though non-residents pay a $320 surcharge per credit.
Ohio University is the next most affordable, ranging between $608 and $667 per credit.
Many of these schools offer programs for under $800 per credit, like Cedarville University, Franklin University, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Miami University, Mount St. Joseph University, Walsh University, and Xavier University.
