Post Master's Advance Practice Registered Nurse
Your focus is your professional pathway and our focus is YOU!
Have you been admitted for Spring 2026?
Save the Dates!
Start your Pirate DNP Journey with New Post-Master’s DNP Student Immersion/Orientation
will be January 9th , 2026.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice is designed for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice and offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. The DNP builds on traditional master’s programs through exploration of evidence-based practice, quality improvement, population health, and systems leadership. The ECU Post-Master’s Advanced Practice Registered Nurse DNP is a state-of-the art, accredited, part-time program where you can continue working while pursuing your doctoral degree. Nurses holding an earned master’s degree in nursing may apply to the Post-Master’s DNP. The 36-credit hour program includes 18-credit hours for core curriculum, 9-credit hours for the DNP Project, and 9-credit hours for electives (Graduate Catalog, 2024). Our curriculum allows the nurse to reach beyond their master’s preparation to expand their roles in healthcare education, leadership, policy, and innovation. Students may follow one of our planned elective pathways or seek to map their own pathway through dozens of graduate-level courses offered by ECU. If you are interested, explore our course schedules for nurses seeking to expand their careers through the following elective pathways:
Post-Masters Program of Study Prior to Fall 2024 (PDF)
Post-Masters Program of Study Fall 2024 and Thereafter
- Nursing Education (PDF)
- Nursing Leadership (PDF)
- Emergency/Disaster Management (PDF)
- Find your own electives (PDF)
The DNP program at ECU is grounded in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials, which are the foundation of the curriculum. Search through programs of study to your optimal educational pathway.
For more information about the ECU Post-Master’s DNP, please contact:
Margaret (Megan) Dillon-Spruill, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC
Clinical Assistant Professor
Post Master’s DNP Concentration Director
DNP Core and Projects, Advanced Nursing Practice Education
East Carolina University College of Nursing
Phone: 252-945-5636
Email: dillonm21@ecu.edu
The application deadline for Fall admission is July 15th and Spring Admission is December 15th Annually.
Applications are completed through the ECU Graduate School Website ECU Graduate School Application, Nursing DNP, and select Advance Practice Registered Nursing (Post MSN) to access your application.
Contribute
Want to learn ways you can support this important work? Contact our Director of Development.