Admissions

University Admission Requirements

A student applying to a doctoral program must:

• provide three letters of recommendation
• present unofficial transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. The unofficial transcript should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses and course grades for each term. If accepted, official transcripts can be emailed from the university to GraduateAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, Graduate School, 209 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 4040, Normal, IL 61790-4040.

International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Office of Admissions.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

Prior to enrolling in nursing coursework students must meet health and safety compliance requirements, to include drug testing, a criminal background check, a physical examination, and several immunizations. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in dismissal from the major.

International applicants must comply with the International Applicant Requirements as directed by the Illinois State University Office of Admissions. Please apply early in the application time frame to ensure adequate time to review transcripts.

To be considered for this program, you must meet the following requirements.

Master’s Degree

You must have a Master of Science in Nursing from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

GPA

You must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 for the last 30 hours of graduate or 60 hours of undergraduate coursework. This includes courses in which you are currently enrolled.

Certification and Licensure

You must be certified and licensed as an advanced practice nurse:

• Certified Nurse Practitioner
• Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Certified Nurse Midwife
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

It is also acceptable to have completed a master’s degree program in nursing administration.

Other MSN specialties will be considered.

Graduate Coursework

Your graduate coursework must include a graduate level epidemiology course.

In addition, a graduate level statistics course is a corequisite of the DNP program. Students must have completed a graduate level statistics course within one year of entering the DNP program. If the graduate level statistics course was taken more than one year prior to entering, students must take and pass a proficiency examination available through MCN, or complete this course during the first summer semester of the DNP program in conjunction with one required DNP course.

Practice Hours

Use the practice hours form to submit practice hours completed from your MSN program.

Also, submit a letter of verification of practice hours on MSN program letterhead from your MSN program director or appropriate program representative.

Credentials Evaluation Service Academic Report (International Students Only)

International applicants must submit to Mennonite College of Nursing a Credentials Evaluation Service Academic Report from CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) or WES (World Education Services). International applicants must comply with the International Applicant Requirements as directed by the Illinois State University Office of Admissions.

English Proficiency Scores (International Students Only)

International students applying to this program must have a TOEFL score of at least 79 iBT or IELTS score of 6.5 band. 

Submission Materials

To apply to this program, you must submit the following materials.

Curriculum Vitae

Submit your current curriculum vitae.

Essay

Write a three-page, double spaced essay that describes your career goals and area of interest for the Scholarly Project.

Copies of Certification and licensures

Submit copies of the following:

• RN license in your state of residence
• Advance Practice Nurses (APN) certification (when applicable)
• Advance Practice Nurses license (when applicable)

Academic References

Include on the application the names and email addresses of at least two professional or academic references from persons qualified to assess your potential to succeed in the DNP program. One reference must be from a doctoral prepared individual, such as a previous graduate faculty, nursing colleague or collaborative physician. Your recommenders will receive instructions to complete and upload this reference form to the recommender site.

Plan of Study

If applying to the summer term, students follow the traditional 7 semester plan of study. If applying to the fall term, students automatically default to following a 10 semester plan of study. This is due to course sequencing and course offerings.

Global Access to Online Degree Programs

When applying, international students applying to a fully online program must agree to our international online and hybrid programs disclosure and disclaimer statements. Due to limited on-campus courses, immigration documentation cannot be issued for students seeking F-1 or J-1 status.

Admission Dates and Deadlines

Graduate Coordinator