Online DNP
Leadership Programs
Overview
Earn a new level of respect. Rise as a leader.




Why choose Bradley for your online DNP-Leadership degree?
Bradley's online MSN to DNP-Leadership program has been designed for MSN credentialed nurses that graduated from an NLNAC-, ACEN- or CCNE-accredited* nursing program, have a current nursing license and nursing GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale. This program also requires the completion of an undergraduate statistics course.
*The master's degree program in Nursing, Post-Graduate APRN Certificate program, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Bradley University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
At the completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Leadership program, the graduate can:
- Synthesize knowledge gained from the humanities, the social sciences, the sciences, and mathematics as the base for advanced professional nursing.
- Select and implement appropriate advanced concepts, principles, and theories necessary for application in the delivery of quality health care.
- Synthesize and disseminate evidence to effect practice change that will contribute to the nursing profession and safe, cost-effective healthcare delivery.
- Provide leadership in the evaluation of healthcare information systems and patient care technology.
- Demonstrate nursing leadership for outcome improvement through strategies for change in policy and practice guidelines.
- Collaborate as a member of the healthcare team to influence health care policy changes that will improve patient and population health outcomes.
- Foster change in healthcare practice that will improve the health and status of individuals and communities through the equitable and ethical distribution of resources.
- Demonstrate advanced skills in physical assessment, pharmacology, and therapeutic nursing interventions.

Is an Online DNP Leadership track right for you?
With Bradley’s 100 percent online MSN to DNP program, you can do more than discover your unique place in nursing leadership. You can:
- Develop, evaluate and improve new practices and approaches to health care delivery.
- Lead the planning and implementation of innovative health care technologies.
- Enhance your understanding of nursing personnel management and education.
- Prepare for advanced leadership roles in administration, teaching, research and patient care.
Careers
As a nursing professional, you’ve been changing lives one patient at a time. Now you’re ready to continue in your education and gain the credentials to become a transformational leader in your field. Maybe it’s through providing higher levels of advanced care to the patients you’re already treating. Or perhaps you aspire to transition to a new role, such as manager, instructor, or lobbyist.
Whatever your goal, earning an online Doctor of Nursing Practice from Bradley University can get you one step closer to achieving it. Our innovative program is designed for nurses like you who aspire to grow in their careers and make a greater impact in their communities. We can help prepare you to:
- Qualify for advanced roles as a leader in health care administration, education, or policy
- Serve as an advocate and mentor for other nurses
- Work as an educator to teach the nurses of tomorrow
- Fill a void in health care for doctorate-prepared nurse leaders to help advance nursing as a profession
Bradley’s DNP program offers four tracks — Leadership, Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Acute and Primary Care, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner — which means you can focus your studies in the area where you hope to make the biggest difference.
Continue reading to learn more about the industry outlook and some of the opportunities you can pursue when you earn your Bradley degree.
What's your growth potential?
One of the primary benefits of earning your online DNP is the diversity of career options you’ll be able to pursue. Professionals with this degree work in a wide range of environments, including health care organizations, academic entities, government agencies, and private corporations.
Regardless of what path you choose, holding the terminal degree in your field can qualify you for higher earning potential. According to PayScale, the average salary for people holding a DNP is $112,000, compared to an average salary of $104,000 for individuals with an MSN and $95,000 for those with a BSN.
And if you choose to focus on the managerial side of health care, you might also qualify for roles with a higher salary. The median pay for medical and health services managers is $110,680, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Let’s take an in-depth look at a few of your career options:
Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP-FNP) related careers
Where can you work?
- Primary care
- Private homes
- Community clinics
- Health departments
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Long-term and short-term-care facilities
- Urgent care facilities
- Hospitals and medical clinics
Leadership (DNP-Leadership) related careers
Where can you work?
- Acute care hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Home health care agencies
- Academic institutions
- Advocacy groups
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (DNP-PMHNP) related careers
Where can you work?
- Hospitals
- Private practice
- Psychiatric and behavioral treatment clinics
- Corporations
- Residential treatment facilities
- Public health agencies
- Correctional facilities
Curriculum
Online DNP – Leadership Track Courses
*Clinical or practicum courses require a preceptor. Note: Curriculum is subject to change.
** NUR 840 course has variable credit hours and may not be taken by all students
Please note that this program is not designed for, and does not lead to, licensure or certification for a specific position or profession.
Admission Requirements
To be eligible for Bradley’s online MSN to DNP – Leadership program, you must meet the following qualifications:
- MSN from an NLNAC-, ACEN-, or CCNE-accredited* nursing program
- Proof of a current, unencumbered RN license
- Students may be admitted unconditionally if they have achieved at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate coursework. Applicants with previous graduate coursework must have achieved a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in all graduate coursework and have completed a minimum of 12 graduate credit hours for the graduate grade point average to be considered for admission.
You must also submit the following:
- Completed online application
- Nonrefundable $40 application fee
- Official transcripts of academic credentials
- Admission essay and portfolio
- DNP Leadership applicants must also discuss potential practice mentors to facilitate the implementation of the systematic or practice change identified.
- Two letters of recommendation
- CV/Résumé
- Documentation and description of supervised clinical hours completed during your master’s program
Learn from Innovative Nursing Leaders.
