Doctor of Nursing Practice-Executive Master of Business Administration Dual-Degree Program
Prepare for executive leadership positions in health care with this online dual-degree program that combines advanced nursing practice and executive leadership competencies.
This program is designed for master’s prepared, advanced-practice nurses with leadership experience who want to take on executive positions, beyond the director level, in healthcare systems and industries.
Successful candidates will earn two graduate degrees at once from the University of Arkansas:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice from the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing
- Executive Master of Business Administration from the Sam M. Walton College of Business
The article "U of A Offers Dual Degree for Nurses Prepping for Executive Leadership Roles" elaborates on the program.
Program Goals
- Solve complex health care issues
- Apply business leadership and management skills to transform your organization
- Provide evidence-based clinical prevention and health services to improve patient outcomes
A maximum of 12 credit hours of approved Executive M.B.A. core courses can be used as duplicate credit toward the D.N.P. degree, and 6 hours of approved D.N.P. core courses can be applied toward the Executive M.B.A. degree. The duplicate credit hours in each degree program allow you to complete the two graduate degrees in less time than completing each separately.
In addition to coursework, the student must complete a minimum of 1,000 practice hours in nursing to complete the D.N.P. A maximum of 505 clinical practice hours can be applied from the candidate's Master of Science in Nursing degree.
Admission Requirements
You must apply to and be accepted by the U of A Graduate School for the D.N.P. as well as the Walton Graduate School of Business for the Executive M.B.A. to start the dual-degree program in the summer session.
The GRE is waived for the D.N.P. program. A GMAT or GRE score, however is required for the Executive M.B.A. unless you qualify for a test waiver. The Master's Program section of the U of A Graduate Catalog has more information.
To enter the program, the prospective student must hold an M.S.N. and be a licensed advanced practice nurse in one of four areas:
- Certified nurse midwives
- Certified registered nurse anesthetists
- Clinical nurse specialists
- Nurse practitioners