The College of Nursing offers a Master of Science (MS), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) with a major in nursing.

The MS program offers four nurse practitioner options: Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) or Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). The NP focus is the nurse as a primary care provider knowledgeable about health assessment, primary prevention, health maintenance, and illness management.  In keeping with the introduction of the Doctorate of Nursing Practice as the terminal degree for advanced practice nursing, the University of Arizona College of Nursing has revised its graduate program offerings. Fall Term 2008 will mark the last time to enter the Master of Science degree program with a nurse practitioner option.  Admission to the 2008 Fall Term will require full-time enrollment (minimum of 9 credits per term).  Thereafter, nurses interested in advance practice nursing preparation will apply for admission to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.

The "First in Arizona" Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) prepares the nurse at the highest level of advanced nursing practice.  Students will participate in a doctoral level internship to demonstrate synthesis between practice and knowledge that will be the focus of a scholarly piece of work.  Nurses entering this practice-focused doctoral program will be prepared through one of three admission options:

1. Bachelor of Science in Nursing to DNP
2. Master of Science in Nursing to DNP for those nurses who hold national advanced practice certification
3. Master of Science in Nursing to DNP with an option to obtain nurse practitioner preparation (options include Acute Care, Adult, Family or Adult Psychiatric Mental Health)

The DNP is similiar to other practice doctorates such as the MD, JD, PTD and Pharm D.  The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has called for the adoption by 2015 of the DNP as the terminal nursing practicce degree. 

The state-of-the-art PhD program is designed to prepare scientists to conduct theory-based research in nursing, to engage in scholarly dialogue, and to contribute to the development of nursing knowledge. The doctoral program curriculum is designed as a full time, three-year, 64 credit post-master’s program, or a full time, four-year, 79 credit post-baccalaureate program. The program provides a learning matrix of course work, collegial relationships, community networks, mentored research, and collaboration in scholarship.

U.S. News & World Report (2007) ranked the College of Nursing’s graduate programs among the top 6% in the United States.