Master of Science in Nursing

Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration 

Learn best practices for caring for adults and children of all ages with a focus on family and community. This concentration focuses on continuing and a comprehensive wellness and illness care for individuals, plus illness management, health promotion and health education.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Assess, diagnose and treat the mental health needs of patients of all ages while providing physical and psychosocial assessments and emergency psychiatric care. 

Nurse Educator Concentration 

Choose to learn more about analysis (critical thinking and reasoning), pathophysiological concepts, advanced health assessment skills, pharmacological principles and applications, evaluation of evidence, critique of research and synthesis of literature to support best practices.

Clinical Nurse Leader Concentration 

Step into a leadership role that transforms how care is delivered with Davenport’s MSN–CNL program. As a CNL, you can lead quality improvement projects, use data to advocate for meaningful change and balance patient care with resource management and performance improvement. 

• A current, valid, and unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse (RN) in a U.S jurisdiction or province of Canada
• A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• One professional recommendation 
• Official transcripts from previous nursing program(s)
• Resume/CV
• Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 out of a 4.0
• Professional essay

Out of State Applicants applying for academic programs leading to Professional Licensure (ie; FNP), it is highly recommended that students contact the appropriate licensing agency in their state of residence if they are considering an academic program that leads to a professional license. Davenport University offers a state by state guide with web links to the appropriate licensing agencies. It is the responsibility of students to contact the appropriate licensing agency and to understand the requirements in their state of residence as applied to their specific situation. 

The formation of nursing professionals at Davenport University is based on a conceptual model, adapted from Fawcett's metaparadigm and various educational theories, that includes five over-arching concepts: the human person, nursing, health, environment/society, and the teaching/learning process.

• Human Person - Human beings are unique, adaptable, and possess inherent dignity, thus worthy of caring, nurturing, and respect. Human beings exist in highly valued reciprocal relationships with others.
• Environment/Society - Human beings exist within a dynamic physical, social, and cultural environment. The environment impacts the health of individuals, groups, and populations and as such, is a relevant consideration for the nurse.
• Health - Health is individually defined by the distinct perspective of each human person or group, based on unique goals for optimizing quality of life, mental health, and functional status. Health is a dynamic state, continually changing, and all can improve health as it is individually defined by each person.
• Nursing - Nursing is a caring profession that embraces a holistic approach to healthcare, in fully recognizing the interconnectedness of biological, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual factors that contribute to health. Nurses are autonomous healthcare providers, accountable for their practice as determined by academic preparation, licensure, and certification. Nursing has its own scientific body of knowledge built from a foundation of biological and social sciences and adheres to a code of ethical behavior.
• Teaching/Learning - Teaching and learning is a collaborative interaction between teacher and learner, with mutual accountability for active engagement, respectful communication, and constructive problem-solving. The faculty recognize that learners, as human persons, are unique and present with a variety of learning styles, developmental stages, and life experiences that create individual states of readiness for transformational learning. Learning is active, builds on prior knowledge, requires intrinsic motivation, and leads to a measurable change in knowledge, behavior, and nursing clinical judgment. Faculty engage in evidence-based pedagogies and provide an equitable and inclusive learning environment for all.

• Synthesize concepts and theories from nursing and related disciplines and sciences to deliver advanced nursing care.
• Integrate evidence-based knowledge, research, and clinical judgment to design, coordinate, and evaluate the delivery of care.
• Integrate current and emerging health and information technologies effectively into one’s practice to enhance health outcomes.
• Collaborate effectively within an interprofessional context to improve the delivery of care across the health care continuum.
• Apply organizational and systems leadership strategies to promote high quality and safe patient care environments.
• Advocate for policies at the local, state, and national levels to improve health and advance the profession of nursing.
• Demonstrate beginning competency in an advanced nursing role.

View the College of Health Professions faculty and staff