Doctor of Nursing Practice – Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration (DNP-FNP)

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The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree with a Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP-FNP) concentration is the first program of its kind to be offered by a University of California campus. Designed for both BSN- and MSN-prepared nurses, this comprehensive three-year program prepares you to become a clinical expert and leader.

FNPs provide primary care, preventive care, urgent and episodic treatment, and chronic disease management. You’ll not only be equipped to deliver exceptional patient care, but to also lead quality improvement efforts, shape health policy, and contribute to the profession as a nurse educator.

As rigorous as it is rewarding, the DNP-FNP combines flexible learning, collaborative education, and immersive clinical experiences to ready you for family practice and interprofessional leadership at the highest level, emphasizing comprehensive, family-centered care across the lifespan.

The program also includes an option to take three nursing education courses that qualify you to sit for the National League for Nursing (NLN) Certified Nurse Educator (CNE®) examination — an added opportunity to position yourself for roles in academic nursing.

Program Details

The DNP-FNP curriculum takes a multi-faceted approach to preparing you for the challenges of today’s dynamic and complex healthcare landscape. It provides comprehensive education in organizational and systems leadership, research and analytical methods, healthcare policy, and population health. Practice expertise in family-centered patient care is integrated throughout the program, and a Primary Care Procedures course provides in-person skills training for procedural care in urgent and primary care settings.

You’ll also benefit from UC Irvine’s interprofessional learning environment that leverages collaborations across the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Population & Public Health.

Throughout the program, you’ll develop your ability to apply knowledge and clinical expertise through the DNP Scholarly Project — a quality improvement, evidence-based practice, or health policy project of original work that establishes you as a UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing clinical scholar.

In addition, many of UC Irvine’s DNP-FNP faculty members are part of our unique UC Irvine Nursing Faculty Practice Team, providing care to patients across Orange County and in UC Irvine Health clinics. This model offers you the chance to rotate with faculty in diverse clinical settings, including federally qualified health centers.

Program Duration

The DNP-FNP is a three-year hybrid commitment; the innovative curriculum combines online education with strategic on-campus sessions. The program offers accessible asynchronous learning and weekly synchronous online sessions, with three on-campus intensives focused on scholarly project development (placed at the beginning, middle, and end of the program).

You’ll also spend time on campus two to three times per year to develop your FNP clinical skills. The FNP track is full-time and particularly intensive once clinical rotations begin.

National League for Nursing (NLN) Certification

Three nursing education electives within the DNP curriculum qualify you to sit for the National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator (CNE®) examination — a distinction that recognizes excellence in the advanced specialty role of the academic nurse educator.

The CNE® certification enhances your professional credibility and demonstrates your commitment to lifelong learning and the advancement of the nursing profession.

Career Impact

By earning your DNP-FNP, you’ll be prepared to serve as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) at the highest level of the nursing profession. After passing the national Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) board certification examination, you’ll be well-qualified to practice in a variety of ambulatory care settings, serving patients of all ages.

Application Deadline

• Priority Deadline: December 1, 2025
• Final Deadline: February 18, 2026