Application Instructions
Listed below are materials needed to apply. Applications are accepted for fall enrollment only.
Deadlines
Applications for the DNP program will be accepted until all spaces are filled for Fall 2013 enrollment.
Application form
Complete all sections of the online application form, or print and complete all sections of the paper application form (PDF).
Application fee
Submit a $35 non-refundable application fee. Make check or money order payable to St. Catherine University. This fee is waived for students who previously:
- Enrolled at the University (completed at least one course at either the undergraduate or graduate level)
- Attended a graduate information session within the past five years
- Completed an individual appointment with graduate faculty/staff within the past five years
If one or more of the above statements applies to you:
- If submitting a paper application: do not include payment with your application form.
- If submitting an online application: choose the waiver option when asked for a form of payment.
Please note that your application fee will not be refunded if you submit the payment but are eligible for a fee waiver.
Personal statement
Prepare a personal essay that demonstrates advanced written communication skills and clarifies your purpose in pursuing a clinical doctorate in nursing. Do not exceed five typed, double-spaced pages. Handwritten essays will not be accepted. Please address the following topics:
- Describe a situation or event when you/your team had a significant impact on a patient or a group of patients. How have you been transformed by that experience?
- In your opinion, what are the most pressing health concerns today?
- As a doctorally prepared nurse, what might you do to help reduce health disparities?
- Each DNP candidate completes a systems change project; what topic(s) might you incorporate into your systems change project? What resources are available to help you complete this project within two years?
- What do you envision yourself doing in five years?
Personal statements should be mailed to the Office of Graduate Admission at the address listed above. Applicants who wish to submit their statements via e-mail should send the completed attachment to graduate_study@stkate.edu. Please enter "DNP Personal Statement" in the subject line. Please include your full name at the top of the statement.
Résumé/Curriculum vitae
Submit a current résumé highlighting professional and volunteer experiences. Applicants must have a minimum of two years of recent clinical practice as a registered nurse.
Applicants who wish to submit their statements via e-mail should send the completed attachment to graduate_study@stkate.edu. Please enter “DNP Résumé” in the subject line and include your full name at the top of the statement.
Recommendations
Three DNP recommendation forms must be completed by professional and/or academic references who can that attest to your potential in a doctoral program (motivation, initiative, aptitude) and your commitment to the profession.
These are confidential recommendations and must be sent directly from the references to the Office of Graduate Admission at the address listed above. Original documents must be sent to our office. Applicants who wish to view a copy of the completed forms are responsible for making the appropriate arrangements with their references.
Download the recommendation form »
Transcripts
Official transcripts are required from each post-secondary institution attended, even if courses are recorded on another transcript and regardless of the number of credits earned. Transcripts should be mailed directly from the Registrar of each institution to the Office of Graduate Admission at St. Catherine University.
Successful completion of a master’s degree in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the American Association of Colleges of Nursing is required.
License
Applicants must hold a current U.S. nursing license. Verification of current licensure with eligibility for licensure in Minnesota will be made prior to students entering the program.
TOEFL / MELAB scores
Applicants whose native language is not English are required to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of 600 or better on the paper and pencil test, 100 on the iBT or 250 on the computerized test, or the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) with a score of 90 or better.
This requirement is waived for students who have completed a baccalaureate or graduate degree in the United States.
Credential evaluation
Applicants with a college or university degree completed outside of the United States must submit an official evaluation from World Education Services, as well as original transcripts and official translations of all documents not in English. All costs related to document translation and evaluation are the applicant’s responsibility.
International application
Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must submit an International Student Application and Certification of Finances, in addition to the DNP program application. No additional application fee is required.
Submit materials
Submit all application materials to:
St. Catherine University
Graduate Admission, Mail Stop #4027
2004 Randolph Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
Selection process
Fulfillment of the admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Each application that has been completed with the items listed above and received by St. Catherine University will be considered by the Admission Committee. No credentials will be returned to the applicant.
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