5 Best BSN to DNP Programs in Minnesota – 2025


Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

BSN to DNP programs in Minnesota are the fastest way for RNs in the Land of Lakes to attain a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. As a DNP-prepared RN in Minnesota, you’ll have an expanded scope of practice that will allow you to assume executive leadership roles in the spheres of nursing education, healthcare policy, clinical practice, informatics, and public health. Many DNP programs in the Land of Lakes offer distance learning options, which means you can continue your education without sacrificing existing job and family responsibilities. RNs with DNPs in Minnesota make $137,320 a year. Learn about the 5 best BSN to DNP programs in Minnesota for 2025 below.


WHAT ARE THE BEST BSN TO DNP PROGRAMS IN MINNESOTA (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2025?

(Based on our ranking methodology, the following are the 5 Best BSN to DNP Programs in Minnesota (Online & Campus).)

1) University of Minnesota - Minneapolis


Concentrations: Adult/Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist,Adult Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner,Family Nurse Practitioner,Health Innovation and Leadership,Integrative Health and Healing,Nurse Anesthesia,Nurse-Midwifery, Nursing Informatics,Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care,Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist,Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Women's Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner

If you are ready to take the first step towards your nursing career, then enrolling in one of the best BSN to DNP programs in Minnesota such as the one offered by the University of Minnesota will be a prudent choice. Not only will you graduate with exceptional clinical skills, but with 12 specializations offered by the college, you can obtain a doctorate in a specific area of your interest.

This BSN to DNP program is offered through full-time on-campus classes, with the program of study customized to suit each student’s educational needs. Also, some of the specialties offer sub-specializations that further expand on your practice to optimize the health outcomes for your chosen population focus.

Depending on the track you choose to enroll, graduation requires completing credits ranging from 67 to 81, along with almost 1000 hours of clinical practice. To be eligible for this program you must have a BSN and an active RN license in Minnesota.


2) The College of Saint Scholastica - Duluth


Concentrations: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Are you looking at online BSN to DNP programs in Minnesota that offer the flexibility of online classes and clinical experiences near to your area of residence? If yes, then you may want to learn about the BSN to DNP program offered by The College of Saint Scholastica that trains you for the highest level of practice via the distance format. Focused on advanced nursing care and leadership in the rural and urban underserved areas, this DNP degree is offered in conjunction with adult-gerontology acute care, family health, and psychiatric mental health practitioner tracks.

Offered on a full-time basis, the BSN to DNP program is rigorous in nature and takes four years to complete. If you are a working nurse, it is recommended you refrain from employment during the program as you require more than 24 hours per week to dedicate the required time towards the DNP study. As such, graduation requires completing 79 credits and 1175 clinical hours, with the exact requirements depending on the track you enroll in. In addition to the specialized knowledge and skills, the program educates you in evidence-based practice, rural health, human care & informatics, healthcare policy, ethics in healthcare, and quality improvement.


3) Metropolitan State University - St. Paul


Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner

As a BSN graduate, you can take your nursing career and education to the highest possible level by enrolling in Metropolitan State University’s BSN to DNP program. The evidence-based curriculum is delivered by a distinguished faculty, members of which are Doctorally prepared, advanced practice nurses. The college emphasizes interprofessional collaboration and holistic nursing to improve the health of individuals and families across the lifespan, particularly the underserved and the vulnerable populations.

Admission into this BSN to DNP program in MN requires you to have completed your baccalaureate in nursing with a minimum GPA of 3.0 along with 2080 hours of work experience as a registered nurse. Also, you must have completed a course in statistics before starting with the program. Upon enrollment, you sequentially complete an 80-credit coursework. You learn about integrative nursing care, epidemiology & population health, health policy & advocacy, healthcare leadership, and primary care for individuals, families & communities across the lifespan.


4) Augsburg University - Minneapolis


Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

To become a leader in nursing you must obtain the terminal degree and what better than achieving it seamlessly after your baccalaureate education. At Augsburg University you can achieve leadership in primary care through its BSN to DNP program offered in conjunction with the family nurse practitioner track. Offered on a full-time basis, the program starts in fall each year.

With this BSN to DNP program, didactic courses are complemented with clinical training in a variety of healthcare settings, both locally and with optional study trips to Guatemala, Mexico, Namibia, Pine Ridge, SD, and England. The program is offered in the hybrid format and is open to BSN graduates with an active RN license. To graduate, you must complete 84 credits, including 56 credits in didactic, 4 seminar, and 24 credits in clinical training. Some of the courses you take include transcultural health, theoretical foundations, research methods, politics of healthcare, advanced pathophysiology, healthcare informatics, pharmacotherapies, and management of health for patients across the lifespan.


5) Minnesota State University Mankato - Mankato


Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Minnesota State University Mankato offers one of the few family-focused BSN to DNP programs in Minnesota that prepares you for leadership roles in the primary care of individuals, families, and communities across the lifespan. The program is delivered in the hybrid format with majority online classes and face-to-face sessions held once a month. The program mainly teaches you to evaluate and apply evidence-based knowledge to improve health outcomes across a diverse patient population. As a graduate of this program, you will be able to use information technology to influence change to address a healthcare issue.

This post-baccalaureate program comprises 80 credits and 1050 clinical hours of practice, upon completion of which you will be eligible to take the FNP certification exam. The full-time coursework which takes three years to complete educates you in nursing science theory, ethical & legal dimensions of advanced practice, health care policy, health promotion & disease prevention, and family mental health nursing. As a pre-requisite, you must have completed a graduate-level statistics course and an undergraduate research course with a minimum grade B.


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