D.N.P.-N.A. Frequently Asked Questions

General

Q: What degree will I earn?
A: A Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) – Nurse Anesthesia degree. The D.N.P.-Nurse Anesthesia degree program is for experienced critical care RNs who hold a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in nursing and wish to become certified registered nurse anesthetists (C.R.N.A.s). The Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), or Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (D.N.A.P.), are the practice standard for nurse anesthesia education.

Q: What can I do as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (C.R.N.A.)?
A: C.R.N.A.s are advanced practice registered nurses (A.P.R.N.s) who are licensed as independent practitioners who plan and deliver anesthesia, pain management and related care to patients of all health complexities. C.R.N.A.s practice in pre-, intra- and post-operative settings, as well as pain management (including acute, obstetrics care) and other services related to patient care. 

Q: What is the length of the program?
A: 36 months or 12 quarters of year-round experiences, including three summers.

Q: When do applications for the D.N.P. Nurse Anesthesia degree program open?
A: Applications are slated to open fall of 2024 pending required approvals from the University of California and the Council on Accreditation.

Q: When does the program begin?
A: The program will begin in June of 2025 pending required approvals from the University of California and the Council on Accreditation.

Applicant eligibility

Q: Do I need a degree in nursing to apply?
A: Applicant must hold either a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing Science (B.S.N.) or an equivalent major OR a Bachelor’s Degree in another specialty in addition to a Master’s of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) or an equivalent graduate degree.

Q: Do I need an R.N. license to apply?
A: Applicants must hold an unencumbered license as a registered professional nurse (R.N.) and/or an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (A.P.R.N.) in the United States or its territories or protectorates at the time of application, plus eligibility to receive California licensure before matriculating into the program. The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA) defines A.P.R.N. as advanced practice nurses in the roles of certified nurse mid-wives, certified nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists. Please note, applicants are also required to have prior experience as an RN before applying to the program.

Q: Do I need prior experience as an R.N.?
A: Applicants will need a minimum of one-year full-time work experience, or its part-time equivalent, as a registered nurse in a critical care setting. The applicant must possess current professional experience in registered nursing care in an acute setting, providing care to patients with complex pathologies that may require advanced hemodynamic monitoring, ventilatory support, vasoactive titration, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The minimum of one year of full-time clinical registered nursing experience must be within the past two years in a critical care unit in the U.S. (consisting of 2080 hours of critical care experience within the U.S., its territories, or a U.S. military hospital outside of the U.S.).

Q: Do I need to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to apply to the program?
A: No standardized tests are required.

GPA

Q: What is the minimum GPA requirement?   
A: Applicants for admission to the D.N.P.-Nurse Anesthesia degree program must have a minimum cumulative bachelor’s degree GPA of 3.0 and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in all science prerequisites. While all prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or better, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is still required in order to be eligible for admission.

Q: Can I retake classes to improve my bachelor’s GPA?  
A: Applicants’ overall bachelor’s-degree GPAs are final upon graduation. Taking additional courses or repeating courses after earning a bachelor’s degree does not change an applicant’s bachelor’s degree GPA.

Q: Can I retake classes to improve my prerequisite science GPA? 
A: Yes. For prerequisite science courses, the highest grade is used to calculate an applicant’s science prerequisite GPA. Initial and repeated grades are not averaged.

Q: How are repeated courses calculated into my GPA?  
A: If the course was repeated at the degree-granting institution prior to graduation, the overall GPA calculation is determined by the school’s grade forgiveness policy.

Prerequisite requirements

Q: What prerequisites do I need?

A: The D.N.P.-Nurse Anesthesia degree program has been reviewed and approved by UC Davis; however, it has not received final approval from the University of California and therefore prerequisites may change. Additional information will be posted as available. Tentative prerequisite requirements are as follows:

If an applicant has a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree or an Entry-Level Master’s Prelicensure Nursing degree from an accredited university they do not need to complete the prerequisite courses below. If an applicant has an Associate Degree in Nursing with a bachelor’s degree in another filed, they must have completed all the prerequisites below.

Prerequisite Scenarios:

• If an applicant has a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree from an accredited university, they are not required to complete any prerequisite course as they have completed the requirement.
• If an applicant has an Entry-Level Master’s Prelicensure Nursing degree from an accredited university, they are not required to complete any prerequisite course as they have completed the requirement.
• If an applicant has an Associate Degree in Nursing with a bachelor’s degree in another filed, they must have completed all the prerequisite courses listed below.

Science Prerequisite Courses:

• One course in human anatomy with lab*
• One course in human physiology with lab*
  • Or human anatomy and physiology series: Part I and Part II with lab*
• One course in organic chemistry or biochemistry with lab
• One course in microbiology or bacteriology with lab

Social Sciences Prerequisite Courses:

• Two courses in social sciences. Ideal courses provide exposure to human or organizational behavior — such as psychology, sociology, ethnic studies, women’s studies or cultural anthropology. Social science courses may be completed in two different subject areas or within the same subject area.

Other Prerequisite Courses:

• One course in English composition

*It is recommended, although not required, that the human anatomy and human physiology prerequisite courses be completed within the past five years of when you plan to apply. Competitive applicants should self-assess their strengths. If it has been a number of years since courses were completed, applicants are strongly encouraged to consider retaking them. Applicants may complete a combined human anatomy and human physiology series course. Series courses are offered in two parts and are completed over the course of two quarters or two semesters. Series courses must be completed in full and must include a lab component. If applicant only completes one part of the series course, they must additionally complete a course in either human anatomy or human physiology to fulfill the requirement. Mammalian or animal physiology and anatomy will not fulfill this requirement.

Q: Do prerequisites need to be completed within a certain timeframe?
A: It is recommended, although not required, that the human anatomy and human physiology prerequisite courses be completed within the past five years of when you plan to apply. Competitive applicants should self-assess their strengths. If it has been a number of years since prerequisite courses were completed, applicants are strongly encouraged to consider retaking them.  All prerequisites must be complete by the time of application.

Q: What is the minimum grade accepted for prerequisite course work?
A: All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all science prerequisites is required. Advanced Placement (AP) scores awarded in high school do not fulfill prerequisites.

Q: Are prerequisites completed at community colleges or online looked at poorly or less competitive in comparison to those completed in-person at a university? 
A: No. The School of Nursing reviews all applications equally, regardless of whether the course was completed in person, online, at a community college or at a university. Labs may also be completed online.

Q: Can prerequisites be waived? 
A: If an applicant has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree or Entry-Level Master’s Prelicensure Nursing Degree from an accredited university (such as the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing), the prerequisite courses may be waived.