The faculty of the College of Nursing & Health Sciences conduct research in two broad areas—living with chronic illness and innovations in nursing education. Support for this work comes from a variety of sources:

• the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education
• professional groups and community agencies

Our faculty are recognized experts and are actively involved in service projects in southeastern Massachusetts and beyond. Our faculty serve as consultants for our practice partners and professional groups. Faculty are frequently invited speakers at professional meetings and provide peer-reviewed poster and podium presentations throughout the U.S. Many faculty volunteer for local, regional, national, and international health initiatives.

Recently, Dr. Kristen Sethares’ work on congestive heart failure and patient self-care was recognized when she was an invited presenter at the Chancellor’s Colloquium.

BS-DNP students complete 63-66 credits that include over 1,000 hours of clinical practice. In addition, students complete a scholarly project that translates research into practice and measures the effectiveness of this intervention in both health outcomes and cost effectiveness.

Post MS-DNP students complete 27-30 credits with a focus on advanced practice, leadership, and innovation. Students also complete a project that translates research into practice, emphasizing implementation, analysis, and dissemination of findings.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Faculty

• Anne Marie Caron, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, University Massachusetts Dartmouth; Lecturer; Long-term elder care, geriatric medicine, antibiotic stewardship, chronic illness management
• Elizabeth Chin, PhD, RN, University of Massachusetts Worcester; Assistant Professor; COPD, self-management, symptom management, qualitative methodology, learning differences
• Joohyun Chung, PhD, MStat, RN, University of Utah; Assistant Professor; Nursing education, nursing informatics, big data, machine learning techiques, Natural Language Process and deep learning, biostatistics with specialization in measurements, and nursing outcome study 
• Kathleen Elliot, DNP, ANP-BC, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth; Lecturer and DNP Clinical Coordinator; Substance misuse disorders and medically underserved populations
• June Andrews Horowitz, PhD, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN, New York University; Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research and Professor; Family mental health, perinatal/postpartum mental health disorders (specifically postpartum depression), mother-infant interaction, neurophysiologic markers for depressed mothers and their infants, intervention research, mixed methods research
• Susan Hunter Revell, PhD, RN, University of Rhode Island; Associate Professor Spinal cord injury, use of technology in the classroom, theory
• Sharon Keating, PhD, FNP-BC, University Rhode Island; DNP Graduate Program Director and Lecturer; Health promotion, disease prevention, technology for treatment
• Mary McCurry, PhD, RNBC, ANP, ACNP, Boston College; Associate Professor; Decision making, family caregivers, use of technology in the classroom
• Margaret Rudd-Arieta, DNP, PPCNP-BC, University Massachusetts Dartmouth; Lecturer; Emerging adults, Type I diabetes, asthma, informatics
• Monika Schuler, PhD, RN, CNE, Northeastern University; Assistant Professor and PhD Graduate Program Director; Role development and nursing education
• Kristen Sethares, PhD, RN, CNE, FAHA, Boston College; Chronic cardiac illness, self care, symptom management, quantitative methodology
• Nancy Street, ScD, PPCNP-BC, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Associate Professor and Julia and Harold Plotnick Professor of Global Nursing; global nursing and adolescent health
• Jennifer Viveiros, PhD, RN, CNE, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth; Assistant Professor; Memory, cognitive impairment education, heart failure 

In addition to completing the UMassD graduate admission package, applicants to the DNP program must:

• achieve a GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate study.
• hold a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from a program accredited by the NLNAC or CCNE. Registered Nurses with a bachelor degree in a related field may seek admission through the Graduate Admission Program.
• hold a current license to practice professional nursing in MA or be eligible to obtain a license. Please submit a copy of your license.
• have at least one year of clinical experience in acute care nursing.
• submit three references that document competence and leadership in professional nursing practice. If possible, one reference should be from a supervisor who is a professional nurse that holds a DNP and one from a nurse educator.

The GRE is NOT required.

Applications are due March 15 for Fall matriculation. Applications submitted by March 15 will receive priority. All applications received after March 15 will be reviewed on a rolling admission basis through May.

Learn more:

• Graduate Studies
• The Nurse Faculty Loan Program is offered to graduate nursing students enrolled in the MS , PhD, or DNP programs who plan to become nurse educators.