Admission
BS to DNAP
Mount Marty University's Nurse Anesthesia Program requires at least one year (2 preferred) of recent full-time critical care nursing experience as a registered nurse. Acceptable critical care nursing experience includes: ICU, CCU, SICU, MICU, NICU and PICU. We look for candidates who have developed critical thinking skills while caring for seriously ill patients with multi-system involvement. In addition to possessing independent decision-making skills, candidates should be capable of using and interpreting advanced monitoring techniques, ECG interpretation, ventilator management, and regulating and instituting pharmacological principles. Admission into the program is quite competitive and most people entering the program have two or more years of critical care experience prior to entering the program.
MS to DNAP
Applicants for the post-Master's completion program must hold a Master's degree in nursing or other appropriate Master's degree that provided the ability for the graduate to obtain certification and/or licensure as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, have graduated from a COA approved nurse anesthesia program, hold current RN and/or APRN licensure, and be currently certified/recertified as a nurse anesthetist.
BS to DNAP Requirements
To be accepted/admitted into the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
• Bachelor’s degree in nursing or associate diploma in nursing plus a baccalaureate degree in another related discipline
• Graduation from an accredited (ACEN or CCNE) nursing program
• Current licensure as an RN
• Cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale
• Minimum of 1 year (2 years preferred), full-time experience as a registered nurse in a critical care area within the United States, its territories, or a U.S. military hospital outside of the United States
• Prerequisite courses: 1 course in chemistry and 1 course in elementary statistics or epidemiology
• Basic Life Support (BLS), Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications valid through the end of the first academic year (required prior to entering the program)
• Completed health questionnaire, physical exam, immunization record, and criminal background check prior to the start of the first semester, if admitted to the program
MS to DNAP Requirements
To be admitted into the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice post master’s program, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
• Master’s degree in nursing or other appropriate Master’s degree that provided the ability for the graduate to obtain certification as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
• Graduation from an accredited (COA) Nurse Anesthesia program
• Current licensure as an RN and current certification as a CRNA
• Cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale
• Completed health questionnaire, physicial examination, and immunization record prior to the start of the first semester, if admitted to the program.
All application materials must be received no later than August 15 each year for the class starting the following May. Incomplete applications, or applications received after the deadline, will be reviewed only at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.
Apply on nursingcas
To apply to the DNAP program, you will complete the application via NursingCAS. NursingCAS is a service that allows applicants to use a single online application and one set of materials to apply to any participating schools. Below are instructions on how to submit your DNAP application to Mount Marty University.
Mount Marty University requires a $35 application fee. Please submit payment using the following link: https://admission.mountmarty.edu/register/DNAPapplicationfee
Step 1: Create Your NursingCAS Account
Visit www.nursingcas.org and click “Apply Here”
Click on “Create Account” and complete the required fields in order to start your application.
Step 2: Select Your Program
Please select the following options within their respective drop down menus:
School: Mount Marty
Location: South Dakota
Degree Type: Choose either BS to DNAP or MS to DNAP
Delivery: Hybrid; On Campus for Nurse Anesthesia
After selecting your program, proceed to Review My Selections.
After reviewing, continue to your application.
Step 3: Personal Information
You will need to thoroughly complete all seven areas of the personal information section.
Step 4: Academic History
There are five sections within Academic History, but only two are required. The Standardized Tests section is required if you need to complete the TOEFL.
- Colleges Attended
Please follow the instructions provided by NursingCAS to add colleges. Official transcripts are required for Mount Marty. Please download a Transcript Request Form for each college, and submit the form to your institution’s Registrar. Transcripts sent directly to the program will not be accepted. - Transcript Entry
In this section, you will be prompted to start your coursework entry. Mount Marty requires full coursework entry. We acknowledge that this process can be labor-intensive, and we encourage entering this information early on in the application process.
Helpful Hint: Having your unofficial transcript(s) handy when completing this section can make the process go more smoothly.
Once all your coursework has been entered, you will be prompted to review and finalize your transcripts. Please review your coursework entry very carefully, as it cannot be edited once you submit your application. Failure to properly enter your coursework can result in a delay of transcript verification. - Standardized Tests
GRE: The GRE exam is optional for admission.
Diploma in Nursing
Step 4: Evaluations / References
- BS to DNAP References: Three (3) professional references are required: 1 from the nursing unit director/manager, 1 from nursing unit critical care coordinator/shift supervisor, and 1 from a professional colleague (e.g. anesthesia provider, professor, colleague). The reference letters should attest to the applicant’s preparation, initiative, and aptitude for successful completion of doctoral education. All references should be in the form of a letter.
- MS to DNAP References: Three (3) professional references are required: 1 from the applicant’s Immediate Supervisor, and 2 from colleagues who can attest to the applicant’s preparation, initiative, and aptitude for successful completion of doctoral education. All references should be in the form of a reference letter
Step 5: Program Materials
This section directs you to complete program-specific requirements. Please navigate to Mount Marty’s Nurse Anesthesia Program and follow the instructions to complete the Documents and Questions sections.
Documents
Application requirements for Mount Marty’s BS to DNAP program include:
Current Curriculum Vitae/Resume
Upload one document that contains your current Curriculum Vitae/Resume. Save the document as “YourLastName MMU Resume”.
Essay Response
Upload a personal essay that describes your goals for doctoral study, motivations for entering the nurse anesthesia field, what you have to offer the profession, and reasons why you chose Mount Marty. Essay should be typed and no more than 600 words. Save the document as “YourLastName MMU Essay”.
For BS to DNAP applicants, follow this link:
Critical Care Experience / RN Licensure Forms
Click to download forms, fill out entirely and upload into NursingCAS.
PALS, ACLS, BLS, CCRN or Other Certifications
Use this section to enter all licensures and certifications.
Nursing License
Use this section to enter your nursing license(s).
Questions
Please answer all required questions for Mount Marty.
Step 6: Submit
Once you’ve completed all of the above steps and are confident of your materials, click the submit and pay field. Remember you will need to submit the application fee to NursingCAS. Mount Marty University requires a $35 application fee also. Please submit payment to Mount Marty using the following link: https://admission.mountmarty.edu/register/DNAPapplicationfee
Helpful Tips
Apply Early
All materials must be submitted to NursingCAS and applications must be complete by the application deadline for consideration. Once submitted, NursingCAS will go through the verification stage. This usually takes 7-10 days barring any issue or missing materials.
Monitor Your NursingCAS Portal
Monitor your NursingCAS application portal weekly for completion of tasks such as verification of your transcripts and receiving recommendations. Notifications regarding your application will only be sent through your NursingCAS portal, and it is your responsibility to be checking and taking action on necessary tasks.
Keep Application Instructions Available
We encourage you keep these instructions open when completing your NursingCAS application.
Communicate with NursingCAS: If there is an issue with your application, you will need to communicate directly with NursingCAS. There are application instructions on the NursingCAS website that may be helpful as well.
Follow NursingCAS on Social Media
There are many helpful instructional videos, message boards or application tips available on NursingCAS’ Twitter account and YouTube channel. You are encouraged to use those avenues to find support or help with your application.
The Admissions Committee will carefully review all components, including completed application and supporting material, academic performance, nursing experience, and references. Because class size is limited, not all candidates who meet minimum requirements will be invited for interview. Invitations to attend a personal interview will be sent by email in the Fall. Interviews are generally conducted virtually in November or December. Incomplete applications, or applications received after the application deadline, will be reviewed only at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.
All students must attest that they meet the Core Performance Standards upon entrance to the program, and throughout their student experiences.
International students are asked to follow the additional admissions procedures on the Mount Marty University International Web section.
- Indirect costs not included in tuition include the cost of books, travel and living costs during clinicals, health insurance, and internet connection.
- $35 application fee. Please submit payment using the following link: https://admission.mountmarty.edu/register/DNAPapplicationfee
- $1,200 Tuition Deposit upon acceptance
- Financial aid is available from the Federal Government in the form of student loans. You need to apply for financial assistance by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid online.
For further program information, please contact the program at:
msna@mountmarty.edu
Virtual Tour
Before traveling to our campus, be sure to check out our virtual tour video.