Women’s Health at Heart of New Program

In what is the only one of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle University College of Nursing is launching the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The program, which will have its first cohort beginning in June 2025, offers comprehensive education for nurses who will provide patient-centered primary and specialized care for women and individuals from across the gender spectrum.

The WHNP program will prepare graduates to deliver care to individuals from puberty through the adult lifespan. The curriculum includes preventative care to reproductive health, prenatal and postnatal care, menopausal support and more.

In today’s challenging and evolving health care landscape, the need for competent and compassionate women’s health care providers has never been greater. Graduates will be uniquely positioned to advocate for and deliver care that respects and responds to the unique health care needs of women and individuals of all gender identities who require these essential services.

In response to the nationwide shortage of health care providers at every level, WHNPs are essential in ensuring patients have access to high-quality, empathetic care at every stage of life.

The program is open to BSN-prepared nurses as well as college graduates from any field who wish to transition into nursing, with a clear path toward certification as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. Seattle University also offers a Certified Nurse-Midwifery DNP program, further expanding opportunities in this field.

Seattle University College of Nursing has been recognized for its outstanding programs, including being ranked the #1 Nursing School in Washington (College Factual, 2024), the #2 Nursing Practitioner Programs in Washington (RegisteredNursing.org, 2025) and the #45 DNP Program Nationally (U.S. News & World Report, 2024).

Applications for the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner DNP program are currently being accepted.