St. John Fisher University’s Wegmans School of Nursing in Rochester, New York, offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner pathways:
- MSN (online, part-time)
- Post-Master’s Advanced Certificate (plan set by gap analysis)
Coursework is delivered online with one pre-clinical immersion on the Rochester campus. Applicants need an active RN license in the state where they work and at least one year of current direct-care RN experience. Fisher prepares AGPCNP graduates to care for patients ages 13 and older.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN – AGPCNP (Online) | $57,040 | 28 months part-time | 46 |
| Post-Master’s Advanced Certificate – AGPCNP | $19,840–$31,000 | Not published | Set by gap analysis |
Tuition estimates multiply Fisher’s 2026–2027 graduate nursing rate ($1,240/credit) by the credit total. The certificate range runs from the 16-credit AGPCNP specialty core alone to that core plus the 9-credit advanced practice Direct Core.
What sets Fisher apart from many online AGPCNP programs is how little travel it asks: one pre-clinical immersion in Rochester, then 600 clinical hours completed in the student’s own community. The part-time plan runs about 28 months, so most students can keep working as RNs throughout.
The catch is uncertainty about clinical support. Fisher’s online pages say rotations happen in your community and outside your employer, and that program fees fund a clinical placement system. They do not state whether Fisher secures preceptors for online students or guarantees a site. Admission is also selective for an online program: Fisher requires a reference from an advanced practice clinician, a recorded video interview, and current direct-care employment.
One campus trip and a 28-month part-time plan make Fisher easy to fit around work, but online students should confirm early how their clinical sites will be found.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | MSN, Post-Master’s Advanced Certificate |
| Format | Online, part-time, with live online classes |
| Campus Visits | One pre-clinical immersion in Rochester, NY |
| Clinical Hours | 600 (four 150-hour practica) |
| Clinical Placement | In the student’s community, outside current employer; placement responsibility not clearly published |
| Population Focus | Adults and older adults, ages 13 and up |
| Licensure & Experience | RN license in state of employment; 1+ year current direct-care RN experience |
| Start Terms | Current cycle: January 2027 |
| Tuition | $1,240 per credit (2026–2027) |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s and DNP) |
Master of Science in Nursing – AGPCNP (Online)
The online MSN-AGPCNP costs an estimated $57,040 in tuition for 46 credits and takes as few as 28 months part-time. It is the entry route for BSN-prepared RNs who are not yet nurse practitioners.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The online program page, the tuition page, and the 2026–2027 catalog’s AGPCNP course list all add up to 46 credits. Fisher’s main MS in Nursing page lists 47 credits and a 24–36 month range. This page uses 46 credits because the catalog’s course-by-course total reconciles to it. At 47 credits, tuition would be $58,280.
On-campus option. Earlier versions of this profile listed a separate on-campus MSN with evening classes. Fisher’s current MS in Nursing page describes the program as offered fully online, and all applications route through the online admissions portal. Fisher’s 2026–2027 fee schedule still lists an on-campus AGPCNP fee, but no current program page describes an on-campus AGPCNP track, so it is no longer profiled separately here.
MSN Curriculum
The plan has three blocks. A 21-credit Scholarship Core carries research, informatics, policy, population health, leadership, and a capstone. The 9-credit Direct Core covers the standard advanced practice trio of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment. The 16-credit AGPCNP Specialty Clinical Core pairs four 3-credit didactic courses with four 1-credit, 150-hour practica.
The Scholarship Core is larger than the AGPCNP specialty itself. That weighting adds DNP-level content (biostatistics, epidemiology, complex systems) to the MSN, which can help students who later continue to Fisher’s post-master’s DNP. Students who want the leanest route to NP licensure will find more non-clinical coursework here than in some programs.
Direct Core (9 credits)
- GNUR 543 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (3)
- GNUR 570 – Advanced Pharmacology (3)
- GNUR 571 – Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning (3)
AGPCNP Specialty Clinical Core (16 credits)
- GNUR 650–653 – Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan I–IV (3 each, 12 total)
- GNUR 642, 644, 646, 648 – AGPCNP Diagnosis & Management of Adults Across the Lifespan I–IV (1 each, 150 clinical hours each)
Scholarship Core (21 credits)
- GNUR 503 – Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice & Research (3)
- GNUR 702 – Advanced Evidence-Based Practice & Research (3)
- GNUR 704 – Informatics and Healthcare Technologies (3)
- GNUR 706 – Healthcare Delivery Systems, Policy & Law (3)
- GNUR 707 – Population Health: Biostatistics and Epidemiology (3)
- GNUR 708 – Complex Systems & Leadership (3)
- GNUR 558 – Capstone Development (2)
- GNUR 695 – Transition to APRN (1)
See the full program requirements in Fisher’s 2026–2027 catalog. Course descriptions are in the GNUR course listing.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Total: 600 clinical hours across four 150-hour practica (GNUR 642, 644, 646, 648)
- Location: In the student’s own community, under an experienced preceptor
- Settings named by Fisher: hospitals, private clinics, and community health centers
- Employer rule: Rotations must occur outside the student’s current place of employment
- Immersion: One pre-clinical immersion in Rochester using the school’s labs and simulated hospital unit
- Placement responsibility: Not clearly published for online students. Fisher’s fee FAQ says program fees cover a clinical placement system and clinical document system.
The no-employer rule matters most for nurses in small health systems or rural areas, where the obvious primary care preceptors may work for the same organization. Because Fisher does not publish whether it secures preceptors for distance students, applicants should line up potential sites before enrolling rather than assume the school will supply one. A delayed site can push back a practicum and stretch the 28-month timeline.
MSN Admissions
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing
- Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher; preference for 3.3 or higher
- Current, active, unencumbered RN license in the state where you work as an RN
- At least one year of current RN clinical experience and current employment in a direct-care setting
- B or higher in undergraduate health assessment and research (evidence-based practice); C or higher in a college statistics course
- Two professional references: one from an advanced practice clinician (NP preferred; CNS, CRNA, PA, MD, or CNM accepted) and one from a nursing supervisor or clinical leader with a master’s or doctorate
- Current résumé and official transcripts
- Recorded interview through the Kira Talent platform
- January 2027 start deadlines: Early Priority August 24, 2026; Priority September 28, 2026; Final November 2, 2026
Two rules can disqualify otherwise strong applicants. Nurses in non-bedside roles (education, case management, informatics) do not meet the current direct-care employment requirement. Applicants without a working relationship with an NP, PA, or physician may struggle to obtain the required advanced practice reference.
Review Fisher’s current application requirements.
Post-Master’s Advanced Certificate – AGPCNP
The certificate serves nurses who already hold a master’s degree and want to become AGPCNPs. Fisher does not publish a credit total or duration. Each student’s plan comes from a gap analysis of prior graduate coursework. Estimated tuition runs $19,840 to $31,000, depending on whether the advanced practice Direct Core must be taken.
Certificate Curriculum
The catalog states only that every post-master’s APRN certificate student receives a gap analysis to set an individual plan of study. In practice, the AGPCNP-specific content sits in the 16-credit Specialty Clinical Core (GNUR 650–653 and the four practica). Applicants without graduate-level pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment would likely also need the 9-credit Direct Core. That range (16 to 25 credits) is an interpretation of the catalog structure, not a published figure.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
The AGPCNP specialty core includes the same four 150-hour practica (600 hours) as the MSN. Fisher does not publish whether clinical hours from a prior master’s program can reduce this total. The same community-based, outside-your-employer rules apply to online students.
Certificate Admissions
- Master’s degree in nursing or a non-clinical master’s degree (per the 2026–2027 catalog)
- Active, unencumbered RN license
- Official transcripts for the gap analysis
- Other requirements: not separately published for the certificate
Unlike many post-master’s NP certificates, Fisher’s does not require existing APRN certification. That opens it to nurse educators, administrators, and other master’s-prepared RNs, not only practicing NPs adding a population focus. The trade-off is cost uncertainty: without a published credit range, the true price is unknown until the gap analysis is complete.
Tuition
Fisher charges $1,240 per credit for graduate nursing in 2026–2027, regardless of state of residence. This replaces the $1,193 rate used on the earlier version of this profile. Fisher’s online tuition page lists the AGPCNP MSN at $57,040 for 46 credits, which matches the current rate.
| Pathway | Credits | Est. Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| MSN – AGPCNP (Online) | 46 | $57,040 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate (specialty core only) | 16 | $19,840 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate (with Direct Core) | 25 | $31,000 |
Certificate figures are calculated from the catalog’s course blocks; Fisher does not publish a certificate credit total.
Fees Beyond Tuition
- Comprehensive fee: $20 per credit ($920 across 46 MSN credits)
- Online AGPCNP program fee (MSN and certificate): $104 per semester
- Immersion: no separate charge, but students pay their own travel, housing, and meals in Rochester
- Fisher alumni: $1,000 graduate tuition award
Because Fisher is private, New York residents get no in-state discount. Nurses in states with low public in-state graduate rates will usually find cheaper AGPCNP options closer to home. Out-of-state applicants comparing Fisher against public universities’ non-resident rates may find it competitive.
See Fisher’s official 2026–2027 tuition and fee schedule. Online program tuition and financial aid details are here.
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: working direct-care RNs who want an online, part-time AGPCNP program with a single campus trip and who can identify their own local primary care clinical sites.
One Trip to Rochester
A single pre-clinical immersion is a light campus requirement. Students outside New York budget for one trip rather than a series of residencies, which reduces both travel cost and time away from work.
Clinical Sites Outside Your Employer
All 600 hours must be completed away from your current employer, and Fisher does not publish whether it finds preceptors for online students. This is the biggest planning risk. Applicants with existing relationships at independent practices or community health centers are in the strongest position.
A Research-Heavy MSN
With 21 of 46 credits in the Scholarship Core, the MSN carries more research, policy, and population health than a minimal NP curriculum. That suits students who may pursue a DNP. Fisher’s post-master’s DNP requires at least 33 credits and 1,000 total clinical hours, with master’s clinical hours counting toward that total. Fisher MS graduates since 2018 can finish it in five semesters; others need eight.
Flat Private Pricing
At about $57,000 in tuition, Fisher costs the same whether you live in Rochester or out of state. That is a disadvantage against in-state public programs and a neutral-to-favorable point against non-resident public tuition.
The Verdict
Fisher is a strong fit for experienced bedside RNs who want minimal campus travel, can secure preceptors outside their employer, and value research-oriented coursework that feeds a later DNP. Master’s-prepared nurses without APRN certification also have a clear route through the certificate. Nurses who want guaranteed clinical placement, the lowest in-state price, or a non-bedside RN background should compare other programs first.
Accreditation
Fisher’s baccalaureate, master’s, and DNP nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The Wegmans School of Nursing is registered with the New York State Education Department. Fisher states AGPCNP graduates are eligible for New York State NP certification and national certification through ANCC or AANPCB.
Fisher’s online program pages do not publish a state authorization or licensure disclosure list. Applicants outside New York should confirm that the program meets NP licensure requirements in their state and that clinicals can be completed there before applying.
Additional AGPCNP Programs for New York Students
- Adelphi University - Garden City
- Hunter College - New York
- Keuka College - Keuka Park
- NYU - New York
- St. Joseph's University - Brooklyn
- Stony Brook University - Stony Brook
- SUNY Brockport - Brockport