Midwestern University currently offers one actively listed AGPCNP pathway:
- MSN / Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner — 72 quarter credits, 24 months, full-time only
A second pathway, the Post-Master’s Certificate / AGPCNP Track, still has a live program page on the university website but does not appear in the 2026-27 catalog, the current Degrees & Programs directory, the nursing program calendar, or the published online program budgets. Its status is covered below and should be verified directly with admissions.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition & Fees | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN / AGPCNP | ~$33,062 (calculated) | 24 months (8 quarters), full-time | 72 quarter credits (≈48 semester credits) |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | Not published | 12 months (stated on program page) | 35 quarter credits |
Tuition estimate = published annual tuition of $15,781 × 2 years, plus the $750 annual Student Services Fee × 2. Excludes future increases, travel to residencies, books, and clinical costs.
The distinguishing feature: a fixed, lockstep, cohort-based structure with flat annual tuition. Everyone starts in Fall, takes the same 72 credits over eight consecutive quarters (including summers), and finishes in 24 months. Total tuition and fees come to about $33,062 — low for a private NP program and unusually predictable, because tuition is billed as a flat annual rate rather than per credit.
The trade-off: almost no flexibility. There is no part-time track, no spring or summer entry, one application deadline per year, and two mandatory on-campus residencies in Glendale, Arizona. Practicum courses run 640 hours across three consecutive quarters, which is a heavy load for anyone still working. The program is also authorized in only 28 states, and the university does not publish who is ultimately responsible for securing clinical sites.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | MSN (BSN entry). Post-master’s certificate status unclear. |
| Format | Online didactic coursework; catalog describes it as “blended learning” |
| Campus Visits | Two mandatory on-campus residencies in Glendale, AZ (Spring Y1, Fall Y2). Length is no longer published — the 2026-27 catalog states faculty set it. |
| Clinical Hours | 640 practicum hours (16 credits across three courses) |
| Clinical Placement | University states students “rotate through multiple primary care practicum sites” with “program assistance and guidance.” Placement responsibility and any guarantee are not explicitly published. |
| Population Focus | Adolescence (age 13+) through end of life |
| Distinctive Coursework | 16 credits of “Three Ps”; 4 credits of epidemiology/biostatistics; a dedicated gerontology policy course; 8 credits of DNP-coded leadership/EBP coursework |
| Entry Requirements | BSN, unencumbered U.S. RN license, 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA |
| Start Terms | Fall only (one cohort per year) |
| Application Deadline | July 31, rolling review until the class fills |
| Transfer Credit | Up to 12 credits; practicum and clinical specialty courses are non-transferable |
| State Availability | 28 states plus Arizona primary approval — see Accreditation below |
| Accreditation | CCNE; approved by the Arizona State Board of Nursing |
MSN / Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
Estimated tuition and fees of $33,062 across 72 quarter credits completed in 24 months. Entry requires a BSN and an active RN license; there is no RN-to-MSN bridge, no ADN entry, and no part-time plan of study. This is a full-time program for nurses who can commit to eight consecutive quarters with no summer break.
The program uses quarter credits, not semester credits. 72 quarter credits converts to roughly 48 semester credits — comparable to a typical 45-49 semester-credit MSN-NP program, not larger. Applicants comparing credit totals across schools should convert before assuming this program is longer.
MSN Curriculum
The curriculum is built in two distinct halves. Year 1 is entirely foundational: advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, epidemiology and biostatistics, plus health policy, law, ethics, and health promotion. No AGPCNP specialty content appears until Year 2. Year 2 opens with gerontology-focused and leadership coursework, then runs three paired didactic-plus-practicum sequences in the final three quarters.
Three features distinguish it:
A heavy advanced practice core. The “Three Ps” total 16 credits — pathophysiology (6), pharmacology (5), and health assessment (5). That is more than many MSN-NP programs allocate, and it means Year 1 is science-dense before any patient contact.
Two doctoral-coded courses inside the master’s. DRNP 1500 (Quality Improvement and Evidence-Based Practice, 4 credits) and DRNP 1501 (Organizational Leadership, 4 credits) are DNP-prefixed courses required in the MSN. Midwestern is also launching a 15-month online DNP beginning Fall 2027. Whether these 8 credits reduce a future MWU DNP plan of study is not published — the catalog’s transfer policy states credits cannot be re-applied to future programs without reevaluation. Applicants planning to return for a DNP should ask directly rather than assume.
A dedicated gerontology social-policy course. APRNG 600 (Sociological, Political, and Economical Perspectives in Gerontology, 3 credits) covers housing, financial planning, policy, and legal issues affecting older adults and caregivers. Few AGPCNP programs allocate a full course to this material.
The paired didactic and practicum courses run in tandem — students are learning content and applying it in the same quarter, not sequentially. A culmination/teaching project is developed across all three didactic courses (APRNG 602, 604, 606) rather than as a standalone capstone.
Key courses:
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| APRNG 500 / 501 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology I & II | 3 / 3 |
| APRNG 502 / 503 – Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses I & II | 3 / 2 |
| APRNG 504 – Advanced Health Assessment I | 3 |
| APRNG 505 – Advanced Health Assessment II (Residency) | 2 |
| GRNSG 501 / 502 – Epidemiology and Biostatistics I & II | 2 / 2 |
| GRNSG 503 – Principles of Human Resources, Law, and Ethics | 3 |
| GRNSG 504 – Finance and Healthcare Policy | 3 |
| GRNSG 505 – Disease Prevention and Health Promotion | 3 |
| DRNP 1500 – Quality Improvement Initiatives and Evidence-Based Practice | 4 |
| APRNG 600 – Sociological, Political, and Economical Perspectives in Gerontology | 3 |
| APRNG 601 – Procedures and Skills for Primary Care (Residency) | 2 |
| DRNP 1501 – Organizational Leadership | 4 |
| APRNG 602 / 603 – Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology I (didactic / practicum) | 3 / 4 |
| APRNG 604 / 605 – Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology II (didactic / practicum) | 3 / 6 |
| APRNG 606 / 607 – Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology III (didactic / practicum) | 3 / 6 |
Full plan of study — MWU 2026-27 catalog
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Total practicum hours: 640, all AGPCNP direct patient care
- Distribution: 160 hours (APRNG 603), then 240 (APRNG 605), then 240 (APRNG 607)
- Timing: Practicum begins Winter quarter of Year 2 and runs three consecutive quarters, each roughly 11-12 weeks
- Settings: The catalog cites rural, urban, and suburban primary care clinics, plus specialty rotations in internal medicine, long-term care/assisted living, hospice, home health, and pharmacy
- Residencies: Two mandatory on-campus experiences in Glendale — APRNG 505 (Spring, Year 1) and APRNG 601 (Fall, Year 2). Both must be completed before or alongside progression to practicum
- Graduation: All practicum hours must be completed, with a B- or higher or “Pass” in every course
What this means in practice. Two points deserve attention.
First, placement responsibility is not clearly published. The program webpage says students rotate through sites “through program assistance and guidance.” The catalog is softer, stating students “may be able to rotate to multiple primary care clinical sites.” Neither statement guarantees placement, specifies whether students must identify their own preceptors, or describes what happens if a site cannot be secured. That is a meaningful gap for a program enrolling students across 28 states. Ask admissions directly: who finds the site, who signs the affiliation agreement, and what the contingency is if placement fails in a given quarter.
Second, 640 hours is adequate but not generous. It clears the 500-hour minimum generally required for AGPCNP certification eligibility, but sits below the 700-1,000 hours some competing programs offer. Combined with the compressed three-quarter schedule — 480 of the 640 hours fall in the final two quarters — this is a back-loaded clinical model. Anyone planning to keep working through Year 2 should plan for roughly 20 hours of clinical time per week on top of didactic coursework.
Residency length is no longer specified. Earlier MWU materials described five-day residencies. The 2026-27 catalog explicitly removed the duration, noting that faculty set the length outside the course description “in preparation for future state changes.” Budget for travel and lodging to Glendale twice, but confirm the current dates and length with the program before booking anything.
MSN Admissions
- Degree: BSN from a regionally accredited college or university
- License: Current, unencumbered RN license in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
- GPA: 3.0 or higher cumulative undergraduate GPA (4.0 scale)
- Prerequisites: All prerequisite coursework completed with a grade of C or higher (C- not accepted). Specific prerequisite courses are not itemized on the catalog admissions page
- Documents: Current resume/CV; a one-page response to “Why am I pursuing this degree?”
- Transcripts: Official transcripts from all colleges attended
- Experience: The catalog states admission is competitive for RNs with direct patient care experience, but no minimum number of years is published
- Deadline: July 31; rolling review with decisions within two weeks of file completion
- Start term: Fall only (2026 cohort: orientation August 17-19, classes begin August 24)
- Application: Submitted through the Midwestern University website; the program page also links to NursingCAS
- Transfer credit: Up to 12 credits, requested in writing by July 31, B or higher, completed within five years, transfer applicants participate in an admissions interview. Clinical specialty and practicum courses are non-transferable.
Two items worth flagging. The 3.0 GPA floor is a hard minimum, not a target — the catalog describes competitive, committee-reviewed admission with no conditional or provisional pathway published. And the single July 31 deadline with a Fall-only start means a rejected or late applicant waits a full year. There is no second entry point.
The prerequisite requirement is stated but the required courses are not listed publicly. Applicants coming from older BSN programs or non-traditional backgrounds should request the prerequisite list from the program director before assuming eligibility.
Full admissions requirements and transfer policy — MWU catalog
Post-Master’s Certificate / AGPCNP Track — Verify Availability
Midwestern’s website still hosts a program page describing a Post-Master’s Certificate / AGPCNP Track: 35 quarter credits, 640 clinical hours, 12 months, structured as four didactic quarters with an overlapping three-quarter clinical phase, plus one mandatory on-campus residency at the end of the first quarter.
Stated eligibility is narrower than the MSN:
- Graduation from a regionally accredited MSN program
- Current, unencumbered U.S. RN license
- Current, unencumbered APRN license in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
- Current national certification through AANPCB or ANCC
- Documentation of current clinical, educational, or administrative nursing practice
This excludes most people who assume they qualify. It is not a certificate for MSN-prepared nurses in leadership, education, or informatics roles. It requires an existing APRN license and national NP certification — so it serves practicing FNPs, PMHNPs, or AG-ACNPs adding an adult-gerontology primary care population focus, not master’s-prepared RNs seeking a first NP credential.
Conflicting signals about whether it is currently offered. The program page is live, but the track does not appear in:
- The 2026-27 Graduate Nursing catalog, which lists only the MSN/AGPCNP and MSN/Nurse Leadership programs
- The current Degrees & Programs directory, where the only post-graduate certificate listed is Precision Medicine
- The 2026-27 nursing program calendar, which tracks only NPAG, NPNL, and NPDNP cohorts
- The published online program budgets, which list no cost of attendance for this track
MWU’s certificate pages also carry inconsistent residency descriptions — one section says a five-day residency, another says a four-day campus intensive. Tuition is not published anywhere. Anyone interested should contact admissions and confirm in writing that the track is enrolling before investing time in an application.
Tuition
Midwestern bills the online MSN/AGPCNP at a flat annual rate, not per credit. Tuition does not vary by residency — there is no in-state or out-of-state distinction, which is typical for a private institution and neutral for out-of-state applicants.
2026-27 published tuition and fees:
| Item | Year 1 | Year 2 | Two-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $15,781 | $15,781 | $31,562 |
| Student Services Fee | $750 | $750 | $1,500 |
| Total | $16,531 | $16,531 | $33,062 |
Note a change from prior years: the Student Services Fee is now $750 per year, up from $500. Total program cost rose by $500 accordingly.
Derived comparison figure (calculated, not published): $31,562 ÷ 72 quarter credits ≈ $438 per quarter credit, or roughly $657 per semester-credit equivalent. Because Midwestern charges a flat annual rate, this figure is useful only for cross-school comparison — a student who transfers in 12 credits does not pay less.
Costs the tuition figure excludes:
- Future tuition increases (the $33,062 estimate assumes the 2026-27 rate holds for both years)
- Travel, lodging, and time off work for two Glendale residencies — a real and unavoidable expense for the 27 out-of-state jurisdictions where the program is authorized
- Books and supplies, budgeted by MWU at $800 in Year 1
- Clinical-related costs such as background checks, immunizations, and travel to practicum sites
MWU’s cost-of-attendance budget also projects travel/transportation of $5,152 in Year 1 rising to $8,148 in Year 2 — a jump that reflects the practicum year. That increase is the clearest published signal of what clinical rotations cost students in commuting time and mileage.
One financial-aid detail matters for planning: MWU states that federal student loans are not available during periods of non-attendance, and specifically names summer quarter. Since this program runs through summer, students should confirm loan disbursement schedules against the quarter calendar with Student Financial Services.
No scholarships specific to AGPCNP or graduate nursing students are published. General institutional aid is described on MWU’s Scholarships and Financial Aid pages.
Official cost of attendance — MSN AGPCNP Online
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: a BSN-prepared RN in one of the 28 authorized states who can commit to two years of full-time, lockstep study, can travel to Arizona twice, and wants a predictable, moderately priced private-university MSN with a strong science core — ideally someone in or near Arizona, where clinical placement risk is lowest.
Predictable cost and a fixed finish date
Flat annual tuition removes the variable most likely to derail a budget. A student knows on day one that the degree costs about $33,062 and ends 24 months later. Programs charging per credit — especially those where a plan of study can stretch — carry far more cost uncertainty. For a private institution, $33,062 is competitive; many private MSN-NP programs run $50,000 or more.
Academic depth in the foundational sciences
Sixteen credits across pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment, plus four credits of epidemiology and biostatistics, is above average. Two DNP-coded courses in quality improvement and organizational leadership add a systems-level layer most MSN programs leave to doctoral study. For a nurse who wants a rigorous clinical foundation rather than a minimum-viable NP credential, this is the program’s strongest argument.
Clinical placement is the open question
This is the factor most likely to determine whether the program works for a given applicant. Midwestern describes site variety in detail — rural, urban, suburban, internal medicine, long-term care, hospice, home health — but does not publish who secures those sites, whether placement is guaranteed, or what happens if a student cannot find a preceptor. The catalog’s “may be able to rotate” phrasing is notably weaker than the marketing page’s “program assistance and guidance.”
For an Arizona-based student near Glendale and MWU’s own clinics, this is likely a non-issue. For a student in Vermont, Maine, or Hawaii — all authorized states — it is the single most important thing to resolve before applying. A failed placement in a lockstep cohort program does not just delay a course; it can delay graduation by a full year, since there is one cohort per year.
No flexibility for working nurses
There is no part-time option, no alternate entry term, and no published mechanism to slow down. Summer quarters run. Practicum begins in Winter of Year 2 and continues without a break through August. Nurses who need to keep a full-time clinical job through the second year should look closely at part-time AGPCNP programs instead — the schedule here does not bend.
The Verdict
Choose Midwestern if you are an Arizona-area BSN nurse with a 3.0+ GPA who can go full-time for two years and values cost predictability and a heavy science core. The lockstep structure that limits flexibility is also what makes the timeline and price reliable, and the two-residency model is lighter than programs requiring quarterly campus visits.
Compare other options if you need part-time enrollment, live far from Arizona and cannot absorb residency travel plus placement uncertainty, are in one of the 22 states where the program is not authorized, or are a master’s-prepared nurse without APRN certification looking for a post-master’s route — the certificate track requires an existing APRN license and national certification, and its current availability is unconfirmed.
The decisive question for most applicants is not academic quality or price. It is whether Midwestern can place you clinically where you live. Get that answered in writing before you apply.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program in nursing / Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner at Midwestern University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The program is also approved by the Arizona State Board of Nursing and the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education. Midwestern University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Graduates qualify to sit for national AGPCNP certification through AANPCB or ANCC, and after passing, may apply for APRN licensure through their state board of nursing.
Review Additional AGPCNP Programs in Arizona
- Arizona State University - Phoenix