Rasmussen University’s School of Nursing offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner pathways:
- MSN
- Post-Graduate Certificate
Coursework is online and competency-based, with no weekly deadlines inside each 11-week quarter. Both pathways require one on-campus weekend before practicum begins. Practicum takes place in the student’s own community.
Neither pathway is open to residents of Alabama, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, or Pennsylvania.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Cost (Tuition + Fees, All States) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN – AGPCNP | $51,680 | 27 months (full-time) | 69 quarter credits |
| Post-Graduate Certificate – AGPCNP | $23,970–$29,670 | 21 months (full-time) | 41–53 quarter credits |
Estimates use Rasmussen’s current published rates ($295/credit MSN core, $925/credit MSN specialization, $475/credit certificate) multiplied by the published credit totals, plus the program fees Rasmussen lists ($5,495 MSN, $4,495 certificate). One rate applies regardless of state of residence.
What separates Rasmussen from most AGPCNP programs is how it prices the specialty. The same 41 AGPCNP specialization credits cost $925 per credit inside the MSN and $475 per credit inside the post-graduate certificate. That is $37,925 versus $19,475 for identical coursework. Combined with Empowered Learning, a competency-based format with no weekly deadlines, the program suits nurses who need schedule control more than a traditional cohort pace.
Rasmussen does not publish total practicum hours on its program pages or in its 2026–2027 catalog. Applicants comparing clinical preparation across programs cannot verify Rasmussen’s figure from official sources. Placement is supported but not guaranteed: a clinical practicum coordinator helps locate sites in the student’s community.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate |
| Format | Online, competency-based (Empowered Learning), 11-week quarters |
| Campus Attendance | One on-campus weekend (Pre-Clinical Immersive Experience) before practicum |
| Clinical Hours | Not published; four 6-credit practicum courses |
| Clinical Placement | In the student’s community; coordinator helps locate sites |
| Licensure Required | Unencumbered RN license valid in the U.S. |
| Start Terms | MSN: four per year. Certificate: two per year (January, July) |
| Financial Aid | Title IV eligible since February 9, 2026 |
| Not Available In | AL, ID, KS, LA, MD, PA |
| Accreditation | CCNE; institutionally accredited by HLC |
Master of Science in Nursing – AGPCNP Specialization
The MSN Nurse Practitioner program with the AGPCNP specialization costs an estimated $51,680 for 69 quarter credits and takes as few as 27 months (nine quarters) full-time. It is the entry route for BSN-prepared RNs. Nurses who already hold a graduate nursing degree should look at the certificate, which covers the same specialization courses at roughly half the per-credit rate.
A published conflict worth knowing about. Rasmussen’s MSN program page describes the program as online with community-based practicums and does not mention campus travel. The 2026–2027 catalog requires a one-weekend on-campus Pre-Clinical Immersive Experience before practicum courses begin. This page follows the catalog, which governs degree requirements.
MSN Curriculum
The degree splits into 28 MSN core credits and 41 AGPCNP specialization credits. Two-thirds of the specialization (24 credits) is practicum. Didactic primary care courses run alongside the practicum sequence, and the four practicums progress from health promotion toward frail older adults and increasing autonomy.
The current catalog page lists specialization courses but does not itemize the 28-credit core. It confirms core courses NGR5013 and NGR5101 and requires a college-level statistics course as a prerequisite or corequisite to them.
AGPCNP specialization (41 credits):
- NGR6011 Foundations of Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP Practice (3)
- NGR6211 Principles of Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (4)
- NGR6640 Advanced Primary Care of the Adult and Older Adult I (4)
- NGR6650 Advanced Primary Care of the Adult and Older Adult II (4)
- NGR6265–NGR6268 AGPCNP Practicum I–IV (6 each, 24 total)
- One elective (2): NGR6036 Advanced Diagnostic Techniques, NGR6168 Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Advanced Practice Nursing, or NGR6767 Practice Management for the Nurse Practitioner
View the 2026–2027 catalog requirements.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Total clinical hours: not published
- Four practicum courses, 6 credits each
- Preceptors must be Master’s or Doctoral degree-prepared
- Placement: in the student’s own community; a clinical practicum coordinator helps locate sites
- Virtual immersion (simulation-based preparation) before practicum
- One-weekend on-campus Pre-Clinical Immersive Experience before practicum
- Background check required for practicum sites; sites may add other requirements
Coordinator help reduces, but does not remove, the placement burden. Rasmussen describes helping students locate sites, not assigning them. Applicants in areas with few adult primary care preceptors should expect to contribute contacts of their own.
MSN Admissions
- BSN from an institutionally accredited college or university
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Current, unencumbered RN license valid in the United States
- Two professional letters of reference
- College-level statistics (prerequisite or corequisite)
- No GRE
- Next AGPCNP start: January 4, 2027
Residency decides eligibility before anything else. Rasmussen’s catalog states the program does not meet licensure requirements in AL, ID, KS, LA, MD, and PA, and eligibility is undetermined in American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Post-Graduate Certificate – AGPCNP
The AGPCNP Post-Graduate Certificate costs an estimated $29,670 for 53 quarter credits, or about $23,970 if prior coursework covers the core. Full-time completion takes as few as 21 months. It requires a graduate nursing degree, so BSN-only applicants must use the MSN.
A published conflict worth knowing about. Rasmussen’s certificate page states 53 credits and a $29,670 total. The 2026–2027 catalog lists only the 41 specialization credits (39 required plus a 2-credit elective). The 12-credit gap matches the advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology core that post-graduate applicants often bring from a prior degree. This page uses 53 credits as the published maximum and 41 as the estimate when the core transfers.
Certificate Curriculum
The specialization sequence is identical to the MSN: NGR6011, NGR6211, NGR6640, NGR6650, Practicum I–IV, and one 2-credit elective. The MSN’s leadership, research, and capstone courses are not required.
View the certificate catalog requirements.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- Total clinical hours: not published
- Four practicum courses, 6 credits each, in local settings tailored to career interests
- Master’s or Doctoral degree-prepared preceptors
- One-weekend on-campus Pre-Clinical Immersive Experience before practicum
Practicing NPs adding a population focus often have preceptor networks already, which makes the community-based model easier to use here than in the MSN.
Certificate Admissions
- Graduate nursing degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Current, unencumbered RN license valid in the United States
- Two professional letters of reference
- Background check required for practicum sites
- Start dates: January 4, 2027 and July 6, 2027
With only two starts a year, missing a deadline costs six months rather than one quarter. The same six-state exclusion applies as for the MSN.
Tuition
Rasmussen charges one rate regardless of residency. Current published rates are $295 per MSN core credit, $925 per MSN specialization credit, and $475 per certificate credit. These replace the $290, $915, and $464 rates shown on earlier versions of this page.
The specialization accounts for most of the MSN’s cost: 41 credits at $925 is $37,925, or 82% of MSN tuition. A nurse who already holds an MSN in another area pays $19,475 for the same 41 credits through the certificate, a difference of $18,450.
Estimated Total Cost
| Pathway | Tuition | Program Fees | Total (All States) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN – AGPCNP (69 credits) | $46,185 | $5,495 | $51,680 |
| Certificate (53 credits) | $25,175 | $4,495 | $29,670 |
| Certificate (41 credits, core transferred) | $19,475 | $4,495 | $23,970 |
MSN and 53-credit certificate totals match Rasmussen’s published figures. The 41-credit certificate total is calculated, not published by Rasmussen.
Fees and Aid
- Program fees: $5,495 (MSN), $4,495 (certificate), as published; itemization not shown on program pages
- Travel for the on-campus immersion weekend is student-borne
- Practicum-site requirements (immunizations, drug screening, CPR) may add costs
- Title IV federal aid: eligible effective February 9, 2026 (Winter 2026 quarter)
- 10% tuition grant for active-duty, National Guard, Reserve, retired military, and veterans
See Rasmussen’s official tuition page.
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: working RNs and MSN-prepared nurses who need deadline-free online coursework, can arrange local practicum sites with coordinator help, and live outside the six excluded states.
No Weekly Deadlines Within Each Quarter
Empowered Learning courses are project-based and self-paced within 11-week terms. Nurses on rotating shifts can front-load or back-load work around their schedule.
Certificate Pricing for MSN Holders
At $475 per credit, the certificate prices the AGPCNP specialization at about half the MSN rate. For a nurse with an existing graduate degree, the estimated total runs $23,970 to $29,670.
Minimal Campus Travel
One on-campus weekend is the only required travel. Practicum sites are in the student’s own community.
Federal Aid Now Available
Both pathways became Title IV eligible in February 2026. Earlier, students relied on private loans, employer benefits, or out-of-pocket payment.
The Verdict
The strongest case is the post-graduate certificate for MSN-prepared nurses: identical specialization coursework at $475 per credit, self-paced, with one campus weekend. BSN-prepared RNs should compare the $51,680 MSN against programs that publish clinical hours and guarantee placement, since Rasmussen does neither. Residents of AL, ID, KS, LA, MD, or PA need another program.
Accreditation
The MSN and post-graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Rasmussen University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is part of the American Public University System, which now hosts its catalog. The Minnesota Board of Nursing approves the AGPCNP certificate.
Rasmussen states the program does not meet APRN licensure requirements in AL, ID, KS, LA, MD, and PA, and has not determined eligibility for American Samoa, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. See the current licensure disclosure.
Other AGPCNP Programs in Minnesota
- St. Catherine University - St. Paul
- University of Minnesota - Minneapolis
- Walden University - Minneapolis