UIC AGPCNP Programs (Adult Gerontology)

The University of Illinois Chicago offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:

BSN-DNP
Post-DNP Certificate

Both programs are offered in a hybrid format combining online, blended, and on-campus courses.

Program Tracks Overview

Program Name	Est. Tuition	Est. Duration
BSN-DNP AGPCNP	$38K (in-state) $80K (out-of-state)	4 years (PT only)
Post-DNP Certificate AGPCNP	$14K (in-state)	~1 year

Faculty arrange all clinical sites and preceptors — students are not responsible for finding their own placements.

The part-time-only DNP structure reflects UIC’s deliberate accommodation of nurses who are working while completing their terminal degree, and the program is available at multiple campuses: Chicago, Quad Cities, Rockford, and Urbana.

BSN-DNP AGPCNP

The estimated cost for the BSN-DNP AGPCNP at the University of Illinois Chicago is approximately $38K in tuition for in-state students, or approximately $80K for out-of-state students — though out-of-state tuition is not assessed at UIC’s regional campuses (Quad Cities, Rockford, Urbana, Springfield).

The program takes 4 years to complete and is offered in a part-time format only.

Tuition note: The DNP uses UIC professional program tuition rates. In-state professional rate is $4,499/semester for 6–11 credits and $2,249 for 1–5 credits. Across eight fall/spring semesters at Range II and one summer at Range III, in-state tuition totals approximately $38K. Out-of-state professional rate is $9,375/semester for 6–11 credits, totaling approximately $80K — waived at regional campuses for the DNP.

DNP Curriculum

The 77-credit BSN-DNP is structured across four years of part-time study with no courses taken in summer semesters until Year 4. The curriculum builds from a DNP core through APRN core courses, then into AGPCNP specialty content and clinical practicum courses in the final year.

DNP core content covers biostatistics and epidemiology, health equity, informatics, health policy, population health, quality and safety, translational science, and business planning.

The APRN core adds pathophysiology, pharmacotherapeutics, comprehensive health assessment, and APRN role transition.

The AGPCNP specialty sequence addresses adult health diagnosis and disease management across three progressive courses, followed by three dedicated clinical practicum courses totaling 990 direct practicum hours. A DNP project runs concurrently through the final three semesters.

DNP Core Courses (Years 1–3):

NURS 514 – Applied Biostatistics and Epidemiology (3 credits)
NURS 520 – Health Equity and Social Determinants (3 credits)
NURS 521 – Advanced Physiological and Pathophysiological Principles Across the Lifespan (4 credits)
NURS 522 – Health Policy and Advocacy (3 credits)
NURS 523 – Population Health Across the Healthcare Continuum (3 credits)
NURS 524 – Foundations for Scholarship (3 credits)
NURS 531 – Pharmacotherapeutics (3 credits)
NURS 538 – Quality and Safety in Healthcare (3 credits)
NURS 539 – Informatics and Healthcare Technology (3 credits)
NURS 544 – APRN Role Transition and Professional Development (2 credits)
NURS 545 – Strategic Business Planning in Healthcare (3 credits)
NURS 546 – Translating Evidence to Practice (3 credits)

APRN Core:

NURS 532 – Comprehensive Health Assessment for Advanced Nursing Practice (4 credits)

AGPCNP Specialty Courses:

NUSP 534 – Management of Health and Illness I: Adult-Gerontology NP Acute and Primary Care
Introduces foundational clinical competencies for managing acute and chronic conditions in adult and geriatric populations. (Prerequisite: NURS 531 and NURS 535)

NUSP 535 – Management of Health and Illness II: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
Advances clinical expertise in the assessment and management of acute and chronic health issues in older adults within primary care settings. (Prerequisite: NUSP 534; concurrent or prior enrollment in NURS 532)

NUPR 539 – Nurse Practitioner Practicum I: Management of Health and Illness in Adults
Provides clinical experience in assessment, diagnosis, health promotion, and care coordination for adults with acute or chronic conditions. (Prerequisite: NUSP 534)

NUPR 540 – Nurse Practitioner Practicum II: Management of Health and Illness in Adults
Expands clinical proficiency in evaluating, diagnosing, and managing complex adult health problems in primary care. (Prerequisite: NUPR 539; concurrent or prior enrollment in NUSP 535)

NUPR 541 – Nurse Practitioner Practicum III: Management of Health and Illness in Adults
Integrates advanced clinical judgment and leadership in managing complex adult and geriatric health conditions within the nurse practitioner role. (Prerequisite: NUPR 540, NURS 533, and NUSP 535)

Clinical Practicum and DNP Project Courses (Year 4):

NUPR 521 – Clinical Practice in Primary Care I (6 credits / 270 practicum hours)
NUPR 522 – Clinical Practice in Primary Care II (6 credits / 270 practicum hours)
NUPR 523 – Clinical Practice in Primary Care III (5 credits / 225 practicum hours)
NURS 547 – DNP Project Proposal Development (3 credits / 45 practicum hours)
NUPR 548 – DNP Project Planning and Implementation (3 credits / 135 practicum hours)
NUPR 549 – DNP Project Evaluation and Dissemination (2 credits / 90 practicum hours)

View more curriculum details in the course catalog.

DNP Clinicals

The BSN-DNP AGPCNP requires 1,035 total practicum hours across six practicum and project courses in Year 4, including 675 hours directly in the AGPCNP clinical specialty. Faculty arrange all clinical sites and preceptors — students do not self-source placements.

1,035 total practicum hours (675 in AGPCNP clinical specialty; remainder in DNP project courses)
NUPR 521 – Clinical Practice I: 270 hours
NUPR 522 – Clinical Practice II: 270 hours
NUPR 523 – Clinical Practice III: 225 hours
DNP project practicum hours: 270 hours across NURS 547, NUPR 548, and NUPR 549
Faculty arrange all clinical sites and preceptors
Practice settings include primary care clinics, skilled and assisted living facilities, specialty ambulatory clinics, hospitals, home health agencies, and other outpatient settings
Population focus: young adults including late adolescents through older adults across wellness to illness continuum
Students admitted to regional campuses may need to travel to Chicago for the NURS 532 health assessment lab
Students must hold a valid RN license in the state where clinicals will be completed

DNP Admissions

Applicants need a BSN from a CCNE- or NLN-accredited program, a minimum 3.0 GPA, and a valid nursing license. All applicants must complete an asynchronous video interview through the Kira platform as part of the application process.

BSN from a CCNE- or NLN-accredited program, or baccalaureate in another field plus RN license
Minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 for all post-baccalaureate work and for the final 60 semester hours of the first baccalaureate degree
Valid license to practice as a registered nurse in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (may apply before NCLEX)
Students must live within commuting distance of the UIC campus to which they are admitted — Illinois or a bordering state (IA, WI, IN, MO, KY)
Undergraduate statistics course required (prerequisite for NURS 514)
NursingCAS application plus UIC Nursing Graduate Supplemental Application (both must be complete for file review)
Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended (submitted via NursingCAS)
Current resume or CV
Four application essay questions addressing clinical experience, ethical decision-making, response to feedback, and reasons for choosing UIC
Three letters of recommendation (submitted via NursingCAS recommender portal)
Asynchronous video interview via Kira platform (required; applicants who do not complete it will not be considered)
Application deadlines: Early November 1; Standard January 15; Final April 1 (Fall admission only)
No GRE required
Program does not meet F-1/J-1 student visa requirements

Post-DNP Certificate AGPCNP

The estimated cost for the Post-DNP Certificate AGPCNP at the University of Illinois Chicago is approximately $14K in tuition for in-state students, based on the standard 23-credit program over approximately 3 semesters. The program takes approximately 1 year to complete. Note that certificates are not degree-seeking programs and financial aid is not available.

Tuition note: Certificates use UIC professional program tuition rates. At approximately 7–8 credits per semester across 3 semesters, estimated in-state tuition is 3 × $4,499 (Range II) = ~$13,500. Out-of-state rates vary; regional campus DNP students are not assessed out-of-state tuition surcharges, but confirm with your campus director.

Certificate Curriculum

The standard post-DNP certificate requires 23 credit hours across six courses: two specialty didactic courses covering adult gerontology acute and primary care management, one applied pharmacotherapeutics course, and three progressive clinical practicum courses totaling 675 hours.

Students who do not hold a current APRN national certification and license may be required to complete up to four additional prerequisite courses in pharmacology, health assessment, pathophysiology, and advanced practice issues before beginning the certificate sequence.

A minimum of 500 clinical hours is required for all students; a gap analysis determines whether any previously completed hours in the new focus area may apply.

Required Courses (23 credits):

NURS 533 – Applied Pharmacotherapeutics in Advanced Practice Nursing (2 credits)
NUSP 534 – Management of Health and Illness I: Adult Gerontology Acute and Primary Care (3 credits)
NUSP 535 – Management of Health and Illness II: Adult Gerontology Primary Care (3 credits)
NUPR 539 – Nurse Practitioner Practicum I: Management of Health and Illness in Adults (5 credits / 225 clinical hours)
NUPR 540 – Nurse Practitioner Practicum II: Management of Health and Illness in Adults (5 credits / 225 clinical hours)
NUPR 541 – Nurse Practitioner Practicum III: Management of Health and Illness in Adults (5 credits / 225 clinical hours)

Potential additional prerequisite courses (for non-certified APRNs):

NURS 531 – Pharmacotherapeutics (3 credits)
NURS 532 – Comprehensive Health Assessment for Advanced Nursing Practice (4 credits)
NURS 535 – Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
NURS 540 – Issues in Advanced Practice in Nursing and Policy Implications (3 credits)

Certificate Clinicals

The post-DNP certificate requires 675 clinical hours in the AGPCNP specialty, distributed equally across the three practicum courses. A minimum of 500 hours is required; a gap analysis may reduce the total for eligible students practicing out of scope in the new focus area. UIC does not provide clinical credit for hours from a student’s current APRN certification area.

675 standard clinical hours (minimum 500 required for all students)
NUPR 539 – Practicum I: 225 hours
NUPR 540 – Practicum II: 225 hours
NUPR 541 – Practicum III: 225 hours
Faculty arrange all clinical sites and preceptors — students do not self-source placements
Gap analysis may reduce required hours for students with applicable out-of-scope AGPCNP clinical experience
Program reports a 100% graduate pass rate on the AGPCNP national certification exam
Offered in hybrid format: online, on-site, and blended courses
Fall admission only; applications accepted August through March

Certificate Admissions

This program is open to DNP-prepared nurses who wish to add AGPCNP as a new focus area or qualify for national certification in primary care.

DNP degree from an accredited program
Current APRN national certification and license preferred; non-certified DNP-prepared nurses may apply but may require additional prerequisite courses
Active RN license in the state where clinicals will be completed
Application via NursingCAS plus UIC Nursing Graduate Supplemental Application
Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
Verification of post-baccalaureate clinical hours required prior to initial course enrollment
Proof of advanced practice certification required prior to enrollment (if applicable)
Fall admission only; application window August through March
Certificate programs are not eligible for federal financial aid

Tuition

UIC’s DNP and post-DNP certificate programs use the university’s professional program tuition rates rather than standard graduate rates.

For in-state students, the professional rate is $4,499 per semester for 6–11 credits and $2,249 for 1–5 credits.

Out-of-state students pay $9,375 and $4,688 respectively — however, the DNP does not assess out-of-state tuition at any UIC regional campus (Quad Cities, Rockford, Urbana, Springfield).

Based on the four-year part-time DNP plan, in-state tuition totals approximately $38K; out-of-state totals approximately $80K at the Chicago campus.

The post-DNP certificate totals approximately $14K in-state across three semesters.

Based on typical semester credit loads, the implied per-credit tuition is approximately $468/credit for in-state DNP students and approximately $977/credit for out-of-state DNP students at the Chicago campus. Post-DNP certificate students pay an implied rate of approximately $584/credit in-state. The remainder of each semester’s cost consists of flat fees assessed regardless of credit load — approximately $1,773/semester in mandatory fees for full-time students.

Additional fees apply each semester including a general fee, service fee, health service fee, and academic facilities assessment. Certificate programs are not eligible for federal financial aid.

See the official tuition page for more details.

Accreditation

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).