East Tennessee State University (ETSU) College of Nursing offers three Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) pathways, all at the doctoral level:
- BSN-DNP
- MSN-DNP
- Post-DNP Certificate (DNP holders only)
The DNP pathways are delivered online with a required intensive at the start of each semester; ETSU does not describe the certificate’s format separately. Students must be licensed in Tennessee or a compact state, and clinical placement outside Tennessee requires individual regulatory approval. ETSU has no MSN-level AGPCNP option.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP | $60,896 | 9 semesters FT / 15 PT | 88 |
| MSN-DNP | $22,144 | 4 semesters FT / 7 PT | 32 |
| Post-DNP Certificate | $22,144 | Not published | 32 |
Tuition estimates multiply ETSU’s 2026–2027 graduate rate ($692/credit resident, including the $143/credit service fee) by the credit totals in ETSU’s graduate catalog; because ETSU caps some charges at 8+ credits per term, full-time semesters cost slightly less per credit.
- Why choose it: Tennessee residents can earn an AGPCNP BSN-DNP for about $60,900, with online coursework and one intensive per semester that may be attended in person or by Zoom.
- Trade-off: No MSN route or intermediate degree, students lead their own preceptor search, and non-residents pay more than double unless they qualify for the eRate.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | BSN-DNP (88 cr.), MSN-DNP (32 cr.), Post-DNP Certificate (32 cr.) |
| Format | Online asynchronous coursework with a 2–5 day intensive at the start of each semester (in person or via Zoom) |
| Clinical Hours | BSN-DNP: 1,000 total (minimum 500 in the specialty); MSN-DNP: minimum 500 tied to the DNP Project; 40 interprofessional hours required |
| Clinical Placement | Student-led search with help from the graduate clinical coordinator; home-community sites allowed when approved |
| Population Focus | Age 13 through older adults |
| Licensure Required | RN license in Tennessee or a compact state |
| Start Terms | BSN-DNP: fall (May 1 deadline); MSN-DNP and Post-DNP: summer (March 1 deadline) |
| Tuition (2026–27) | $692/credit resident; $1,533/credit non-resident; $856.50/credit eRate |
| Accreditation | CCNE (DNP and post-graduate APRN certificates); graduates eligible for national AGPCNP certification |
Doctor of Nursing Practice – AGPCNP (BSN to DNP)
The BSN-DNP AGPCNP concentration costs an estimated $60,896 for Tennessee residents across 88 credits. ETSU lists 9 semesters full-time or 15 semesters part-time. Applicants need a BSN (or an RN license plus a non-nursing master’s degree) and two years of RN experience.
A published conflict worth knowing about. ETSU publishes four different figures. The catalog’s AGPCNP breakdown totals 88 credits (23 core, 53 concentration, 12 DNP Project), and its course list adds up exactly. The same catalog page’s summary table lists the “ANP/GNP concentration” at 85 credits. The College of Nursing DNP page says 82–86 depending on concentration, and the ETSU Online page says 77–85. This page uses 88 because it is the only figure backed by an itemized course list.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
The plan has three blocks: a doctoral core (research, population health and data analysis, health policy, quality and translation, systems management), the AGPCNP specialty sequence, and a four-course DNP Project sequence that runs from project identification through evaluation and dissemination.
The specialty sequence pairs most didactic courses with a matching practicum: advanced assessment, NP I (acute problems), NP II (chronic and complex conditions), women’s health, and care of older adults. Gerontology gets added depth through a separate older-adult pharmacology course and a DNP-level course on long-term care. Mental health in primary care is a standalone course, and the concentration includes a 3-credit advisor-approved elective.
Two details stand out. The plan includes a children and adolescents practicum (NRSE 5024), which ETSU does not explain for an adult-gero track; the AGPCNP population starts at age 13, so it may target adolescents. All students also complete two zero-credit interprofessional seminars.
- NRSE 5009 – Advanced Health Assessment Throughout the Life Span (3 cr.)
- NRSE 5016 – Advanced Pathophysiology (3 cr.)
- NRSE 5018 – Advanced Clinical Pharmacology (3 cr.)
- NRSE 5011 / 5012 – NP I and Practicum (3 cr. each)
- NRSE 5013 / 5014 – NP II and Practicum (3 cr. each)
- NRSE 5021 / 5022 – Women’s Health and Practicum (3 cr. each)
- NRSE 5031 / 5032 – Care of Older Adults with Chronic Health Problems and Complex Needs, and Practicum (3 cr. each)
- NRSE 5038 – Pharmacology and Therapeutics for Older Adults (2 cr.)
- NRSE 6400 – Improving Mental Health Outcomes in Primary Care (3 cr.)
- NRSE 6514 – DNP Role in Long-Term Care of Adults (3 cr.)
- NRSE 6614 – Advanced Intervention DNP Practicum (3 cr.)
- Advisor-approved elective (3 cr.)
- NRSE 6801–6804 – DNP Project sequence (12 cr. total)
See the official curriculum page for more details.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 1,000 total clinical hours, with a minimum of 500 related to the AGPCNP specialty
- Minimum 500 hours related to the DNP Project (ETSU applies this to all concentrations)
- Minimum 40 practicum hours in an interprofessional experience
- Placement: the student is responsible for being proactive in the search; the graduate clinical coordinator has contacts to help
- Clinical hours may be completed in the student’s home community when approved
- Clinical placement outside Tennessee requires approval from the relevant regulatory bodies and is evaluated individually after admission
- Licensure in Tennessee or a compact state, CPR, background check, and $1M/$3M malpractice coverage required
ETSU’s wording puts the burden on the student without leaving them alone. Students with established relationships in a primary care practice can likely use it. Students without contacts should expect to start the search well before each practicum term, since the coordinator’s help is support rather than a guarantee.
The out-of-state rule matters more than it looks. Admission does not confirm that clinicals in your home state will be approved. Non-Tennessee applicants are accepting that risk until ETSU completes its individual review.
BSN-DNP Admissions
- BSN from a nationally accredited program, or RN with a non-nursing master’s degree
- Current, unencumbered RN license; Tennessee or compact-state licensure for clinicals
- Two years of RN experience
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- GRE required if cumulative GPA is below 3.2 (see note)
- Resume or CV listing at least three academic or professional references
- Personal statement on a healthcare trend you find concerning, how you are prepared to address it, and your planned impact; APA format with at least two scholarly references
- Interview for selected applicants
- Official transcripts; graduate application and fee
- Fall admission only; deadline May 1
- Full-time and part-time plans available
The College of Nursing DNP page requires the GRE when cumulative GPA is under 3.2. The ETSU Online program page says the GRE is not required. Applicants below 3.2 should plan for the GRE until ETSU resolves this, since the college page governs admission.
The two-year RN experience and GRE rules appear on the College of Nursing page but not in the catalog. The two-year rule screens out new BSN graduates. The catalog allows provisional admission for promising applicants who miss a standard. Fall-only entry means a missed May 1 deadline costs a full year.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (MSN to DNP)
The MSN-DNP costs an estimated $22,144 for Tennessee residents across 32 credits, completed in 4 semesters full-time or 7 part-time. It is for nurses who already hold AGPCNP certification, not a route to initial certification.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The College of Nursing DNP page lists the MSN-DNP at 40 credits. The catalog (11 core, 9 concentration, 12 DNP Project) and the ETSU Online page both list 32. This page uses the catalog’s itemized total. ETSU does not explain the 40-credit figure.
MSN-DNP Curriculum
The catalog structures the AGPCNP MSN-DNP as an 11-credit core, a 9-credit AGPCNP block, and the 12-credit DNP Project sequence, plus two zero-credit interprofessional seminars. The AGPCNP block is doctoral-level work rather than NP training: long-term care leadership, an advanced intervention practicum, and an elective. That is why the plan is so much shorter than the BSN-DNP.
- NRSE 5100 – Principles of Population Health and Data Analysis (4 cr.)
- NRSE 6050 – Quality/Translation (3 cr.)
- NRSE 6713 – Systems Management (3 cr.)
- NRSE 6514 – DNP Role in Long-Term Care of Adults (3 cr.)
- NRSE 6614 – Advanced Intervention DNP Practicum (3 cr.)
- Advisor-approved elective (3 cr.)
- NRSE 6801–6804 – DNP Project sequence (12 cr. total)
See the official curriculum page for more details.
MSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- Minimum 500 clinical hours (the catalog lists 500 clock hours for all MSN-DNP concentrations)
- Minimum 40 interprofessional practicum hours
- Same placement model and out-of-Tennessee approval rule as the BSN-DNP
ETSU’s current pages do not state whether master’s-level clinical hours count toward the doctoral total.
MSN-DNP Admissions
- MSN (or a BSN plus non-nursing master’s) from a nationally accredited program; minimum 3.0 GPA
- AGPCNP certification; applicants with an MSN in another specialty may enter on a longer program of study
- GRE if cumulative GPA is below 3.2 (College of Nursing page only)
- Current, unencumbered RN license; Tennessee or compact-state licensure for clinicals
- Resume or CV with three references; personal statement in APA format; interview for selected applicants
- Official transcripts, application and fee
- Summer admission only; deadline March 1
The certification requirement defines this pathway. It serves practicing AGPCNPs who want the doctorate. The catalog allows an MSN in a different specialty with a longer plan, but it does not publish that plan’s length or whether it leads to AGPCNP certification eligibility.
Post-DNP Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The Post-DNP AGPCNP Certificate costs an estimated $22,144 for Tennessee residents for 32 credits. ETSU does not publish a completion time. It is open only to nurses who already hold a DNP; ETSU’s post-graduate certificates for MSN holders cover FNP and PMHNP, not AGPCNP.
Post-DNP Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is the AGPCNP specialty sequence without the doctoral core or DNP Project. It mirrors the BSN-DNP specialty block: NP I and II with practicums, women’s health, older adults, gerontological pharmacology, mental health in primary care, and long-term care. The catalog lists women’s health (NRSE 5021) at 2–3 credits; the 32-credit total assumes 3.
- NRSE 5011 / 5012 – NP I and Practicum (3 cr. each)
- NRSE 5013 / 5014 – NP II and Practicum (3 cr. each)
- NRSE 5021 / 5022 – Women’s Health and Practicum (3 cr. each)
- NRSE 5031 / 5032 – Care of Older Adults and Practicum (3 cr. each)
- NRSE 5038 – Pharmacology and Therapeutics for Older Adults (2 cr.)
- NRSE 6400 – Improving Mental Health Outcomes in Primary Care (3 cr.)
- NRSE 6514 – DNP Role in Long-Term Care of Adults (3 cr.)
See the official curriculum page for more details.
Post-DNP Certificate Clinical Requirements
- Four practicum courses (NP I, NP II, women’s health, older adults)
- Total certificate clinical hours: not clearly published
- Tennessee or compact-state licensure required; same placement model as the DNP
Post-DNP Certificate Admissions
- Earned DNP with a concentration in advanced clinical practice or nursing administration, or current enrollment in good standing in ETSU’s DNP program
- DNP holders: transcript evidence of the 26-credit DNP core and the 12-credit advanced practice core (NRSE 5009, 5010, 5016, 5018)
- Concurrent ETSU DNP students: BSTA 5310 or equivalent, NRSE 5000, 5001, 5009, and 5010 completed, with 5016 and 5018 completed or in progress
- RN license; eligibility for Tennessee licensure
- Cover letter on goals for certificate study; resume or CV; written essay; official transcripts; application and fee
- Summer admission; deadline March 1
The gap analysis decides real cost. A DNP holder missing advanced assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology must take those 12 credits first, raising resident tuition to about $30,400. A leadership DNP missing core content could need more. The concurrent-enrollment route lets ETSU DNP students add AGPCNP preparation alongside another concentration.
Tuition
ETSU’s 2026–2027 bursar rate table charges graduate students $692 per credit in-state ($549 maintenance plus a $143 service fee), $1,533 per credit out-of-state, and $856.50 per credit at the eRate. Service fees cap at 8 credits per term, so a 9-credit resident semester costs $6,085.
The ETSU Online DNP page still lists $672, $1,513, and $835.50. Those match the prior year. Using them would understate the 88-credit BSN-DNP by about $1,760. This page uses the bursar table. The ETSU Online page lists the eRate for this program but does not explain eligibility.
Estimated Total Tuition
| Pathway | Resident | Non-Resident | eRate |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP (88 cr.) | $60,896 | $134,904 | $75,372 |
| MSN-DNP (32 cr.) | $22,144 | $49,056 | $27,408 |
| Post-DNP Certificate (32 cr.) | $22,144 | $49,056 | $27,408 |
Figures are calculated from ETSU’s published rates and credit totals, not published by ETSU.
For a non-resident, the eRate is the difference between a roughly $75,000 BSN-DNP and a $135,000 one. Out-of-state applicants should confirm eRate eligibility before comparing ETSU with other schools.
Fees Beyond Tuition
- Course fees may apply by subject or online delivery (amounts not itemized in the rate table)
- Criminal background check, CPR, and $1M/$3M malpractice insurance at the student’s expense
- Travel to semester intensives if attended in person
More tuition details are available here.
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: Tennessee or compact-state RNs with at least two years of experience who want an AGPCNP-focused DNP at public in-state rates and can line up their own primary care preceptors.
An Affordable Doctorate, If You Live in Tennessee
At about $60,900 in resident tuition, the BSN-DNP is priced at public in-state rates for a full doctorate. Non-residents paying the standard out-of-state rate face about $135,000 unless the eRate applies.
Doctorate or Nothing
ETSU offers no MSN AGPCNP, does not list AGPCNP among the BSN-DNP concentrations that complete an MSN en route, and restricts its AGPCNP certificate to DNP holders. A student who leaves before finishing the doctorate should not expect a master’s degree to show for it. An MSN-prepared FNP who wants to add adult-gero certification cannot do it here. A BSN nurse who wants the fastest path to practice should compare MSN programs.
Gerontology Depth
Separate courses in older-adult pharmacology, long-term care, and complex chronic care, each beyond the standard NP I/II sequence, add geriatric depth to the BSN-DNP and certificate. Students drawn to long-term care or aging populations get more from it than those headed for general adult primary care.
You Drive the Clinical Search
Home-community placements are allowed, and a coordinator helps, but the student leads. Out-of-state students face an added layer: their clinical sites need regulatory approval reviewed only after admission.
The Verdict
ETSU makes the strongest case for Tennessee residents, or compact-state nurses who qualify for the eRate, who want a DNP rather than an MSN and already have primary care contacts. Applicants who need placement support, want an MSN, are MSN-prepared NPs seeking a post-master’s AGPCNP certificate, or live in states where ETSU’s DNP does not meet licensure requirements should compare other programs.
Accreditation
ETSU’s DNP program and post-graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). ETSU’s catalog states that BSN-DNP and certificate graduates are eligible for the national AGPCNP certification exam.
ETSU states its DNP meets licensure requirements in Tennessee but may not in other states. Its DNP licensure disclosure lists states where the program does not meet requirements, including California, Colorado, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, and its state lists differ slightly from the College of Nursing page. Out-of-state applicants should check their own state before applying.
More AGPCNP Programs in Tennessee
- Vanderbilt University - Nashville