St. Catherine University (St. Kate’s) School of Nursing in St. Paul offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner pathways:
- BSN-DNP (DNP: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner)
- Post-Graduate Certificate (for nurse practitioners already certified in another APRN population focus)
Both pathways are hybrid. Core NP courses meet in person one day per week, with remaining courses online. Both start in the fall and share the same four-course AGPCNP clinical sequence.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP | $81,600 | 3–4 years | 68 |
| Post-Graduate Certificate | $25,200 | 6 semesters (about 2 years) | 21 |
Tuition estimates multiply St. Kate’s 2026–2027 DNP: Nurse Practitioner rate ($1,200 per credit, the same for every student regardless of state residency) by the catalog credit total.
Few hybrid AGPCNP programs pair a fixed weekly campus day with school-arranged clinicals. St. Kate’s does both: core NP courses meet on campus one day a week, and a dedicated clinical placement coordinator arranges placements for all NP students. Students do not have to cold-call clinics for preceptors.
That same weekly campus day limits who can realistically enroll. It works for nurses within commuting distance of St. Paul and is impractical for most distance students. The certificate also bars residents of 22 states from enrolling, and the BSN-DNP warns that out-of-state restrictions may apply.
St. Kate’s arranges your clinical placements, but its weekly campus day makes it a program for nurses who live within reach of St. Paul.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | BSN-DNP; Post-Graduate Certificate |
| Format | Hybrid: core NP courses in person one day per week, other courses online |
| Campus | St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Clinical Hours | 810 AGPCNP clinical hours (9 clinical credits); DNP practicum hours not published |
| Clinical Placement | Arranged by a dedicated clinical placement coordinator |
| Population Focus | Adults and older adults in primary care |
| Licensure Required | Unencumbered RN license (DNP); RN and APRN licenses plus APRN certification (certificate) |
| Start Term | Fall; Fall 2027 priority deadline January 15, 2027 (DNP) |
| Tuition | $1,200 per credit (2026–2027) |
| Certification Pass Rate | 98% first-time, 3-year average (2022–2024) |
| Accreditation | ACEN |
DNP: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (BSN Entry)
The BSN-DNP AGPCNP costs an estimated $81,600 for 68 credits. Students follow a 3-year or 4-year plan and must finish within seven years of initial enrollment. It is designed for BSN-prepared RNs; no prior APRN education is expected.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
The 68 credits fall into four blocks:
- Advanced practice core (12 credits): pharmacology, pathophysiology, health assessment, and clinical reasoning.
- DNP foundation and leadership (24 credits): theory, biostatistics, informatics, evidence-based practice, outcomes measurement, economics, and health policy.
- AGPCNP specialty sequence (24 credits): four didactic primary care courses and four clinical courses.
- DNP practicum series (8 credits): four 2-credit courses that carry a quality improvement project from planning to dissemination.
Sequencing is back-loaded. On the 3-year plan, Year 1 is entirely foundation and APRN core work, with no AGPCNP specialty course until fall of Year 2. The first clinical course (1 credit) arrives in Year 2 summer, and the remaining 8 clinical credits fall in Year 3 alongside DNP Practicum II through IV. Expect the final year to be the heaviest.
The 4-year plan spreads the foundation courses over Years 1 and 2 at 3 to 6 credits per term, then runs the same clinical and practicum sequence in Years 3 and 4. Specialty content progresses from common acute conditions to chronic illness to complex multimorbidity, which mirrors the clinical course order.
Advanced practice core
- NURS 6223 Advanced Pharmacology across the Lifespan (3)
- NURS 6160 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan (3)
- NURS 6143 Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan (3)
- NURS 6260 Clinical Reasoning, Diagnostics, and Procedures (3)
AGPCNP specialty sequence
- NURS 6135 Health Promotion in Primary Care: Adult and Geriatric Populations (3)
- NURS 6420 Primary Care I: Common and Acute Conditions in Adult and Geriatric Populations (3)
- NURS 7420 Primary Care II: Chronic Health Challenges in Adult and Geriatric Populations (3)
- NURS 7820 Primary Care III: Chronic and Complex Health Challenges in Adult and Geriatric Populations (3)
- NURS 6445, 7425, 7825, 8125 Primary Care Clinical I–IV: Adult and Geriatric Populations (1, 3, 3, 2)
DNP leadership and project
- NURS 8300 Advanced Outcomes Measurement and Evaluation (3)
- NURS 8536 Healthcare Economics and Finance (3)
- NURS 8543 Health Care: Power, Policy and Politics (3)
- IPE 7000 Evidence Based Practice: Interprofessional Perspectives and Competencies (3)
- NURS 8515–8518 DNP Practicum I–IV: Leading QI, Strategic Project Planning, QI Implementation and Data Analysis, Sustaining and Disseminating QI (2 each)
Full course list and both term-by-term plans: St. Kate’s catalog.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- AGPCNP clinical hours: 810 across four clinical courses (9 credits). The DNP pages list the courses but not the hours; the 810 figure comes from St. Kate’s certificate page, which uses the identical four courses.
- Clinical progression: Clinical I (1 credit, Year 2 summer), Clinical II (3, Year 3 fall), Clinical III (3, Year 3 spring), Clinical IV (2, Year 3 summer) on the 3-year plan.
- DNP practicum hours: not clearly published for NURS 8515–8518.
- Placement responsibility: a dedicated clinical placement coordinator arranges placements for all NP students.
- Clinical partners: St. Kate’s cites partnerships with regional healthcare organizations for placements.
- Geographic scope of placements: not clearly published.
School-arranged placement removes the biggest stressor in many NP programs. Combined with regional partnerships, it points to placements in the Twin Cities area. St. Kate’s does not say how far students may need to travel or whether placements outside Minnesota are arranged.
At 810 hours, the AGPCNP clinical sequence sits above the 750 direct-care hours that current national NP education standards set as a minimum.
BSN-DNP Admissions
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a program accredited by ACEN or CCNE
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; nursing course grades of B- or higher (otherwise a 400-word explanatory statement is required)
- Current, unencumbered RN license
- Two years of recent RN practice preferred, including one year with adult or older adult patients (not required)
- Admission essay (two pages maximum) on a situation where you or your care team significantly affected patients
- 5–7 minute admission video posted to YouTube
- Resume and one recommendation from a clinical professional (personal references not accepted)
- Transcripts; virtual interview only if the committee requests one
- No application fee; no GRE
- Fall start only. Fall 2027 applications opened September 14, 2026; priority deadline January 15, 2027
- Restrictions may apply to residents of some states outside Minnesota
The admission video is less common than an interview and takes real preparation. St. Kate’s wants it to cover clinical experience, motivation for DNP-level practice, fit with the university’s mission, and leadership involvement.
Enter your recommender’s details before submitting the application form. St. Kate’s states they cannot be added afterward. Application steps: DNP application instructions.
Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP) Post-Graduate Certificate
The AGNP Post-Graduate Certificate costs an estimated $25,200 for 21 credits and runs six semesters, about two years. A part-time option is available. It is only for nurse practitioners who already hold an MSN or DNP and certification in another APRN population focus.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is the BSN-DNP’s AGPCNP specialty sequence on its own: four didactic primary care courses and four clinical courses. It contains no APRN core and no DNP coursework. Applicants instead need completed graduate courses in advanced pathophysiology, health assessment, and pharmacology.
The catalog does not publish a term-by-term certificate plan. Its six-semester length matches the way the same eight courses run across Years 2 and 3 of the BSN-DNP.
- NURS 6135 Health Promotion in Primary Care: Adult and Geriatric Populations (3)
- NURS 6420 Primary Care I: Common and Acute Conditions in Adult and Geriatric Populations (3)
- NURS 7420 Primary Care II: Chronic Health Challenges in Adult and Geriatric Populations (3)
- NURS 7820 Primary Care III: Chronic and Complex Health Challenges in Adult and Geriatric Populations (3)
- NURS 6445 Primary Care Clinical I (1)
- NURS 7425 Primary Care Clinical II (3)
- NURS 7825 Primary Care Clinical III (3)
- NURS 8125 Primary Care Clinical IV (2)
Course details: St. Kate’s catalog.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- Clinical hours: 810 across 9 clinical credits
- Prior hours: precepted clinical hours from a previous APRN program may count through a Gap Analysis Process completed with the option coordinator after admission
- Placement responsibility: St. Kate’s states its placement coordinator serves all NP students; the certificate page itself does not address placement
- Setting: adult and older adult primary care
The gap analysis is the main lever for shortening the certificate. An FNP, for example, already has adult primary care hours that may transfer. St. Kate’s does not publish how many hours or credits a typical gap analysis waives, so the full 21 credits and 810 hours is the safe planning assumption.
Certificate Admissions
- Bachelor’s degree plus an MS or DNP from an APRN program accredited by ACEN or CCNE
- Current certification in an existing APRN population focus
- Undergraduate and graduate cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or higher; no nursing grade below B-
- Current, unencumbered RN and APRN licenses
- At least one year of clinical experience as an RN or APRN
- Advanced pathophysiology, health assessment, and pharmacology completed with a B or higher before classes begin (no time limit)
- Essay, resume, 5–7 minute admission video, one clinical recommendation, and transcripts
- No application fee; no GRE
- Fall start; no certificate-specific deadline published
- Not open to residents of: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, or Canada
Three rules narrow the applicant pool. First, the APRN certification requirement excludes RNs with non-APRN master’s degrees, such as an MSN in education or leadership. They would need the BSN-DNP instead.
Second, the 22-state exclusion is firm, not advisory. Third, St. Kate’s notes that certificate students are admitted on a space-available basis, so acceptance depends partly on capacity in the AGPCNP courses. Requirements are listed in the post-master’s certificate application instructions.
Tuition
St. Kate’s charges $1,200 per credit for the DNP: Nurse Practitioner program, all tracks. The rate is unchanged from 2025–2026 to 2026–2027. As a private university, St. Kate’s charges the same rate to Minnesota residents and out-of-state students. Rates are subject to change each June 1.
The student accounts table does not list a separate rate for NP post-graduate certificates. The certificate page applies the same $1,200 per credit.
| Pathway | Credits | Est. Tuition | With 10% Partner Scholarship |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP | 68 | $81,600 | $73,440 |
| Post-Graduate Certificate | 21 | $25,200 | $22,680 |
Figures are calculated from the published per-credit rate and catalog credit totals, not published by St. Kate’s as program totals.
Fees beyond tuition
- Technology fee: $300 per term, including summer. That adds an estimated $2,700 on the 3-year DNP plan, $3,600 on the 4-year plan, and $1,800 for the six-semester certificate.
- Student activity fee: $30 per semester
- No Graduate College nursing program fee or clinical fee is listed
Aid specific to these students
- All BSN-DNP applicants are automatically reviewed for DNP scholarships; amounts are not published
- Employees of St. Kate’s corporate or community partners may receive a partner scholarship reducing tuition by 10% (both pathways)
The partner scholarship is worth an estimated $8,160 on the BSN-DNP. Nurses working for a listed Twin Cities health system should confirm their employer’s status before applying. Rates and fees: St. Kate’s student accounts.
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: Twin Cities-area nurses who want a DNP or a second NP certification without having to find their own preceptors, and who can commit to one campus day per week.
Placements Are Handled for You
A dedicated coordinator arranges clinical placements for all NP students. Many hybrid AGPCNP programs push this job onto students, and a failed search can delay graduation by a term or more. Here, that risk largely shifts to the school.
A Weekly Campus Day Sets the Commute Radius
Core NP courses meet in person one day per week. That is a recurring commitment, not a few intensives per year. Nurses outside the St. Paul region face a weekly trip, and working RNs need a schedule that frees the same day every week.
Flat Private Pricing at a Mid-Range DNP Cost
At an estimated $81,600 for a BSN-DNP, St. Kate’s costs more than in-state tuition at many public universities. Its flat $1,200 rate does not penalize out-of-state students, though the campus requirement keeps most of them away. The 10% partner scholarship and automatic DNP scholarship review can narrow the gap for local applicants.
Strong Certification Results
St. Kate’s reports a 98% three-year average first-time certification pass rate for its adult-gerontology primary care DNP graduates (2022–2024), with a 100% total pass rate each year. The 810-hour clinical sequence also exceeds current national minimums.
The Verdict
BSN-prepared RNs in the Twin Cities who want a DNP with arranged clinicals have the strongest case for St. Kate’s. So do Minnesota-area FNPs and other APRNs adding adult-gerontology primary care, particularly if their employer is a partner.
Nurses who need a fully online program, live outside commuting range of St. Paul, or reside in one of the 22 excluded states should compare other options. So should RNs who want an MSN rather than a DNP, since St. Kate’s offers no MSN AGPCNP route.
Accreditation
St. Kate’s DNP programs are accredited by ACEN, and the Minnesota Board of Nursing approves its nurse practitioner programs. St. Kate’s publishes national certification pass rates for the adult-gerontology primary care track but does not name the certifying body on its program pages.
St. Kate’s professional licensure disclosure states its NP curricula meet educational requirements for APRN licensure in all 50 states, DC, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Enrollment is a separate question: the certificate bars residents of 22 states, and the BSN-DNP says restrictions may apply outside Minnesota. Applicants outside Minnesota should confirm eligibility with admissions before applying.
More AGPCNP Programs in Minnesota
- Rasmussen University - Bloomington
- University of Minnesota - Minneapolis
- Walden University - Minneapolis