UMass Dartmouth offers three Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- CAGS – AGPCNP
- BS-DNP – AGPCNP
- Post-MS DNP – AGPCNP
All three programs are delivered asynchronously online, with the DNP adding one required on-campus day per year.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (MA Resident) | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CAGS AGPCNP | $23K (24 cr. + nursing fees) | 3 years |
| BS-DNP AGPCNP | $55K (64 cr. + nursing fees) | 4 years full-time (5-year plan available) |
| Post-MS DNP AGPCNP | $25K (28 cr. + nursing fees) | ~2 years |
The CAGS is the most accessible entry point for already-licensed MSN nurses who want AGPCNP certification without pursuing a full doctoral degree.
The BS-DNP and Post-MS DNP are best suited for nurses ready to commit to a terminal practice degree with a primary care and chronic illness management focus.
BS-DNP – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The BS-DNP AGPCNP at UMass Dartmouth is estimated at approximately ~$55,000 for Massachusetts residents. On a full-time basis, the program takes 4 years to complete. A 5-year plan is also available.
That figure is based on 64 credits at ~$730.58/credit, plus the $858/semester College of Nursing & Health Sciences fee across approximately 10 semesters. Non-residents pay approximately $1,291/credit before nursing fees.
DNP Curriculum
The BS-DNP AGPCNP totals 64 credit hours across four to five years.
The curriculum progresses from foundational nursing theory, healthcare systems, research translation, and population health through APRN clinical preparation — pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment — into primary care and chronic illness management practicum sequences.
Year One
12 credits
NUR 500 – Theoretical Foundations for Advancing Nursing Practice
Explores the role of theory in advancing nursing knowledge and practice.
NUR 520 – The U.S. Health Care Delivery System
Examines health care delivery, financing, regulation, safety, and policy.
NUR 511 – Translating Research Evidence for Advancing Nursing Practice
Focuses on evaluating and applying evidence to support nursing practice.
NUR 547 – Promoting the Health of Populations
Addresses population health, disease prevention, and health promotion strategies.
Year Two
13 credits
NUR 550 – Pathophysiology for Advanced Nursing Practice
Reviews disease processes and their effects on human systems.
NUR 508 – Health Care Economics and Financial Management
Covers health care economics, budgeting, and financial decision-making.
NUR 553 – Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice
Provides advanced pharmacology knowledge for safe, effective practice.
NUR 771 – DNP Seminar II: Genetics, Ethics, and Innovations in Advanced Nursing Practice
Examines genetics, ethics, and technology in advanced practice nursing.
Year Three
15 credits
NUR 552 – Advanced Health and Physical Assessment
Develops advanced assessment skills for adolescents, adults, and older adults.
NUR 770 – DNP Seminar I: Advanced Practice Nurse as Leader in Health System Change
Focuses on leadership, informatics, and system-level quality improvement.
NUR 557 – Introduction to Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Introduces adult-gerontology primary care management of acute conditions.
NUR 558 – Experiential Learning: Primary Care I
Provides supervised clinical experience in primary care settings.
NUR 605 – Statistical Analysis of Data
Covers statistical concepts and methods used in nursing practice.
Year Four
12 credits
NUR 656 – Primary Care II for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Builds skills in managing more complex acute and chronic conditions.
NUR 657 – Primary Care II for the Advanced Practice Nurse/Practicum
Offers precepted clinical experience in assessment and treatment planning.
NUR 658 – Chronic Illness Management
Focuses on complex care for patients with chronic health conditions.
NUR 659 – Chronic Illness Management Practicum
Strengthens clinical decision-making through supervised chronic care practice.
Year Five
12 credits
NUR 773 – DNP Residency I
Begins the scholarly project and identifies a practice-focused problem.
NUR 774 – Translating Research for Evidence-Based Practice II: Project Implementation and Analysis
Supports project implementation and outcome analysis.
NUR 775 – DNP Residency II
Continues mentored project work and implementation.
NUR 776 – Translating Research for Evidence-Based Practice III: Dissemination of Findings
Focuses on sharing project results and translating evidence into practice.
NUR 777 – DNP Residency III
Culminates the DNP project and advanced practice role development.
Total: 64 credits and 1,008 practicum hours
Year 1 (18 cr.) — Foundations:
- NUR 500 – Theoretical Foundations for Advancing Nursing Practice (3 cr.)
- NUR 520 – Healthcare System (3 cr.)
- NUR 550 – Pathophysiological Bases for Advanced Practice Nursing (3 cr.)
- NUR 511 – Translating Research Evidence to Advance Nursing Practice (3 cr.)
- NUR 547 – Promoting the Health of Populations (3 cr.)
- NUR 553 – Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr.)
Year 2 (22 cr.) — Advanced APRN Core + Practicum Entry:
- NUR 508 – Healthcare Economics and Managing Healthcare Finance (3 cr.)
- NUR 552 – Advanced Health/Physical Assessment (3 cr.)
- NUR 770 – DNP Seminar I: Advanced Practice Nurse as Leader in Health Systems Change (4 cr.)
- NUR 557 – Introduction to Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse (2 cr.)
- NUR 771 – DNP Seminar II: Genetics, Ethics, and Innovations in Advanced Nursing Practice (4 cr.)
- NUR 558 – Introduction to Primary Care — Practicum (3 cr.)
- NUR 605 – Statistical Analysis (3 cr.) — summer
Year 3 (12 cr.) — Primary Care and Chronic Illness:
- NUR 656 – Primary Care II for the Advanced Practice Nurse (2 cr.)
- NUR 657 – Primary Care II — Practicum (3 cr.)
- NUR 658 – Chronic Illness Management (2 cr.)
- NUR 659 – Chronic Illness Management — Practicum (3 cr.)
- NUR 772 – Translating Research for EBP I: Project Proposal Development (2 cr.)
Year 4 (12 cr.) — DNP Residency and Project Dissemination:
- NUR 773 – DNP Residency I (4 cr.)
- NUR 774 – Translating Research for EBP II: Project Implementation and Analysis (1 cr.)
- NUR 775 – DNP Residency II (1 cr.)
- NUR 776 – Translating Research for EBP III: Dissemination of Findings (2 cr.)
- NUR 777 – DNP Residency III (4 cr.)
View more curriculum details in the course catalog.
DNP Clinicals
BS-DNP students complete 1,008 total practicum hours distributed across clinical courses in Years 2 through 4, including a three-semester DNP residency sequence in the final year. All clinical experiences must be completed within Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine.
- NUR 558 – Primary Care I Practicum
- NUR 657 – Primary Care II Practicum
- NUR 659 – Chronic Illness Management Practicum
- NUR 773, 775, 777 – DNP Residency I, II, III (three-semester leadership and systems residency)
- Total: 1,008 practicum hours
- One required on-campus day per year in the spring semester
DNP Admissions
Admission requires a BSN and at least one year of RN experience, though the experience requirement may be waived upon request and review. Geographic eligibility is a hard requirement.
- BSN from an accredited nursing program
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA
- Current, unencumbered RN license from MA, RI, NH, VT, or ME
- Minimum one year of RN experience (may be waived upon request and review)
- Statement of Purpose addressing professional development, professional goals, and fit with the program
- Professional resume
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions
- Two letters of recommendation — one from a dean, chairperson, or faculty member from undergraduate program (or current/recent employer); one from a current or recent employer
- Pre-admission interview may occur
- $60 application fee
- International applicants: TOEFL-IBT overall 84 (Speaking min. 26), IELTS 6.5 overall (no score below 6), or Pearson PTE 55 overall (no score below 50)
- All degree requirements must be completed within seven years of matriculation
Post-MS DNP – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The Post-MS DNP AGPCNP at UMass Dartmouth is estimated at approximately ~$25,000 for Massachusetts residents.
That figure is based on 28 credits at ~$730.58/credit, plus the $858/semester College of Nursing & Health Sciences fee across approximately 5 semesters.
Non-residents pay approximately $1,291/credit before nursing fees.
On a full-time basis, the program takes approximately 2 years to complete.
Post-MS DNP Curriculum
The Post-MS DNP totals 28 credit hours and is designed for MSN-prepared nurses who want to complete a doctoral degree focused on systems leadership, research translation, and advanced practice.
The curriculum skips the APRN clinical specialty sequence and focuses on DNP-level leadership seminars, population health, healthcare economics, statistical analysis, a translational research project, and a three-semester DNP residency.
If an equivalent to NUR 547 was completed during the student’s prior MSN, that course may be waived.
Year 1 (16 cr.):
- NUR 770 – DNP Seminar I: Advanced Practice Nurse as Leader in Health Systems Change (4 cr.)
- NUR 508 – Healthcare Economics and Managing Healthcare Finance (3 cr.)
- NUR 547 – Promoting the Health of Populations (3 cr.) — may be waived with equivalent prior coursework
- NUR 771 – DNP Seminar II: Genetics, Ethics, and Innovations in Advanced Nursing Practice (4 cr.)
- NUR 605 – Statistical Analysis of Data (3 cr.)
- NUR 772 – Translating Research for EBP I: Project Proposal Development (2 cr.)
- NUR 773 – DNP Residency I (4 cr.)
Year 2 (12 cr.):
- NUR 774 – Translating Research for EBP II: Project Implementation and Analysis (1 cr.)
- NUR 775 – DNP Residency II (1 cr.)
- NUR 776 – Translating Research for EBP III: Dissemination of Findings (2 cr.)
- NUR 777 – DNP Residency III (4 cr.)
View more curriculum details in the course catalog.
Post-MS DNP Clinicals
Post-MS DNP students complete 504 practicum hours through the three-semester DNP residency sequence, focused on systems leadership, quality improvement, and informatics — not additional APRN specialty clinical training.
- NUR 773, 775, 777 – DNP Residency I, II, III
- Total: 504 practicum hours
- Residency focus: systems leadership, quality improvement, informatics
- One required on-campus day per year in the spring semester
Post-MS DNP Admissions
Admission requires an MSN or related graduate degree in nursing, with the same geographic restriction that applies to all UMass Dartmouth nursing graduate programs.
- MS in Nursing or related field from an accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in graduate study
- Current, unencumbered RN license from MA, RI, NH, VT, or ME
- Minimum one year of RN experience (may be waived upon request and review)
- Statement of Purpose
- Professional resume
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions
- Two letters of recommendation
- Pre-admission interview may occur
- $60 application fee
- All degree requirements must be completed within seven years of matriculation
CAGS – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The CAGS AGPCNP at UMass Dartmouth is estimated at approximately ~$23,000 for Massachusetts residents.
That figure is based on 24 credits at ~$730.58/credit, plus the $858/semester College of Nursing & Health Sciences fee across 6 semesters.
On a full-time basis, the program takes approximately 3 years to complete.
CAGS Curriculum
The CAGS totals 24 credit hours and is organized across three years. The curriculum builds from foundational APRN coursework — pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment — through two levels of primary care and a dedicated chronic illness management sequence, each paired with supervised clinical practica.
Students who already hold active APRN licensure may have NUR 550, NUR 553, and NUR 552 waived via transcript review, reducing the required credit load. The program is delivered fully online in an asynchronous format.
Year 1 (6 cr.):
- NUR 550 – Pathophysiological Bases for Advanced Practice Nursing (3 cr.) — may be waived for licensed APRNs
- NUR 553 – Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr.) — may be waived for licensed APRNs
Year 2 (8 cr.):
- NUR 552 – Advanced Health/Physical Assessment (3 cr.) — may be waived for licensed APRNs
- NUR 557 – Introduction to Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse (2 cr.)
- NUR 558 – Introduction to Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse — Practicum (3 cr.)
Year 3 (10 cr.):
- NUR 656 – Primary Care II for the Advanced Practice Nurse (2 cr.)
- NUR 657 – Primary Care II for the Advanced Practice Nurse — Practicum (3 cr.)
- NUR 658 – Chronic Illness Management (2 cr.)
- NUR 659 – Chronic Illness Management — Practicum (3 cr.)
View more curriculum details in the course catalog.
CAGS Clinicals
CAGS students complete 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours embedded within four practicum courses spanning Years 2 and 3. All clinical hours must occur within Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine.
- NUR 558 – Primary Care I Practicum
- NUR 657 – Primary Care II Practicum
- NUR 659 – Chronic Illness Management Practicum
- Total: 500 supervised clinical hours
- Settings focus on adult-gerontology primary care and chronic illness management
CAGS Admissions
Admission to the CAGS requires a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing and evidence of prior graduate-level APRN coursework. Geographic eligibility is a hard requirement.
- Master’s or doctoral degree in nursing required
- Prior graduate-level coursework in advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and physical assessment (may satisfy CAGS course waiver requirements)
- Active, unencumbered RN license from MA, RI, NH, VT, or ME — or permanent residence in one of these states
- Active NP license optional (not required for admission)
- Statement of purpose (1–2 pages)
- Resume
- Official college transcripts
- Two letters of recommendation — one from a supervisor (DNP-prepared professional nurse preferred), one from a nurse educator
Tuition
Graduate tuition at UMass Dartmouth breaks down as follows:
- Massachusetts residents: $696.62/credit in tuition + $25/credit technology fee + $8.96/credit student activity fee = ~$730.58/credit effective rate
- Non-Massachusetts residents: $1,257.16/credit in tuition + standard fees = ~$1,291/credit
- Rhode Island residents and NUWC employees: proximity rate of ~$956.79/credit
On top of per-credit tuition, the College of Nursing & Health Sciences adds a $858/semester fee (pro-rated if enrolled in fewer than 9 credits). This fee applies each semester and adds up significantly over a multi-year program. A one-time graduation fee of $220 also applies.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at UMass Dartmouth prepares graduates eligible for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) certification examinations for Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners.
The CAGS program similarly prepares graduates for ANCC and AANPCB certification. Specific programmatic nursing accreditation (CCNE or ACEN) is not explicitly stated in the available source materials — contact the College of Nursing and Health Sciences directly to confirm current accreditation status before applying.
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