The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) in Baltimore offers the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty only at the doctoral level, through 3 AGPCNP pathways:
- BSN-DNP (3-, 4-, or 5-year plans)
- MSN-DNP (post-master’s, variable credits)
- Postdoctoral Certificate
All pathways use a blended format of face-to-face and online instruction. Faculty assign clinical sites in Maryland and Washington, D.C. There is no MSN-level AGPCNP option.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP | $77,040 | 3–5 years | 80 |
| MSN-DNP (Post-Master’s) | $43,335–$77,040 | Varies by gap analysis | 45–80 |
| Postdoctoral Certificate | $12,519–$41,409 | 2+ semesters | 13–43 |
Tuition estimates multiply UMB’s 2026–2027 School of Nursing graduate rate ($963/credit resident, $1,708/credit non-resident) by the published credit totals. University and school fees are not included; UMSON’s own fee-inclusive figures appear in the Tuition section.
Where UMSON parts ways with most AGPCNP programs is clinical placement. Students are not required to find their own preceptors or sites. Faculty assign placements through UMSON’s clinical contracts across Maryland and Washington, D.C., and the BSN-DNP carries 1,085 clinical and practicum hours.
The trade-off is geography and degree level. Placements sit in the Baltimore-Washington region and part of the instruction is face-to-face, so this is effectively a regional program. And because the specialty is DNP-only, a BSN-prepared nurse commits to 80 credits rather than a shorter MSN.
UMSON removes the preceptor search entirely, but only for nurses who can train in Maryland or D.C. and want a doctorate rather than an MSN.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | BSN-DNP, post-master’s DNP, postdoctoral certificate |
| Format | Blended (face-to-face and online); on-campus frequency not published |
| Clinical Hours | 1,085 for the DNP (810 clinical + 275 practicum) for students admitted Summer 2027 and later |
| Clinical Placement | Faculty-assigned; students may suggest sites for faculty approval |
| Clinical Locations | Maryland and Washington, D.C. |
| Population Focus | Adolescents and adults, ages 13 and up, including older adults |
| Experience Required | 2 years of inpatient RN experience by admission (DNP) |
| Start Terms | DNP: Summer (3- and 4-year plans) or Fall (5-year plan); Certificate: Fall or Spring |
| Tuition | $963/credit resident; $1,708/credit non-resident (2026–2027) |
| Board Pass Rate | 100% for 2024 graduates on AANPCB and ANCC exams |
| Accreditation | CCNE |
BSN-DNP: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The post-BSN DNP in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care requires 80 credits, with estimated tuition of $77,040 for Maryland residents and $136,640 for non-residents. It takes 3, 4, or 5 years depending on the plan of study. Applicants need a BSN and at least two years of inpatient RN experience by the time of admission.
A curriculum change worth knowing about. UMSON publishes two BSN-DNP curricula. Students admitted Fall 2016 through Fall 2026 follow an 80-credit plan with 1,080 clinical hours. Students admitted Summer 2027 and later follow a revised 80-credit plan with 1,085 hours (810 clinical, 275 practicum). Current applicants enter the revised curriculum, so this page describes it.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
The 80 credits divide into three blocks plus one elective:
- DNP core (33 credits, 275 practicum hours): professional practice, health care economics, population health, statistics, informatics, policy, leadership, and a four-course DNP project sequence
- APRN core (11 credits): the “3 P’s” (pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment) plus a 1-credit transition-to-practice course
- Specialty core (33 credits, 810 clinical hours): a six-level Diagnosis and Management sequence with paired clinical courses, plus geriatric syndromes
- Elective: 3 credits
All three plans contain the same 80 credits. What changes is sequencing. The 3-year plan starts with the APRN sciences in year one. The 4- and 5-year plans front-load the DNP core and push the clinical sequence to the back half, so most clinical time falls in the final two years.
The specialty sequence builds in fixed order: diagnostic reasoning with a 45-hour lab, common episodic and chronic conditions, acute and complex chronic conditions, multiple co-occurring problems, then two clinical-only immersion courses totaling 405 hours. A dedicated Geriatric Syndromes course runs alongside the first level. The DNP project runs parallel to the clinical sequence over roughly four terms.
Compared with the pre-2027 curriculum, the revised plan folds the separate 90-hour introductory clinical into a lab, expands the Diagnosis and Management 4 clinical from 90 to 135 hours, and adds NDNP 860: Transition Into APRN Practice Roles.
Key courses (Summer 2027 curriculum):
- NPHY 612: Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (3 cr)
- NDNP 723: Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Across the Life Span (3 cr)
- NDNP 819: Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span (4 cr)
- NDNP 720: Geriatric Syndromes Assessment and Management (2 cr)
- NDNP 830: Diagnosis and Management 1: Introduction to Diagnostic Reasoning (3 cr, 45 lab hrs)
- NDNP 832/833: Diagnosis and Management 2: Common Health Conditions, Episodic and Chronic + Clinical (4 cr + 3 cr, 135 hrs)
- NDNP 834/835: Diagnosis and Management 3: Acute and Chronic Complex Conditions + Clinical (4 cr + 3 cr, 135 hrs)
- NDNP 836/837: Diagnosis and Management 4: Integration of Multiple Health Problems + Clinical (2 cr + 3 cr, 135 hrs)
- NDNP 838: Diagnosis and Management 5: Professional Practice Immersion: Clinical (4 cr, 180 hrs)
- NDNP 839: Diagnosis and Management 6: Integration of Practice and Leadership: Clinical (5 cr, 225 hrs)
- NDNP 860: Transition Into APRN Practice Roles (1 cr)
- NDNP 706: Evidence-Informed Practice and Statistics (4 cr)
- NDNP 712: Advanced Practice Leadership in Health Care Systems (3 cr, 45 practicum hrs)
- NDNP 810–813: DNP Project Development, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation/Dissemination (7 cr, 140 practicum hrs)
View UMSON’s full AGPCNP plans of study.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- Total hours: 1,085 (810 clinical + 275 practicum) for Summer 2027 admits; 1,080 for Fall 2016–Fall 2026 admits
- Clinical hours by course: NDNP 833 (135), 835 (135), 837 (135), 838 (180), 839 (225)
- Practicum hours: embedded in NDNP 704, 708, 712 (45 each) and the DNP project courses (140 total)
- Placement responsibility: faculty assign sites; students are not required to find preceptors
- Student-suggested sites: allowed, but faculty must approve them
- Employer restriction: students should not complete rotations in the specific environment where they work
- Geography: clinical contracts across Maryland and Washington, D.C.
- Settings: primary care, specialty practices (cardiology, pulmonology, endocrinology, neurology, oncology, palliative care, orthopedics), student health, women’s health, correctional health, assisted living, and long-term care
- Clinical fee: $85 per credit hour (DNP with specialty), per UMB’s 2026–2027 fee table
Faculty-assigned placement is the main practical advantage here. Many AGPCNP students spend months cold-calling practices. UMSON draws on alumni preceptors and existing contracts, and final site approval rests with faculty.
Two constraints follow. Every site is in Maryland or D.C., so students outside commuting range must plan to travel or relocate for roughly two years of clinical courses. And nurses hoping to precept at their own workplace generally cannot.
BSN-DNP Admissions
- Bachelor’s degree with a nursing major from an ACEN-, CCNE-, or NLN CNEA-accredited school
- Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- At least 2 years of inpatient RN experience by the time of admission
- Valid, unrestricted U.S. RN license
- Two recommendations, at least one from a supervisor (only the first two received count)
- Essay of 350 words or fewer on how the degree will affect your care of the population you plan to serve
- Resume or CV and official transcripts from every institution attended
- $75 non-refundable application fee; no GRE listed among required materials
- On-campus interview by invitation; applicants not invited do not advance
- Summer/Fall 2027: application opens June 3, 2026; priority deadline Nov. 1, 2026; rolling admission from Nov. 2, 2026 until seats fill
- Maryland residents must file a separate in-state residency application
- Not eligible for F-1 or J-1 visa sponsorship because of the amount of online coursework
The Nov. 1 priority deadline matters more than usual. Only priority applicants are considered for merit scholarships, and later applicants compete for whatever seats remain.
Applicants choose a preferred plan, but DNP leadership makes the final 3-, 4-, or 5-year assignment and start term based on academic readiness. A gap analysis can move a Summer 4-year applicant to the Fall 5-year plan. UMSON reports that about 5% of students take the 3-year plan, 50% the 4-year, and 45% the 5-year. The 3-year plan expects Monday-through-Friday availability.
Post-Master’s DNP: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The post-master’s DNP with AGPCNP specialty requires 45 to 80 credits, with estimated tuition of $43,335–$77,040 for residents and $76,860–$136,640 for non-residents. Length depends on the plan set at admission. It serves master’s-prepared nurses, including current NPs adding or updating the AGPCNP specialty.
A published conflict worth knowing about. UMSON’s pre-2027 requirements list 38 core credits, a 20-credit specialty minimum, and 48–80 total credits. The Summer 2027 requirements list 33 core credits, a 12-credit specialty minimum, and 45–80 total credits. This page uses the Summer 2027 figures because they apply to current applicants.
Post-Master’s DNP Curriculum
The plan of study is individual. The specialty director completes the National Task Force’s Sample Form B gap analysis at admission, reviewing prior coursework, clinical hours, and APRN practice experience.
- DNP core: 33 credits, 275 practicum hours; up to two courses may transfer
- APRN core: 11 credits (NPHY 612, NDNP 723, NDNP 819, NDNP 860); may not be required
- Specialty core: 12-credit minimum from the 33-credit, 810-hour AGPCNP sequence
- Total: 45 credits minimum, 80 maximum
UMSON also publishes streamlined sample plans for existing NPs. Under those plans, an adult NP can earn the DNP with a minimum of 48 credits and 630 clinical hours, a gerontology NP with 45 credits and 720 hours, and an acute care NP changing to primary care with a minimum of 50 credits and 720 hours. Those sample plans still use pre-2027 course numbers, so expect the final plan to follow the gap analysis rather than the sample.
View UMSON’s streamlined plans for adult, gerontology, and acute care NPs.
Post-Master’s DNP Clinical Requirements
- Total required: 1,085 clinical, practicum, or practice hours
- Transfer cap: up to 500 clinical hours from a prior advanced practice program
- Residency minimum: at least 585 hours completed at UMSON
- Placement: same faculty-assigned model and Maryland/D.C. sites as the BSN-DNP
The 585-hour floor is the planning number. Even an experienced NP with 500 transferable hours completes several hundred hours in Maryland or D.C. sites. In the streamlined plans, UMSON aims those hours at gaps in the student’s prior APRN education.
Post-Master’s DNP Admissions
- Master’s degree in nursing or a related field
- Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- At least 2 years of inpatient RN experience (AGPCNP specialty requirement)
- Valid, unrestricted U.S. RN license
- Same recommendations, essay, resume, transcripts, $75 fee, interview, and Summer/Fall 2027 deadlines as the BSN-DNP
- Gap analysis at admission sets credits and clinical hours
Postdoctoral Certificate: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The postdoctoral certificate lists 43 credits at full length, an estimated $41,409 for residents and $73,444 for non-residents. UMSON’s streamlined plans show it can be as short as 13 credits over two semesters for an adult NP. Applicants must hold both a graduate degree in nursing and a doctorate.
A published conflict worth knowing about. UMSON’s certificate course listing states 990 clinical hours, but the hours it assigns to individual courses (90, 135, 135, 90, 180, and 225) add up to 855. The listing also uses pre-2027 course numbers, while the revised specialty core carries 810 clinical hours. This page treats the certificate’s clinical hours as not clearly published; the gap analysis sets each student’s actual requirement.
Certificate Curriculum
Doctoral-prepared nurses take only the courses needed for AGPCNP certification. The pre-application assessment focuses on the “3 P’s,” so applicants who completed advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment can skip those 10 credits. The full listing is the APRN sciences plus the complete Diagnosis and Management sequence.
- NPHY 612: Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (3 cr)
- NURS 723: Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Across the Life Span (3 cr)
- NDNP 819: Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span (4 cr)
- NDNP 720: Geriatric Syndromes Assessment and Management (2 cr)
- NDNP 830–839: Diagnosis and Management 1–6, didactic and clinical (31 cr)
UMSON’s streamlined certificate plans: an adult NP needs a minimum of 13 credits over two semesters (225 clinical hours), and an acute care NP changing to primary care needs a minimum of 19 credits over three semesters.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- Total hours: set by gap analysis; see the conflict note above
- Adult NP streamlined plan: 225 clinical hours (NDNP 835 and 837)
- Placement: faculty-assigned Maryland and D.C. sites, as in the DNP
Certificate Admissions
- Graduate degree in nursing and a doctoral degree (DNP, PhD, EdD, or similar); applications without both are not reviewed
- Pre-Application Assessment form with transcripts and syllabi for prior 3 P’s coursework
- Active, unrestricted Maryland or compact-state RN license
- Two recommendations, 350-word essay, resume or CV, official transcripts, $75 fee
- Interview with selected applicants
- Fall entry: priority deadline Nov. 1, final deadline July 31
- Spring entry: priority deadline Oct. 1, final deadline Nov. 15
The eligibility rule is narrower than the name suggests. A DNP-prepared nurse without a nursing graduate degree is excluded, and a master’s-prepared NP without a doctorate must use the post-master’s DNP instead. UMSON does not list existing APRN certification as a requirement. The licensure rule is also stricter than the DNP’s: a non-compact-state license alone does not qualify.
Tuition
UMB charges graduate nursing students $963 per credit as Maryland residents and $1,708 per credit as non-residents for 2026–2027. The $745-per-credit gap adds $59,600 to the 80-credit BSN-DNP for a non-resident.
UMSON publishes its own fee-inclusive total for the 4-year AGPCNP DNP: $96,196 resident and $155,796 non-resident, based on 2026–2027 figures. That implies about $19,156 in fees on top of tuition.
UMSON also lists a “DNP Post-Master’s Option” at $45,844.50 resident and $73,409.50 non-resident. The $27,565 residency gap between those figures equals 37 credits at the current rate difference, which points to the post-master’s DNP without a specialty rather than the 45-to-80-credit AGPCNP post-master’s track. Treat it as a floor, not an AGPCNP estimate.
Estimated Total Tuition
| Pathway | Resident | Non-Resident |
|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP (80 credits) | $77,040 | $136,640 |
| Post-Master’s DNP (45–80 credits) | $43,335–$77,040 | $76,860–$136,640 |
| Postdoctoral Certificate (13–43 credits) | $12,519–$41,409 | $22,204–$73,444 |
Calculated from published per-credit rates and credit totals; these are tuition-only estimates, not university-published totals.
Fees Beyond Tuition
- DNP clinical fee: $85 per credit hour (DNP with specialty)
- Nursing fees per semester: $159 infrastructure, $55 academic and career success, $250 curriculum technology, $15 accident insurance, $5 malpractice insurance
- University fees per semester: up to $1,057 at full time (9+ credits), prorated per credit for part-time students
- One-time fees: $55 matriculation; $100 DNP technology fee in the first semester
- Student health insurance: $2,686 fall and $2,642 spring, as listed on UMB’s fee table
Scholarships and Aid
- Merit scholarships: $1,500–$3,000 per semester; automatic for applicants who meet the Nov. 1 priority deadline
- Donor-funded scholarships: $500–$2,000 per semester (fall and spring)
- Conway Scholarship: 50% of in-state tuition, fees, and books for students who have completed 9 graduate credits and have at least half their credits remaining
- Graduate assistantships: stipend, tuition remission, in-state status, and paid student health insurance
- Tuition remission for University of Maryland Medical Center nurses
See UMSON’s official tuition and cost of attendance page.
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: Maryland and D.C.-area RNs with inpatient experience who want a DNP, need to keep working, and do not want to source their own preceptors.
No Preceptor Search, but Only in Maryland and D.C.
Faculty-assigned placement removes the biggest logistical risk in NP school. The catch is that UMSON’s contracts cover Maryland and Washington, D.C. A nurse in another state gains little from the placement model unless they can attend clinicals in the region.
A Doctorate Is the Only Entry Point
BSN-prepared nurses cannot stop at an MSN. The BSN-DNP adds a 33-credit DNP core and a four-course project to the clinical training, which raises cost and length. In return, the DNP core carries 275 practicum hours, so total hours reach 1,085, more than double the 500-hour certification threshold UMSON cites on its streamlined-plans page.
Part-Time Plans Built Around Employment
Ninety-five percent of students choose the 4- or 5-year plans, which UMSON designs for part-time and full-time employment. Applicants should not count on their preferred plan, though: DNP leadership assigns the plan and start term.
Credit for Prior NP Training
Adult, gerontology, and acute care NPs have published streamlined routes, from a 13-credit certificate to a 45-to-50-credit DNP. Up to 500 prior clinical hours can transfer into the DNP. For a lapsed adult or gerontology NP who needs the current AGPCNP credential, this is one of the clearer paths UMSON publishes.
The Verdict
UMSON is the stronger choice for Baltimore-Washington nurses who want a doctorate, value assigned clinical placements, and need a 4- or 5-year part-time plan. Maryland residency matters: resident tuition runs about $59,600 less over the BSN-DNP. Nurses outside the region, those who want a faster or cheaper MSN, and anyone needing a fully online program should compare other options.
Accreditation
UMSON’s DNP and post-graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). UMB is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
UMSON states the AGPCNP specialty meets ANCC certification eligibility requirements and prepares graduates for the AANPCB exam. UMSON’s APRN specialties are approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing; the school has not sought approval in other states. Applicants planning to practice outside Maryland should check their state’s requirements on UMSON’s accreditation and licensure disclosure page.
Review Other AGPCNP Programs in Maryland
- George Washington University - Washington
- Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore
- Notre Dame of Maryland University - Baltimore