The University of Nevada, Reno Orvis School of Nursing offers 2 AGPCNP pathways:
Both pathways deliver coursework online. Both require an on-campus immersion in Reno before clinical rotations, and current UNR pages place clinical sites in Nevada. Applicants need an RN license that makes them eligible for Nevada licensure. UNR does not offer a post-master’s AGPCNP certificate.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN AGPCNP | $718.25/credit (total not published) | 5–8 semesters | Not published on program pages |
| BSN-DNP AGPCNP | $43,800–$56,000 | 3–5 years | 61–78 |
Tuition estimates combine UNR’s 2026–2027 graduate registration fee ($383.25/credit) with the Orvis School of Nursing differential fee ($335/credit), for $718.25 per credit, multiplied by UNR’s published BSN-DNP credit range.
Most online AGPCNP programs leave preceptor searches to the student. Orvis does the opposite: faculty assign students to vetted preceptors, and the university describes all 780 AGPCNP clinical hours as school-coordinated. For a primary care NP student, that removes the most common cause of delayed graduation.
That placement network is built in Nevada. UNR’s program pages call the degrees “100% online” and available nationwide, yet its online-program pages place clinical hours at Nevada sites and its graduate handbook requires a multi-day campus immersion. Applicants outside Nevada should expect to travel to Reno at least once and to complete clinicals in Nevada unless UNR approves an out-of-state preceptor.
UNR arranges AGPCNP preceptors for its students, but its online coursework is paired with a Reno campus immersion and a Nevada-based clinical network.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | MSN, BSN-DNP (no post-master’s certificate) |
| Format | Online coursework with required campus immersion |
| Campus Attendance | 4–5 day immersion in Reno the summer before clinicals |
| Clinical Hours | 780 (MSN); 1,000 total practice hours (BSN-DNP) |
| Clinical Placement | Faculty assign vetted preceptors; DNP residency is self-placed |
| Clinical Locations | Approved Nevada sites |
| Licensure Required | Active, unencumbered RN license; eligible for Nevada licensure |
| Start Terms | Fall (MSN deadline March 1) |
| Cost per Credit | $718.25 including the nursing differential fee (2026–2027) |
| Accreditation | CCNE through December 31, 2031 |
MSN Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The MSN Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner costs $718.25 per credit for Nevada residents. UNR’s program pages do not state the MSN credit total, so a total tuition figure cannot be calculated from them. The graduate handbook says most MSN tracks take five to eight semesters. The track admits BSN-prepared RNs for fall entry only.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The AGPCNP program page lists 780 supervised clinical hours. The Orvis graduate handbook, last reviewed in 2023, lists 660 practicum hours for the AGPCNP track. The Nevada Online MSN page says NP tracks include “500+” clinical hours. This page uses 780 because it comes from the current AGPCNP-specific program page.
MSN Curriculum
The MSN follows the standard NP structure. An advanced practice core (pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment) comes first and is shared with UNR’s other NP tracks. The AGPCNP specialty sequence then covers chronic disease management and prevention for adults and older adults. Supervised practicum runs alongside the specialty courses once the campus immersion is complete.
The pharmacology course is built for adult and older adult populations rather than the lifespan, which suits the AGPCNP scope. UNR’s program page names these representative courses:
- Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostics
- Pathophysiology
- Advanced Pharmacology for Adult and Older Adult Populations
- Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Conditions
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention for Adults and Older Adults
Credit values and the full plan of study appear in the UNR graduate catalog.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Clinical hours: 780 supervised hours (see conflict note above)
- Placement responsibility: faculty of record assign students to vetted preceptors; UNR describes placements as OSN-secured
- Student-proposed sites: allowed, but the track advisor and course faculty must approve before the student contacts a preceptor
- Location: the Nevada Online MSN page places clinical hours at approved Nevada sites; UNR is approved for placements in all Nevada counties
- Students outside Nevada: the handbook says they must help identify a preceptor so UNR can vet it and secure an affiliation agreement
- Settings: primary care clinics, community health centers, specialty care settings, geriatric practices, outpatient clinics, and long-term care facilities
- Paperwork: a signed preceptor agreement is due before the semester starts; some sites require a university contract that can take six months or longer
- Campus immersion: five days in Reno the summer before practicum; missing a session may mean failing the course
For Nevada residents, this is one of the stronger placement models among online AGPCNP programs: the school finds the preceptor, and the student focuses on the hours. The model is less clear for out-of-state students. UNR’s newest online-program pages describe Nevada-only sites, while the handbook allows out-of-state preceptors the student helps locate. No current UNR source guarantees an out-of-state placement, and a site requiring a full contract can add months of lead time.
MSN Admissions
- BSN from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program
- Active, unrestricted RN license
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA; applicants with a 2.7–2.99 GPA may be admitted conditionally with Graduate School approval
- Official transcripts and a personal statement
- GRE not required
- Application fee: $60; new graduate student fee: $35
- Deadline: March 1 for fall; the AGPCNP track has no spring start
- Transfer credit: up to 12 graduate credits (600-level or higher), subject to the six-year degree time limit
- After admission: physical exam with a fit-for-duty note, immunizations, BLS, ACLS, TB screening, and professional liability coverage
Fall-only entry means a missed March 1 deadline costs a full year. The ACLS requirement is unusual for a primary care track and may require extra certification for clinic-based nurses.
BSN-to-DNP Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The BSN-to-DNP Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner costs an estimated $43,800–$56,000 for Nevada residents. UNR publishes a 61–78 credit range for all BSN-DNP specialties and a typical completion time of three to five years, with a six-year limit. It suits BSN-prepared RNs who want the terminal practice degree rather than adding a DNP later.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The Nevada Online BSN-DNP page lists 61–78 credits; the Orvis graduate handbook lists 68–72 credits for BSN-DNP tracks. Neither states an AGPCNP-specific total. On hours, the AGPCNP program page lists 1,000 total practice hours, while the 2023 handbook lists 660 specialty practicum hours for AGPCNP and no DNP project or residency figure. This page uses the wider 61–78 range and the 1,000-hour figure from the current program pages.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
The BSN-DNP contains the same AGPCNP clinical preparation as the MSN: the advanced practice core, the adult-gerontology primary care specialty sequence, and the 780 coordinated clinical hours. It adds doctoral coursework in evidence translation, practice improvement, health systems, and policy, plus a residency and a DNP scholarly project.
The project addresses a clinical or organizational problem; there is no dissertation. Proposal and final defenses are held over Zoom, with in-person attendance optional. The extra length over the MSN comes almost entirely from this doctoral layer, not from additional primary care content.
Course sequencing and credit values appear in the UNR catalog BSN-DNP listing.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- Total practice hours: 1,000 (780 AGPCNP clinical hours plus residency hours)
- Clinical placement: coordinated by Orvis faculty, as in the MSN
- Residency placement: students must self-place
- Location: clinical sites are “located throughout Nevada” and chosen by licensure eligibility and population need
- Campus immersion: 4–5 days in Reno the first week of the summer before clinicals, for standardized patient and procedural check-offs
The residency is the one part of either pathway where the student carries the placement burden. Because it is leadership- and project-focused rather than direct primary care, it is usually easier to arrange than an NP preceptorship, but applicants should plan for it from the start.
BSN-DNP Admissions
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
- BSN from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program
- Active, unencumbered RN license and eligibility for Nevada licensure
- Minimum 3.0 GPA, with no conditional admission below that threshold
- Graduate-level statistics course with a grade of B or higher
- Official transcripts, personal statement, and RN license documentation
- Deadlines: March 1 (fall) and October 1 (spring) for the BSN-DNP program; UNR does not state whether the AGPCNP track admits in spring
- Transfer credit: up to 12 graduate credits, subject to the six-year limit
Two rules separate the DNP from the MSN. The graduate statistics course must be completed before applying, and there is no conditional admission. An applicant with a 2.8 GPA can still be considered for the MSN but not for the BSN-DNP.
Tuition
UNR’s 2026–2027 graduate registration fee is $383.25 per credit. Orvis graduate students also pay a School of Nursing differential fee of $335 per credit, bringing the per-credit cost to $718.25. The previous version of this page used only the $383.25 rate, which understated per-credit cost by nearly half.
Non-residents face added charges, but UNR’s tables do not clearly state which apply to online students. The domestic cost table lists non-resident tuition of $10,094.50 per semester at 7 or more credits ($421.75 per credit below 7), and separately lists a non-resident distance education fee of $191.75 per credit. Out-of-state applicants should expect a substantially higher total than the resident figures below.
Estimated Total Tuition
| Pathway | Credits | Resident Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| MSN AGPCNP | Not published on program pages | $718.25 × catalog credit total |
| BSN-DNP AGPCNP | 61–78 | $43,813–$56,024 |
Figures are calculated from UNR’s published per-credit rates and credit range; UNR does not publish a program total.
Fees Beyond Tuition
- Distance education fee: $34 per credit (resident), $191.75 per credit (non-resident)
- Technology fee: $18 per credit; athletics and recreation fee: $3.50 per credit
- Per-semester fees: student union ($49 part-time, $97 full-time), health center ($125), counseling ($95 at 6+ credits), fitness center ($65), academic success ($5), performing arts ($5)
- Student health insurance: $1,840 (fall) and $2,551 (spring) if not waived; the handbook says DNP students are not eligible for university insurance
- One-time fees: $60 application, $35 new graduate student, $145 graduation
- Student-borne costs: travel to Reno for the campus immersion, plus physical exam, ACLS, and liability coverage
The distance education fee alone adds roughly $2,100–$2,700 to a resident BSN-DNP. See the official tuition and fees page for more details.
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: Nevada RNs, or nurses able to complete clinicals in Nevada, who want school-arranged primary care preceptors and public-university pricing.
School-Arranged Preceptors, Inside Nevada
Faculty assignment of vetted preceptors is the program’s strongest feature. Nurses who have watched classmates spend months cold-calling clinics will value it. The benefit depends on location: UNR’s network is in Nevada, and its sources disagree on how out-of-state students are handled.
Online Coursework, Not a Campus-Free Degree
Didactic courses are asynchronous and online. Every NP student still travels to Reno for a 4–5 day immersion before clinicals, and missing a session can mean failing the course. For a Nevada resident this is a short trip. For a distance student it is a fixed, unmovable summer commitment.
The Nursing Differential Nearly Doubles the Base Rate
The $383.25 headline rate is not what Orvis students pay. With the $335 nursing differential, the resident cost is $718.25 per credit before the distance education fee. That remains moderate for a public BSN-DNP, but comparisons against other schools should use the full figure.
MSN or DNP: Same NP Training, Different Endpoint
Both pathways carry the same 780 coordinated clinical hours and the same specialty preparation. The BSN-DNP adds doctoral coursework, a self-placed residency, and a scholarly project. Choose the MSN for the fastest route to certification, or the BSN-DNP for leadership, faculty, or systems roles that favor the doctorate.
The Verdict
Nevada-based RNs have the strongest reason to choose UNR: they get school-arranged primary care placements, a short campus trip, and resident pricing at a public university. Nurses living outside Nevada should compare other options unless they can travel for clinicals, since UNR’s current pages center placement in Nevada and non-resident charges are significant. Applicants wanting an AGPCNP post-master’s certificate must look elsewhere.
Accreditation
The Orvis School of Nursing’s MSN and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) through December 31, 2031. UNR states that AGPCNP graduates are eligible for certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
UNR’s NP licensure disclosure, dated 2023, lists 29 states where its programs meet licensure requirements and 25 where requirements are undetermined. Approvals in Arizona and Maryland do not include the MSN AGPCNP track. Non-Nevada applicants should check their state on UNR’s APRN licensing requirements page before applying.
Other AGPCNP Programs in Nevada
- No related programs found for state NV.