Saint Joseph’s College of Maine offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner pathways through its online graduate nursing division:
- MSN
- Post-Master’s Certificate
Coursework is online, with 8- and 16-week course options and fall, spring, and summer starts. Both pathways require an active, unrestricted U.S. RN license and at least one on-campus visit, since SJC exempts its NP programs from its no-residency policy. NP clinical rotations are not approved in New York.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN AGPCNP | $35,808 | 2 yrs 3 mos full-time; 3.5–4 yrs part-time | 48 (see note in MSN section) |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | $14,760–$22,380 | Not published | Set by gap analysis; 30-credit plan in SJC’s catalog |
Tuition estimates multiply SJC’s 2026-2027 rates (effective July 1, 2026) by the credit total: $746/credit graduate nursing for the MSN, and $492/credit (CAGS rate) to $746/credit for the certificate, since SJC does not state which rate the NP certificate bills at. SJC charges one rate regardless of state of residence.
What sets SJC apart from most online AGPCNP options is price paired with schedule flexibility. A 48-credit MSN at $746 per credit comes to about $35,800 in tuition at a private college, with three start terms a year, no application fee, and no GRE.
The trade-off is clinical logistics. SJC’s clinical documents put preceptor and site sourcing on the student, and NP students must travel to campus in Maine for a requirement SJC describes only briefly on its public pages. Applicants without local preceptor contacts carry the full placement risk.
SJC offers one of the lower-cost private online AGPCNP MSNs with three starts a year, but students find their own preceptors and must make at least one trip to campus in Maine.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | MSN; Post-Master’s Certificate |
| Format | Online coursework; 8- and 16-week courses |
| Campus Attendance | Required for NP programs (exception to SJC’s no-residency policy); details not published on the program page |
| Clinical Placement | Student identifies site and preceptor; SJC approves |
| Clinical Hours | AGPCNP total not clearly published |
| Population Focus | Adolescents and adults, including older adults, in primary care |
| Licensure Required | Active, unrestricted, unencumbered U.S. RN license |
| Start Terms | Fall, spring, summer; rolling admission |
| Tuition | $746/credit graduate nursing; $492/credit CAGS (2026-2027) |
| State Limits | NP clinicals not approved in New York |
| Accreditation | CCNE |
MSN Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The MSN Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner costs an estimated $35,808 in tuition for 48 credits. SJC lists completion at 2 years 3 months full-time or 3.5 to 4 years part-time. It is open to BSN-prepared RNs with a 3.0 GPA.
A published gap worth knowing about. SJC’s MSN page lists 48 credits for its AGACNP and FNP tracks but states no credit total for the AGPCNP track. The 48-credit figure here comes from SJC’s catalog plan of study for this track. The 2026-2027 catalog could not be re-checked for this update, so confirm the credit total in the current catalog before budgeting.
MSN Curriculum
SJC’s catalog plan divides the degree into a 24-credit nursing core, a 21-credit AGPCNP specialty sequence, and a 3-credit capstone. The core combines five MSN-level courses (informatics, research, policy, leadership, population health) with the three APRN foundation courses.
The specialty sequence is organized by age group rather than body system. Each stage pairs a theory course with a practicum: young and middle-aged adults first, then older adults, then an integrative adult-gerontology course. SJC’s clinical FAQ states practicum courses must be taken in sequence.
Nursing core (24 credits):
- NU 501 Nursing Informatics (3 cr)
- NU 503 Nursing Research Methods: Utilization for EBP (3 cr)
- NU 508 Policy, Quality and Safety (3 cr)
- NU 513 Organizational and Systems Leadership (3 cr)
- NU 514 Population Health and Interprofessional Collaboration (3 cr)
- NU 601 Advanced Health Assessment (3 cr)
- NU 607 Advanced Pharmacology (3 cr)
- NU 608 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 cr)
AGPCNP specialty (21 credits) and capstone (3 credits):
- NP 600 The Advanced Practice Nurse as Provider (3 cr)
- NP 612 Family Theory: Young and Middle Age Adult (3 cr)
- NP 613 Primary Care Practicum: Young and Middle Age Adult (3 cr)
- NP 620 Family Theory: Older Adult (3 cr)
- NP 621 Primary Care Practicum: Older Adult (3 cr)
- NP 630 Adult Gerontological Primary Care NP Theory (3 cr)
- NP 631 Adult Gerontological Primary Care NP Practicum (3 cr)
- NP 801 Capstone (3 cr)
View the MSN program in SJC’s catalog
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Total AGPCNP clinical hours: not clearly published on SJC’s current public pages
- Three practicum courses: NP 613, NP 621, NP 631
- SJC’s clinical FAQ assigns 200 hours to NP 613; that document is written for FNP students and does not state AGPCNP hours for NP 621 or NP 631
- Placement: students identify their own clinical site and preceptor and submit preceptor credentials for approval
- Approval is not automatic: SJC rejects preceptors when a site cannot meet course objectives
- Settings: primary care, with one-on-one clinical supervision
- Hours and patient encounters are logged in Typhon; students join a three-way orientation call with faculty and preceptor
- Campus: NP programs carry an on-campus requirement; frequency and length are not stated on the program page
- Fee: $773 NP clinical fee per selected course
Self-arranged placement is the central risk. Rotations can happen near home, but SJC does not guarantee a site, and practicum courses run in a fixed sequence. A preceptor who withdraws or is not approved can delay progression by a term.
Because SJC does not publish the AGPCNP hour total, applicants should confirm it meets the 500 supervised hours national certification requires. The certificate’s 600-hour figure from earlier SJC materials could not be confirmed in current sources.
MSN Admissions
- BSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Active, unrestricted, unencumbered U.S. RN license
- No GRE or GMAT
- No application fee; rolling admission
- Starts: fall, spring, summer
- Catalog items not re-verified for 2026-2027: one year of RN experience, undergraduate statistics with a B or better, three references, career statement, resume, and no license sanctions in the prior two years
- NP clinical rotations are not approved in New York
SJC’s admissions page defers program-specific requirements to the catalog, so check the current catalog entry for the full list before applying.
Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate
The Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate is for RNs who already hold an MSN. A 30-credit plan costs an estimated $14,760 to $22,380 in tuition, depending on the rate applied. SJC does not publish a completion time. The 3.5 MSN GPA minimum is the main eligibility hurdle.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate drops the MSN’s five non-clinical core courses and the capstone. SJC’s catalog plan keeps the three APRN foundation courses (advanced health assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology) and the full 21-credit AGPCNP specialty sequence, for 30 credits.
SJC reviews each applicant’s transcript to determine what is needed for certification. Students with prior APRN coursework may need less; the final plan is individual. The current 2026-2027 catalog entry could not be re-checked for this update.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
The certificate uses the same three practicum courses (NP 613, NP 621, NP 631), the same student-arranged placement model, and the same on-campus requirement as the MSN. Total clinical hours are not clearly published on current SJC pages. MSN-prepared nurses switching from education or administration should expect the same preceptor search as MSN students.
Certificate Admissions
- MSN required
- Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA
- Active, unrestricted, unencumbered U.S. RN license
- Gap analysis of prior graduate coursework
- No GRE; no application fee; rolling admission
- Catalog items not re-verified for 2026-2027: three references, career statement, resume, and unrestricted NP license and certification if already held in another specialty
The 3.5 GPA bar is a half-point above the MSN’s. An MSN graduate with a 3.3 is eligible for SJC’s full MSN but not its certificate.
Tuition
SJC’s 2026-2027 rates, effective July 1, 2026, are $746 per credit for graduate nursing and $492 per credit for the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS). There is no residency differential.
A published conflict worth knowing about. SJC’s MSN page lists a total cost of $28,686 to $33,792. The upper figure equals 48 credits at $704 per credit, not the current $746. At the 2026-2027 rate, a 48-credit MSN costs $35,808 in tuition, $2,016 more than the program page shows. This page uses the newer tuition table.
The tuition table does not say whether the NP certificate bills at the $492 CAGS rate or the $746 graduate nursing rate. The difference on a 30-credit plan is $7,620, so ask SJC which rate applies before comparing it with other certificates.
| Pathway | Credits | Est. Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| MSN AGPCNP | 48 | $35,808 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate (CAGS rate) | 30 | $14,760 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate (graduate nursing rate) | 30 | $22,380 |
Figures are calculated from SJC’s published per-credit rates and catalog credit totals; SJC does not publish these totals.
Fees beyond tuition:
- NP clinical fee: $773 per selected course (three practicum courses would add $2,319)
- Online fee: $62 per semester (0–5 credits) or $124 per semester (6+ credits)
- Graduation fee: $75
- Application fee: none
- Student-borne: background check, travel for the on-campus requirement
SJC offers military, alumni, and partnership tuition rates but does not publish the discount amounts. See SJC’s tuition and fees page.
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: working RNs, outside New York, who already have a primary care preceptor lined up and want a low-cost private MSN with frequent start dates.
Private-College Tuition Below $36,000
At $746 per credit with no residency surcharge, every applicant pays the same rate. The certificate could be cheaper still if SJC applies the $492 CAGS rate. Budget about $2,000 above the program page’s published total, since that total uses a retired rate.
Your Preceptor Network Determines Your Timeline
SJC places the search for sites and preceptors on the student and reviews each one for approval. Nurses already working in primary care or long-term care have an advantage. Nurses in hospital-only roles, or in areas with competition from other NP programs, should start the search before enrolling.
Three Starts and Short Courses
Fall, spring, and summer entry with 8- and 16-week courses means less waiting to begin and more room to adjust pace. Part-time students can stretch the MSN to about four years.
Thin Published Detail on Clinical Hours and Campus Time
SJC’s public program page does not state AGPCNP clinical hours or describe the on-campus requirement. Applicants comparing clinical volume or travel burden will need the catalog or an admissions counselor to fill those gaps.
The Verdict
SJC is a strong fit for cost-conscious RNs who can secure their own primary care preceptors and can make the trip to Maine. MSN-holders with a 3.5 GPA should look closely at the certificate if the CAGS rate applies. Nurses who must complete clinicals in New York cannot enroll in the NP tracks, and applicants who need school-arranged placement should compare programs that provide it.
Accreditation
SJC’s master’s program in nursing and its post-graduate APRN certificate program are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The college is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. SJC states AGPCNP graduates are eligible for ANCC national board certification.
SJC does not approve NP clinical rotations in New York. SJC lists the AGPCNP track as approved in Utah. Applicants elsewhere should check SJC’s current state approval list before applying, as availability can change.