Loma Linda University offers one AGPCNP pathway: the BS to DNP, Primary Care Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner concentration. There is no MSN option, no post-master’s AGPCNP certificate, and no online-only version.
Program Track Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition & Fees | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS to DNP | ~$119,476 | 3 years 9 months full-time 5 years part-time | 119 quarter units |
The defining feature is placement. LLU faculty arrange every clinical rotation, as required by California Board of Registered Nursing regulations, and students never self-source a preceptor.
The trade-off is geography and campus time. Rotations are assigned in the Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino counties), and the program is genuinely hybrid rather than online. Applicants who cannot commute to Loma Linda should stop here.
Quick Facts
| Program types | BS to DNP only |
| Format | Hybrid |
| Campus visits | Four days per quarter minimum; weekly skills lab in one quarter; all exams on campus |
| Clinical hours | At least 1,000 combined clinical and DNP project hours |
| Doctoral practice hours | 510, documented in a required portfolio |
| Clinical placement | Assigned by LLU faculty; students do not self-source |
| Placement region | Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino counties) |
| Population focus | Adolescent through older adult |
| RN requirements | US RN license at application; California RN license; 1 year full-time RN experience before clinical courses |
| Start terms | Autumn and Winter |
| Tuition & fees | ~$119,476 total (2026-2027 rates) |
| State availability | 27 states plus American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands |
| Accreditation | CCNE |
BS to DNP – Primary Care Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Estimated tuition and fees total ~$119,476 across four academic years. The program requires 119 quarter units and takes 3 years 9 months full-time, with a five-year part-time option. Entry requires a BSN; there is no MSN or post-master’s certificate route to AGPCNP certification at LLU.
MSN-prepared nurses should read the next point carefully. LLU’s separate MS to DNP program is a leadership doctorate that does not prepare students for APRN certification. A master’s-prepared nurse who wants AGPCNP credentials must apply to the BS to DNP program, where transcripts are evaluated for possible unit waivers at the program coordinator’s discretion. LLU does not publish how many units are typically waived, so an MSN applicant cannot estimate cost or length in advance.
Curriculum
The 119 units divide into four blocks: a 49-unit DNP core, a 14-unit concentration block, a 37-unit AGPCNP clinical sequence, and a 19-unit DNP project sequence.
Two structural points distinguish this curriculum. First, the DNP core is unusually large and includes nine units of required religion coursework, reflecting LLU’s Seventh-day Adventist identity. Health systems finance, policy advocacy, outcomes assessment, and intermediate statistics are all separate four-unit courses rather than compressed into a single leadership survey.
Second, the AGPCNP clinical sequence is strictly linear. NGAG 500 through 505 are sequential prerequisites, each gating the next. A failed or deferred course pushes completion by at least a full quarter, and possibly a year if the course runs annually.
Clinical intensity ramps steeply across the sequence. Weekly practicum hours run 6, 9, 12, 12, and 21 across NGAG 501 to 505, with lecture hours falling as practicum hours rise.
DNP core (49 units)
- NGRD 650 Advanced Role Development and Collaboration (4)
- NGRD 651 Theoretical Foundations for Evidence-Based Practice (4)
- NGRD 652 Health-Care Systems Leadership (4)
- NGRD 653 Health Systems Policy Development and Advocacy (4)
- NGRD 654 Social Determinants of Health (4)
- NGRD 655 Health Systems Finance (4)
- NGRD 656 Outcomes Assessment for Strategic Planning (4)
- NGRD 657 Intermediate Statistics (4)
- NGRD 658 Nursing Research and Translational Science (4)
- NGRD 659 Professional Writing for Nurse Leaders (4)
- RELE 564 Ethics and Health Disparities (3)
- RELR 540 Wholeness and Health (3)
- RELT 557 Theology of Human Suffering (3)
Concentration (14 units)
- NGAG 509 AGNP Skills Laboratory (1)
- NGRD 621 Pharmacology in Advanced Practice I (2)
- NGRD 622 Pharmacology in Advanced Practice II (3)
- NGRD 624 Advanced Health Assessment (4)
- NGRD 625 Advanced Clinical Pathophysiology (4)
AGPCNP clinical sequence (37 units)
- NGAG 500 Gerontological Health and Wellness (2)
- NGAG 501 Primary Care AGNP I (5)
- NGAG 502 Primary Care AGNP II (6)
- NGAG 503 Primary Care AGNP III (8)
- NGAG 504 Primary Care AGNP IV (8)
- NGAG 505 Primary Care AGNP V: Practicum (8)
DNP project (19 units)
- NGRD 667 Introduction to the DNP Inquiry Proposal Project (3)
- NGRD 669A-F DNP Practice Inquiry Project (4, 4, 2, 2, 2, 2)
NGAG 502 covers reproductive and gender-related health, which is broader than many AGPCNP curricula. Note also a population-focus discrepancy: the School of Nursing page describes patients aged 18 and older, while the university program page says 12 and older. Course descriptions reference adolescent through adult.
View the full curriculum in the LLU catalog.
Clinical Requirements and Campus Attendance
LLU states that clinical experience combines clinician hours and DNP project hours to total at least 1,000 hours. The catalog separately requires a portfolio documenting 510 doctoral leadership practice hours before graduation.
LLU does not publish a standalone AGPCNP direct-patient-care hour total. Applicants comparing programs on direct clinical hours will not find a directly comparable number here, and the catalog’s weekly practicum figures are per-week, not cumulative totals.
Placement mechanics:
- Faculty arrange all CNS and NP clinical rotations, citing Title 16 CCR §1484(h)(11)
- Rotations are assigned in the Inland Empire: Riverside and San Bernardino counties
- Students do not identify or secure preceptors
- The School of Nursing markets placement as guaranteed
- The DNP project may be completed at the student’s own workplace
- Clinical placements outside California require contacting LLU’s Office of General Counsel
Campus attendance is heavier than the marketing language suggests, and this is where LLU’s sources diverge most. The BS to DNP fact sheet describes Hyflex core courses with one to two on-campus meetings in week five of each quarter. The university program page describes something materially different:
- Core and prerequisite clinical courses require 4 to 8 hours on campus during mid-quarter Seminar Week
- All course exams, including midterms and finals, are taken on campus
- NGRD 624 Advanced Health Assessment has mandatory lab meetings every two weeks
- NGRD 657 Intermediate Statistics has four mandatory synchronous meetings per quarter
- Pharmacology I and II and Advanced Pathophysiology meet up to four times per quarter
- NP clinical courses meet at least four times per quarter face-to-face
- The skills course meets weekly during its quarter, with mandatory lab attendance
Take the higher figures as planning assumptions. Between on-campus exams, biweekly assessment labs, and a weekly skills course, this is not a program a nurse can complete from another state or from Northern California.
Admissions
- BSN or equivalent from an accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 GPA, cumulative and in nursing coursework
- Current unencumbered US RN license at time of application
- California RN license required (timing disputed, see below)
- Minimum one year full-time RN experience before matriculating into clinical courses; experience in adult primary care strengthens competitiveness
- Current AHA Basic Life Support certification
- Electronic recommendations (count disputed, see below)
- Emotional Intelligence Interview with the program coordinator and a faculty member, in person or by Zoom, if the Admissions Committee grants an interview
- Application through NursingCAS, plus a secondary application
- Official transcripts from every post-secondary institution sent directly to NursingCAS
- Health clearance, immunizations, and background check
- Applicant must reside in an authorized state
Three requirements carry unresolved conflicts across LLU sources, and each affects planning.
California RN license. The program page and fact sheet both say it must be obtained before classes begin. The DNP catalog says within three quarters of matriculation. Out-of-state nurses should assume the earlier deadline and begin California endorsement well before matriculation.
Recommendations. The program page and catalog specify two: one from a recent nurse manager or director, plus a nursing peer or spiritual advisor. The fact sheet specifies three.
Deadlines and start terms. The catalog lists Autumn (April 1), Winter (August 1), and Spring (November 1) submission deadlines for nurse practitioner programs. The fact sheet lists only Autumn and Winter. The program page’s own deadline table lists only Winter and Autumn intakes, with final deadlines of September 15, 2026 for Winter 2027 and July 15, 2027 for Autumn 2027, and an application-open date of April 15, 2026. The School of Nursing page separately promotes an April 15, 2026 apply-by date, which matches the open date rather than a deadline. Verify the current cycle against the program page’s table before applying.
Up to 12 units of required core coursework may be taken as a nondegree student while an application is under review. Grades of B or higher can apply toward the degree upon acceptance. That is a useful hedge for applicants uncertain about admission or wanting to start earlier.
Tuition and Costs
LLU publishes cost by academic year rather than per unit. The 2026-2027 schedule is based on full-time attendance averaging 10 units per quarter.
| Program year | Months enrolled | Tuition & fees | Books & supplies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | $23,092 | $2,865 |
| Year 2 | 12 | $26,104 | $1,560 |
| Year 3 | 12 | $32,128 | $1,850 |
| Year 4 | 12 | $38,152 | $550 |
| Total | $119,476 | $6,825 |
Two derived figures, both calculated rather than published by LLU: dividing $119,476 by 119 quarter units gives ~$1,004 per quarter unit, or roughly $1,506 per semester-credit equivalent. These blend tuition and fees, since LLU does not separate them in this schedule.
Tuition is a single private rate. There is no residency discount, so a California nurse and an out-of-state nurse pay the same.
Year-over-year increases are steep, rising 65% from Year 1 to Year 4. Part of that reflects a nine-month first year against twelve-month later years, but the per-month cost still climbs. LLU states amounts are expected to increase annually with inflation, so the $119,476 figure is a floor for a four-year plan, not a locked total.
Additional identified costs: a $2,200 professional licensing allowance in Year 4, a NursingCAS application fee, and a secondary application fee. LLU reports that 70 to 75% of its nursing students receive financial aid, and offers quarterly scholarships to enrolled students, typically $500 to $3,000. Half-time enrollment for graduate financial aid eligibility is four units per quarter.
Review the full cost of attendance.
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: a BSN-prepared nurse living in or willing to relocate to the Inland Empire, who wants a doctorate without hunting for preceptors, and who can absorb a six-figure private tuition bill.
Placement is arranged, not assisted
Preceptor scarcity is the most common reason NP students stall or drop out. LLU removes that risk by assigning rotations, and cites California BRN regulation as the reason. For applicants comparing programs where students must build their own clinical networks, this is the single strongest argument for Loma Linda.
The geographic constraint is absolute
Rotations occur in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Exams are on campus. The skills course meets weekly. Even though LLU is authorized to enroll distance students in 27 states, an applicant in Texas or Florida cannot realistically complete this program without relocating. Placements outside California require a general counsel conversation, not a routine request.
Cost sits at the high end
At ~$119,476 in tuition and fees before books and living costs, this is priced as a private four-year doctorate with no in-state relief. California public university DNP programs will generally cost substantially less for a resident. The premium buys arranged placement, a large leadership core, and a faith-integrated curriculum.
One entry point, and it is BSN-only
An MSN-prepared nurse cannot shortcut into AGPCNP certification here through the MS to DNP program. The transcript-evaluation route through BS to DNP exists but its outcome is unpublished, which makes budgeting unreliable for master’s-prepared applicants.
The Verdict
The strongest case for Loma Linda belongs to a BSN nurse already living in the Inland Empire who wants guaranteed clinical placement, is comfortable with a Christian, whole-person curriculum, and can finance a private doctorate. For that applicant, the placement guarantee removes the largest single risk in NP education.
Applicants outside Southern California should look elsewhere. So should MSN-prepared nurses seeking an efficient bridge to AGPCNP certification, and cost-sensitive applicants who qualify for California resident tuition at a public university. Anyone comparing programs on published direct-patient-care hours will also find LLU’s disclosure thinner than most.
Accreditation
Loma Linda University is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. The BS, MS, and DNP nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and all School of Nursing programs are approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing.
Graduates are prepared for California NP certification through the CA BRN and are eligible to apply for national certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
LLU maintains its own state authorization list rather than relying on blanket reciprocity. Online, hybrid, and distance students may enroll from 27 states plus American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. That authorization covers enrollment only, not clinical placement: LLU directs anyone asking about practicums outside California to its Office of General Counsel.
Confirm your state on LLU’s current state authorization page before applying.
More AGPCNP Programs in California
- Azusa Pacific University - Azusa
- San Diego State University - San Diego
- University of California San Francisco - San Francisco
- West Coast University - Anaheim