Midwestern University offers a MSN Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner track:
Highlights include:
- offered entirely online
- small student cohorts for personalized faculty support
- two, 5-day on-campus residency experiences
Program Track Overview
MSN – AG-PCNP
The estimated cost for the MSN / Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program is approximately $32,562 (for tuition and fees only) and would take 2 years (24 months) to complete on a full-time basis.
Curriculum
The 72-quarter credit curriculum spans eight quarters and emphasizes advanced concepts necessary for primary care provision to individuals from adolescence through end-of-life. The didactic portion covers foundational science and professional roles, aligning with the AACN Essentials.
APRNG 500 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology I
This course explores advanced anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of major body systems across the lifespan. Emphasis is on how adaptive and maladaptive changes appear clinically so advanced practice nurses can support patient-centered management in primary care.
GRNSG 500 – Roles of Advanced Practice Nurses and Nurse Leaders
This course introduces the many roles of advanced practice nurses, including clinician, leader, educator, and mentor in global health systems. Students examine collaboration, conflict resolution, and practice initiatives that shape advanced nursing leadership.
GRNSG 501 – Epidemiology and Biostatistics in Nursing Practice I
This course focuses on basic epidemiologic methods and quantitative data analysis in nursing. Learners interpret data to understand patterns of disease and apply findings to control and prevention efforts.
GRNSG 503 – Principles of Human Resources, Law, and Ethics
Students examine key legal, ethical, and regulatory issues that affect health systems and providers. The course prepares nurses to recognize and respond to common organizational and professional challenges in interdisciplinary settings.
APRNG 501 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology II
This course continues the study of advanced anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology across the lifespan. Building on APRNG 500, it deepens understanding of biologic changes that drive disease and informs management decisions in primary care.
GRNSG 502 – Epidemiology and Biostatistics in Nursing Practice II
This course extends concepts from GRNSG 501 to more advanced epidemiologic and statistical techniques. Learners apply these methods to analyze health data and support disease prevention strategies at the population level.
APRNG 504 – Advanced Health Assessment II
This course develops comprehensive and focused assessment skills for advanced practice nurses. Students refine interviewing, documentation, diagnostic reasoning, and differential diagnosis while learning to present and interpret complex clinical findings; a separate residency course provides live simulation practice.
APRNG 505 – Advanced Health Assessment I (5-day Residency)
In this required 5-day campus residency, students practice head-to-toe assessments in lab and simulation settings. Faculty-led workshops and peer collaboration help build confidence and competence in advanced assessment and diagnostic reasoning.
GRNSG 505 – Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
This course examines health equity, health disparities, and social determinants of health. Learners design prevention and health promotion approaches for vulnerable, underserved, and diverse populations.
APRNG 503 – Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses II
This course emphasizes clinical application of advanced pharmacology for acute, complex, and chronic conditions in primary care. Content includes prescribing strategies, altered pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in aging and genetics, and safe pharmacotherapeutic decision-making.
GRNSG 506 – Leadership, Communication, and Interprofessional Collaboration
Students study how leadership, communication, and teamwork shape care quality and safety. The course highlights effective decision-making, professional behaviors, and characteristics of high-functioning interprofessional teams.
DRNPG 1500 – Quality Improvement Initiatives and Evidence-Based Practice
This course prepares learners to critically appraise evidence and translate it into quality improvement projects. Students plan, implement, and evaluate cost-conscious initiatives that enhance outcomes at the health system level.
APRNG 600 – Sociological, Political, and Economical Perspectives in Gerontology
This course analyzes the economic and social impact of an aging population on society. Topics include housing, financial planning, policy, and legal issues that influence older adults and their caregivers.
APRNG 601 – Procedures and Skills for Primary Care (5-day Residency)
In this mandatory 5-day residency, students practice advanced procedures using high-fidelity simulators and standardized patients. Faculty-led workshops focus on skill performance, clinical judgment, and readiness for primary care clinical rotations.
DRNPG 1501 – Organizational Leadership
This course explores systems theory, organizational structures, and change management in health care. Learners examine the advanced practice nurse’s leadership role in guiding teams and improving global health systems.
APRNG 602 – Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology I (Didactic)
This first didactic course in the series introduces the advanced practice role in adult–gerontology primary care. Students focus on screening guidelines, history and physical exams, and development of a teaching or capstone project, aligned with concepts from the paired practicum.
APRNG 603 – Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology I (Practicum – 160 Hours)
In this initial practicum, students complete 160 supervised hours caring for adult–gerontology clients. They apply screening guidelines, evidence-based practice, history taking, exams, and pharmacology concepts learned in the co-requisite didactic course.
APRNG 604 – Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology II (Didactic)
This second didactic course builds on earlier primary care content with a stronger focus on patient education and evaluation of teaching tools. Students advance their knowledge for use with the Adult-Gerontology Practicum II and continue work on their culmination project.
APRNG 605 – Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology II (Practicum – 240 Hours)
In this second practicum, students complete 240 clinical hours emphasizing patient education, outcome-focused interventions, comprehensive assessments, and pharmacologic management. Practice is guided by evidence-based standards and integrated with the parallel didactic course.
APRNG 606 – Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology III (Didactic)
This final didactic course supports transition into the novice nurse practitioner role. Students apply advanced theory to clinical decision-making, refine professional expectations, and complete their culmination or teaching project in adult–gerontology primary care.
APRNG 607 – Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology III (Practicum – 240 Hours)
In this capstone practicum, students complete 240 hours of advanced clinical experience managing adult–gerontology patients. They strengthen collaboration skills, lead interventions to improve outcomes, and integrate assessment, diagnostics, pharmacology, and evidence-based practice at an entry-level NP standard.
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinicals
The practicum phase begins in the Winter Quarter of the second year, requiring a total of 640 practicum hours over three quarters. Students receive program assistance and guidance to rotate through multiple primary care sites. Experiences include internal medicine, long-term care/assisted living, hospice, home health, and pharmacy. Two mandatory 5-day on-campus residency experiences are also required for physical and health assessment practice and procedural skills training.
- APRNG 603: Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology I (practicum — 160 hours) (4.0 credits)
- APRNG 605: Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology II (practicum — 240 hours) (6.0 credits)
- APRNG 607: Primary Health Care: Adult Gerontology III (practicum — 240 hours) (6.0 credits)
MSN Prerequisites & Admissions
Admission is competitive and considered on a rolling basis, with applications due by July 31st.
- Degree: Completion of a baccalaureate degree in nursing from a regionally accredited college or university.
- License: Current and unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse (RN) in at least one U.S. legal jurisdiction.
- GPA: A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- Documents: Submission of a current resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a personal response (one page or less) to “Why am I pursuing this degree?”
- Coursework: Satisfactory completion of all prerequisite coursework with a grade of “C” or higher.
Tuition
The estimated tuition for the online MSN Adult-Gerontology program is $15,781 per year for each of the two years, plus a $500 Student Services Fee per year.
| Item | 1st Year | 2nd Year |
| Tuition | $15,781 | $15,781 |
| Student Services Fee | $500 | $500 |
| Total Tuition and Fees | $16,281 | $16,281 |
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The Master’s degree program in Nursing at Midwestern University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Other Nursing Programs
Midwestern University also offers several other graduate nursing programs:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program
- Master’s degree program in Nurse Leadership
- M.S.N. in Nurse Leadership in Global Health
- Post-Master’s Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Completion