The University of Nevada, Reno Orvis School of Nursing offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- MSN
- BSN-DNP
Both tracks are delivered fully online and are available nationwide.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN AGPCNP | $17K (tuition) / $29K (with fees) | 2 years (full-time) / 3 years (part-time) |
| BSN-DNP AGPCNP | $25K (tuition) / $43K (with fees) | 3 years (full-time) |
Orvis School of Nursing coordinates all 780 AGPCNP clinical hours — no preceptor hunting required — backed by a Carnegie R1 public university, fully online delivery, and a 100% first-attempt pass rate for most cohorts.
MSN AGPCNP
The MSN offers both thesis and non-thesis completion options. The program suits BSN-prepared nurses who want school-arranged clinical placements, a public university credential, and the flexibility to complete at either the master’s or doctoral level.
The estimated cost for the MSN Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner at the University of Nevada, Reno is $29,000.
The program requires a minimum of 44 credits and takes 2 years to complete full-time or 3 years part-time.
MSN Curriculum
The MSN AGPCNP requires a minimum of 44 credits (43–45 range) and is organized across five semesters for full-time students or eight semesters for part-time students.
Foundational coursework covers advanced pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, knowledge development and scientific inquiry, populations and aggregate health, advanced ambulatory pharmacology, healthcare policy, and geriatric management considerations.
The specialty layer progresses through acute illness management, health promotion and management for men and women, and chronic illness management, culminating in a complex illness management course.
The clinical practicum course (NURS 774) runs across multiple semesters and carries variable credits tied to the 780 coordinated clinical hours. Students choose between a non-thesis scholarship track (NURS 794, 4 units minimum) or a thesis track (NURS 797, 8 units).
Core and foundational courses:
- NURS 717 – Advanced Pathophysiology (3 units)
- NURS 750 – Advanced Health Assessment (3 units)
- NURS 735 – Intro to Knowledge Development and Scientific Inquiry (3 units)
- NURS 737 – Populations and Aggregate Health Issues (3 units)
- NURS 716 – Advanced Ambulatory Pharmacology (3 units)
- NURS 736 – Health Care Policy and Social Justice (3 units)
- NURS 796 – Considerations for Management of the Geriatric Population (1 unit)
AGPCNP specialty courses:
- NURS 773 – Role in Managing Adult/Gero Acute Illnesses in Primary Care (2 units)
- NURS 775 – Role NP Health Promotion Management for Men and Women in Primary Healthcare (2 units)
- NURS 784 – Role Managing Adult/Gero Chronic Illnesses in Primary Care (2 units)
- NURS 786 – Role of AGPCNP in Managing Complex Illness in Primary Care (3 units)
Clinical and scholarship courses:
- NURS 774 – Assessment and Management for AGPCNP: Clinical Practicum (variable units, multiple semesters; 780 clinical hours coordinated by OSN)
- NURS 794 – Preparation and Utilization of Evidence Based Scholarship (non-thesis; 1 unit per term, 4 units minimum) OR NURS 797 – Thesis (2 units per term)
MSN Clinicals
The MSN AGPCNP requires 780 clinical hours completed through NURS 774, the Assessment and Management clinical practicum course, distributed across four semesters. All clinical placements are coordinated and secured by the Orvis School of Nursing — students do not source their own preceptors for the MSN clinical requirement.
- Total clinical hours: 780
- All placements coordinated by OSN (no preceptor sourcing required by students)
- Clinical settings: primary care clinics, community health centers, specialty care settings, and geriatric practices
- NURS 774 runs across Spring Year 1, Summer Year 1, Fall Year 2, and Spring Year 2 (full-time plan)
- Students must be eligible to practice as an RN in Nevada; state authorization requirements may apply for students in other states
MSN Admissions
The MSN AGPCNP requires a BSN or equivalent nursing degree; application deadline is March 1 for fall semester admission.
- BSN with upper-division major in nursing required, OR an ADN plus a baccalaureate degree in another discipline — nursing degree must be from an NLNAC- or CCNE-accredited school
- Overall undergraduate GPA: 3.0 minimum
- Required undergraduate prerequisite courses: statistics, growth and development (must cover lifespan), basic research, and health assessment
- Successful completion of a graduate-level applied statistics course prior to fall admission
- Current unencumbered RN license in the United States; must be eligible to practice as an RN in Nevada
- Statement of intent including graduate-study goals
- Three letters of reference submitted to the graduate program director using the OSN form
- Application fee: $60 (domestic students)
- New graduate student fee: $35
- Interview may be required
- Application deadline: March 1 for fall semester
- Transfer credit from other universities may be accepted for specific course requirements with prior approval
BSN-DNP AGPCNP
The estimated cost for the BSN-to-DNP Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner at the University of Nevada, Reno is $43,000.
The full-time plan spans 3 years (approximately 65 credits based on the published semester schedule). DNP students complete 1,000 total practice hours: 780 school-arranged clinical hours plus additional residency hours that students must self-place.
DNP Curriculum
The BSN-DNP AGPCNP builds on a robust DNP core in years one and two before transitioning into AGPCNP specialty coursework in the clinical phase of years two and three.
The DNP core covers scientific underpinnings and translational evidence, practice development strategies, outcomes management and performance improvement, economics of healthcare delivery, healthcare policy, healthcare information systems, analysis of healthcare organizations, populations and aggregate health, and a DNP project sequence.
APRN foundation courses — advanced pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, and advanced ambulatory pharmacology — are embedded in year two.
The specialty layer in years two and three mirrors the MSN specialty curriculum, including NP roles in acute illness management, reproductive health and family care, chronic illness, and complex illness management, paired with the coordinated clinical practicum course.
A separate residency course (NURS 765, 4 units total) is embedded across the first three semesters for leadership development; students must self-place for residency hours.
DNP core courses:
- NURS 725 – Scientific Underpinnings and Translational Evidence for the DNP (3 units)
- NURS 764 – Practice Development Strategies for the APRN (3 units)
- NURS 792 – Outcomes Management and Performance Improvement in Nursing (3 units)
- NURS 732 – Economics of Healthcare Delivery (3 units)
- NURS 736 – Health Care Policy and Social Justice (3 units)
- NURS 745 – Healthcare Information Systems and Technology (3 units)
- NURS 728 – Analysis of Healthcare Organizations (3 units)
- NURS 737 – Populations and Aggregate Health Issues (3 units)
APRN foundation courses (embedded in Year 2):
- NURS 717 – Advanced Pathophysiology (3 units)
- NURS 750 – Advanced Health Assessment (3 units)
- NURS 716 – Advanced Ambulatory Pharmacology (3 units)
AGPCNP specialty courses:
- NURS 773 – Role in Managing Adult/Gero Acute Illnesses in Primary Care (2 units)
- NURS 756 – NP Role in Reproductive Health and Management of Family Care (2 units)
- NURS 784 – Role Managing Adult/Gero Chronic Illnesses in Primary Care (2 units)
- NURS 786 – Role of AGPCNP in Managing Complex Illness in Primary Care (3 units)
Clinical, residency, and project courses:
- NURS 774 – Assessment and Management for AGPCNP: Clinical Practicum (variable units; coordinated by OSN)
- NURS 765 – Executive/Advanced Practice DNP Residency (4 units total; students self-place)
- NURS 788 – DNP Project (variable units across multiple terms)
DNP Clinicals
BSN-DNP students complete 1,000 total practice hours: 780 coordinated clinical hours through NURS 774 and additional residency hours through NURS 765. The OSN coordinates all clinical placements for the NURS 774 component; students are responsible for self-placing for the residency component only.
- Total practice hours: 1,000 (780 clinical + residency)
- 780 clinical hours: coordinated by OSN across clinical practicum semesters (Years 2–3)
- Residency hours: student self-placed (NURS 765, 4 units total, distributed across Years 1–2)
- Clinical settings: primary care clinics, community health centers, specialty care settings, geriatric practices
- DNP project includes practice scholarship components through NURS 788
DNP Admissions
BSN-DNP admissions requirements are consistent with the MSN track for BSN-prepared applicants; full BSN-DNP-specific criteria are not completely detailed in the official source — contact the Orvis School of Nursing directly to confirm requirements.
- BSN from an NLNAC- or CCNE-accredited nursing school required
- Undergraduate GPA: 3.0 minimum
- Current unencumbered RN license; must be eligible to practice as an RN in Nevada
- Required undergraduate prerequisite courses (statistics, growth and development, basic research, health assessment)
- Graduate-level applied statistics course required prior to admission
- Statement of intent, three letters of reference, application fee ($60 domestic)
- Interview may be required
- Application deadline: March 1 for fall semester
- Note: Full BSN-DNP-specific admissions criteria not completely detailed in the source — contact OSN directly to confirm all requirements
Tuition
The Orvis School of Nursing charges $383.25 per credit in registration fees for online nursing programs.
At that rate, the MSN (44 credits) runs approximately $16,863 in tuition alone, and the BSN-DNP (~65 credits) runs approximately $24,911.
Mandatory per-credit fees add $21.50/credit ($18 technology + $3.50 athletics), and per-semester flat fees include health insurance ($1,840), student union ($97), counseling services ($95), fitness center ($65), health center ($125), performing arts ($5), and academic success ($5).
A new student fee of $35 and graduation fee of $145 apply once. Including all mandatory fees but excluding health insurance (for students with their own coverage), estimated total costs are approximately $20,000 for the MSN and $29,000 for the BSN-DNP.
Including health insurance across all semesters, totals rise to approximately $29,000 (MSN) and $43,000 (BSN-DNP).
See the official tuition and fees page for more details.
Accreditation
The nursing programs at the University of Nevada, Reno Orvis School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates of the AGPCNP program are eligible to sit for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner certification examination through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
Most Orvis AGPCNP cohorts achieve a 100% first-attempt pass rate, consistently exceeding the national average.