University of South Alabama University AGPCNP Programs

University of South Alabama (USA) College of Nursing offers 4 Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) tracks:

MSN – Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP (BSN entry)
BSN to DNP – Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP
MSN to DNP – AGPCNP (same specialty advancement or adding new specialty)
Post-Graduate Certificate – Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP

All coursework is delivered fully online at a single flat tuition rate of $594 per credit regardless of residency status — a significant cost advantage for out-of-state students compared to most public universities.

Program Tracks Overview

Program	Est. Tuition	Est. Duration
MSN – AGPCNP (BSN entry)	$26,730	2.5–3 years
BSN to DNP – AGPCNP	$40,986–$51,678	3.5 years FT 4.5 years PT
MSN to DNP – AGPCNP	~$21,384 same specialty / ~$35,640–$40,986 adding specialty	2 years FT (same specialty) / 3.5 years FT (new specialty)
Post-Graduate Certificate – AGPCNP	$14,256–$19,602	1.5–2 years

_{All USA College of Nursing graduate programs are billed at $594/credit regardless of residency. Estimates above reflect tuition only; additional fees apply. See the USA tuition page for the full fee schedule.}

NP track students are required to attend a 3–5 day on-campus Clinical Skills Intensive (CSI) before beginning clinical specialty courses; all other instruction is remote, and clinical hours are completed locally with an approved preceptor.

MSN – Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (BSN Entry)

The estimated cost for the USA MSN AGPCNP program is approximately $26,730 based on 45 credit hours at $594/credit, typically completed within 2.5–3 years; all requirements must be completed within five calendar years of admission.

MSN Curriculum

The program totals 45 credit hours for BSN-prepared students, comprising three support courses (the “3 Ps”), four MSN core courses, and eight AGPCNP specialty courses. Four of the MSN core courses are offered at doctoral level, meaning students who continue to the DNP will have already completed 12 DNP-required credit hours. RN-to-MSN students (non-nursing bachelor’s degree) add 12 additional credits for a total of 57 credit hours.

Support Courses (9 credits) — the “3 Ps”

NU 518 – Advanced Nursing Assessment (3 cr)
NU 545 – Physio-Pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing (3 cr)
NU 578 – Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses (3 cr)

MSN Core Courses (12 credits)

NU 607 – Scientific Underpinnings of Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr)
NU 608 – Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement in Healthcare (3 cr)
NU 610 – Healthcare Policy and Finance (3 cr)
NU 613 – Organizational & Systems Leadership (3 cr)

AGPCNP Specialty Courses (24 credits)

AHN 581 HP/DP Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP
This course prepares Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner students to promote health and prevent disease across the adult lifespan. Students examine preventive care strategies for adolescents, adults, and older adults while working with interdisciplinary healthcare teams. Emphasis is placed on prevention planning at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels to improve patient outcomes.

AHN 588 Introduction to Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
This course develops advanced assessment skills for adult and older adult populations. Students learn to collect, document, and interpret comprehensive health data while applying nursing theory and scientific knowledge to support differential diagnosis and health management.

AHN 591 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP I
This course prepares students to assess, diagnose, and manage health concerns in diverse adult and geriatric populations. Students study the pathophysiology and epidemiology of acute and chronic conditions while exploring ethical practice and collaborative decision-making in primary care settings.

AHN 592 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP Practicum I
This clinical practicum allows students to apply advanced practice concepts in primary and acute care environments. Students complete supervised clinical hours while providing care for young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults with a range of health conditions.

AHN 593 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP II
This course examines advanced management of complex acute and chronic health conditions in adults and older adults. Students analyze treatment strategies within an advanced nursing framework while working collaboratively with healthcare providers in culturally diverse settings.

AHN 594 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP Practicum II
This practicum strengthens clinical skills in managing adult and geriatric patients with physical and mental health concerns. Students gain experience caring for diverse adult populations while collaborating with interdisciplinary healthcare teams.

AHN 595 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP III
This course explores current issues and trends in adult and gerontological primary care practice. Students evaluate evidence-based strategies for managing complex patient needs while addressing challenges within interdisciplinary healthcare systems and vulnerable populations.

AHN 596 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP Practicum III
This culminating practicum provides supervised clinical experience in the AGPCNP role. Students integrate knowledge from previous coursework while delivering care to adult and geriatric patients across a variety of healthcare settings.

RN-to-MSN Additional Courses (12 credits — non-nursing bachelor’s entry only)

NU 506 – Evidence-Based Practice & Informatics for Professional Nurses (4 cr)
NU 507 – Leadership & Management Roles for Professional Nurses (4 cr)
NU 508 – Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Professional Nurses (4 cr)

See the official curriculum page for more details.

MSN Clinicals

Students complete a minimum of 600 supervised clinical hours distributed across three practicum courses. All clinical hours are completed locally with an approved preceptor; students are encouraged to secure their own site, and the CON will assist if needed.

AHN 592 – Practicum I: 180 clinical hours
AHN 594 – Practicum II: 180 clinical hours
AHN 596 – Practicum III: 240 clinical hours
One mandatory on-campus Clinical Skills Intensive (CSI) required during the fall term of AHN 581/588; provides hands-on simulation instruction for primary care assessment and procedures
Students may not work as an employee at the same facility on the same days as their clinical rotations
Two years of RN experience in the adult-gerontological primary care area required prior to beginning clinical courses
Admission is contingent on securing an approved clinical site by the end of the first semester

MSN Admissions Requirements

BSN from a regionally accredited institution, accredited by CCNE, ACEN, or NLN
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all BSN coursework (as calculated by NursingCAS)
Current RN licensure with no restrictions (U.S. license required; no voluntary disciplinary alternative program participation)
U.S. citizen or permanent resident; clinicals must be completed in the U.S.
One year of RN experience required for admission; second year must be obtained before clinical courses begin
Primary Application through NursingCAS + Supplemental Application to USA CON ($100 non-refundable fee)
CV/resume with full RN work history, certifications, and publications
Personal goal statement (APA format, 450–500 words)
Drug screen and background check (cleared results required before registration)
All health requirements completed via Medical Documents Manager prior to first semester
No GRE/MAT required; no letters of reference required
Not available in New York or South Dakota; clinical placement not available in Washington, DC
Application deadlines: Fall – June 1 | Spring – September 1 | Summer – April 1
Decision letters sent at least 8 weeks after the application deadline

BSN to DNP – Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

The estimated cost for the USA BSN to DNP AGPCNP program is approximately $40,986–$51,678 based on 69–87 credit hours at $594/credit, typically completed in 10 semesters full-time (~3.5 years) or 12 semesters part-time (~4.5 years); the program must be completed within 7 years of matriculation.

DNP Curriculum

The BSN to DNP pathway earns both the MSN and DNP in one integrated program. It encompasses all MSN support, core, and specialty courses, plus DNP core courses, a DNP Project Planning & Development course, and three DNP Residency courses. The MSN component must be completed within the first five years of enrollment.

Support Courses (9 credits)

NU 518 – Advanced Nursing Assessment (3 cr)
NU 545 – Physio-Pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing (3 cr)
NU 578 – Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses (3 cr)

MSN Core Courses (12 credits)

NU 607 – Scientific Underpinnings of Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr)
NU 608 – Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement in Healthcare (3 cr)
NU 610 – Healthcare Policy and Finance (3 cr)
NU 613 – Organizational & Systems Leadership (3 cr)

AGPCNP Specialty Courses (24 credits)

AHN 581 – Health Promotion/Disease Prevention & Issues for Adult-Geron Primary Care NP (2 cr)
AHN 588 – Introduction to Adult-Geron Primary Care NP (3 cr)
AHN 591 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP I (3 cr)
AHN 592 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Practicum I — 180 clinical hours (3 cr)
AHN 593 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP II (3 cr)
AHN 594 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Practicum II — 180 clinical hours (3 cr)
AHN 595 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP III (3 cr)
AHN 596 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Practicum III — 240 clinical hours (4 cr)

DNP Core Courses (24 credits)

NU 611 – Translating Evidence Into Practice Systems (3 cr)
NU 612 – Clinical Prevention and Population Health (3 cr)
NU 615 – Quality Improvement and Outcomes Assessment (3 cr)
NU 616 – Data Management & Decision Making in Complex Healthcare Systems (3 cr)
NU 607 – Scientific Underpinnings of Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr) (counts in MSN core above)
NU 608 – Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement in Healthcare (3 cr) (counts in MSN core above)
NU 610 – Healthcare Policy and Finance (3 cr) (counts in MSN core above)
NU 613 – Organizational & Systems Leadership (3 cr) (counts in MSN core above)

DNP Project Planning, Development & Residency (12 credits)

AHN 693 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Project Planning & Development (3 cr)
AHN 694 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Residency I — 180 specialty clinical hours (3 cr)
AHN 695 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Residency II — 180 specialty clinical hours (3 cr)
AHN 696 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Residency III — 180 specialty clinical hours (3 cr)

See the official curriculum page for more details.

DNP Clinicals

BSN to DNP students complete a minimum of 1,140 supervised clinical hours across six practicum and residency courses. Residency hours and the DNP synthesis project may be completed in the student’s home region with an approved mentor.

AHN 592 – Practicum I: 180 clinical hours
AHN 594 – Practicum II: 180 clinical hours
AHN 596 – Practicum III: 240 clinical hours
AHN 694 – Residency I: 180 specialty clinical hours
AHN 695 – Residency II: 180 specialty clinical hours
AHN 696 – Residency III: 180 specialty clinical hours
One mandatory on-campus Clinical Skills Intensive (CSI) required before clinical specialty courses begin
DNP project (quality improvement synthesis project) required in lieu of thesis/dissertation; completed during residency courses

DNP Admissions Requirements

BSN from a regionally accredited, CCNE/ACEN/NLN-accredited institution
Minimum GPA of 3.0 on all BSN coursework (as calculated by NursingCAS)
Current, unrestricted U.S. RN licensure
U.S. citizen or permanent resident
One year of RN experience required for admission; two years required before beginning clinical courses
Documentation of clinical placement required for full admission (conditional admission possible pending site placement after up to 9 support course credits)
Primary Application via NursingCAS + Supplemental Application ($100 fee)
CV/resume and APA-formatted personal goal statement (450–500 words)
Negative drug screen and acceptable background check
All health requirements per Medical Documents Manager
No GRE/MAT required; no letters of reference required
Not available in New York or South Dakota
Application deadlines: Fall – June 1 | Spring – September 1 | Summer – April 1

MSN to DNP – Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

The estimated cost for the USA MSN to DNP AGPCNP program is approximately $21,384 (36 credits) for students advancing in the same specialty, or approximately $35,640–$40,986 (60–69 credits) for students adding AGPCNP as a new specialty area, at $594/credit.

The same-specialty track can be completed in approximately 5 semesters full-time (~2 years), while the new-specialty track takes approximately 10 semesters full-time (~3.5 years). Both must be completed within 7 years.

DNP Curriculum

Same-Specialty Track (36 credits): Students who completed an AGPCNP MSN at USA and previously took NU 607, NU 608, NU 610, and NU 613 during their MSN may qualify for a reduced 24-credit pathway if those courses were completed within the seven-year limit. All other MSN-to-DNP same-specialty students complete the DNP core and residency courses only — no repeated specialty coursework required.

Adding New Specialty Track (60–69 credits): Students complete the 3 Ps support courses (if not previously taken), all AGPCNP specialty courses (equivalent to the MSN specialty track), plus all DNP core and residency courses. The Post-Graduate Certificate component must be completed within two calendar years; the full DNP within seven years.

DNP Core Courses (24 credits — both tracks)

NU 607 – Scientific Underpinnings of Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr)
NU 608 – Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement in Healthcare (3 cr)
NU 610 – Healthcare Policy and Finance (3 cr)
NU 613 – Organizational & Systems Leadership (3 cr)
NU 611 – Translating Evidence Into Practice Systems (3 cr)
NU 612 – Clinical Prevention and Population Health (3 cr)
NU 615 – Quality Improvement and Outcomes Assessment (3 cr)
NU 616 – Data Management & Decision Making in Complex Healthcare Systems (3 cr)

DNP Project Planning, Development & Residency (12 credits — both tracks)

AHN 693 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Project Planning & Development (3 cr)
AHN 694 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Residency I — 180 specialty clinical hours (3 cr)
AHN 695 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Residency II — 180 specialty clinical hours (3 cr)
AHN 696 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Residency III — 180 specialty clinical hours (3 cr)

DNP Clinicals

Same-specialty students complete 540 residency hours across three DNP residency courses. Students adding a new specialty complete an additional 600 hours of practicum (Practicums I–III) on top of the residency hours, for a combined minimum of 1,140 clinical hours.

Residency I, II, III: 180 specialty clinical hours each (540 hours total)
New-specialty students also complete Practicums I–III: 180 + 180 + 240 hours (600 additional hours)
Residency and synthesis project may be completed locally with an approved mentor
No campus visit required for the MSN-to-DNP same-specialty pathway
New-specialty students must complete the mandatory CSI before clinical specialty courses

MSN to DNP Admissions Requirements

MSN degree in an area of advanced practice nursing from a regionally accredited, CCNE/ACEN/NLN-accredited institution
Minimum GPA of 3.0 on all graduate (MSN) coursework (as calculated by NursingCAS)
Current, unrestricted U.S. RN licensure; must be in good standing with all prior nursing programs
Two years of RN experience required before beginning clinical rotations (one year at admission minimum)
Primary Application via NursingCAS + Supplemental Application ($100 fee)
CV/resume and APA-formatted personal goal statement (450–500 words)
Negative drug screen and acceptable background check
No GRE/MAT required; no letters of reference required
Not available in New York or South Dakota
Application deadlines: Fall – June 1 | Spring – September 1 | Summer – April 1

Post-Graduate Certificate – Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP

The estimated cost for the USA Post-Graduate Certificate AGPCNP program is approximately $14,256 (24 specialty credits) if the 3 Ps support courses were previously completed, or up to $19,602 (33 credits) if support courses are required, at $594/credit; the certificate is typically completed in approximately 1.5–2 years and must be completed within two calendar years.

Certificate Curriculum

The Post-Graduate Certificate is designed for MSN-prepared nurses seeking AGPCNP certification in a new specialty. Students complete the full AGPCNP specialty course sequence (24 credits); the 3 Ps support courses (9 credits) are added only if not previously completed at an acceptable graduate level. Transfer of prior 3 Ps courses requires evidence of three separate courses of at least 3 semester credit hours each.

Support Courses — if not previously completed (9 credits)

NU 518 – Advanced Nursing Assessment (3 cr)
NU 545 – Physio-Pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing (3 cr)
NU 578 – Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses (3 cr)

AGPCNP Specialty Courses (24 credits)

AHN 581 – Health Promotion/Disease Prevention & Issues for Adult-Geron Primary Care NP (2 cr)
AHN 588 – Introduction to Adult-Geron Primary Care NP (3 cr)
AHN 591 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP I (3 cr)
AHN 592 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Practicum I — 180 clinical hours (3 cr)
AHN 593 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP II (3 cr)
AHN 594 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Practicum II — 180 clinical hours (3 cr)
AHN 595 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP III (3 cr)
AHN 596 – Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Practicum III — 240 clinical hours (4 cr)

See the official curriculum page for more details.

Certificate Clinicals

Certificate students complete a minimum of 600 supervised clinical hours across three practicum courses, identical to the MSN specialty practicum sequence.

AHN 592 – Practicum I: 180 clinical hours
AHN 594 – Practicum II: 180 clinical hours
AHN 596 – Practicum III: 240 clinical hours
One mandatory on-campus Clinical Skills Intensive required before specialty clinical courses begin
Clinical placement documentation required for full admission; conditional admission available pending site secured after up to 9 support course credits

Certificate Admissions Requirements

Graduate degree in nursing (MSN or DNP) from a regionally accredited, CCNE/ACEN/NLN-accredited institution
Minimum GPA of 3.0 on all graduate coursework (as calculated by NursingCAS)
Current, unrestricted U.S. RN licensure
Two years of RN experience required before clinical courses (one year at admission; second year may be obtained during support/core coursework)
Primary Application via NursingCAS + Supplemental Application ($100 fee)
CV/resume and APA-formatted personal goal statement (450–500 words)
Negative drug screen and acceptable background check
No GRE/MAT required; no letters of reference required
Not available in New York or South Dakota
Post-Graduate Certificate application deadlines: Spring – November 17 | Summer – April 1 (fall deadline not listed)

Tuition

The USA College of Nursing graduate program is taught entirely online at a flat rate of $594 per credit hour regardless of residency status — in-state and out-of-state students pay the same amount.

This rate applies to all MSN, DNP, and Post-Graduate Certificate programs in the College of Nursing.

Additional student fees apply; students are personally responsible for background check and drug screen costs, travel to any required on-campus visit, travel to clinical sites, and any costs related to test proctoring or identity authentication required by individual courses.

More tuition details are available here.

Accreditation

The University of South Alabama College of Nursing MSN and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates are prepared to sit for the national Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP certification exam. The program is approved in most U.S. states and territories; however, it is not approved in New York or South Dakota, and graduates who relocate to either state will be unable to obtain APRN licensure there. Louisiana clinical placements are available for specific concentrations under Louisiana State Board of Nursing approval. Students are individually responsible for verifying that the program meets licensure requirements in their intended state of practice.