The University of Texas at Arlington’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation offers 3 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner pathways:
- MSN (BSN entry)
- RN-to-MSN (ADN or diploma entry)
- Post-Master’s Certificate
All three run 100% online through UTA’s accelerated online format, with 8-week didactic courses and about ten start dates a year. Every pathway requires an active, unencumbered RN license, and residents of some states are not eligible to enroll.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $26,814 | 29–33 months | 41 |
| RN-to-MSN | $35,038 | As few as 42 months | 76 (nursing courses) |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | $13,080–$20,928 | Not published (as few as 5 courses) | 20–32 |
Tuition uses UTA’s 2026 online graduate rate of $654 per credit, which applies in every eligible state; the MSN and RN-to-MSN totals are UTA’s published figures, and the certificate range is $654 times 20 required credits or 32 credits if the gap analysis adds all five NP core courses.
What sets UTA apart from most AGPCNP programs is how cheaply and how often a student can start. The 41-credit MSN totals $26,814 at a flat $654 per credit for students in every eligible state, and UTA lists ten MSN start dates between September 2026 and October 2027. Didactic courses run 8 weeks, and a tuition guarantee locks the rate for students who finish without interruption.
The low price comes with a do-it-yourself clinical model. UTA expects students to find their own preceptors, offering department help only when a student has difficulty, and it does not publish total clinical hours for any pathway. Applicants without a reliable preceptor network should treat placement as the main risk of enrolling.
UTA pairs a $654-per-credit flat rate and near-monthly starts with a self-placement clinical model and no published clinical-hour total.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | MSN, RN-to-MSN, Post-Master’s Certificate |
| Format | 100% online; 8-week didactic courses, 11–13-week clinical courses |
| Campus Attendance | No campus visits stated on UTA’s online program pages |
| Clinical Hours | Not clearly published; clinical work sits in three courses totaling 12 credits |
| Clinical Placement | Students find their own preceptors; department assists when students have difficulty |
| Start Dates | About ten per year (14 for RN-to-MSN) |
| Licensure Required | Active, unencumbered RN license |
| Tuition | $654 per graduate credit, same in every eligible state |
| Accreditation | CCNE |
MSN in Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The online MSN AGPCNP costs $26,814 for 41 credits and takes 29 to 33 months. It is for BSN-prepared RNs, and UTA’s catalog also requires two years of RN clinical experience.
A published conflict worth knowing about. UTA’s 2026–2027 catalog requires two years of RN clinical experience and CPR certification for unconditional admission. The online program page lists neither. This page follows the catalog, which sets admission policy. The two sources also title NURS 5365 differently (“Technology-Driven Healthcare Strategies for Population and Systems Improvement” in the catalog, “Social Determinants of Health and Population Management” on the program page); the 3-credit value matches.
MSN Curriculum
The 41 credits divide into a 9-credit MSN core, a 29-credit AGPCNP specialization, and a 3-credit advanced practice role course. The core covers leadership development, research and quality improvement, and population health. It shares no content with the clinical sequence, so it does not delay NP coursework.
The specialization includes the three advanced practice foundations (pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment with a 1-credit adult-gero assessment lab), two 4-credit didactic courses in adult-gero management and primary care, and three clinical courses totaling 12 credits. The 6-credit, 13-week advanced practicum is the longest course in the program.
The pace is the main curricular trait. Didactic courses run 8 weeks, and UTA estimates about 5 hours of study per credit per week, roughly 15 hours a week for a 3-credit course. UTA recommends that students limit work hours.
MSN Core (9 credits)
- NURS 5363 – Personal and Professional Leadership Development (3)
- NURS 5364 – Research, Theory, Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement (3)
- NURS 5365 – Technology-Driven Healthcare Strategies for Population and Systems Improvement (3)
AGPCNP Specialization (29 credits)
- NURS 5315 – Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
- NURS 5334 – Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Practitioners (3)
- NURS 5220 – Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (2)
- NURS 5120 – Adult-Gerontology Assessment Lab (1)
- NURS 5461 – Adult Gerontology Management Across the Continuum of Care (4)
- NURS 5462 – Adult Gerontology Primary Care (4)
- NURS 5352 – Adult Gerontology Primary Care Clinical Practice 1 (3)
- NURS 5353 – Adult Gerontology Primary Care Clinical Practice 2 (3)
- NURS 5645 – Adult Gerontology Primary Care NP Advanced Practicum (6)
Functional Role (3 credits)
- NURS 5350 – Role of the Nurse in Advanced Practice (3)
View the MSN curriculum in the UTA catalog.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Clinical courses: NURS 5352 (3 credits, 11 weeks), NURS 5353 (3 credits, 11 weeks), NURS 5645 (6 credits, 13 weeks)
- Total clinical hours: not clearly published on the program page or in the catalog
- Placement responsibility: students are expected to find a licensed preceptor who meets program requirements
- School support: the Graduate Nursing Department assists students who have difficulty finding a placement
- Placement policies: held in the InPlace clinical management system and released after admission
- Placement guarantee: none published
- Geography: NP programs do not operate outside the U.S.; students who move to an ineligible state need approval to continue, which is not guaranteed
Students who already work in or near a primary care practice with NPs or physicians willing to precept are best placed to keep the clinical courses on schedule. Those without contacts should begin recruiting preceptors before admission, because each clinical course runs on a fixed 11- to 13-week calendar and the detailed placement rules are visible only after acceptance.
The missing clinical-hour total also makes UTA hard to compare on clinical volume. Applicants weighing it against programs that publish their hours have no UTA figure to set beside them.
MSN Admissions
- BSN from a regionally accredited university and a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited nursing program
- 3.0 GPA on the last 60 hours of bachelor’s coursework for unconditional admission
- Probationary admission at 2.8–2.99 GPA, or with qualifying GRE scores
- Two years of clinical experience as an RN (catalog)
- Active, unencumbered RN license, which must stay unencumbered during clinical courses
- Undergraduate statistics with a C or better
- CPR certification (catalog)
- Online application and official transcripts; no essay, references, or interview listed
- Transfer credit: up to 10 semester hours, subject to syllabus review after applying
- English proficiency: TOEFL (79 internet-based) or IELTS 7.0 for non-native speakers without a U.S. bachelor’s degree
- Start dates: ten listed from September 28, 2026 to October 18, 2027; next open start January 11, 2027 (apply by December 11, 2026)
The probationary route carries conditions that lengthen the program. Probationary students must study part-time and earn a 3.0 GPA in their first two semesters, so the 29- to 33-month timeline does not apply to them.
RN to MSN – Adult Gerontology Primary Care NP
The online RN-to-MSN AGPCNP costs $35,038 for 76 credits of required nursing coursework and takes as few as 42 months. It serves RNs with an associate degree or nursing diploma. General education courses not already completed add cost.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The online program page sets a 3.0 minimum GPA for admission. UTA’s catalog page for the RN-to-MSN fast track requires a 3.3 GPA for fast-track admission, a 3.3 in three indicator courses (NURS 3345, 3315, and 4325), and a 3.0 every semester. This page treats 3.0 as the bar to enter the RN-to-BSN portion and 3.3 as the bar to stay on the MSN fast track. The catalog also names NURS 5327 and 5366 as the dual-credit graduate courses; neither appears in the current MSN core, so this page uses the program page’s current course numbers.
RN-to-MSN Curriculum
The pathway runs in two stages. Students first complete UTA’s online RN-to-BSN as undergraduates, taking graduate MSN core courses among their last undergraduate courses; those courses count toward both degrees. After BSN graduation, students must begin the MSN within one semester, excluding summer, and then complete the same AGPCNP sequence as direct MSN students.
The transition carries less risk than a separate graduate application. Once within 12 hours of finishing the BSN, students file a short intent form; the catalog states that no graduate application, application fee, or essay is required. The catalog’s 156-hour total includes general education and up to 29 credited ADN hours, which is why it differs from the 76-credit nursing figure.
RN-to-BSN Nursing Courses
- NURS 3345 – Role Transition to Professional Nursing (3; taken first)
- NURS 3315 – Holistic Health Assessment Across the Lifespan (3)
- NURS 3325 – Holistic Care of the Older Adult (3)
- NURS 3335 – Promoting Healthy Lifestyles (3; RN-to-MSN students only)
- NURS 3375 – Health Policy, Legal Aspects and Informatics in Nursing (3)
- NURS 4325 – Nursing Research (3)
- NURS 4455 – Nursing Leadership and Management (4)
- NURS 4465 – Population and Community Health Nursing (4)
- NURS 4685 – Capstone (6)
The graduate stage repeats the MSN curriculum above. View the MSN curriculum in the UTA catalog.
RN-to-MSN Clinical Requirements
- Graduate clinical courses: NURS 5352, 5353, and 5645, as in the MSN
- Total clinical hours: not clearly published
- BSN-stage practice: several RN-to-BSN courses include practice experiences that can be completed at the student’s workplace or in the community
- Placement responsibility: the RN-to-MSN page states no policy; the MSN page’s self-placement policy covers the same clinical courses
RN-to-MSN Admissions
- 3.0 GPA on all completed coursework (program page); 3.3 for fast-track admission (catalog)
- Active, unencumbered RN license verifiable through Nursys or a state board
- ADN graduates within one year of finishing may enter before licensure; the license is verified in NURS 3345, and students cannot progress without it
- Online application, application fee, and official transcripts
- Open only to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and H-1B or other valid U.S. work visa holders
- Transfer credit: up to 29 hours from an ADN or diploma program; general education courses meeting Texas Field of Study Curriculum guidelines
- One sophomore literature course required to graduate
- TOEFL for non-native speakers unless exempt; Texas Success Initiative (TSI) may be completed during the first semester
- Start dates: 14 listed from August 17, 2026 to November 8, 2027; next open start January 11, 2027 (apply by December 11, 2026)
Two rules can cost RN-to-MSN students their fast-track status. A GPA below 3.3 in the indicator courses ends fast-track eligibility, and a gap of more than one semester (excluding summer) after BSN graduation breaks the transition. The fast-track catalog page does not list the two-year RN experience requirement that applies to direct MSN applicants.
Post-Master’s Certificate – Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The online post-master’s AGPCNP certificate costs an estimated $13,080 to $20,928 for 20 to 32 credits. UTA does not publish a duration beyond “as few as 5 courses.” Applicants need a nursing master’s degree and an RN license; UTA does not list existing APRN certification as a requirement.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The certificate page names Exxat as the clinical management system, while the MSN page names InPlace for the same clinical courses. The certificate page also asks for an MSN from an NLNAC- or CCNE-accredited program (NLNAC is ACEN’s former name), while the catalog asks only for a master’s in nursing from an accredited university. This page reports both; neither affects the courses required.
Certificate Curriculum
The program director builds each plan of study from a gap analysis of the applicant’s MSN transcript and experience. The base plan is five AGPCNP specialty courses totaling 20 credits. UTA’s program page notes that some listed courses may be waived, so the 20-credit figure is not a fixed floor.
The gap analysis can also add up to five NP core courses worth 12 credits. In practice, an MSN-prepared nurse without advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment (for example, a nurse educator or administrator) should expect a plan closer to 32 credits than 20. An NP certified in another population likely needs only the specialty courses.
Certificate Specialty Courses (20 credits)
- NURS 5461 – Adult Gerontology Management Across the Continuum of Care (4; 8 weeks)
- NURS 5462 – Adult Gerontology Primary Care (4; 8 weeks)
- NURS 5352 – Adult Gerontology Primary Care Clinical Practice 1 (3; 11 weeks)
- NURS 5353 – Adult Gerontology Primary Care Clinical Practice 2 (3; 11 weeks)
- NURS 5645 – Adult Gerontology Primary Care NP Advanced Practicum (6; 13 weeks)
NP Core Courses (required only if the gap analysis calls for them; 12 credits)
- NURS 5315 – Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
- NURS 5334 – Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Practitioners (3)
- NURS 5220 – Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (2)
- NURS 5120 – Adult-Gerontology Assessment Lab (1)
- NURS 5350 – Role of the Nurse in Advanced Practice (3)
View the certificate curriculum in the UTA catalog.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- Clinical courses: NURS 5352, 5353, and 5645 (12 credits)
- Total clinical hours: not clearly published
- Placement responsibility: students find their own licensed preceptor; the Graduate Nursing Department assists when students have difficulty
- Placement policies: held in Exxat and released after admission
Practicing NPs adding adult-gero primary care often have colleagues who can precept, which makes self-placement easier for them than for first-time NP students.
Certificate Admissions
- Master’s degree in nursing (program page: NLNAC- or CCNE-accredited program)
- BSN from a regionally accredited university and a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited nursing program
- 3.0 GPA in the MSN program
- Active, unencumbered RN license
- Undergraduate statistics with a C or better
- Online application and official transcripts
- Gap analysis by the program director after admission
- Start dates: ten listed from September 28, 2026 to October 18, 2027; next open start January 11, 2027 (apply by December 11, 2026)
Because the final course list comes from a gap analysis completed after admission, applicants learn their true cost and timeline only once accepted.
Tuition
UTA charges $654 per graduate credit, or $1,962 per 3-credit course, for all three AGPCNP pathways. The rate is the same for Texas residents and students in other eligible states. Undergraduate courses in the RN-to-BSN stage cost $257 per credit, and general education courses are billed at the same $257 rate.
UTA’s published RN-to-MSN total reconciles exactly with these rates. The $35,038 figure equals 32 RN-to-BSN nursing credits at $257 ($8,224) plus 41 graduate credits at $654 ($26,814). The 76-credit figure appears to combine UTA’s 35-credit RN-to-BSN nursing total with the 41 MSN credits. Both are this page’s calculations from UTA’s published rates, not UTA statements.
| Pathway | Estimated Total Tuition (All Eligible States) |
|---|---|
| MSN | $26,814 |
| RN-to-MSN | $35,038 (nursing courses only) |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | $13,080–$20,928 |
MSN and RN-to-MSN totals are UTA-published; the certificate range is calculated from $654 per credit and 20 to 32 credits.
Costs beyond tuition
- Course materials, purchased through the UTA Bookstore
- General education courses for RN-to-MSN students who need them, at $257 per credit
- Graduation and diploma fees for RN-to-MSN students who apply for BSN conferral
- Mandatory university fees: not clearly published on the program pages
The tuition guarantee covers in-major courses only and requires continuous enrollment and completion within the program’s designed length. Prerequisite, core, and leveling courses are priced separately. See UTA’s online tuition page.
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: RNs in an eligible state who can line up their own primary care preceptors and want a low-cost, fully online AGPCNP they can start within weeks rather than waiting for a fall cohort.
A $26,814 MSN Priced the Same in Every Eligible State
UTA charges out-of-state students the same $654 per credit as Texans. For non-residents, that removes the usual public-university penalty. The tuition guarantee adds price certainty for students who stay enrolled without a break.
You Supply the Preceptors
Every pathway expects students to find their own preceptors, with department help as a fallback rather than a service. UTA publishes no clinical-hour total and no placement guarantee. This is the factor most likely to delay graduation for students without professional contacts in primary care.
Ten Start Dates and 8-Week Courses
Students can begin the MSN or certificate in almost any month, and the RN-to-MSN has 14 listed starts. The trade-off is intensity: UTA’s own estimate of 15 study hours a week per 3-credit course means full workloads are hard to combine with full-time employment.
An RN-to-MSN Without a Second Application
ADN and diploma nurses can move from BSN to MSN with an intent form instead of a new graduate application, essay, and fee. The price is a 3.3 GPA in the indicator courses and continuous enrollment between degrees.
The Verdict
UTA makes the strongest case for experienced RNs, especially out-of-state applicants, who already have a primary care preceptor lined up and value price and start-date flexibility above clinical support. ADN-prepared nurses who want one continuous path to the AGPCNP also have a clear reason to apply. Applicants who need a school to arrange clinical sites, or who want to compare programs by published clinical hours, should look at programs that place students or publish their hour totals.
Accreditation
UTA’s master’s and post-graduate APRN certificate programs in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). UTA states that MSN graduates are eligible for the ANCC AGPCNP certification exam and for APRN recognition and licensure by the Texas Board of Nursing.
UTA lists both the AGPCNP MSN and certificate as licensure-leading programs, but not every program is available in every state, and the college’s state-by-state table is dated January 2022. Applicants outside Texas should check UTA’s current state authorization page before applying.
More AGPCNP Programs in Texas
- Texas Woman's University - Denton
- University of Texas Medical Branch - Galveston