York College of Pennsylvania’s Myers School of Nursing and Health Professions offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner pathways:
Both pathways deliver coursework online on a part-time schedule, with six start dates per year. Clinicals are in person with a preceptor, and students attend on-site competency exams (OSCEs). York’s program page requires MSN applicants to hold a Pennsylvania or Maryland multistate RN license.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN AGPCNP | $32,660 | 24–36 months (5-year limit) | 46 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate AGPCNP | $16,330 plus any gap-analysis courses | 12 months minimum (3-year limit) | 23, plus any gap-analysis courses |
Tuition estimates multiply York’s Fall 2026–Spring 2027 MSN rate of $710 per credit, which applies regardless of residency, by each pathway’s published credit total.
Few online AGPCNP programs at York’s price publish this much clinical time. Both pathways require 784 direct care hours, including a separate 56-hour older-adult practicum, at a flat $710 per credit. York also runs a clinical placement team that can identify sites and preceptors, so the search does not rest entirely on the student.
That support has conditions. York’s 2026–2027 graduate handbook says assigned sites may be up to 100 miles from a student’s home, and a student who declines an assignment loses any assurance of timely progression. Students also travel for on-site OSCEs, so online describes the coursework, not the whole program.
784 clinical hours at a flat $710 per credit, with placement help that may send you 100 miles from home.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | MSN; Post-Master’s Certificate |
| Format | Online, part-time coursework; in-person clinicals and on-site OSCEs |
| Campus Attendance | One pre-clinical OSCE in NUR 509, plus competency assessments in each clinical course |
| Clinical Hours | 784 direct care hours (both pathways) |
| Clinical Placement | Shared: students apply through clinical partners, starting with their employer; York’s placement team may assign a site |
| Clinical Locations | Assigned sites up to 100 miles from home |
| Licensure Required | Pennsylvania or Maryland multistate RN license (MSN program page) |
| Start Terms | Six per year |
| Tuition | $710/credit; $675/credit partner rate (2026–2027) |
| Accreditation | CCNE |
Master of Science in Nursing – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The MSN AGPCNP requires 46 credits and costs an estimated $32,660 ($31,050 at the partner rate). York lists 24–36 months to complete on a part-time schedule. Applicants need a BSN, a 3.0 GPA, one year of RN experience, and a Pennsylvania or Maryland multistate RN license.
Published conflicts worth knowing about. Duration: the program page lists 24–36 months, the curriculum page says two to five years, the 2026–2027 Graduate Nursing Student Handbook sets a five-year completion limit with a possible one-year extension, and the graduate tuition page allows seven years for any graduate degree. This page uses 24–36 months and the handbook’s five-year limit, since the handbook governs nursing students. License: the program page requires a Pennsylvania or Maryland multistate license, while the handbook accepts a Pennsylvania license or a multistate license from any state where York currently offers clinicals, naming Maryland and Wisconsin as examples. This page follows the program page for admission. Price: the program page’s $30,590 partner figure equals 46 credits at $665, a retired rate. At the current $675 partner rate, the total is $31,050.
MSN Curriculum
The curriculum splits evenly. A 23-credit online core covers research, evidence-based practice, health promotion, policy, role development, and the three Ps (pathophysiology, pharmacology, advanced assessment). A 23-credit AGPCNP sequence follows as four theory courses, each paired with a 0-credit clinical section. Fourteen of those 23 credits are clinical, which works out to 56 clinical hours per clinical credit (a calculation from York’s course descriptions).
The handbook places the three Ps in the first year and the four AGPCNP clinical courses in the last three semesters: NUR 522 first, NUR 524 with the older-adult course next, and the 336-hour seminar last. Advanced assessment (NUR 509/510) adds a weekly simulated lab, 56 lab experience hours separate from the 784 clinical hours, and the program’s first on-site OSCE.
The older-adult course (NUR 556/557) gives the gerontology half of the specialty its own 56 clinical hours, covering frail older adults and atypical disease presentation, rather than folding it into general adult practice.
Advanced practice core (23 credits):
- NUR 503 Health Promotion and Clinical Prevention for Individual and Population Health (3 credits)
- NUR 505 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (3 credits)
- NUR 506 Research Methods for Nursing Practice (2 credits)
- NUR 507 Applied Evidence-Based Practice for Nursing (2 credits)
- NUR 509/510 Advanced Assessment and Diagnosis, with laboratory (4 credits, 56 lab hours)
- NUR 512 Theoretical Basis for Role Development for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (3 credits)
- NUR 514 Health Policy for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (3 credits)
- NUR 520 Advanced Pharmacology (3 credits)
AGPCNP specialty sequence (23 credits):
- NUR 522/523 Diagnosis and Management of Common Health Conditions in Adults/Older Adults I (7 credits, 224 clinical hours)
- NUR 524/525 Diagnosis and Management of Common Health Conditions in Adults/Older Adults II (6 credits, 168 clinical hours)
- NUR 556/557 Comprehensive Care of Older Adults (3 credits, 56 clinical hours)
- NUR 554/555 Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Seminar (7 credits, 336 clinical hours)
See York’s online nursing curriculum page and the catalog program listing for full course details.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 784 direct care clinical hours: 224 (NUR 523), 168 (NUR 525), 56 (NUR 557), 336 (NUR 555)
- Preceptors: MD or NP, preferably in adult-gerontology
- Placement: students submit requests through each clinical partner’s process, applying first where they work; York’s Director of Clinical Placement manages deadlines, and the placement team may identify a site and preceptor for the student
- Location: assigned sites may be up to 100 miles from the student’s residence
- Declining an assigned site removes any guarantee of timely placement, progression, or graduation, and no alternative site can be submitted that semester
- Preceptor details for team-identified sites are released two weeks before the course starts
- On-site OSCEs in each clinical course, with dates announced the semester before
- Clinical hours cannot be completed over college breaks
- Failing the clinical portion of any course results in dismissal
York’s model sits between guaranteed placement and fully self-sourced preceptors. Its MSN page tells students to start looking for a preceptor a full year before clinicals and to ask their employer’s health system first, and the handbook notes clinical partners prioritize their own staff. Nurses employed by a large health system have the clearest path. Those without that connection should expect an assigned site and a commute of up to 100 miles, with little room to refuse.
The final seminar is the scheduling pinch point. Its 336 hours fill the last semester, right after a semester carrying 224 combined hours. York does not publish semester length, so the weekly load cannot be calculated in advance.
MSN Admissions
- BSN
- GPA of 3.0 or higher from prior institutions
- Valid Pennsylvania or Maryland multistate RN license in good standing
- One year of applicable professional RN experience
- Transfer credit: up to 6 graduate credits; research courses without an evidence-based practice component are not accepted
- Before the first clinical course: Pennsylvania criminal record check, child abuse clearance, FBI clearance, 10-panel drug screen, BLS, immunizations, and NP student liability insurance
- Six start dates per year; application deadlines fall about 12 days before each start
- Apply through York’s graduate application portal
The license rule is the requirement most likely to disqualify an applicant. A nurse licensed only outside Pennsylvania and Maryland does not meet it as written. Progression rules are also strict: every course requires a B, a second grade below B means dismissal, and the handbook states dismissals cannot be appealed.
Post-Master’s Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The Post-Master’s Certificate AGPCNP is for RNs who already hold a master’s degree in nursing. Its AGPCNP sequence is 23 credits, an estimated $16,330 ($15,525 at the partner rate) before any gap-analysis courses. York says it can be finished in as little as 12 months, and the handbook allows three years.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The certificate page describes the program as open to RNs with a master’s degree, and the handbook requires graduation from a CCNE-accredited master’s nursing program. York’s catalog listing has described the requirement more narrowly as an advanced practice master’s. The catalog could not be loaded for this update, so this page follows the program page and handbook and treats the narrower reading as unconfirmed. The certificate page also still advertises a $665 partner rate; the current graduate rate table lists $675.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate uses the MSN’s AGPCNP sequence unchanged across three clinical semesters: NUR 522 (224 hours), then NUR 524 with the older-adult course (224 combined hours), then the 336-hour seminar. Unlike the MSN, every semester carries clinical hours.
A gap analysis, performed during admissions under National Task Force standards, compares prior coursework with York’s core. Any missing core course must be completed before clinicals start. Applicants see the results before enrolling, so the full plan and cost are known up front.
- NUR 522/523 Diagnosis and Management of Common Health Conditions in Adults/Older Adults I (7 credits, 224 clinical hours)
- NUR 524/525 Diagnosis and Management of Common Health Conditions in Adults/Older Adults II (6 credits, 168 clinical hours)
- NUR 556/557 Comprehensive Care of Older Adults (3 credits, 56 clinical hours)
- NUR 554/555 Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Seminar (7 credits, 336 clinical hours)
- NUR 698 Independent Study (summer session, only for students without 56 hours of clinical experience with an NP)
See York’s AGPCNP curriculum page and the catalog certificate listing for course descriptions.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 784 direct care clinical hours: 224, then 224, then 336 by semester
- Students may need 56 hours of clinical experience with an NP before the first clinical course; those without it take NUR 698 in the summer session
- Same placement process, 100-mile radius, and declined-placement rule as the MSN
- On-site OSCEs in each clinical course
Practicing NPs adding a second population focus should not expect a lighter clinical load. York’s published sequence lists the full 784 hours for every certificate student, and three straight clinical semesters ending with 336 hours make for a demanding year alongside full-time work.
Certificate Admissions
- Master’s degree in nursing; the handbook specifies a CCNE-accredited program
- Gap analysis for every applicant, with results shared during admissions
- No credits apply from Direct Entry (prelicensure) MSN programs
- Pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment completed 10 or more years before admission are not accepted
- Pennsylvania prescriptive privileges require a 45-hour pharmacology course within five years; students whose course will be older than that at graduation must retake an approved pharmacology course
- Prescribing in states without that rule: a continuing education pharmacology refresher before the first clinical course
- RN license: active Pennsylvania license or a multistate license from a state where York offers clinicals (handbook)
- GPA minimum: not published for the certificate
- Six start dates per year
The 10-year and five-year rules decide how much a certificate costs. An APRN with recent core courses may need only the 23-credit sequence. One whose pharmacology course is stale and who plans to prescribe in Pennsylvania adds a course; if that course is York’s NUR 520, the cost is 3 credits, or $2,130 at the standard rate (a calculation from the current rate). A nurse with a non-APRN master’s should expect the gap analysis to add core courses, likely including the three Ps.
Tuition
For Fall 2026–Spring 2027, York charges $710 per credit for all MSN coursework at the standard rate and $675 per credit at the partner rate. The rate is the same for Pennsylvania residents and out-of-state students. The tuition page does not define who qualifies for the partner rate, and the alumni and government employee rate offered in other York graduate programs is listed as not available for nursing.
Both online program pages still quote the retired $665 partner rate. The MSN page’s $30,590 partner total understates current partner tuition by $460 and standard tuition by $2,070.
Estimated Total Tuition
| Pathway | Standard Rate | Partner Rate |
|---|---|---|
| MSN AGPCNP (46 credits) | $32,660 | $31,050 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate (23-credit AGPCNP sequence) | $16,330 | $15,525 |
Totals are calculated from York’s published per-credit rates and credit totals, not published by the university. Certificate totals rise by $710 (standard) or $675 (partner) for each credit added through gap analysis or NUR 698.
Fees Beyond Tuition
- Application for Graduation: $80 ($105 if late)
- NP student liability insurance ($1 million/$3 million), billed on the semester bill; amount not published
- Additional liability coverage when a clinical site requires $2 million/$6 million, at the student’s expense
- No technology, clinical, or lab fees listed for MSN students on the graduate rate table
Federal aid requires at least 5 credits in fall and spring and 3 in summer. See York’s tuition and fees page and graduate rate table for current figures.
Why Choose This AGPCNP Program?
Best suited for: Pennsylvania- or Maryland-licensed RNs, ideally employed by a regional health system, who want online coursework, high clinical hours, and placement help, and who can travel for OSCEs and to sites up to 100 miles away.
784 Hours, With a Dedicated Older-Adult Practicum
Every York AGPCNP student completes the same 784-hour sequence, including 56 hours in a separate older-adult course. The price is a heavy final semester: the 336-hour seminar demands real schedule flexibility from working nurses.
Placement Help on York’s Terms
York’s placement team can find sites for students. The trade is control. Sites can be 100 miles away, preceptor details may arrive two weeks before the course, and declining an assignment can stall progression. Students who line up an employer site a year ahead avoid most of this.
A License Rule That Keeps the Program Regional
The MSN requires a Pennsylvania or Maryland multistate license, and the handbook ties licensure to states where York currently offers clinicals. For nurses outside that region, the online format does not open the program to them.
Flat Pricing, Stale Advertised Totals
At $710 per credit, the MSN runs about $32,660 with no residency premium, and the partner rate saves $1,610. York’s marketing pages still use a retired rate, so budget from the current table.
The Verdict
York fits Pennsylvania- and Maryland-licensed RNs, especially those working in a health system that can host their clinicals, who want online classes, 784 clinical hours, placement support, and six start dates a year. APRNs with recent core courses get the same clinical depth through the 23-credit certificate. Nurses licensed elsewhere, and anyone who cannot travel up to 100 miles for clinicals or attend on-site OSCEs, should compare other programs.
Accreditation
York’s master’s degree and post-graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the college is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Both programs are approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. Graduates are prepared for the ANCC or AANP adult-gerontology primary care certification exams, and York’s handbook reports 100% first-time pass rates for its AGPCNP, FNP, and PMHNP graduates from Spring 2022 through Summer 2025, without publishing cohort sizes.
York’s nursing pages reviewed for this update do not publish a state authorization list for these programs. The license requirement and the handbook’s limit to states where York offers clinicals are the practical geographic limits.
Other AGPCNP Programs in Pennsylvania
- Drexel University - Philadelphia
- La Salle University - Philadelphia
- Misericordia University - Dallas
- Moravian University - Bethlehem
- University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia
- Wilkes University - Wilkes-Barre