Arkansas State University (A-State) offers 2 Acute Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- Master of Science in Nursing – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) Online
- Post-Master’s Certificate – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Online
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN – AG-ACNP Online | $15,770 | About 2 years |
| Post-Master’s Certificate – AG-ACNP Online | $8,170 | About 1.5 years (16 months) |
Both programs feature 100% online coursework with optional weekend on-site skills labs and a team-teaching model that gives students regular contact with experienced nurse educators.
Practicum requirements are completed with approved preceptors in authorized states, preparing graduates for advanced acute care roles in ERs, ICUs, urgent care centers, and specialty practices.
MSN – Adult Gerontology ACNP (AG-ACNP) Online
The estimated cost for the MSN – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Online program is $15,770 and would take about 2 years to complete on a full-time basis.
MSN Curriculum
The MSN AG-ACNP track requires 41.5 credit hours, built around core graduate nursing content, advanced clinical support courses, and AG-ACNP seminars and practicums. Students move from research and theory to advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment before focusing on complex acute and critical illness management in adult and geriatric populations.
Core Courses (11 credits):
NURS 6103 – Research Design and Methodology
This course introduces methods for critiquing and applying nursing research related to clinical problems and patient care. Students analyze existing studies and create a focused research proposal.
NURS 6203 – Theory Development in Nursing
This course explains how nursing theories are created, refined, and applied in practice. Students review major theoretical models and use them to build a conceptual foundation for advanced clinical decision making.
NURS 6303 – Health Care Issues and Policy
This course examines key health policy and system-level issues that shape advanced nursing practice. Students evaluate how regulations, financing, and policy decisions affect care delivery and patient outcomes.
NURS 6402 – Professional Role Development in Advanced Nursing
This course explores the roles and responsibilities of advanced practice nurses, with emphasis on communication and collaboration. Students learn strategies for implementing and sustaining their professional role in clinical settings.
Support Courses (9 credits):
NURS 6003 – Advanced Pathophysiology
This course reviews normal physiology and then examines how disease alters body systems across the lifespan. Students connect pathologic changes with clinical signs to support accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.
NURS 6013 – Advanced Clinical Pharmacology
This course covers pharmacologic principles for managing common health conditions in patients of all ages. Students learn to select, monitor, and adjust drug therapy as part of safe, evidence-based care.
NURS 6023 – Advanced Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation
This course focuses on comprehensive health assessment and diagnostic reasoning in diverse care settings. Students distinguish normal from abnormal findings, select diagnostic tests, and interpret results to guide clinical decisions.
Advanced Practice / AG-ACNP Courses
NURS 6213 – AGACNP Seminar I
This seminar develops a clinical foundation for AGACNP practice, emphasizing assessment and management of acute and chronic cardiac, pulmonary, acid–base, electrolyte, shock, and integumentary problems. Students apply evidence-based guidelines to complex adult and geriatric cases.
NURS 6214 – AGACNP Practicum I
This practicum introduces supervised clinical practice in acute and complex care environments. Students begin applying advanced assessment and management skills with adult and older adult patients.
NURS 6363 – AGACNP Seminar II
This seminar advances AGACNP knowledge in the management of gastrointestinal, genitourinary, gynecologic, hematologic, oncologic, immunologic, and endocrine disorders. Emphasis is on clinical reasoning for high-acuity adult and geriatric patients.
NURS 6364 – AGACNP Practicum II
This practicum expands clinical experience in acute and complex care settings, including use of technology and advanced interventions. Students refine skills in coordinating transitions of care under preceptor supervision.
NURS 6483 – AGACNP Seminar III
This seminar addresses professional issues for adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners, including scope of practice, ethics, leadership, and practice standards. Students examine how these factors guide safe, high-quality acute care practice.
NURS 6484 – AGACNP Practicum III
This practicum focuses on applying evidence-based guidelines, working within interprofessional teams, and evaluating quality improvement efforts in acute care settings. Students assess their clinical growth while managing complex adult and geriatric patients.
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinicals
MSN students complete a sequence of AG-ACNP practicums that provide supervised direct care for adults and older adults with chronic, acute, and critical illnesses across a variety of acute care settings.
Clinical work emphasizes assessment, diagnostic interpretation, stabilization, and longitudinal management from admission through discharge.
Practicum placements must be in states where Arkansas State has operating authority, and students work closely with preceptors and faculty to build competency for national AG-ACNP certification.
MSN Prerequisites and Admissions
Prerequisites and Admissions Requirements:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program at a regionally accredited institution
- Minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale for nurse practitioner options
- Current, unencumbered RN license in the state of clinical practice (or compact state)
- Documentation of at least 1,500 hours of RN practice prior to admission to the NP option
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Professional-level CPR certification, current TB test or chest x-ray, Hepatitis B immunization or signed declination, and annual influenza vaccination
- Proof of professional liability insurance (minimum $1,000,000/$3,000,000)
- Satisfactory criminal background check and compliance with Verified Credentials requirements
- English proficiency documentation (TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE) for applicants educated in non-English settings
Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee admission, as selection is competitive and space-dependent.
Post-Master’s Certificate – AG-ACNP Online
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s Certificate – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program is $8,170 and would take about 1.5 years (16 months) to complete on a full-time basis.
Certificate Curriculum
The AG-ACNP Post-Master’s Certificate is designed for MSN-prepared nurses who need focused AG-ACNP coursework to meet national certification standards.
After a curriculum gap analysis, each student receives an individual plan of study that may include advanced support courses plus a fixed sequence of AG-ACNP seminars and practicums.
Required Advanced Practice Courses (21.5 credits minimum):
- NURS 6213 – AGACNP Seminar I
- NURS 6214 – AGACNP Practicum I
- NURS 6363 – AGACNP Seminar II
- NURS 6364 – AGACNP Practicum II
- NURS 6483 – AGACNP Seminar III
- NURS 6484 – AGACNP Practicum III
Possible Support Course Requirements (0–9 credits, based on gap analysis):
- NURS 6003 – Advanced Pathophysiology
- NURS 6013 – Advanced Clinical Pharmacology
- NURS 6023 – Advanced Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinicals
Certificate students complete a series of AG-ACNP practicums that build or supplement their existing advanced practice experience in adult gerontology acute care.
Faculty-supervised clinical hours focus on complex acute and critical conditions, advanced diagnostic reasoning, and high-acuity decision making for adult and geriatric patients.
A gap analysis ensures that, when combined with prior MSN-level work, the plan of study meets ANCC and AACN clinical hour and content expectations.
Certificate Prerequisites and Admissions
Prerequisites and Admissions Requirements:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from an ACEN-, CCNE-, or CNEA-accredited nursing program at a regionally accredited institution
- Minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA in MSN coursework
- Current, unencumbered RN license
- Satisfactory background check completed through Verified Credentials
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- For applicants whose prior AG-ACNP program lacked required elements (advanced pathophysiology, advanced health assessment with diagnostics and disease management, advanced pharmacology, or at least 500 supervised clinical hours), a curriculum gap analysis determines additional coursework
- English proficiency documentation (TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE) for applicants from non-English speaking backgrounds
Admission is competitive, and meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee selection.
Tuition
Graduate online AG-ACNP programs at A-State use a pay-by-the-course model at $380 per credit hour, with this rate applying equally to MSN and Post-Master’s Certificate students and including standard program fees.
Certificate programs are not financial-aid eligible, so prospective certificate students should plan financing in advance.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The associate, baccalaureate, master’s, post-master’s certificate, and Doctor of Nursing Practice nursing programs at Arkansas State University are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Graduates of the MSN and Post-Master’s AG-ACNP tracks are prepared to meet eligibility criteria for national Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certification exams offered by ANCC and AACN.
Other Nursing Programs at Arkansas State University
Other School of Nursing offerings include:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice
- Doctor of Nursing Practice Core Courses
- Nurse Anesthesia, DNP
- Nursing Practice – Concentration in Education, DNP
- Nursing Practice – Concentration in General Practice, DNP
- Nursing Practice – Concentration in Leadership, DNP
- Master of Science in Nursing
- Nursing, Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Option, MSN
- Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Option, MSN
- Nursing, Nurse Administrator Option, MSN
- Nursing, Nurse Educator Option, MSN
- Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Option, MSN
- Graduate Certificates
- Nurse Administration, Graduate Certificate
- Nurse Educator, Graduate Certificate
- Post-Master’s Certificates
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Post Masters Certificate
- Family Nurse Practitioner, Post Masters Certificate
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Post Masters Certificate
Additional ACNP Programs for Arkansas Residents
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - Little Rock