Bradley University offers 4 acute care nurse practitioner tracks:
- RN to MSN AGACNP
- BSN to MSN AGACNP
- BSN to DNP AGACNP
- Post-Master’s Certificate AGACNP
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| RN-MSN AGACNP | $64.8K | 3 years (9 semesters) | 56 |
| BSN-MSN AGACNP | $54.4K | 2.3 years (7 semesters) | 47 |
| BSN-DNP AGACNP | $79.9K-$83.4K | 3.3 years (10 semesters) | 69-72 |
| Certificate | $37.1K | 1.7 years (5 semesters) | 32 |
Tuition is calculated rather than published.
All four AGACNP tracks are fully online with no campus visits, but students arrange their own clinical sites. Bradley reports that the AGACNP pathway does not meet licensure requirements in California, Maryland, New Hampshire, Tennessee, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | RN-MSN, BSN-MSN, BSN-DNP, Post-Master’s Certificate |
| Population Focus | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) |
| Format | Online |
| Campus Visits | None |
| Clinical Hours | 600 specialty hours per catalog; 750 per program page. DNP: 1,000 total |
| Clinical Placement | Student-identified facility and preceptor |
| RN Experience | No minimum published |
| License Requirements | Current unencumbered RN license |
| Start Terms | Next start January 20, 2027 (deadline November 15, 2026) |
| Tuition | $1,158 per credit plus $250 technology fee per semester |
| Certification | ANCC AGACNP-BC |
| Accreditation | CCNE (MSN, DNP, post-graduate APRN certificate); HLC |
| State Restrictions | Not licensure-eligible in CA, MD, NH, TN, DC, PR; no NY or DC clinicals |
Requirements Shared Across All Tracks
Clinical Requirements
- Specialty sequence: NUR 656, NUR 657, and NUR 658, taken in order, each 6 credits
- Specialty hours: 600 in acute care settings per the graduate catalog (200 per course)
- Conflicting figure: Bradley’s online program page lists 750 hours for the MSN and certificate and assigns 300 hours to NUR 658
- Placement model: clinicals take place at a facility of the student’s choice under a qualified preceptor
- Settings: a variety of acute care, direct patient care settings
You Should Know: Bradley asks advanced practice applicants to discuss potential clinical mentors in the admission essay. Applicants should identify likely acute care preceptors before applying, not after enrolling.
Campus Requirements
- Campus visits: none; Bradley states there are no campus residency requirements
- Coursework: 100% online
RN Experience and Licensure
- RN license: current and unencumbered, required at application
- RN experience: no minimum hours, years, or acute care experience published
- GPA: 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; applicants below a requirement are reviewed individually
- Application: $40 fee, transcripts, essay, two recommendation letters, CV or resume
You Should Know: Bradley’s licensure disclosure marks the AGACNP pathway “No” in California, Maryland, New Hampshire, Tennessee, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. New York students may enroll but cannot complete clinical rotations or DNP projects in New York.
RN to MSN AGACNP
The estimated tuition for the MSN in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (RN-MSN) at Bradley is approximately $64,848 (56 credits at $1,158/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 3 years (9 semesters).
RN-MSN Curriculum
- Bridge (9 credits): NUR 300, NUR 303, NUR 404, NUR 407
- NUR 407: Community Health Practicum RN-MSN (1 credit)
- The remaining 47 credits match the BSN-MSN plan below
- Completion: comprehensive assessment required before graduation
More curriculum details are available here.
RN-MSN Admissions
- Prior education: diploma or associate degree from a CNEA- or ACEN-accredited nursing program, or an RN with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree
BSN to MSN AGACNP
The estimated tuition for the MSN in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (BSN-MSN) at Bradley is approximately $54,426 (47 credits at $1,158/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 2.3 years (7 semesters).
BSN-MSN Curriculum
- Advanced practice core: BIO 526 Advanced Pathophysiology, NUR 600 Advanced Health Assessment, NUR 651 Advanced Pharmacology I (3 credits each)
- NUR 655: Diagnostic Reasoning (3 credits)
- NUR 656: Management of Acutely Ill Adults and Geriatrics I (6 credits)
- NUR 657: Management of Acutely Ill Adults and Geriatrics II (6 credits)
- NUR 658: Management of Acutely Ill Adults and Geriatrics III (6 credits)
- MSN core: COU 510, NUR 501, NUR 526, NUR 615, NUR 640 (3 credits each)
- NUR 690: Professional Aspects of Advanced Nursing Practice (2 credits)
- Completion: comprehensive assessment required before graduation
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN-MSN Admissions
- Prior education: BSN from a CNEA-, ACEN-, or CCNE-accredited nursing program
BSN to DNP AGACNP
The estimated tuition for the Doctor of Nursing Practice, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at Bradley is approximately $79,902 to $83,376 (69 to 72 credits at $1,158/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 3.3 years (10 semesters).
BSN-DNP Curriculum
- Shared with BSN-MSN: APRN core, NUR 655, NUR 656-658, and NUR 690; doctoral courses replace the MSN core
- Doctoral core: ECO 605, NUR 700, NUR 703, NUR 705, NUR 720, NUR 735, NUR 740, NUR 752 (3 credits each)
- NUR 840: DNP Clinical Practice (1 to 4 credits), which creates the 69 to 72 credit range
- NUR 841-844: DNP Project I-IV (12 credits; 50, 50, 125, and 75 practicum hours)
- Total practice hours: 1,000, including the 600 specialty hours
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know: Bradley’s online program page lists the DNP at 68 credits and 1,050 clinical hours. The catalog lists 69 to 72 credits and 1,000 hours; the 68-credit figure omits NUR 840.
BSN-DNP Admissions
- Prior education: BSN from a CNEA-, ACEN-, or CCNE-accredited nursing program
- GPA: 3.0 in undergraduate work and in any graduate work
Post-Master’s Certificate AGACNP
The estimated tuition for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Post-Master’s Certificate at Bradley is approximately $37,056 (32 credits at $1,158/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 1.7 years (5 semesters).
Certificate Curriculum
- Same APRN core, NUR 655, specialty sequence, and NUR 690 as the BSN-MSN, without the MSN core
- Waivers: BIO 526 and NUR 600 may be waived if completed within the past 5 years with a B or better in an accredited MSN program
- Credits with both waivers: 26 (about $30,108)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Admissions
- Prior education: MSN from a CNEA-, ACEN-, or CCNE-accredited nursing program
Tuition
Bradley University Online charges $1,158 per credit hour for graduate programs.
| Program | Credits | Estimated Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| RN-MSN AGACNP | 56 | $64,848 |
| BSN-MSN AGACNP | 47 | $54,426 |
| BSN-DNP AGACNP | 69-72 | $79,902-$83,376 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | 32 | $37,056 |
- Technology fee: $250 per semester at 4 or more credits, about $1,250 to $2,500 over a full plan
- Clinical fees: Typhon $100, malpractice insurance $66 per year, background check up to $118
- Other costs: books, supplies, and proctoring for select courses
Be aware: The RN-MSN estimate applies the graduate rate to all 56 credits. Bradley’s online tuition page does not publish a separate rate for the 9 undergraduate bridge credits.
See Bradley’s online tuition and fees page.
Financial Aid
Bradley’s tuition and financial aid information is here.
Why Choose This ACNP Program?
- No campus travel: Every AGACNP track, including the DNP, runs without a residency or on-campus intensive.
- Four entry points: RNs without a BSN, BSN holders, doctoral candidates, and MSN-prepared nurses each have a dedicated plan.
- No experience gate: Bradley publishes no minimum RN or ICU experience for admission.
- Certificate waivers: Recent pathophysiology and health assessment coursework can cut the certificate to 26 credits.
The trade-off is placement. These programs fit nurses who already have acute care preceptors lined up and live outside the six excluded jurisdictions.
Accreditation and Certification
The master’s nursing program, the post-graduate APRN certificate program, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Bradley University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). All four AGACNP tracks fall under these accreditations.
Bradley University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Graduates of the RN-MSN, BSN-MSN, and BSN-DNP tracks, and completers of the post-master’s certificate, are eligible to sit for the ANCC Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP-BC) certification examination.
Review More Illinois ACNP Programs
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