Loyola University Chicago offers 2 adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner tracks:
- BSN to DNP AGACNP
- Post-Graduate APRN Certificate (AGACNP)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP AGACNP | $91.9K | About 3 years (8 semesters, full-time) | 71 |
| Certificate | Varies | Individualized | Individualized |
Tuition and duration are both calculated rather than published.
Every AGACNP student must hold CCRN certification, an Illinois RN license, and 2,000 hours of recent clinical practice before the first APRN rotation, and all placements are in the Chicago area.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | BSN to DNP; post-graduate APRN certificate |
| Population Focus | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) |
| Format | Hybrid: online coursework plus in-person classroom, lab, and simulation |
| Campus Visits | Recurring in-person instruction; cadence not published |
| Clinical Hours | 12 practicum credits; clock hours not published |
| Clinical Placement | Faculty-arranged, Chicago area only |
| RN Experience | 2,000 hours of recent practice before first APRN rotation |
| Distinctive Coursework | Emergency and acute care procedures lab (GNUR 504) |
| License Requirements | Illinois RN license and CCRN before clinicals begin |
| Start Terms | DNP: fall only. Certificate: fall or spring |
| Tuition | $1,295 per credit (2026-27) |
| Certification | ANCC AGACNP-BC or AACN ACNPC-AG |
| Accreditation | CCNE (DNP and post-graduate APRN certificate) |
| State Restrictions | Licensure fit undetermined for Maryland, Puerto Rico, American Samoa |
Requirements Shared Across All Tracks
Clinical Requirements
- Practicum course: MSN 516 Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP Practicum, taken after GNUR 536 and GNUR 538
- Clock hours: not published; the DNP plan carries 12 practicum credits
- Placement: Loyola arranges clinical sites and preceptors for each student
- Location: all placements are in the Chicago area
- Settings: graduates work in ICU, trauma, neurology, pulmonary, cardiovascular, transplant, hospitalist, and surgical units
- Background check: required before practicums; results can affect placement
You Should Know: Acute care placements are limited to the Chicago area. Students outside commuting range of Chicago should plan to relocate or travel for every clinical term.
Campus Requirements
- Format: blended online and in-person instruction, with classroom, simulation, and skills lab components
- Standardized patient and skills lab: required within the specialty sequence
- Procedures lab: GNUR 504 includes hands-on procedural skills practice
- Cadence: Loyola does not publish the number or frequency of campus days
RN Experience and Licensure
- Experience: at least 2,000 hours of recent clinical practice, required before the first APRN clinical rotation (not at application)
- CCRN: required before clinical rotations begin
- RN license: current U.S. license at application; Illinois RN license required before clinicals
You Should Know: The 2,000-hour and CCRN requirements apply before clinicals, not at admission. An applicant who has not met them by the first rotation cannot progress into the practicum sequence on schedule.
BSN to DNP AGACNP
The estimated tuition for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner DNP at Loyola University Chicago is approximately $91,945 (71 credits at $1,295/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 3 years (8 semesters) full-time. Loyola does not publish a duration; this assumes 9 credits per term, including summers. Part-time study is available.
BSN to DNP Curriculum
71 credits: 24 foundational, 15 role, 14 population, 6 DNP project, and 12 practicum.
- GNUR 504: Emergency and Acute Care Procedures for the NP (3)
- GNUR 526: Management of Common Adult Health Problems (4)
- GNUR 528: Management of Complex Adult Health Problems (4)
- GNUR 536: Management of Adults with Acute/Critical Conditions I (3)
- GNUR 538: Management of Adults with Acute/Critical Conditions II (3)
- MSN 516: Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP Practicum (12 total)
- GNUR 570-573: DNP Scholarly Project sequence (6)
- Role core: advanced pharmacology, health assessment, physiology/pathophysiology, basic diagnostics (12)
Loyola’s program page also lists 12-Lead ECG Interpretation, Diagnostic Imaging, and Suturing and Acute Wound Management, which the 2026-27 catalog plan does not include.
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN to DNP Admissions
- Degree: BSN from an accredited program and an RN license
- GPA: 3.0 or higher
- Recommendations: two professional letters; one from a doctorally prepared clinician is suggested
- Personal statement: generally under 1,000 words
- Interview: required; admission is competitive
- Deadline: July 1 for fall entry; decisions are rolling
- Application fee: none
You Should Know: The DNP admission page lists fall as the only entry term. Missing the July 1 deadline means waiting a full year to start.
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate (AGACNP)
The estimated tuition for the Post-Graduate APRN Certificate at Loyola University Chicago depends on an individual gap analysis, billed at $1,295/credit. The program length is also set by that analysis.
Loyola publishes no credit range for the AGACNP certificate. At minimum, students complete acute care management coursework and the practicum, under the shared clinical requirements above.
Certificate Admissions
- Eligibility: the nursing site describes the certificate as for DNP-prepared nurses; the catalog says graduate-prepared nurses
- GPA: 3.0 or higher in the graduate program
- Plan of study: built with the program director from prior coursework and its recency
- Deadlines: July 1 (fall) and December 1 (spring)
You Should Know: Without a published credit range, certificate cost cannot be estimated until Loyola completes the gap analysis.
Tuition
Loyola charges $1,295 per credit for graduate nursing in 2026-27, for both degree and certificate students. There are no mandatory per-credit fees.
| Program | Credits | Estimated Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| BSN to DNP AGACNP | 71 | $91,945 |
| Post-Graduate Certificate | Individualized | Varies |
- Student development fee: $31 to $62 per semester for hybrid-plan students
- Technology fee: $32 to $135 per semester, by credit load
- Course fees: $185 per MSN 516 enrollment; $75 for GNUR 504
- Matriculation fee: $100, one time
Be aware: Loyola bills a $3,869 annual student health insurance premium unless the student waives it with qualifying coverage.
See the official 2026-27 graduate nursing tuition page. Aid options are on the nursing financial aid page.
Why Choose This ACNP Program?
- Procedures training: GNUR 504 adds a 3-credit emergency and acute care procedures lab to the acute care management sequence.
- School-arranged placements: Loyola assigns clinical sites and preceptors across Chicago-area health systems, so students do not search for their own.
- Experience gate timed to clinicals: Nurses can apply before reaching 2,000 hours or earning CCRN, provided both are in place before the first APRN rotation.
- Doctoral credential from BSN entry: The single 71-credit pathway ends in a DNP rather than an MSN.
The program suits Chicago-area critical care nurses who hold or will soon earn CCRN and want a doctorate with placements handled by the school.
Accreditation and Certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits Loyola’s baccalaureate, master’s, and DNP nursing programs and its post-graduate APRN certificate program. Certificate graduates therefore meet ANCC’s accredited-program requirement for certificate holders.
Loyola University Chicago is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Loyola reports that its DNP meets curricular requirements for APRN licensure in every state except Maryland, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa, where it has not made a determination.
Both tracks prepare graduates for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care population focus. Graduates are eligible for the ANCC AGACNP-BC exam or the AACN ACNPC-AG exam.
Review More Illinois ACNP Programs
- Bradley University - Peoria
- Chamberlain University - Chicago
- Rosalind Franklin University - North Chicago
- Rush University - Chicago
- University of Illinois Chicago - Chicago