Vanderbilt University School of Nursing offers 4 Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- MSN – AGACNP (Full-Time and Part-Time)
- Post-Master’s Certificate – AGACNP
- BSN to DNP – AGACNP
- MN Prespecialty – AGACNP
The programs are offered in a modified distance learning format with primarily online/hybrid classes and intermittent in-person sessions, not requiring relocation for experienced RNs.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN AGACNP (Full-Time) | $90,508 | 16 months (4 semesters) |
| MSN AGACNP (Part-Time) | $90,508 | 3 years (7 semesters) |
| BSN to DNP AGACNP | $129,591 | 7 semesters |
| Post-Master’s Certificate AGACNP | $24,684+ (varies by gap analysis) | 1-2 years |
Vanderbilt’s AGACNP program is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top programs with the MSN ranked #4 nationally, featuring small collaborative classes with low faculty-to-student ratios and personalized attention.
Faculty are actively practicing experts who bring diverse real-world practice experiences to the classroom, and the full-time clinical placement team partners with students to create enriching clinical practicums ensuring robust specialty training.
Master of Science in Nursing – AGACNP (Full-Time)
The estimated cost for the MSN AGACNP full-time program is approximately $90,508, and the program takes 16 months (4 semesters) to complete on a full-time basis.
Estimate based on 44 credits at $2,057 per credit hour.
MSN Full-Time Curriculum
The 44-credit curriculum balances online learning with in-person experiences, incorporating the 2021 AACN Essentials to provide comprehensive education meeting highest nursing standards:FALL I
NURS 6013 – Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (2 credits)
Develops advanced communication and assessment skills for patients across the lifespan. Students analyze subjective and objective findings, apply clinical reasoning, and form preliminary differential diagnoses aligned with APRN practice.
NURS 6022 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (4 credits)
Provides in-depth study of complex physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. Emphasizes integration of organ system function to predict, assess, and manage disease in advanced practice settings.
NURS 6024 – Advanced Pharmacology (3 credits)
Prepares APRN students to select and manage pharmacologic therapies safely. Focuses on evidence-based treatment of acute and chronic conditions in diverse populations.
NURS 8212 – Knowledge and Identity for Nursing Practice (2 credits)
Explores professional nursing identity through historical, theoretical, legal, and ethical foundations. Emphasizes person-centered care, leadership growth, informatics, and the nurse’s role within interprofessional teams.
SPRING I
NURS 6014 – Advanced Health Assessment Lab (1 credit)
Provides hands-on practice in advanced assessment and therapeutic communication. Students refine physical exam skills, history taking, and professional behaviors through simulation.
NURS 6105 – Advanced Health Assessment Applications for the AGACNP (1 credit)
Introduces AGACNP-focused clinical reasoning in acute care scenarios. Students apply assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology knowledge to develop care plans within scope of practice.
NURS 6114 – Pathophysiology and Collaborative Management in Acute Care I (3 credits)
Begins a three-course series on advanced management of acute and chronic conditions in adult and geriatric patients. Emphasizes diagnosis, collaborative treatment strategies, and case-based learning.
NURS 8090 – Advanced Procedures and Diagnostic Evaluation (2 credits)
Builds knowledge and technical skills for advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Focuses on evidence-based interpretation and culturally responsive documentation.
NURS 8214 – Social and Structural Influences on Health (3 credits)
Examines health equity through systems science and social determinants of health. Analyzes policy, informatics, and interprofessional strategies that shape equitable outcomes.
NURS 8222 – Appraisal of Evidence for Nursing Practice (2 credits)
Strengthens skills in evaluating research and applying evidence to practice. Addresses ethical and leadership principles that support quality and safety improvement.
SUMMER I
NURS 6115 – AGACNP Practicum (4 credits)
Provides supervised clinical practice in acute and critical care for adults and older adults. Students complete 250 direct and 30 indirect clinical hours while integrating diagnostic reasoning and management skills.
NURS 6124 – Pathophysiology and Collaborative Management in Acute Care II (3 credits)
Expands advanced assessment and management of complex adult and geriatric conditions. Emphasizes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions in acute and critical care.
NURS 8224 – Analysis of Health and Systems Outcomes (2 credits)
Analyzes quality improvement, policy, and population data to promote equitable systems outcomes. Applies informatics and economic principles to healthcare decision-making.
NURS 8232 – Leadership for Change (2 credits)
Develops leadership skills for safe, ethical, and evidence-based nursing practice. Focuses on team guidance, conflict management, and change leadership within healthcare systems.
FALL II
NURS 6075 – Role Transition for Advanced Practice Nursing (1 credit)
Supports transition into the APRN role. Covers credentialing, employment processes, and strategies for ongoing professional growth.
NURS 6134 – Pathophysiology and Collaborative Management in Acute Care III (3 credits)
Completes the acute care series with advanced synthesis of diagnosis and management of critically ill adults. Reinforces systems-level thinking and collaborative care strategies.
NURS 6195 – AGACNP Preceptorship (4 credits)
Advances clinical competence through 250 direct and 30 indirect hours of supervised practice. Students function at entry-level AGACNP standards while promoting leadership and cost-effective care.
NURS 8234 – Advocacy for Health Equity (2 credits)
Focuses on advancing equitable health outcomes through policy and systems advocacy. Integrates global health, emergency preparedness, and population-based strategies.
Total Program Credits: 44
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Full-Time Clinicals
The program requires 630 hours of clinical practice distributed across preceptorship courses with robust clinical placement support:
- 630 total clinical practice hours required
- Clinical hours integrated in NURS 6115 (Preceptorship I) and NURS 6195 (Preceptorship II)
- For students in Middle Tennessee area (150-mile radius from Vanderbilt): clinical rotations arranged at Vanderbilt and surrounding medical centers
- For students outside Middle Tennessee: clinical rotations may be completed in home area if qualified preceptors available
- Full-time clinical placement team partners with students and faculty to create enriching practicums
- Clinical placement faculty partner with distance students to identify appropriate preceptors
- Special options available in trauma, oncology, cardiology, cardiac surgery, orthopedics, emergency medicine, diabetes, general surgery, pulmonology, transplantation, neurology, neurosurgery, hospitalist, and intensivist
- Students with less than one year nursing experience required to complete clinical in Nashville area
MSN Full-Time Prerequisites & Admissions
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from ACEN- or CCNE-accredited baccalaureate program with upper division major in nursing
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA or at least B- in nursing and cumulative average of B-
- Statement of purpose outlining career goals required
- Application questions must be answered
- Three letters of professional or academic reference (at least one recommender must hold master’s or higher degree)
- References from family, friends, other students or co-workers NOT appropriate
- Official transcripts from each United States post-secondary institution attended
- International transcripts require complete course-by-course evaluation from approved agency
- Current unencumbered RN licensure in state(s) where completing clinical training (required by July 1 of enrollment year)
- Students admitted contingent upon NCLEX-RN results who don’t pass will have admission rescinded
- Prerequisite: Introductory statistics course including descriptive and inferential techniques
- Applications holistically reviewed
- Apply online at apply.vanderbilt.edu/apply
- Fall 2026 applications now open
- BSN graduates with at least one year RN experience eligible for distance learning format
- Students without one year experience must complete program in Nashville
Master of Science in Nursing – AGACNP (Part-Time)
The estimated cost for the MSN AGACNP part-time program is approximately $90,508 (based on 44 credits at $2,057 per credit hour), and the program takes 3 years (7 semesters) to complete on a part-time basis.
MSN Part-Time Curriculum
The 44-credit part-time curriculum follows the same courses as full-time but distributed over extended timeline:
Fall Year 1 (5 credits):
- NURS 8212 – Knowledge and Identity for Nursing Practice (2 credits)
- NURS 8214 – Social and Structural Influences on Health (3 credits)
Spring Year 1 (6 credits):
- NURS 6022 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (4 credits)
- NURS 8224 – Analysis of Health and Systems Outcomes (2 credits)
Summer Year 1 (5 credits):
- NURS 6024 – Advanced Pharmacology (3 credits)
- NURS 8222 – Appraisal of Evidence for Nursing Practice (2 credits)
Fall Year 2 (6 credits):
- NURS 6013 – Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (2 credits)
- NURS 8232 – Leadership for Change (2 credits)
- NURS 8234 – Advocacy for Health Equity (2 credits)
Spring Year 2 (7 credits):
- NURS 6014 – Advanced Health Assessment Lab (1 credit)
- NURS 6105 – Advanced Clinical Reasoning for the AGACNP (1 credit)
- NURS 6114 – Collaborative Management in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care I (3 credits)
- NURS 8090 – Advanced Procedures and Diagnostic Evaluation for the Advanced Practice Clinician (2 credits)
Summer Year 2 (7 credits):
- NURS 6115 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship I (4 credits)
- NURS 6124 – Collaborative Management in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care II (3 credits)
Fall Year 3 (8 credits):
- NURS 6075 – Role Transition for Advanced Practice Nursing (1 credit)
- NURS 6134 – Collaborative Management in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care III (3 credits)
- NURS 6195 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship II (4 credits)
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Part-Time Clinicals
Clinical requirements are identical to full-time program with same 630-hour requirement:
- 630 total clinical practice hours required
- Same clinical placement support and options as full-time program
- Clinical experiences distributed across preceptorship courses
- Full-time clinical placement team provides same support for part-time students
- Special options in various subspecialties available based on preceptor availability
MSN Part-Time Prerequisites & Admissions
- Same admission requirements as full-time MSN program
- BSN from ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA or B- average
- Three letters of recommendation (at least one from master’s or higher degree holder)
- Statement of purpose and application questions
- Official transcripts from all institutions
- Current unencumbered RN licensure
- Statistics prerequisite course
- Apply online at apply.vanderbilt.edu/apply
- All M.S.N. degree requirements must be completed within three years of first enrollment for BSN entry
- Part-time option available for BSN graduates with experience
BSN to DNP – AGACNP
The estimated cost for the BSN to DNP AGACNP program is approximately $129,591 (based on 63 credits at $2,057 per credit hour), and the program takes 7 semesters to complete on a full-time basis.
BSN to DNP Curriculum
The 63-credit integrated curriculum combines advanced nursing practice specialty coursework with DNP doctoral education:
APRN Clinical Core and Specialty Courses:
- NURS 6013 – Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (2 credits)
- NURS 6014 – Advanced Health Assessment Lab (1 credit)
- NURS 6022 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (4 credits)
- NURS 6024 – Advanced Pharmacology (3 credits)
- NURS 6075 – Role Transition for Advanced Practice Nursing (1 credit)
- NURS 6105 – Advanced Clinical Reasoning for the AGACNP (1 credit)
- NURS 6114 – Collaborative Management in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care I (3 credits)
- NURS 6115 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum (4 credits)
- NURS 6124 – Collaborative Management in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care II (3 credits)
- NURS 6134 – Collaborative Management in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care III (3 credits)
- NURS 6195 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship II (4 credits)
- NURS 8090 – Advanced Procedures & Diagnostics for the Advanced Practice Clinician (2 credits)
DNP Core Courses:
- NURS 8101 – Integrative Application of Evidence-Based Practice (1 credit)
- NURS 8102 – Integrative Application of Evidence-Based Practice (2 credits)
- NURS 8103 – Integrative Application of Evidence-Based Practice (1 credit)
- NURS 8210 – Statistics for Advanced Nursing Practice (1 credit)
- NURS 8212 – Knowledge and Identity for Nursing Practice (2 credits)
- NURS 8214 – Social and Structural Influences on Health (3 credits)
- NURS 8216 – Professionalism, Legal and Ethics (2 credits)
- NURS 8222 – Appraisal of Evidence for Nursing Practice (2 credits)
- NURS 8224 – Analysis of Health and Systems Outcomes (2 credits)
- NURS 8226 – Advanced Quality Improvement and Safety (2 credits)
- NURS 8232 – Leadership for Change (2 credits)
- NURS 8234 – Advocacy for Health Equity (2 credits)
- NURS 8236 – Advanced Evidence-Based Practice (2 credits)
- NURS 8238 – Advanced Informatics (1 credit)
- NURS 8240 – Economics and Finance (1 credit)
- NURS 8246 – Advanced Population Health and Epidemiology (2 credits)
- NURS 8248 – Advanced Health Policy (2 credits)
- NURS 8250 – Advanced Leadership (2 credits)
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN to DNP Clinicals
The program requires minimum 1,000 post-baccalaureate clinical/practice hours combining specialty clinical and DNP practice hours:
- Minimum 500 NP specialty direct patient care clinical hours
- Minimum 500 DNP practice hours
- Total minimum 1,000 post-baccalaureate hours required
- Specialty clinical hours integrated throughout AGACNP courses
- DNP practice hours completed in 4-credit Integrative Application course series over 3-4 semesters
- Practice hours demonstrate synthesis of DNP curriculum knowledge
- Students may complete practice hours at employment site as advanced practice nurse
- BSN to DNP students attend DNP intensive every semester throughout program
- Specialty block sessions required when enrolled in specialty clinical courses
- Practice hours designed to meet AACN Essentials core competencies
BSN to DNP Prerequisites & Admissions
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing from ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program
- BSN must be completed by entry into program
- Minimum GPA requirements (specific requirements available from Graduate Programs Office)
- Current unencumbered RN licensure
- Statement of professional goals required
- Three letters of recommendation
- Official transcripts from all institutions
- Apply online at apply.vanderbilt.edu/apply
- Fall 2026 applications now open
- Students eligible to take specialty certification exam upon DNP degree completion
- Program designed for seamless integration of specialty and doctoral coursework
- Home computer, printer, and high-speed broadband Internet access required
Post-Master’s Certificate – AGACNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s Certificate AGACNP program varies based on individualized gap analysis, with minimum $24,684, and the program typically takes 1-2 years to complete depending on gap analysis.
Estimate based on minimum 12 Vanderbilt credits at $2,057 per credit hour.
Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum
The curriculum is individualized based on gap analysis comparing prior academic work with AGACNP competency requirements:
Required Components (varies by gap analysis):
- Minimum 12 credit hours must be taken at Vanderbilt to earn certificate
- Completion of APRN clinical core courses required (advanced physiology/pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacology)
- Documentation of previous completion or need for clinical core must be on gap analysis
- Didactic and clinical experiences sufficient to master competencies and meet national certification criteria
- Specialty director develops individualized program of studies for each student
- No transfer credit awarded; all required courses must be taken at Vanderbilt
Typical AGACNP Courses May Include:
- NURS 6013 – Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning
- NURS 6014 – Advanced Health Assessment Lab
- NURS 6022 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology
- NURS 6024 – Advanced Pharmacology
- NURS 6105 – Advanced Clinical Reasoning for the AGACNP
- NURS 6114 – Collaborative Management in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care I
- NURS 6115 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum
- NURS 6124 – Collaborative Management in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care II
- NURS 6134 – Collaborative Management in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care III
- NURS 6195 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship II
- NURS 8090 – Advanced Procedures and Diagnostic Evaluation for Advanced Practice Clinician
More curriculum details are available here.
Post-Master’s Certificate Clinicals
The certificate requires minimum 500 supervised direct patient care hours with same clinical placement support as MSN program:
- Minimum 500 supervised hours in direct patient care required
- Gap analysis determines specific clinical hour requirements based on prior experience
- Clinical placement team partners with students to identify appropriate sites and preceptors
- Students in Middle Tennessee area: rotations arranged at Vanderbilt and surrounding centers
- Students outside Middle Tennessee: may complete rotations in home area with qualified preceptors
- Clinical experiences must master same competencies as MSN advanced practice students
- Special options available in trauma, oncology, cardiology, and other acute subspecialties based on preceptor availability
Post-Master’s Certificate Prerequisites & Admissions
- Master’s or DNP degree in nursing from ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program
- Completed application and official transcript documenting conferral of master’s or DNP degree in nursing
- Unencumbered Registered Nurse license in state where doing clinical training
- Statement of purpose and responses to application questions required
- References required (specific number determined by admissions)
- Approval by specialty director required
- Apply online at apply.vanderbilt.edu/apply
- VUSN MSN and MN graduates may seamlessly progress with guaranteed admission for up to two years after MSN/MN completion
- Current VUSN DNP and PMC students adding certificate complete Change of Status form after specialty director approval
- Fall 2026 applications now open
- Graduates eligible to sit for ANCC or AACN Certification Board AGACNP certification exam
- Same academic standards for enrollment, progression, and completion as MSN students
Tuition
Graduate nursing students pay $2,057 per credit hour for all Vanderbilt School of Nursing programs.
Additional costs include Student Services Fee ($338 per semester for fall/spring, $115 for summer), Student Health Fee ($441 per semester for fall/spring, $130 for summer), and Student Transcript Fee (one-time $100 charge).
Graduate/International student health insurance is $4,314 for full year or can be purchased by semester.
All degree requirements must be completed within three years of first enrollment for BSN to MSN entry, within five years for non-nursing degree entry, and within seven years for BSN to DNP entry.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Application Deadlines
Fall 2026 applications are now open. Applications are submitted online at apply.vanderbilt.edu/apply. Specific application deadlines are available through the admissions office.
VUSN MSN and MN graduates have guaranteed seamless progression to DNP or Post-Master’s Certificate programs for up to two years after degree completion.
Accreditation
The Vanderbilt Master of Science in Nursing program, Post-Master’s Certificate program, and Doctor of Nursing Practice program are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
The DNP program meets the recommendations of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF).
Graduates are eligible to sit for either the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) Certification Board Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification exam.
VUSN maintains excellent licensure and certification pass rates across all specialties, with 97% of graduates employed in advanced practice nursing after graduation.
More ACNP Programs in Tennessee
- Tennessee Tech University - Cookeville
- College of Nursing - Memphis