University of Washington ACNP Programs

The University of Washington offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:

  • DNP AGACNP Track (BSN to DNP)
  • Post-Graduate Certificate: AGACNP

Both programs are delivered full-time and in-person in Seattle, with clinical placements pre-arranged by the School of Nursing’s Office of Clinical Placements.

Program Tracks Overview

Program NameEst. TuitionEst. Duration
DNP AGACNP~$99K ($1,062/cr × 93 cr)3 years (9 quarters)
Post-Graduate Certificate AGACNP$1,062/cr (total credits vary)12–15 months

The DNP track is built for BSN-prepared RNs aiming for a terminal clinical degree in acute care; the certificate is designed for currently certified APRNs who want to add AGACNP to their scope of practice.

DNP AGACNP

The estimated cost for the DNP AGACNP at the University of Washington is approximately $98,766 at the fee-based rate of $1,062 per credit across 93 total credits, and the program takes 3 years (9 quarters) to complete on a full-time basis.

DNP Curriculum

The curriculum spans 93 credits across three years and nine quarters.

Year 1 focuses on DNP core content shared by all tracks: research and evidence-based practice, health policy, leadership, health equity, and program evaluation.

Years 2 and 3 shift into AGACNP specialty content covering pathophysiology, advanced assessment, acute and critical care pharmacology, diagnosis and management of complex adult conditions, and a three-part advanced clinical practicum series capped by an immersion.

A DNP practice project runs through Year 3.

Year 1 — DNP Core (32 credits)
  • NSG 555 – Perspectives on Implementing Research in Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr)
  • NSG 530 – Leadership Communication & Professional Identity (3 cr)
  • NSG 553 – Foundations of Health Systems and Health Economics (3 cr)
  • NMETH 535 – Nursing Inquiry to Support Evidence-Based Practice (4 cr)
  • NSG 551 – Health Politics and Policy (3 cr)
  • NSG 552 – Social Determinants of Health & Health Equity (3 cr)
  • NMETH 533 – Appraisal & Translation of Evidence for Practice (5 cr)
  • NURS 552 – Wellness, Health Promotion & Disease Prevention (3 cr)
  • NMETH 536 – Methods of Program Evaluation & Quality Improvement (4 cr)
  • NURS 573 – Foundation of Advanced Practice Nursing (1 cr)
Year 2 — AGACNP Specialty (40 credits)

NSG 557 – Physiology & Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan
Examines normal and disordered physiologic responses across the lifespan using case-based pathophysiology.

NCLIN 500 – Comprehensive Health Assessment
Develops holistic, evidence-informed advanced assessment skills for adolescents, adults, and older adults.

NCLIN 501 – Diagnostic Health Assessment
Builds advanced diagnostic reasoning through systematic assessment and interpretation of subjective and objective data.

NSG 520 – Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Nursing Practice
Applies pharmacology principles to advanced nursing decisions, including drug selection, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacogenetics.

NCLIN 505 – Diagnostic Management and Decision Making
Focuses on diagnostic testing and clinical decision-making for adult and geriatric conditions using evidence and equity considerations.

NURS 539 – Management of Patients with Acute/Critical Illness and Injury
Studies assessment and management of acute and critically ill patients across the lifespan.

NCLIN 516 – Advanced Clinical Practicum I
Provides supervised clinical practice to build advanced nursing competencies in targeted populations.

NSG 563 – Management of Adults II
Examines evidence-based management of common adult health problems, with emphasis on acute care and health promotion.

NURS 535 – Pharmacotherapeutics for Acute/Critical Illness
Explores pharmacologic decision-making for acute and critical illness using current evidence and clinical context.

NURS 569 – Management of Patients with Acute/Critical Illness and Injury II
Continues advanced study of assessment, management, and therapeutics for acute and critically ill patients.

NCLIN 517 – Advanced Clinical Practicum II
Extends supervised clinical learning to strengthen advanced practice care, education, and collaboration skills.

NSG 564 – Management of Adults III
Focuses on biological interventions in psychiatric and mental health care across the lifespan.

Year 3 — Practicum & DNP Project (21 credits)
  • NCLIN 518 – Advanced Clinical Practicum III (7 cr)
  • NMETH 801 – Practice Doctorate Project (3 cr) — Autumn
  • NCLIN 801 – Advanced Clinical Practicum Immersion (8 cr)
  • NMETH 801 – Practice Doctorate Project (3 cr) — Winter

DNP Clinicals

Clinical placements are pre-arranged by the UW School of Nursing’s Office of Clinical Placements, a feature the program highlights as a primary differentiator from most other DNP programs. Students complete four sequential clinical courses (Practicum I–III plus Immersion) across Years 2 and 3.

  • Placements arranged through the UW Medicine system and affiliated clinical and community partners
  • Urban and rural clinical settings available
  • Practice settings include hospitalist, inpatient/outpatient specialty services, cardiology, surgical specialties, and emergency
  • Students trained in advanced procedures: point-of-care ultrasound, endotracheal intubation, central venous catheter, arterial line, thoracentesis, paracentesis, and chest tube insertion
  • Simulation Center experience integrated into the curriculum
  • Specific clinical hour minimums are not published on the program page

DNP Admissions

The AGACNP DNP track targets BSN-prepared RNs; at least one year of recent direct patient care experience in acute, critical, or emergency settings is strongly recommended.

  • BSN from an accredited program (applicants may be completing their degree)
  • Active, unrestricted Washington state RN license required by program start
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for the last 90 graded quarter credits
  • Recent acute, critical, or emergency RN experience strongly recommended (at least 1 year)
  • Application deadlines for Autumn 2026 start: January 15, 2026 (priority); May 1, 2026 (space available)
  • Admission is on a space-available basis; confirm open enrollment before applying

Post-Graduate Certificate AGACNP

The estimated cost for the Post-Graduate Certificate AGACNP at the University of Washington is $1,062 per credit; total program cost is not clearly stated because required credits are determined individually through a gap analysis.

Certificate Curriculum

There is no fixed curriculum plan for this certificate. Upon application, the Specialty Director conducts a formal gap analysis comparing the applicant’s prior graduate coursework against program requirements.

The resulting individualized course schedule covers AGACNP-specific content in diagnosis, management, pharmacology, and acute care clinical practice. The program runs 12 to 15 months full-time.

  • Curriculum is individualized — no standard course list is published
  • Gap analysis required before applying; must be requested directly from the Specialty Director
  • Many core courses require weekly in-person classroom attendance in addition to clinical hours
  • Specialty Directors: Ben Hoisington (benh99@uw.edu) and Chelsea Miller (cbmiller@uw.edu)

Certificate Clinicals

Clinical practice experiences are available in both urban and rural settings and are arranged in collaboration with the student’s faculty adviser.

  • Fieldwork placements tailored individually through faculty advising
  • Focus on complex acute, critical, and chronic conditions in adults and older adults
  • Specific clinical hour minimums are not published; determined during gap analysis and onboarding

Certificate Admissions

This program requires a completed graduate nursing degree and current APRN licensure; a gap analysis must be requested from the Specialty Director before submitting an application.

  • DNP from an accredited program, OR MSN/MN from an accredited program with current APRN practice
  • Concurrent UW DNP or PhD enrollment also qualifies (PhD applicants must have an earned MN at time of application)
  • Active, unrestricted Washington state RN license and ARNP license (if held) by program start
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA for the last 90 graded quarter credits
  • International applicants: active, unrestricted U.S. RN license required at time of application
  • Non-native English speakers: proof of English proficiency required
  • Resume, transcripts (unofficial acceptable for gap analysis), and copy of APRN certification required
  • Application deadlines: Winter 2026 start — October 15; Spring 2026 start — January 15; Autumn 2026 start — May 1
  • Admission is on a space-available basis; confirm availability before applying

Tuition

Both the DNP AGACNP track and the post-graduate AGACNP certificate are fee-based programs administered through UW Continuum College.

The fee-based rate is $1,062 per credit and applies equally to Washington state residents and non-residents.

The DNP program runs approximately 93 credits, producing an estimated total of ~$98,766.

Certificate program costs depend entirely on the number of credits required following the gap analysis and are not published as a fixed total.

Tuition-based state rates do not apply to these tracks.

See the official tuition page for more details: UW School of Nursing Costs & Financial Support.

Accreditation

The post-graduate APRN certificate program at the University of Washington is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Graduates of both the DNP track and the certificate are eligible to sit for the AGACNP examination through ANCC or the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Certification Corporation (AACNCC).

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