California Baptist University offers two Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- MSN – AGACNP
- Post-Master’s Certificate – AGACNP
Both tracks are available online with in-person residency requirements for remote students, or fully on-campus one afternoon/evening per week.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN AGACNP | $41,970 | 3–4 years |
| Certificate AGACNP | $22,770 | 1.5–2 years |
The program prepares AGACNPs to provide advanced-level care to adult and geriatric patients in acute and critical care settings, with graduates eligible to apply for California Board of Registered Nursing certification and national certification through ANCC or AACN.
Master of Science in Nursing – AGACNP
The estimated cost for the MSN – AGACNP program is $41,970 and would take 3-4 years to complete on a part-time basis.
MSN Curriculum
The MSN – AGACNP track requires 71 units total, including MSN core courses and AGACNP concentration courses.
MSN Core Course Requirements
Complete ALL of the following courses:
IPE510 – Interprofessional Education: Exposure
Introduces students to basic interprofessional concepts, roles, and communication. Uses shared learning activities to build early awareness of teamwork across health professions.
IPE520 – Interprofessional Education: Immersion
Builds intermediate interprofessional skills through shared simulations, case work, and community or clinical projects. Emphasizes collaboration, problem solving, and mutual respect among disciplines.
IPE530 – Interprofessional Education: Competence
Prepares advanced learners to function as effective team members and leaders in complex care situations. Applies prior IPE knowledge in a capstone simulation focused on joint decision-making and improved outcomes.
NUR550 – Nursing Science
Explores core nursing theories, ways of knowing, and the scientific basis of practice at the master’s level. Connects theoretical thinking, ethical principles, and a Christian worldview to real-world nursing care.
NUR559 – Research and Scholarship
Covers the full cycle of scholarly inquiry, from identifying practice problems and critiquing evidence to selecting methods and planning dissemination. Emphasizes using research to improve health outcomes and transform care delivery.
NUR562 – Health Policy and Bioethics
Examines how health policy, ethics, and regulations shape care quality, safety, and equity. Focuses on bioethical decision-making, professional identity, and the nurse’s role as an advocate and policy influencer.
NUR563 – Population Health & Health Promotion
Studies how social, environmental, and organizational factors affect population health. Reviews primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies to promote wellness in individuals and communities.
NUR564 – Applied Biostatistics
Introduces practical statistical tools for describing, analyzing, and interpreting health data. Helps students choose appropriate quantitative methods to study disease patterns and prevention strategies in specific populations.
NUR565 – Advanced Nursing Leadership
Focuses on leadership principles, change management, and evidence-based decision-making for system improvement. Highlights the master’s-prepared nurse’s role in leading interprofessional teams and influencing care processes.
NUR578 – Healthcare Informatics
Covers design, selection, and evaluation of health information systems and emerging digital tools. Addresses privacy, security, and ethical issues while examining how technology affects practice, education, administration, and research.
NUR520 – Advanced Integrative Concepts: 3Ps
Integrates advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment for non-APRN master’s students. Teaches focused advanced assessment skills and recognition of common deviations from normal across the lifespan.
Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (33 units)
NUR508 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner I
Introduces the AGACNP role and foundational approaches to caring for acutely ill adults and older adults. Emphasizes early clinical decision-making, continuity of care, and attention to cultural, spiritual, legal, and ethical issues.
NUR508P – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum I
Provides initial supervised clinical experience in acute and critical care settings. Focuses on building safe assessment, early management, and therapeutic communication skills with patients and families.
NUR509 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner II
Addresses complex adult-gerontology conditions, including multimorbidity, geriatric syndromes, and polypharmacy. Guides students in developing team-based, holistic plans for patients with acute exacerbations and chronic instability.
NUR509P – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum II
Expands clinical responsibility for managing more complex and unstable patients. Refines holistic assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and critical care procedures within an interprofessional team.
NUR510 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner III
Focuses on the care of trauma patients and other high-acuity situations, including special populations. Highlights injury patterns, risk for long-term disability, and the AGACNP’s leadership role on trauma and emergency teams.
NUR510P – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum III
Offers supervised trauma-focused clinical practice with increasing autonomy. Emphasizes rapid assessment, procedural skills, and coordination of ongoing care after acute injury.
NUR511 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner IV
Concentrates on multisystem and complex chronic conditions, including rehabilitation, palliative, and end-of-life care. Also reviews cost, reimbursement, and resource use as students prepare for independent AGACNP practice.
NUR511P – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum IV
Provides a capstone practicum that approximates a residency experience. Students manage complex caseloads, practice near-independent decision-making, and guide patients and families through care transitions.
NUR513 – Pharmacology for Acute Care
Covers drug therapy decisions for acutely ill adults, including dosing, interactions, and monitoring. Stresses safe prescribing in the context of rapid physiologic change and multiple comorbidities.
NUR514 – Geriatric Pharmacotherapeutics for Acute Care
Examines how aging, comorbidities, and frailty affect drug selection and response in older adults. Focuses on minimizing polypharmacy risk while optimizing treatment in acute and high-acuity settings.
NUR528 – Advanced Cardiac Rhythm Analysis
Builds a strong foundation in cardiac electrophysiology and rhythm interpretation. Links ECG findings to underlying mechanisms and evidence-based interventions for ischemia and arrhythmias.
NUR597 – Comprehensive Examination
Guides students in integrating theory, research, and practice knowledge gained throughout the MSN program. Culminates in a comprehensive exam and professional portfolio that support readiness for certification and advanced practice.
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinicals
Clinical practicum hours are completed throughout the four practicum courses:
- NUR508P
- NUR509P
- NUR510P
- NUR511P
The program adheres to all clinical hour requirements mandated by the California Board of Registered Nurses for AGACNP certification.
MSN Admissions Requirements
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or CHEA
- Active, unencumbered California Registered Nursing (RN) License
- Professional resume with minimum one year of work experience as an RN
- Successful interview with the College of Nursing
- CPR Certification
- Background Check Clearance
- Health Clearance
- Drug Testing
- Proof of Health Insurance
- Proof of Motor Vehicle Insurance
- Students must work as a registered nurse during the program
Post-Master’s Certificate – AGACNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s Certificate – AGACNP program is $22,770 and would take 1.5-2 years to complete.
Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum
The Post-Master’s Certificate requires 33 units focused exclusively on AGACNP specialty coursework.
Certificate Courses (33 units):
- NUR508 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner I
- NUR508P – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum I
- NUR509 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner II
- NUR509P – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum II
- NUR510 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner III
- NUR510P – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum III
- NUR511 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner IV
- NUR511P – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum IV
- NUR513 – Pharmacology for Acute Care
- NUR514 – Geriatric Pharmacotherapeutics Acute Care
- NUR528 – Advanced Cardiac Rhythm Analysis
- NUR597 – Comprehensive Examination
More curriculum details are available here.
Post-Master’s Certificate Clinicals
Clinical practicum requirements are identical to the MSN track, completed through NUR508P, NUR509P, NUR510P, and NUR511P. Students gain supervised clinical experience in acute and critical care settings preparing them for independent AGACNP practice.
Post-Master’s Certificate Admissions Requirements
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Master of Science degree in Nursing (MSN) from an accredited institution
- Prerequisites completed within the last five years with “B-” or better: Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Physical Assessment
- Active, unencumbered California Registered Nursing (RN) License
- Professional resume with minimum 1-2 years work experience as an RN
- Successful interview with the College of Nursing
- Students must work as a registered nurse during the program
- CPR Certification, Background Check, Health Clearance, Drug Testing, Proof of Health Insurance, Proof of Motor Vehicle Insurance
Tuition
Graduate nursing program tuition is $690 per unit for post-licensure programs. The program fee for APRN concentrations (including AGACNP) is $1,246 per semester.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
California Baptist University is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The Master of Science in Nursing program at California Baptist University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the program is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing.
Additional ACNP Programs for California Students
- Cal State LA - Los Angeles
- CSU Long Beach - Long Beach
- Loma Linda University - Loma Linda
- University of California San Francisco - San Francisco