Georgia Southern University offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- Post-Master’s Certificate – AGACNP
- Post-BSN to DNP with AGACNP Emphasis
Both programs are delivered online with Fall entry only.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Post-Master’s Certificate AGACNP | $6,650 | As few as 3 semesters |
| Post-BSN to DNP AGACNP | $27,000–$28,000 | 3–4 years (FT) |
| MSN Opt-Out AGACNP | $15,000–$16,000 | 2–3 years (FT) |
Students must complete clinical practicums in Georgia or South Carolina.
Post-BSN to DNP – AGACNP Emphasis
The estimated cost for the Post-BSN to DNP AGACNP program is approximately $27,000-$28,000 in tuition and fees for the full 77-credit DNP and would take 3-4 years to complete on a full-time basis.
The 43-credit MSN opt-out option is approximately $15,000-$16,000 and would take 2-3 years to complete.
DNP Curriculum
The DNP program requires 77 total credit hours (>95% online) with an MSN opt-out option available after 43 credits. The Adult-Gerontology Acute Care emphasis includes 43 credits for MSN completion with additional 34 doctoral credits for full DNP.
Graduate Core (16 Credit Hours):
- NURS 7121 – Theoretical Basis for Clinical Scholarship (2 credits)
- NURS 7122 – Research Design and Dissemination (2 credits)
- NURS 7123 – Psychodynamics of Health (2 credits)
- NURS 7128 – Epidemiology (2 credits)
- NURS 7129 – Role Transition for APRN (2 credits)
- NURS 7130 – Health Policy Concerns in Delivery Systems (3 credits)
- NURS 7135 – Informatics (3 credits)
Advanced Practice Core (10 Credit Hours):
- NURS 7141 – Pathophysiology and Differential Diagnosis (3 credits)
- NURS 7142 – Advanced Pharmacology (3 credits)
- NURS 7143 – Advanced Health Assessment (3 credits)
- NURS 7710 – Advanced Health Assessment Clinical (1 credit)
AGACNP Nursing Emphasis (17 Credit Hours):
NURS 8431 – AC I: Adult and Gerontology Acute Care I (3 credits)
This course introduces the acute care nurse practitioner role and common adult-gerontology conditions. Students use advanced assessment, diagnosis, and management to address episodic acute and chronic changes across acute care settings. Content also includes health promotion, prevention, quality, and patient safety.
NURS 8727 – ACC I: Adult and Gerontology Acute Care Clinical I (2 credits)
This clinical course applies AG-ACNP role skills in approved acute care settings. Students complete 180 clinical hours caring for adult and older adult patients. The course emphasizes safe APRN practice and clinical decision-making.
NURS 8432 – AC II: Adult and Gerontology Acute Care II (3 credits)
This course builds advanced management of acute exacerbations of chronic illness and complex comorbid conditions. Students strengthen assessment and diagnostic skills across the acute care continuum. Quality, safety, prevention, and health promotion remain integrated.
NURS 8728 – ACC II: Adult and Gerontology Acute Care Clinical II (2 credits)
This clinical course focuses on acute and complex adult-gerontology cases in approved settings. Students complete 180 clinical hours and apply advanced assessment, management, and care coordination skills for comorbid conditions.
NURS 8433 – AC III: Adult and Gerontology Acute Care III (3 credits)
This final specialty course emphasizes leadership in high-acuity and critical care environments. Students manage highly complex adult-gerontology patients while leading interprofessional care. The course reinforces advanced clinical reasoning, safety, and quality practice.
NURS 8729 – ACC III: Adult and Gerontology Acute Care Clinical III (2 credits)
This final clinical immersion focuses on high-acuity and critical illness care. Students complete 180 clinical hours in approved acute care sites while refining APRN role performance and complex management skills.
NURS 8520 – Capstone Practice and Professional Issues (2 credits)
This capstone course integrates advanced practice skills and professional issues across APRN care. Students examine regulatory, ethical, legal, and practice standards that guide APRN work. Students also complete 90 clinical hours aligned with their APRN track in rural and/or urban settings.
- NURS 8431 – AC I – Adult and Gerontology Acute Care I (3 credits)
- NURS 8432 – AC II – Adult and Gerontology Acute Care II (3 credits)
- NURS 8433 – AC III – Adult and Gerontology Acute Care III (3 credits)
- NURS 8520 – Capstone Practice and Professional Issues (2 credits)
- NURS 8727 – ACC I – Adult and Gerontology Acute Care Clinical I (2 credits)
- NURS 8728 – ACC II – Adult and Gerontology Acute Care Clinical II (2 credits)
- NURS 8729 – ACC III – Adult and Gerontology Acute Care Clinical III (2 credits)
Students may opt out at this point to receive MSN and sit for national certification.
Doctoral Core (34 Credit Hours – for full DNP):
- NURS 7110 – Scholarly Writing at the Graduate Level (1 credit)
- NURS 9113 – Biometrics (3 credits)
- NURS 9123 – Biomedical Ethics (2 credits)
- NURS 9124 – Outcomes Management (2 credits)
- NURS 9125 – Role Transition for DNP Prepared APRN’s (2 credits)
- NURS 9143 – Population Focused Collaborative Initiative (3 credits)
- NURS 9144 – Leadership and Management in Practice Transformation (3 credits)
- NURS 9931 – Clinical Project I (3 credits)
- NURS 9932 – Clinical Project II (3 credits)
- NURS 9933 – Clinical Project III (3 credits)
- 9 credit hours of elective courses
DNP Clinicals
The DNP-AGACNP track includes 720 clinical hours (585 didactic hours) across the specialty emphasis and 1 credit advanced health assessment clinical.
Clinical Requirements:
- Total clinical hours: 720 (for MSN opt-out completion)
- Clinical experiences caring for acutely, critically, or chronically ill adults
- All clinical practicums must be completed with qualified preceptor
- Students must complete clinicals in Georgia or South Carolina
- Proof of current RN malpractice liability insurance (1 million incident/3 million aggregate)
- Proof of “Student NP” malpractice insurance before entering clinical NP courses
- Nursing Student Health forms required upon acceptance
- American Heart Association or Red Cross BLS certification required
- Students responsible for securing preceptors proactively
DNP Admissions Requirements
Applicants must hold a BSN degree and current Georgia or multistate RN license.
Application Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) with minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on 4.0 scale)
- BSN program must include Health Assessment course with grade of C or better
- Current Georgia RN license OR multistate license
- One year of full-time clinical nursing employment prior to entering nurse practitioner health assessment course
- One year of critical care nursing employment (required for AGACNP track)
- Prerequisite undergraduate statistics course or statistically oriented methodology course with grade of C or better
- College of Graduate Studies application with $50 fee
- Georgia Southern Health Services form
- School of Nursing Student Health Appraisal forms
- Proof of current malpractice liability insurance
- Proof of American Heart Association BLS certification
- Three letters of professional recommendations (phone interview may be necessary)
- International applicants: Official TOEFL scores taken within two years and transcripts evaluated by appropriately accredited service
Upon Acceptance:
- Criminal background and/or drug testing may be requested by clinical agencies (student’s responsibility for cost and scheduling)
Progression Requirements:
- Overall 3.0 GPA required
- Minimum “B” letter grade in each course to progress
- Students become academically ineligible with grade of “C”, “D”, “F”, or “WF” in graduate nursing courses
- If repeating course with didactic and clinical component, both must be completed
- All graduate nursing programs must be completed within seven-year time period
- Students who opt out with MSN and return within three consecutive semesters contact Graduate Program Director
- Returning after three consecutive semesters requires reapplication to Post MSN to DNP program
Post-Master’s Certificate – AGACNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s Certificate AGACNP program is approximately $6,650 in tuition and fees for 19 credit hours and can be completed in as few as three semesters.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate curriculum is individualized based on a gap analysis of previous master’s coursework. The graduate program director evaluates past education and experience to determine which required courses may be waived.
Coursework is dependent on the courses completed in the student’s previous master’s degree. The program blends didactic courses with clinical experiences, with most coursework delivered asynchronously and some live real-time sessions required in selected online courses.
The curriculum provides comprehensive understanding of the acute care nurse practitioner role, focusing on:
- Assessment and diagnosis
- Management of acute and complex health conditions
- Health promotion and disease prevention
- Quality and patient safety in adult and geriatric populations
Certificate Clinicals
Clinical requirements vary based on gap analysis results. Students complete clinical practicums providing acute care to adult and gerontology patients in high-intensity settings.
Clinical Requirements:
- All clinical practicums must be completed with qualified preceptor within 250 miles of Georgia Southern University Statesboro Campus in Georgia
- Students must complete clinicals in Georgia or South Carolina only
- Students must be proactive and secure their own preceptors for clinical practicums
- Proof of current RN malpractice liability insurance required (1 million incident/3 million aggregate)
- Proof of “Student NP” malpractice insurance required before entering any clinical NP courses
- Nursing Student Health forms required
- American Heart Association or Red Cross Level C (2 person-BLS) CPR certification required
- Georgia RN licensure required
Certificate Admissions Requirements
Applicants must hold a master’s degree in nursing from an APRN program and current APRN certification.
Application Requirements:
- Master of Science in Nursing from college accredited by NLN or CCNE with minimum 3.0 GPA (on 4.0 scale)
- Must be certified as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN)
- Pharmacology course cannot be older than 5 years
- Current unrestricted RN license in state of residence and eligibility for Georgia RN license
- Certification as Clinical Nurse Specialist, CRNA, Nurse Midwife, or Nurse Practitioner
- Undergraduate introductory statistics course with grade of C or better
- Undergraduate health appraisal/physical assessment course with grade of C or better
- One year of full-time RN clinical nursing experience before starting Advanced Health Assessment
- Minimum one year of critical care RN work experience within last three years
- College of Graduate Studies online application with $50 fee
- Georgia Southern University Health Services Form
- Three letters of recommendation
- Proof of American Heart Association or Red Cross Level C CPR certification
- Proof of Georgia RN licensure
- Resume or CV with work history
- International applicants: TOEFL scores and transcripts evaluated by NACES accredited service
Progression Requirements:
- Overall 3.0 GPA required
- Minimum “B” letter grade in each course to earn certificate
- Students become academically ineligible with grade of “C”, “D”, “F”, or “WF” in any nurse practitioner course
Tuition
Based on 2024-2025 estimates, fully online graduate students pay $6,802 in tuition and $200 in fees per academic year (same rate for in-state and out-of-state students).
Additional estimated expenses include $13,428 for housing and food, $4,106 for personal expenses, $3,374 for transportation, $1,216 for books and supplies, and $68 in miscellaneous fees.
For more information, visit the Bursar’s Office.
Application Deadlines
Both Programs:
- Fall admission: March 1
- Spring: Does not admit
- Summer: Does not admit
All application materials and required documents must be received by March 1 for Fall cohort admission consideration. Students admitted receive an individualized year-round program of study upon acceptance.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Georgia Southern University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
More ACNP Programs in Georgia
- Augusta University - Augusta
- Brenau University - Gainesville
- Emory University - Atlanta
- Georgia State University - Atlanta
- Mercer University - Atlanta
- Middle Georgia State University - Warner Robins