Middle Georgia State University offers 2 Acute Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- Master of Science in Nursing – (MSN)
- Post-Master’s Certificate in AGACNP
All courses are delivered fully online with two required on-campus intensive/immersion days each semester.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN AGACNP | $12,940 | 2.5 years |
| Post-Master’s Certificate AGACNP | $7,220 | 2 years |
The programs prepare nurses to provide advanced care to adult and geriatric populations in acute care settings including emergency rooms, intensive care units, trauma units, specialty clinics, and long-term care facilities.
Master of Science in Nursing – AGACNP
The estimated cost for the MSN-AGACNP program is approximately $12,940 and would take 2.5 years to complete on a full-time basis (5 consecutive semesters).
MSN Curriculum
The 45-credit-hour curriculum emphasizes health promotion and maintenance, differential diagnosis, disease management, and pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions.
Year One courses (24 hours):
NURS 5000 – Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credits)
This course reviews disease mechanisms using advanced anatomy and physiology concepts. Students study acute and chronic conditions in adults and older adults, including genomics links to disease. The course supports later advanced practice clinical courses.
NURS 5100 – Professional Concepts (2 credits)
This course explains the advanced practice nurse role with adult and older adult patients and families. Students examine care delivery, outcomes, legal and ethical duties, and professional standards. Students connect these concepts to real practice expectations.
NURS 5200 – Advanced Health Assessment/Diagnostic Reasoning (3 credits)
This course strengthens advanced history taking, interviewing, and physical assessment skills. Students assess adults through older adulthood and focus on common acute care problems. Students interpret findings and diagnostic tests, document results, and use clinical reasoning to assign diagnoses and codes, with lab and clinical practice.
NURS 5300 – Advanced Pharmacology/Therapeutic Interventions (3 credits)
This course covers drug classes, herbal agents, and natural substances used in prevention and treatment. Students study pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safe prescribing with focus on adults and older adults. Students also review adverse effects, contraindications, and non-drug therapies.
NURS 5400 – Adult/Gerontology Acute Care I (8 credits)
This first acute care course applies diagnostic reasoning to adult and older adult conditions in acute settings under NP supervision. Students build care plans that include diagnostic, therapeutic, and medication interventions. Students focus on improving outcomes for patients with complex acute and chronic illness.
NURS 5500 – Research and Evidence Based Practice (3 credits)
This course introduces research design and data analysis used in health services and outcomes research. Students study clinical and ethical issues in research and review trial design. Students apply evidence to advanced practice nursing decisions.
NURS 5600 – Quality/Safety/Improvement Processes (2 credits)
This course teaches quality improvement and safety methods tied to patient outcomes. Students use evidence and management concepts to design better care processes. Students focus on safe, efficient care delivery and patient satisfaction.
Year Two (19 hours)
NURS 6200 – Leadership/Management & Healthcare Policy (2 credits)
This course reviews leadership, change, and systems thinking in health care. Students study culture, environment factors, and quality improvement as leadership tools. Students connect leadership skills to policy and practice decisions.
NURS 6400 – Adult/Gerontology Acute Care II (8 credits)
This course builds skills for health promotion, maintenance, and management of acute and chronic conditions in acute and critical settings. Students strengthen critical reasoning and create decision algorithms for care. The course includes lecture and extensive lab/clinical work under NP supervision.
NURS 6500 – Adult/Gerontology Acute Care III (8 credits)
This course integrates prior clinical and didactic learning as students move toward advanced role readiness. Students manage complex acute and chronic conditions and refine role-based practice skills. Students also study certification and licensure steps, plus billing, reimbursement, and prescriptive authority topics.
NURS 6600 – Project Management in Health Care (3 credits)
This course introduces process improvement, risk reduction, and efficiency methods in health services. Students use organizational analysis and strategic planning to evaluate system performance. Students examine how policy, competition, and professional norms influence health care strategy.
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinicals
Students complete 855 clinical practice hours in various acute care settings. Students may complete clinical hours at Navicent Healthcare or at an approved Georgia healthcare facility of their choice, pending MSN Program Coordinator approval.
MSN Admissions Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing from an institutionally accredited institution
- 3.0 undergraduate GPA minimum
- One year of RN nursing experience
- Unrestricted Registered Nurse License in Georgia
- Grade of “C” or better in undergraduate statistics course
- Grade of “C” or better in 3000 or 4000-level physical/health assessment course
- Three professional or academic recommendations
- Professional résumé
- 500-word minimum Statement of Purpose in APA format
- Official college transcripts from all institutions attended
Post-Master’s Certificate – AGACNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s AGACNP Certificate program is approximately $7,220 and would take 2 years to complete.
Certificate Curriculum
The 24-credit-hour certificate is designed for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses certified in other population foci who seek AGACNP certification. Students must earn a “B” or better in each course to successfully complete certificate requirements.
Required courses:
- NURS 5400 Adult/Gerontology Acute Care I (8 credits)
- NURS 6400 Adult/Gerontology Acute Care II (8 credits)
- NURS 6500 Adult/Gerontology Acute Care III (8 credits)
More curriculum details are available here
Certificate Clinicals
Clinical hours are determined by GAP analysis based on the student’s previous APRN education and experience.
Certificate Admissions Requirements
- Master of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited nursing program
- One year of Advanced Practice nursing experience
- Unrestricted Registered Nurse and Advanced Practice License in Georgia
- Official college transcripts
- Three professional or academic letters of recommendation
- Professional résumé
- 500-word minimum Statement of Purpose in APA format
Tuition
Graduate tuition is $261 per credit hour with a $239 online learning fee assessed per semester for fully online students.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Application Deadlines
The MSN-AGACNP program has a priority application deadline of July 15 for Fall admission. The Post-Master’s Certificate program has an application deadline of November 15 for Spring admission.
Accreditation
The master’s nursing program and post-master’s certificate option at Middle Georgia State University are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) with continuing accreditation status.
Upon successful completion of either program, graduates are eligible to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Critical Care AGACNP certification exam.
More ACNP Programs in Georgia
- Augusta University - Augusta
- Brenau University - Gainesville
- Emory University - Atlanta
- Georgia Southern University - Statesboro
- Georgia State University - Atlanta
- Mercer University - Atlanta