Rosalind Franklin University offers 2 acute care nurse practitioner tracks:
- BSN to DNP AGACNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate AGACNP
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP AGACNP | $85.3K | 27 months full-time; 32 months part-time | 101 QH |
| Certificate | $13.1K-$14.8K | 9-12 months (3-4 part-time quarters) | 15-17 QH |
Tuition is calculated rather than published. Credits are quarter hours.
The DNP shares its first-year science core, including a cadaver anatomy course, with RFU’s nurse anesthesia program, and students may petition to transfer to the CRNA track. The certificate is still pursuing initial CCNE accreditation.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | BSN to DNP; post-graduate certificate |
| Population Focus | AGACNP (patients age 13 and older) |
| Format | Mostly Online (DNP); Online didactic with optional workshops (certificate) |
| Campus Visits | DNP: one week per month in Quarter 2, one to two days per month in Quarter 4 |
| Clinical Hours | Certificate: 500 direct patient care hours minimum. DNP: not published |
| RN Experience | DNP: 1 year full-time critical care RN at matriculation. Certificate: 1 year as an acute care APRN |
| Distinctive Coursework | Gross anatomy cadaver lab, sonoanatomy, airway and line-placement skills |
| Start Terms | DNP: annual cohort. Certificate: quarterly |
| Tuition | $845/QH (DNP); $870/QH (certificate), 2026-27 |
| Certification | AACN ACNPC-AG or ANCC AGACNP-BC; certificate ANCC eligibility pending accreditation |
| Accreditation | DNP: CCNE. Certificate: pursuing initial CCNE accreditation |
Requirements Shared Across All Tracks
Clinical Requirements
- Specialty courses: both tracks take NDNP 757, NAAC 758, and NAAC 759 (the certificate may waive 759)
- Clinical format: every clinical residency course is in person, in a preceptor-supervised setting
- Preceptors: APRNs and/or physicians at RFU-approved clinical sites
- Placement responsibility: RFU does not publish whether the school or the student secures sites, or any geographic limit
- Board preparation: structured certification exam prep runs in the final seminar or residency course, with synchronous virtual sessions
RN Experience and Licensure
- RN license: current, unencumbered U.S. RN license required for both tracks
- Interview: virtual interview with the Program Director for both tracks
- Testing and letters: no GRE and no formal letters of recommendation
BSN to DNP AGACNP
The estimated tuition for the DNP Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at Rosalind Franklin University is approximately $85,345 (101 QH at $845/QH). The program can generally be completed in about 27 months full-time or 32 months part-time.
RFU launched the track in October 2025, so no certification pass rates are published yet. All requirements must be completed within five years of matriculation.
DNP Curriculum
101 quarter hours, identical in both the full-time and part-time plans.
- NDNP 756: Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology for Nurse Anesthesiology and Acute Care (6 QH)
- NDNP 763: Clinical Application of Gross Anatomy in Anesthesia and Acute Care (5 QH)
- NAAC 711: Clinical Correlations (2 QH), with monthly simulation labs
- NAAC 810, 820, 830: Clinical Residency I-III (8 QH each)
- NAAC 840: Specialty Clinical Residency IV (4 QH), in a specialty area the student chooses from approved sites
- NAAC 714-716: Clinical Seminar and Leadership/Professional Role I-III (4 QH each), one virtual day per month
- Doctoral project: NDNP 906, 907, 921, 922, 924, 933, and 934 (17 QH)
Optional Distinction in Research and Distinction in Evidence-Based Practice designations are available. More curriculum details are available here.
DNP Campus Requirements
- Quarter 2 (fall): in person one week per month for gross anatomy and advanced health assessment (cadaver, sonoanatomy, and physical assessment labs)
- Quarter 4 (spring): in person one to two days per month for intubation, arterial and central lines, suturing, and point-of-care ultrasound
- Virtual obligations: some science courses hold weekly live sessions (recorded), and proctored exams are taken at a set time
DNP Admissions
- Degree: BSN from a regionally accredited institution, completed before applying
- GPA: 3.0 overall, science, and nursing GPA preferred
- Critical care experience: at least one year full-time (two preferred) as a critical care RN by matriculation
- Qualifying units: routine management of invasive hemodynamic monitoring, cardiac assist devices, ventilators, or vasoactive infusions
- Certification: CCRN highly recommended, not required
- References: three professional references listed on the CV
- Prerequisites: none; biostatistics within two years recommended
- Deadline: NursingCAS opens August 6, 2026; submission and verification deadline April 15, 2027
- Transfers: transfer applicants are not accepted
You Should Know: The DNP admits one cohort per year, and the critical care requirement must be met by matriculation. An applicant short of a full year in a qualifying unit waits a full cycle.
You Should Know: AGACNP students may petition during year one to transfer to the 36-month DNP Nurse Anesthesia track. Transfers are competitive, require a 3.0 graduate GPA and an RFU CRNA faculty recommendation, and change cost and time to degree.
Post-Graduate Certificate AGACNP
The estimated tuition for the Post-Graduate Certificate AGACNP at Rosalind Franklin University is approximately $13,050-$14,790 (15-17 QH at $870/QH). The program can generally be completed in about 9 to 12 months.
Certificate Curriculum
- NDNP 757: Differential Diagnosis, Decision-making and Treatment in Acute and Critical Illness I (4 QH)
- NAAC 758: Applied Decision-making and Pharmacologic Treatment in Acute and Critical Illness (4 QH)
- NAAC 759: Health Promotion for Advanced Practice (2 QH), waived with a prior equivalent course at B or better
- NAAC 870 and 871: Clinical Residency I and II (2 QH each)
- NAAC 872: Clinical Residency III and Role Preparation (3 QH), including board prep
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinical and Campus Requirements
- Clinical hours: minimum 500 direct patient care hours
- Gap analysis: faculty-supervised hours from a prior APRN program may count toward the 500
- Campus: none required; optional skills workshops in North Chicago and Colorado Springs, including cadaver airway, ultrasound-guided, and chest tube practice
- Time limit: two calendar years from matriculation
Certificate Admissions
- Degree: master’s or doctoral nursing degree from an accredited APRN program (NP, CRNA, or other APRN)
- License: unencumbered RN and APRN license
- Experience: one year full-time (or part-time equivalent) as an APRN in an acute care setting
- Qualifying settings: hospitals, specialty offices, urgent care, surgical centers, and long-term acute care hospitals
- Prerequisites: graduate advanced pathophysiology, health assessment, and pharmacology; missing courses may be taken at RFU
- Deadlines: October 23, 2026 for the November 9 start; January 29, 2027 for the February 22 start
- CRNA students: nurse anesthesia students in good standing may enroll, but the certificate is awarded only after their graduate degree
You Should Know: The certificate program is pursuing initial CCNE accreditation. Until it is granted, graduates can sit for the AACN exam but not the ANCC exam.
Tuition
RFU charges $845 per quarter hour for the DNP and $870 per quarter hour for the certificate (2026-27 rates). No per-credit fees apply; mandatory fees are billed annually.
| Program | Credits | Estimated Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| BSN to DNP AGACNP | 101 QH | $85,345 |
| Post-Graduate Certificate | 15-17 QH | $13,050-$14,790 |
- DNP fees: $7,895 over three years (simulation, clinical requirements, technology, health, board prep, graduation), for an estimated $93,240 all-in
- Certificate fees: $1,140 per year (technology $750, health and wellness $350, student council $40), for an estimated $14,190-$15,930 all-in
Be aware: Rates are reset each April. A 27- or 32-month DNP spans three rate years, so the total will rise if RFU raises tuition.
See the official DNP tuition and certificate tuition pages and RFU’s financial aid page.
Why Choose This ACNP Program?
- Anesthesia-grade science core: DNP students take pathophysiology and cadaver-based gross anatomy built for nurse anesthesia and acute care, alongside CRNA peers.
- Procedural skills before residency: Quarter 4 labs cover intubation, arterial and central lines, suturing, and point-of-care ultrasound.
- Route into anesthesia: A competitive year-one petition can move an AGACNP student onto the CRNA track with shared courses counted.
- Certificate credit for prior hours: A gap analysis can apply earlier APRN clinical hours to the 500-hour requirement, with quarterly starts and no campus requirement.
The DNP suits ICU nurses who want a procedure-heavy doctorate and may weigh anesthesia later. The certificate suits practicing APRNs in hospital or specialty settings who can accept AACN-only certification until CCNE acts.
Accreditation and Certification
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program, including the AGACNP track, is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
RFU’s post-graduate APRN certificate program, which includes the AGACNP certificate, is pursuing initial CCNE accreditation. RFU notes that applying does not guarantee accreditation will be granted.
The university is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, with reaffirmation scheduled for 2028, and authorized by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. RFU participates in NC-SARA.
DNP graduates are eligible for the AGACNP exam from either AACN (ACNPC-AG) or ANCC (AGACNP-BC). Certificate graduates are eligible for the AACN exam now and for the ANCC exam once CCNE grants accreditation.
Compare RFU to OtherIllinois ACNP Programs
- Bradley University - Peoria
- Chamberlain University - Chicago
- Loyola University Chicago - Chicago
- Rush University - Chicago
- University of Illinois Chicago - Chicago