Saint Joseph’s University offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- Master of Science in Nursing – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (MSN-AGACNP)
- Post-Master’s Certificate in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
The programs feature flexible online classes with onsite clinical components, allowing students to maintain full or part-time employment while completing clinical requirements at approved locations.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN AGACNP | $49,398–$51,498 | 3 years (full-time) |
| Certificate AGACNP | $21,042–$34,068 | 12–18 months |
Saint Joseph’s University boasts a 100% pass rate on the AACN/ANCC Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) exams and provides clinical support at premier Pennsylvania healthcare facilities.
Master of Science in Nursing – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
The estimated cost for the MSN-AGACNP program is approximately $49,398–$51,498 and would take 3 years to complete on a full-time basis.
MSN Curriculum
The MSN-AGACNP curriculum totals 47–49 credits delivered over three years and prepares nurses to provide high-quality, comprehensive care to adult and geriatric patients with acute and complex health conditions. The program integrates leadership, evidence-based practice, and advanced clinical skills to prepare graduates for board certification.
Required courses include:
NUR 500 – NP Role Development (1 credit)
This course introduces the APRN role and core nurse practitioner competencies. Students study how advanced practice nursing developed through key theories, history, and professional standards.
MGT 550 – Leadership and Ethics (3 credits)
This course teaches ethical leadership in organizations and communities. Students practice decision-making, stakeholder analysis, and leadership skills related to power, motivation, and culture.
HAD 559 – Health Policy (3 credits)
This course reviews how health policy is made and changed at federal, state, local, and organizational levels. Students learn to analyze laws and regulations and apply policy tools to real health system issues.
NUR 640 – Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credits)
This course examines disease processes across the lifespan. Students connect pathophysiology to prevention, health promotion, and evidence-based clinical care.
NUR 641 – Advanced Pharmacology (3 credits)
This course covers pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, side effects, and drug interactions. Students focus on safe prescribing and medication selection for specific patient groups.
NUR 511 – Graduate Research (3 credits)
This course introduces quantitative and qualitative research methods used in health care. Students critique research articles and review basic approaches to data analysis.
NUR 642 – Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (3 credits)
This course builds advanced assessment skills for patients across the lifespan. Students use findings to form differential diagnoses and guide next-step clinical decisions.
NUR 643 – Health Promotion in Integrated Care (3 credits)
This course explores the science and theory behind health promotion. Students plan prevention strategies for diverse populations across the lifespan.
NUR 700 – Epidemiology and Population Health (3 credits)
This course applies epidemiology to population-based practice. Students examine social determinants of health and use data to support community and system-level interventions.
NUR 740 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP I (4 credits)
This course introduces acute care diagnosis and management for young adults through older adults. Students develop clinical thinking for complex and chronic medical conditions.
NUR 741 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Practicum I (3–4 credits)
This practicum supports supervised management of acute and complex chronic illness in adult and older adult patients. Students strengthen assessment and treatment skills in specialty settings while considering system factors that affect outcomes.
NUR 742 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP II (4 credits)
This course expands diagnosis and management in adult-gerontology acute care. Students focus on selected medical and surgical sub-specialty conditions and refine care planning.
NUR 743 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Practicum II (3–4 credits)
This practicum increases clinical independence in diagnosing and managing acute and complex chronic conditions. Students improve data accuracy, clinical efficiency, and sub-specialty decision-making.
NUR 744 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP III (4 credits)
This course focuses on advanced clinical judgment for unstable and high-acuity patients. Students strengthen analytic skills for rapid assessment, prioritization, and complex management decisions.
NUR 745 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Practicum III (3–4 credits)
This final practicum emphasizes readiness for independent AGACNP practice in critical care settings. Students manage high-risk conditions with potential for rapid deterioration and practice safe transition-to-role skills.
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinicals
MSN-AGACNP students complete 720 clinical hours distributed across three clinical courses, with each course comprising 240 clinical hours. Clinical contracts must be in place prior to approval and can take 6 weeks to one year to secure. Students apply for clinical sites by the midterm of the semester prior to clinical.
Clinical requirements include:
- Total 720 clinical hours across NUR 741, NUR 743, and NUR 745
- Each clinical course: 240 hours
- Active AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers
- Active American Heart Association (ACLS) certification required before beginning clinical courses
- Pennsylvania clearances (PATCH, Child Abuse History, FBI Background Check)
- Drug screening and immunization documentation
- Clinical sites at premier Pennsylvania healthcare facilities
MSN Prerequisites & Admissions
- Unencumbered RN licensure in Pennsylvania or multistate RN unencumbered license
- BSN degree from regionally-accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Completed Health Assessment and Statistics course with grade of C or higher
- 2 years’ experience and 3,000 hours of clinical experience as a nurse
- Official college transcripts from all colleges attended
- Written statement identifying career goals
- Current resume
- Two letters of recommendation (one from NP/MD/DO/MSN/doctorate-prepared nurse; one from nursing leader with MSN or doctoral degree)
- Rolling admissions with fall (August), spring (January), and summer (May) start terms
Post-Master’s Certificate in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s Certificate in AGACNP is approximately $21,042–$34,068 and would take 12–18 months to complete depending on nurse practitioner status.
Certificate Curriculum
The Post-Master’s Certificate requires 21–24 credits for current nurse practitioners or 34 credits for non-nurse practitioners, with actual coursework varying based on a comprehensive gap analysis conducted at admission. The curriculum focuses on evidence-based practices, advanced assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and management strategies for acute care settings.
Required courses include:
- NUR 740 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP I (4 credits)
- NUR 741 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Practicum I (3–4 credits)
- NUR 742 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP II (4 credits)
- NUR 743 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Practicum II (3–4 credits)
- NUR 744 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP III (4 credits)
- NUR 745 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Practicum III (3–4 credits)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinicals
Certificate students complete clinical hours based on their current certification status, with practicing nurse practitioners completing a minimum of 540 clinical hours (180 hours per clinical course) and non-nurse practitioners completing 720 clinical hours (240 hours per clinical course). Clinical contracts must be secured in advance with support from Saint Joseph’s University.
Clinical requirements include:
- Certified NPs: Minimum 540 hours total (180 hours per clinical course)
- Non-NPs: Minimum 720 hours total (240 hours per clinical course)
- Active AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers
- Active ACLS certification required before clinical courses begin
- Pennsylvania clearances and background checks
- Drug screening and immunization compliance
- Clinical placement support at premier Pennsylvania locations
Certificate Prerequisites & Admissions
- Unencumbered RN licensure in Pennsylvania or multistate RN unencumbered license
- PMC applicants who are NPs must have unencumbered NP license
- MSN degree from regionally-accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Official college transcripts from all colleges attended
- Written statement identifying career goals
- Current resume
- Two letters of recommendation (one from NP/MD/DO/MSN/doctorate-prepared nurse; one from nursing leader with MSN or doctoral degree)
- Gap analysis conducted at admission to determine individualized plan of study
- Rolling admissions with fall (August), spring (January), and summer (May) start terms
Tuition
Graduate nursing tuition is $1,002 per credit for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Students enrolling in clinical practicum courses (NUR 741, NUR 743, and NUR 745) pay an additional program-specific fee of $2,100 per clinical course.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program in nursing and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Saint Joseph’s University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates are eligible to sit for the AACN or ANCC Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certification exam.
More ACNP Programs for Pennsylvania Students
- Cedar Crest College - Allentown
- Drexel University - Philadelphia
- Duquesne University - Pittsburgh
- Moravian University - Bethlehem
- Penn State - University Park
- Thomas Jefferson University - Philadelphia
- University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia
- Widener University - Chester