The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing offers two Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) tracks:
- Post-BSN to DNP AG-ACNP Track
- Post-Graduate Certificate AG-ACNP Track
Both pathways prepare nurses to provide advanced care to physiologically unstable, technologically dependent, and critically ill adult patients across emergency departments, intensive care units, inpatient medicine, and procedural areas.
Program Tracks Overview
The program utilizes active teaching-learning strategies including team-based learning, task trainers for procedures, and simulation experiences, with many students receiving job offers from their clinical rotation sites.
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Post-BSN to DNP AG ACNP | $37,800–$38,325 | 3 years |
| Post-Graduate Certificate AG ACNP | ≈$11,550 | About 12 months |
Doctor of Nursing Practice – AG-ACNP Track
The estimated cost for the Post-BSN to DNP AG-ACNP program is approximately $37,800-$38,325 for Arkansas residents (72-73 credits at $525 per credit hour) and would take 3 years to complete on a full-time basis, with a 4-year part-time option available.
DNP Curriculum
The DNP AG-ACNP track requires 72-73 total program credits with 1,120 practicum clock hours. The first four semesters cover core DNP coursework shared across all nurse practitioner specialties, with specialty-focused courses beginning in the fifth semester.
Core Courses (All NP Tracks):
- NURS 51003: Research Methodology (3 credits)
- NURS 51033: Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (3 credits)
- NURS 71053: Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice and Research (3 credits)
- NURS 71143: Health Care Analytics for Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NURS 72103: Evidence-based Practice (3 credits)
- NURS 51043: Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (3 credits)
- NURS 52063: Quantitative Epidemiology I (3 credits)
- NURS 71153: Clinical Prevention and Health Promotion (3 credits)
- NURS 53053: Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning (3 credits)
- NURS 71103: Economics for Complex Organizational Systems (3 credits)
- NURS 71133: Health Care Informatics (3 credits)
- NURS 71163: Roles & Professional Practice for APRNs (3 credits)
- NURS 72133: Quality Outcomes Management (3 credits)
- NURS 71173: Leadership in Health Policy & Advocacy (3 credits)
- NURS 72142: Integration of DNP Competencies (2 credits)
- NURS 74004: Advanced Nursing Clinical Practice (5 credits, 350 clock hours)
- Elective (3 credits)
AG-ACNP Specialty Courses:
- NURS 51854: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Theory I (4 credits)
- NURS 71805: DNP Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Practicum I (4 credits, 280 clock hours)
- NURS 52853: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Theory II (3 credits)
- NURS 72802: DNP Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Practicum II (2 credits, 140 clock hours)
- NURS 53852: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Theory III (2 credits)
- NURS 73806: DNP Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Practicum III (5 credits, 350 clock hours)
DNP Clinicals
Students complete 1,120 total practicum clock hours across specialty and capstone experiences. Clinical sites must differ from the student’s workplace, and students rotate to different facilities each semester unless community resources are limited and faculty approval is obtained.
Skills acquired include comprehensive and focused history and physical examinations, hemodynamic monitoring, central venous and arterial line placement, suturing, incision and drainage, lumbar puncture, paracentesis, ventilator management, and laboratory/diagnostic interpretation.
DNP Admission Requirements
- Baccalaureate degree in nursing from ACEN or CCNE-accredited program
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on most recent nursing degree
- Active, unencumbered Arkansas or compact state RN license
- Academic or ANCC-COA approved health assessment course
- Basic statistics course with grade of “C” or better
- Minimum 2,000 verified RN experience hours before enrolling in Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning
- Current BLS/CPR certification (American Heart Association or American Red Cross)
- ACLS certification required before beginning clinical specialty courses
- Current TB test and completed Hepatitis B immunization series
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Curriculum vitae or resume
- Professional goals statement
- No standardized entrance exam (GRE/MAT) required
Post-Graduate Certificate – AG-ACNP Track
The estimated cost for the Post-Graduate Certificate AG-ACNP program is approximately $11,550 for Arkansas residents (22 specialty credits at $525 per credit hour) and would take approximately 3-4 semesters to complete, depending on gap analysis results.
Certificate Curriculum
A gap analysis is conducted based on previous transcripts to identify whether additional foundational coursework is required beyond the specialty courses.
AG-ACNP Certificate Specialty Courses:
- NURS 51854: Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Theory I (4 credit hours)
- NURS 52852: Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Theory II (3 credit hours)
- NURS 53852: Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Theory III (2 credit hours)
- NURS 71805: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Practicum I (5 credit hours)
- NURS 72802: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Practicum II (2 credit hours)
- NURS 73806: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Practicum III (6 credit hours)
Certificate Clinicals
Clinical practicum requirements total 770 clock hours across three practicum courses. Students may not complete clinical rotations on units where they are employed as staff nurses, and they must rotate to different clinical sites at different facilities each semester.
Certificate Admission Requirements
- Official transcript reflecting master’s or DNP degree in nursing from CCNE or NLNAC-accredited institution
- Current Arkansas RN license
- Completion of MNSc application indicating post-graduate certificate program interest
- Individual interview and essay may be required
- Admission on space-available basis
- Gap analysis to determine if additional core or foundational courses are needed
Tuition
Graduate tuition for Arkansas residents is $525 per credit hour, with border state residents (Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas) also charged at the in-state rate.
Non-resident graduate tuition is $888 per credit hour. Additional fees include a Graduate Program Fee of $166 per semester (fall/spring), Student Liability Insurance of $20 per semester, and a CON Graduate Simulation Fee of $90 per semester.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The UAMS College of Nursing BSN and graduate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
UAMS is one of the region’s major academic health centers and includes institutes of excellence such as the Translational Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, and the Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence—one of only eight such nursing programs in the country.
Related Nursing Programs at UAMS
Doctor of Nursing Practice Tracks:
- Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Acute/Primary Care Dual Certification Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Anesthesia (36-month full-time program)
- Post-Master’s Leadership Track
Master of Nursing Science Specialties:
- Nursing Administration
- Nursing Education
- Nurse-Midwifery
Other Programs:
- Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Little Rock campus)
- Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Northwest Arkansas campus)
- RN-to-MNSc Program
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
Additional ACNP Programs for Arkansas Residents
- Arkansas State University - Jonesboro