Youngstown State University (YSU) offers 2 Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – AGACNP
- Post-Master’s Certificate – AGACNP
Both programs are delivered entirely online with multiple start dates throughout the year, allowing students to begin as soon as January 2026.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Tuition | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN AG-ACNP | $24,435* | As few as 18 months |
| ACNP – Post Master’s Certificate | $19,548* | As few as 18 months |
*In-state tuition. Out-of-state students pay slightly higher per-credit rates.
The programs include a supervised clinical practicum of 540 hours in acute care settings, with students responsible for securing their own preceptors in their geographic location, and feature an integrated capstone course along with advanced studies in pathophysiology, diagnostics, technologies, and pharmacology.
Master of Science in Nursing – AGACNP
The estimated cost for the MSN-AGACNP program is $24,435 for in-state students (or $24,660 for out-of-state students) and takes as few as 18 months to complete on a full-time basis across 45 credit hours.
MSN Curriculum
The MSN-AGACNP curriculum totals 45 credit hours comprised of 27 credit hours of core courses and 18 credit hours of specialty and practicum courses.
Students learn clinical manifestations of and patient response to particular patient care challenges including pulmonary, cardiovascular, and other body systems with emphasis on physical assessment findings for determining diagnoses and planning patient care needs as well as health promotion and maintenance.
The program prepares graduates to provide direct acute care to the adult and older adult population within the healthcare delivery system.
MSN Core Courses (27 credit hours)
NURS 6900 – Healthcare Issues and Trends – 3 s.h.
Examines current issues that shape nursing practice, including expanding roles, scope of practice, and disciplinary concerns. Emphasizes how social, cultural, political, economic, legal, regulatory, and ethical factors influence care and interprofessional teamwork.
Prerequisite: Graduate nursing program status.
NURS 6901 – Theoretical Foundations in Science and Research – 3 s.h.
Introduces how theory and research work together to guide advanced nursing practice. Covers research designs, data collection, basic statistics, and strategies for translating evidence into everyday clinical decisions.
Prerequisite: Nursing graduate status.
NURS 6902 – Advanced Pathophysiology – 3 s.h.
Explores normal body function and the mechanisms that lead to common and complex disease states. Builds the scientific base needed for advanced assessment, diagnosis, and management.
NURS 6903 – Advanced Pharmacology – 3 s.h.
Focuses on major drug classes and how they are used safely and effectively in clinical settings. Highlights mechanisms of action, side effects, interactions, and decision-making for advanced practice nurses.
Prerequisite: NURS 6902.
NURS 6904 – Advanced Health Assessment – 3 s.h.
Develops advanced skills in history-taking and physical examination across the lifespan. Emphasizes recognizing normal and abnormal findings and forming initial differential diagnoses.
Prerequisite: NURS 6903.
NURS 6917 – Differential Diagnosis – 3 s.h.
Strengthens diagnostic reasoning by integrating history, exam findings, and diagnostic tests. Guides learners in forming and narrowing differential diagnoses while considering cultural, family, and community context.
Prerequisite: NURS 6902.
NURS 6918 – Advanced Diagnostics and Technologies – 3 s.h.
Covers common diagnostic tests, procedures, telehealth tools, and informatics used in advanced practice. Emphasizes selecting, interpreting, and documenting diagnostic data to support clinical decisions.
NURS 7003 – Role Development in Advanced Practice – 3 s.h.
Examines the advanced practice nurse role as clinician, educator, consultant, researcher, and leader. Addresses scope, legal and ethical issues, and professional identity in evolving health systems.
NURS 7005 – Capstone Practicum – 3 s.h.
Serves as the culminating experience in the MSN program, integrating prior coursework into a scholarly project. Students design, implement, and present a practice-focused initiative under faculty guidance.
Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 7051 or NURS 7042 or a combination of NURS 7022 and NURS 7023.
Adult Gero Acute Care NP Specialty Courses (18 credit hours)
NURS 7037 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care 1 – 3 s.h.
Introduces acute care management for young adults through frail older adults with complex conditions. Focuses on assessment findings, early differential diagnosis, and care planning for problems such as pulmonary and cardiovascular issues.
Prerequisites: NURS 6902, NURS 6903, NURS 6904.
NURS 7038 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care 1 Practicum – 3 s.h.
Provides supervised acute care clinical experience applying content from AGACNP coursework. Emphasizes collaboration with patients, families, and the healthcare team while using health information technology in real practice.
Prerequisites: NURS 7037, NURS 7039, NURS 7041.
NURS 7039 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care 2 – 3 s.h.
Builds on AGACNP concepts to manage more complex acute and chronic conditions such as integumentary and infectious diseases. Reinforces use of advanced assessment, diagnosis, health promotion, and maintenance in diverse adult populations.
Prerequisites: NURS 6902, NURS 6903, NURS 6904.
NURS 7040 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care 2 Practicum – 3 s.h.
Continues supervised acute care practice aligned with NURS 7039. Highlights quality improvement, patient safety, and effective functioning within interdisciplinary teams and health systems.
Prerequisites: NURS 7037, NURS 7039, NURS 7041.
NURS 7041 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care 3 – 3 s.h.
Integrates the full AGACNP role in managing endocrine, gastrointestinal, multisystem, trauma, and other complex conditions. Stresses diagnostic reasoning, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management, consultation, and transitional care for diverse acutely ill adults.
Prerequisites: NURS 6902, NURS 6903, NURS 6904.
NURS 7042 – Adult Gerontology Acute Care 3 Practicum – 3 s.h.
Final AGACNP practicum focused on independent practice competencies in acute care settings. Emphasizes stabilizing illness, preventing complications, promoting optimal function, and coordinating interdisciplinary and transitional care.
Prerequisites: NURS 7037, NURS 7039, NURS 7041.
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinicals
MSN-AGACNP students complete 540 clinical hours distributed across three practicum courses (180 hours each in 7-week terms, averaging approximately 26 practicum hours per week).
Settings: Clinical experiences must be completed in acute care settings. Students are highly encouraged to explore clinical opportunities in their own geographic location and are responsible for securing their own preceptors, though the university verifies all clinical site and preceptor information submitted for approval.
Rotations: Clinical rotations may be completed at the student’s place of employment provided they are not in the student’s direct unit or patient care area, an immediate supervisor is not the preceptor, and clinical hours are not performed during paid work time.
Preceptor information must be submitted via Medatrax two months prior to clinical start date for approval.
MSN Prerequisites & Admissions
- Completed online application
- Official transcripts from all institutions previously attended
- BSN degree with 3.0 undergraduate/graduate GPA
- Minimum 1 year of recent critical care experience (including emergency room, ICU, or intermediate acute care experience within 3 years of first practicum course)
- Current, valid, unencumbered RN license in the state where practicum hours will be completed
- $45 application fee (waived for active/veteran military members)
- Current BLS certification (maintained annually throughout program)
- Current ACLS certification required prior to start of clinical practicums
- Immunizations, drug screen, and criminal background checks (submitted via CastleBranch)
- Program completion must be in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, or Michigan
- Students must maintain minimum 3.0 GPA throughout program
- Clinical practicum courses must be taken one at a time in sequential order
Post-Master’s Certificate – AGACNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s Certificate AGACNP program is $19,548 for in-state students and takes as few as 18 months to complete on a full-time basis across 36 credit hours. ($19,728 for out-of-state students)
Certificate Curriculum
The Post-Master’s Certificate AGACNP totals 36 credit hours comprised of 18 credit hours of core courses and 18 credit hours of specialty and practicum courses.
The program is designed for nurses who hold MSN degree qualifications and builds on their ability to care for adults with complex and chronic conditions in high acuity and specialty areas.
An Advanced Standing Program (18 hours) is available for applicants who have already earned an MSN degree with nurse practitioner qualifications, permitting completion of all requirements in just 18 hours.
Core Courses (18 credit hours):
- NURS 6902: Advanced Pathophysiology
- NURS 6903: Advanced Pharmacology (unless completed previously)
- NURS 6904: Advanced Health Assessment (unless completed previously)
- NURS 6917: Differential Diagnoses
- NURS 6918: Advanced Diagnostics & Technologies
- NURS 7003: Role Development in Advanced Practice
Specialty Courses (18 credit hours):
- NURS 7037: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner 1
- NURS 7038: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner 1 Practicum
- NURS 7039: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner 2
- NURS 7040: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner 2 Practicum
- NURS 7041: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner 3
- NURS 7042: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner 3 Practicum
Advanced Standing Program (18 credit hours) for NPs adding AGACNP specialization:
- NURS 7037: Adult Gerontology Acute Care 1
- NURS 7039: Adult Gerontology Acute Care 2
- NURS 7041: Adult Gerontology Acute Care 3
- NURS 7038: Adult Gerontology Acute Care 1 Practicum
- NURS 7040: Adult Gerontology Acute Care 2 Practicum
- NURS 7042: Adult Gerontology Acute Care 3 Practicum
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinicals
Post-Master’s Certificate students complete 540 clinical hours in acute care settings distributed across three practicum courses (180 hours each). The clinical format is the same as MSN program (see above for details).
Prerequisites & Admissions
- Completed online application
- Official transcripts from all institutions previously attended
- MSN degree from accredited program with 3.0 GPA
- Minimum 1 year of recent critical care experience (within 3 years of first practicum course)
- Current, valid, unencumbered RN license in state where practicum hours will be completed
- $45 application fee (waived for active/veteran military members)
- Current BLS certification (maintained annually throughout program)
- Current ACLS certification required prior to start of clinical practicums
- Immunizations, drug screen, and criminal background checks (submitted via CastleBranch)
- Applicants with existing MSN with nurse practitioner qualifications automatically considered for Advanced Standing status (18 credit hours instead of 36)
- Program completion must be in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan, or Florida
- Students must maintain minimum 3.0 GPA throughout program
- Clinical practicum courses must be taken one at a time in sequential order
Tuition
MSN-AGACNP tuition is $543 per credit hour for in-state students and $548 per credit hour for out-of-state students.
Post-Master’s Certificate AGACNP tuition is $543 per credit hour for in-state students and $548 per credit hour for out-of-state students.
Additional fees include $45 application fee (waived for military) and $12 technology fee per course. No payment plans are available for accelerated online students. Financial aid is available for those who qualify through FAFSA (YSU Federal School Code: 003145).
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing degree programs at Youngstown State University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing.
Graduates of the AGACNP programs are qualified and eligible to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and/or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners AG-ACNP certification examinations, and following national certification, are granted prescriptive authority through the Ohio Board of Nursing.
Other Nursing Programs
- Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse Education
- Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner
- Post-Master’s Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner
- Post-Master’s Certificate – Nursing Education
Other ACNP Programs for Ohio Nurses
- Case Western Reserve University - Cleveland
- Cedarville University - Cedarville
- Kent State University - Kent
- Mount Carmel College - Columbus
- Ohio State University - Columbus
- Ohio University - Athens
- University of Cincinnati - Cincinnati
- Ursuline College - Cleveland
- Wright State University - Dayton