SUNY Upstate Medical University offers 3 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MS
- BS-DNP
- Postgraduate Certificate
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (In-State) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS | $29.7K | 2.3 years (7 semesters) | 60 |
| BS-DNP (Full-Time) | $87.5K | 3 years (8 semesters) | 82 |
| BS-DNP (Part-Time) | $90.8K | 4.5 years (13 semesters) | 82 |
| Certificate | $18.4K–$21.4K | 1–2 years (3–5 semesters) | 36–42 |
Tuition estimates are for New York residents and apply Upstate’s 2026–27 per-credit or flat full-time rate to each published term load, plus mandatory college, activity, technology, and health fees.
This is a program built for New York nurses who can get to Syracuse once a week. Upstate trains FNPs inside an academic medical center, and BSN nurses can choose a 60-credit MS with a built-in bridge to the DNP or an 82-credit BS-DNP that ends with a 225-hour clinical immersion semester.
The trade-off is geography. Classroom courses meet on campus weekly, placements are concentrated in Central New York, and Upstate confirms its FNP programs meet licensure requirements only in New York.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MS; BS-DNP (full-time or part-time); Post Graduate Advanced Certificate |
| Format | Hybrid: online courses plus classroom courses meeting once weekly in Syracuse |
| Clinical Hours | MS and certificate: 750; BS-DNP: 900 plus 200 DNP project hours |
| Clinical Placement | Shared search between college and student; 700+ clinical contracts, mostly Central New York |
| Population | Family (primary care across all ages) |
| Distinctive Coursework | Family Nursing Theory, Nurse as Educator, 225-hour Clinical Immersion (BS-DNP) |
| DNP Progression | MS graduates who pass boards enter the online DNP without reapplying |
| RN License Requirements | MS and BS-DNP: unencumbered U.S. RN; Certificate: New York RN and NP licenses |
| Licensure Disclosure | MS and BS-DNP meet NP educational requirements in New York only |
| Tuition | MS and certificate $471/credit resident; BS-DNP $1,068/credit resident |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s, DNP, post-graduate APRN certificate); Middle States (institution) |
Master of Science, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MS, Family Nurse Practitioner at SUNY Upstate is approximately $29,660 in-state or $66,424 out-of-state (60 credits at $471/credit resident, $1,105 non-resident, plus fees). The program can generally be completed in about 2.3 years (7 semesters, fall start, part-time).
MS Curriculum
A part-time, clinical-heavy back half. The first three semesters cover pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, and a four-course professional role sequence. The FNP clinical sequence then runs three consecutive semesters, fall of year 2 through fall of year 3, at 250 hours each.
Built to feed the DNP. The final semester includes NURS 710, Foundations of the DNP Project. Graduates who pass national boards can continue into Upstate’s online, part-time post-master’s DNP without reapplying, with two required DNP courses already completed.
- NURS 530, 531, 532, 680: Professional Role Development I–IV
- NURS 621: Clinical Pathophysiology
- NURS 607: Advanced Health Assessment
- NURS 640: Pharmacology for Advanced Practice
- NURS 696: Diagnostics and Clinical Procedures
- NURS 641–643: Clinical Management/FNP 1–3 (250 hours each)
- NURS 540: Health Promotion and Education
- NURS 710: Foundations of the DNP Project
More curriculum details are available in the Upstate Academic Catalog.
You Should Know
- The Summer 1 plan lists NURS 609, FPMHNP Theory, as required for “all students,” and the 60-credit total depends on it. Confirm whether FNP students take this psychiatric course.
- Upstate’s separate MS FNP curriculum page is outdated. It shows 50 credits labeled “AGNP” and 6-credit clinical courses. This page uses the Fall 2025 plan of study.
- Only a fall-start, part-time plan is published.
MS Clinical Requirements
- 750 clinical hours: 250 each in FNP 1, 2, and 3 (3 × 250)
- Clinical terms: fall of year 2, spring of year 2, and fall of year 3
- Sites: Upstate University Hospital and its specialty clinics, plus a network of physician offices, hospitals, clinics, and agencies in New York State
- Placement: a collaboration between the college and the student
750 hours is 250 above the certification floor and above the 600–700 hour range common in FNP programs. Over a 17-week semester, 250 hours is about 15 hours a week (derived). Because clinical terms carry only 8 to 14 credits, most working nurses can hold part-time or reduced full-time hours during this phase.
MS Admissions
The MS admits once a year for fall, and a year of RN experience is highly recommended though not required.
- BSN with undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher; a higher GPA may be needed to be competitive
- Unencumbered U.S. RN license (submitted after acceptance)
- Prerequisites: basic health assessment and a 3-credit basic statistics course; a refresher may be discussed if either is more than five years old
- Three letters of recommendation; one from a current supervisor; no letters from colleagues
- Official transcripts; application fee of $65
- Deadline: June 1 for fall entry (annual cycle); the Fall 2027 cycle is not yet posted
- $150 deposit after acceptance, credited to first-semester tuition
- Upstate-employed nurses receive waived application fees and financial assistance
You Should Know
- Upstate’s MS program-of-study index still says only Adult Geriatric NP applicants are accepted during the move to the BS-DNP. That text predates the Fall 2025 FNP plan and the Fall 2026 FNP deadline. Confirm the current cycle with admissions.
- Upstate’s licensure disclosure confirms the MS FNP meets NP educational requirements only in New York.
BS to Doctor of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the BS to DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner at SUNY Upstate is approximately $87,539 in-state or $114,399 out-of-state on the full-time plan (82 credits at $1,068/credit resident, $1,408 non-resident, with flat billing in 12-credit terms). The program can generally be completed in about 3 years on the fall full-time plan, or about 4.5 years on the spring part-time plan.
BS-DNP Curriculum
Year 1 builds the doctoral frame first. The full-time plan opens with role and scholarship courses (Nurse as Educator, Leadership, Scholarly Writing) alongside pathophysiology, health assessment, and pharmacology. Family Nursing Theory is required.
Clinical and project work run in parallel. FNP I starts in the fall of year 2, the same term as Foundations of the DNP Project. Each following term pairs a clinical course with a DNP project course, so students carry patient hours and project deliverables together for four straight terms.
The last term is an immersion. After FNP I–III, students finish with a 5-credit, 225-hour Clinical Immersion and the project defense. Neither the MS nor the certificate includes this semester.
- NURS 612: Family Nursing Theory
- NURS 565: Nurse as Educator
- NURS 621: Clinical Pathophysiology
- NURS 607: Advanced Health Assessment
- NURS 640: Pharmacology for Advanced Practice
- NURS 641–643: Clinical Management/FNP I–III (225 hours each)
- NURS 669: Clinical Immersion (225 hours)
- NURS 710, 722, 723, 725, 730: DNP Project sequence through defense
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- Credit totals conflict. The FNP program page states 85 credits and the BS-DNP page states 87. Both published plans of study sum to 82 credits. This page uses 82.
- The part-time plan does not start clinicals until the fall of year 3 (term 9 of 13). Loads run 3–9 credits per term.
- The BS-DNP does not include NURS 696, Diagnostics and Clinical Procedures, which the MS and certificate both require.
BS-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 900 direct clinical hours: 225 each in FNP I, II, III, and Clinical Immersion (4 × 225)
- 200 DNP project hours: 50 each in NURS 722, 723, 725, and 730
- Full-time clinical terms: fall and spring of years 2 and 3; no clinical hours in summer
- Placement: a collaboration between the college and the student, matched to needs and preferences “whenever possible”
- On-campus resources: Clinical Skills Center and Simulation Center
At 900 hours, the BS-DNP sits well above the 500-hour floor and the 600–700 hour common range, and 150 hours above Upstate’s own MS. Over a 17-week semester, 225 hours is about 13 hours a week (derived). The placement model is shared, not guaranteed, so students should expect to help find preceptors, with Upstate’s hospitals and Central New York network behind the search.
You Should Know
- Upstate’s licensure disclosure (current as of July 2026) confirms the BS-DNP meets NP educational requirements only in New York.
- No out-of-area clinical policy is published.
BS-DNP Admissions
Admission is competitive: selected applicants interview virtually with two faculty members, and one reference must be doctorally prepared.
- BSN with cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Current, unencumbered U.S. RN license
- Three letters of recommendation from nursing professionals; at least one doctorally prepared
- Writing sample of about 750 words naming a population, a health issue, and the DNP graduate’s role in practice change
- Official transcripts; foreign transcripts need a NACES-member evaluation
- Deadline: February 1 (annual cycle); admission is rolling until full
- After admission: background check and current CPR; admission is conditional until the background check clears
- Application fee waived for U.S. veterans and active-duty military
You Should Know
- Start terms conflict across Upstate’s pages. The graduate applicants page says summer only. The BS-DNP page lists both summer and fall deadlines. The FAQ says summer, fall, and spring. The published FNP plans start in fall (full-time) and spring (part-time).
- The summer cohort attends an in-person orientation in April. The fall cohort’s orientation is virtual.
- No minimum RN experience is stated.
Post Graduate Advanced Certificate, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Post Graduate Advanced Certificate, Family NP at SUNY Upstate is approximately $18,374–$21,424 in-state or $41,198–$48,044 out-of-state (36–42 credits at an assumed $471/credit resident, $1,105 non-resident, plus fees). The program can generally be completed in about 2 years of part-time study, or 3 semesters for NPs whose prior coursework transfers.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is the MS clinical core without the degree coursework. Required FNP courses are pathophysiology, health assessment, pharmacology, diagnostics and clinical procedures, and the same three 8-credit, 250-hour clinical courses the MS uses. Family Nursing Theory and an informatics, quality, and safety course are added only if the applicant lacks equivalents, which sets the 36-credit minimum and 42-credit maximum. A gap analysis after admission sets the final plan.
- NURS 621: Clinical Pathophysiology
- NURS 607: Advanced Health Assessment
- NURS 640: Pharmacology for Advanced Practice
- NURS 696: Diagnostics and Clinical Procedures
- NURS 641–643: Clinical Management/FNP 1–3 (250 hours each)
- NURS 612: Family Nursing Theory (if not previously taken)
- NURS 613: Innovation in Information, Quality, and Safety (if not previously taken)
More curriculum details are available in the certificate program of study.
You Should Know
- Duration is stated three ways: “four semesters,” “2 years part time,” and a five-semester course table. Some NPs may finish in three semesters.
- Clinical courses are sequential: NURS 641 requires health assessment, and each FNP course requires the one before it.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 750 clinical hours: 250 each in FNP 1, 2, and 3 (3 × 250)
- Preceptors: experienced nurses, NPs, and physicians in settings throughout Central New York
- Sites: the college will accommodate student interests if settings and preceptors meet program requirements
- Network: the College of Nursing reports clinical contracts with more than 700 institutions and agencies
750 hours matches the MS and exceeds the 600–700 range common in FNP programs. For a working NP, about 15 hours a week per clinical semester (derived) is a heavy add-on to full-time practice. Upstate advises entering only when you have time to complete the hours.
You Should Know
- The same course numbers carry different loads by program. NURS 641–643 are 250 hours and 8 credits in the MS and certificate, but 225 hours and 6 credits in the BS-DNP.
- The certificate page names only the ANCC exam, while the BS-DNP page names both AANP and ANCC. Confirm AANP eligibility with the program.
Certificate Admissions
This track is effectively limited to New York-licensed NPs: applicants must hold active New York RN and NP licenses plus current national board certification.
- Clinical master’s degree in nursing with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Current national board certification as an NP or CNS
- Active, unencumbered New York RN and NP licenses
- One year of APRN practice recommended
- Syllabi for prior advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment courses
- Three letters of recommendation; one from a current supervisor or someone who can evaluate clinical work
- Writing sample and official transcripts
- Application fee: $65 (waived for veterans and active-duty military)
- Deadline: February 1 (annual cycle); rolling admission until full
You Should Know
- The New York NP license requirement conflicts with stated CNS eligibility, since a CNS would not hold an NP license. CNS applicants should confirm eligibility first.
- Letter rules differ by page. The how-to-apply page requires one doctorally prepared reference; the FAQ requires one from a current supervisor. Plan to meet both.
- Applications on hold receive a second review in mid-March.
Tuition
Upstate bills the MS at the SUNY graduate rate of $471 per credit for New York residents and $1,105 for non-residents, and the BS-DNP at the DNP rate of $1,068 and $1,408. The certificate is estimated at the graduate rate (billing tier assumed). All rates are 2026–27 figures from the Upstate tuition and fee schedule.
Rate and Fee Structure
| Item | Full-Time (12+ credits) | Part-Time (1–11 credits) |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate tuition, resident | $5,655/semester | $471/credit |
| Graduate tuition, non-resident | $13,255/semester | $1,105/credit |
| DNP tuition, resident | $12,810/semester | $1,068/credit |
| DNP tuition, non-resident | $16,890/semester | $1,408/credit |
| College fee | $25/semester | $1.70/credit |
| Technology fee | $160.50/semester | $13.40/credit |
| Student health fee | $208.50/semester | $17.40/credit |
| Student activity fee | $90/semester | $45 (6–8 credits) or $22.50 (5 or fewer) |
Estimated Program Totals
| Program | Resident | Non-Resident |
|---|---|---|
| MS (60 cr) | $27,321 tuition + $2,339 fees = $29,660 | $64,085 tuition + $2,339 fees = $66,424 |
| BS-DNP, full-time (82 cr) | $84,348 tuition + $3,191 fees = $87,539 | $111,208 tuition + $3,191 fees = $114,399 |
| BS-DNP, part-time (82 cr) | $87,576 tuition + $3,273 fees = $90,849 | $115,456 tuition + $3,273 fees = $118,729 |
| Certificate (36 cr) | $16,956 tuition + $1,418 fees = $18,374 | $39,780 tuition + $1,418 fees = $41,198 |
| Certificate (42 cr) | $19,785 tuition + $1,639 fees = $21,424 | $46,405 tuition + $1,639 fees = $48,044 |
All totals are derived. Each term in the published plan is billed at the flat rate if it carries 12 or more credits and per credit otherwise. The MS has one flat-rate term (14 credits); the full-time BS-DNP has four (12, 12, 13, and 14 credits).
Confirmed costs:
- Graduate tuition: $471/credit resident, $1,105/credit non-resident (1–11 credits)
- DNP tuition: $1,068/credit resident, $1,408/credit non-resident (1–11 credits)
- Mandatory fees: college, technology, student health, and student activity fees every term
- Application fee: $65; MS enrollment deposit: $150, credited to first-semester tuition
Be aware that:
- The 2026–27 rates are pending SUNY Board of Trustees approval and can change without notice.
- The certificate’s billing tier is not published. At the DNP rate, resident tuition would be about $38,448–$44,850 before fees.
- The BS-DNP estimate assumes all 82 credits bill at the DNP rate, including master’s-level courses in year 1.
- The MS total covers the master’s only. Continuing to the post-master’s DNP adds tuition not included here.
- The part-time BS-DNP costs about $3,300 more for residents because no term reaches the flat rate.
- The student health fee is not health insurance, and all fees are non-refundable.
For a New York resident, the MS costs about $57,900 less than the full-time BS-DNP and delivers the same 750 hours as the certificate. The BS-DNP premium buys the doctorate, 150 more clinical hours, and the immersion semester in one continuous program. Non-residents pay 2.2 times the resident MS price, with no published online or reciprocity rate.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for New York nurses within reach of Syracuse who want FNP training anchored in an academic medical center, with a choice between a lower-cost master’s and a full clinical doctorate.
MS or BS-DNP: The MS gets a BSN nurse to FNP certification for about $29,700 in-state, with the option to add the DNP later without reapplying. The BS-DNP costs about three times as much but adds 150 clinical hours, a final immersion semester, and the doctorate in one sequence. Nurses unsure about the DNP can start with the MS and decide after boards.
Upstate or Binghamton? Both are SUNY schools that bill the same $1,068 resident DNP rate. Binghamton routes all BSN nurses through a 77-credit BS-DNP with school-placed clinicals. Upstate adds a master’s option and uses a shared placement search. For NPs changing specialties, Upstate’s certificate accepts master’s-prepared NPs, while Binghamton’s is limited to DNP holders.
Honest drawbacks: Weekly campus classes rule out most nurses outside Central New York. The licensure disclosures cover New York only, and the certificate requires New York RN and NP licenses. Credit totals, start terms, and even MS admission status conflict across Upstate’s pages, so confirm your plan of study in writing.
Accreditation
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits Upstate’s master’s degree program in nursing, its Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and its post-graduate APRN certificate program. That covers all three FNP tracks on this page.
SUNY Upstate Medical University is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer.
Graduates of the MS, BS-DNP, and certificate are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC). Certificate graduates may also apply for New York State NP certification through the College of Nursing.
More FNP Programs in New York
- Binghamton University - Johnson City
- Columbia University - New York
- Dominican University New York - Orangeburg
- Hunter College - New York
- Iona University - Bronxville
- Long Island University - Brooklyn
- Manhattanville University - Purchase
- Mercy University - Dobbs Ferry
- Molloy University - Rockville Centre
- New York University - New York
- Pace University - New York
- St. John Fisher University - Rochester
- St. Joseph's University, New York - Patchogue
- Stony Brook University - Stony Brook
- SUNY Brockport - Brockport
- SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University - Brooklyn
- University of Mount Saint Vincent - Riverdale
- University of Rochester - Rochester
- Utica University - Utica