William Paterson University offers 5 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN (Online)
- RN-MSN Bridge (Online)
- Post-Master’s Certificate (Online)
- MSN (Campus)
- BSN-DNP (Hybrid)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN (Online) | $38.7K (all states) | 1.7 years (about 10 terms) | 47 |
| RN-MSN | $38.9K (all states) | 2.3 years (about 14 terms) | 65 |
| Certificate | $24.2K (all states) | 1.3 years (about 8 terms) | Up to 35 |
| MSN (Campus) | $43.4K / $67.1K | 2.7 years (8 terms, derived) | 47 |
| BSN-DNP | $78.9K / $114.0K | 5 years (15 terms, derived) | 79 |
Tuition estimates multiply credits by William Paterson’s published 2026-27 rates: WP Online per-credit rates, and campus tuition plus the technology and student government fees (in-state / out-of-state).
$228.60 is the gap between William Paterson’s online RN-to-MSN and its online BSN-entry MSN. The bridge adds a full BSN for that amount because 12 of its graduate credits are billed at the $337.10 RN-to-BSN rate instead of the $823.70 MSN rate.
The trade-off is clinical pace. All three online tracks run on 7-week courses, and each of the four practicums packs 170 hours into one term, about 24 hours a week. Students find their own preceptors, and online enrollment is limited to RNs practicing in 15 eligible states.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN (online or campus); RN-MSN; Post-Master’s Certificate; BSN-DNP |
| Format | Online (MSN, RN-MSN, certificate); Campus (MSN); Hybrid (BSN-DNP) |
| Clinical Hours | 680 (four practicums of 170 hours) |
| Clinical Placement | Student-secured preceptors, approved through Exxat before hours begin |
| Practicum Pace (Online) | 170 hours per 7-week course, about 24 hours a week |
| Enrollment Restriction | Online: RNs practicing in 15 listed states. Campus and BSN-DNP: NJ RN license |
| Work Requirement | Must be currently employed as an RN |
| Population | Family/individual across the lifespan |
| Distinctive Coursework | Dedicated pediatric and childbearing practicum; separate 1-credit pediatric assessment course |
| Concentrations | None |
| RN License Requirements | Active, unencumbered RN license; NY license holders need a NJ license |
| Tuition | Online $692.10-$823.70/credit (all states); campus $922.62 in-state, $1,428.12 out-of-state |
| Accreditation | CCNE (BSN, MSN, post-master’s FNP certificate, DNP) |
MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner (Online)
The estimated tuition for the online Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner at William Paterson University is approximately $38,713.90 (47 credits at $823.70/credit). The program can generally be completed in as few as 20 months, which works out to about 10 seven-week terms (derived from the six-term calendar).
MSN (Online) Curriculum
Structure. The 47 credits split into a 20-credit MSN core shared with WP’s other master’s tracks and a 27-credit FNP block. Every course runs 7 weeks, and WP Online advertises six start dates a year. Because each course is short, students typically move one or two courses at a time rather than carrying a full semester load.
Lifespan coverage. William Paterson teaches adult and pediatric content in separate courses. Adult health assessment (3 credits) is followed by a 1-credit pediatric and childbearing assessment course. The clinical management sequence ends with Advanced Practice III, which focuses on children and pregnant, antepartum, and postpartum patients, and a matching 170-hour pediatric and childbearing practicum. That gives family-specific content its own protected block instead of relying on whatever children appear in an adult-heavy practice.
- NUR 5461 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credits)
- NUR 6001 Advanced Health Assessment of the Adult Client (3 credits)
- NUR 6011 Advanced Pharmacology (3 credits)
- NUR 6210 Advanced Health Assessment of the Pediatric and Childbearing Client (1 credit)
- NUR 6111, 6121, 6130 Advanced Nursing Practice I, II, III (3 credits each)
- NUR 6021 Nursing Research Strategies: Translational Science (3 credits)
- NUR 6041, 7011, 7070 Advanced Nursing Practicum I, II, III (4 credits each)
- NUR 7253 Advanced Role Practicum for Family Nurse Practitioner (4 credits)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- A grade of B or better is required in every graduate course.
- The NUR 6021 description says each student develops a pre-proposal “to be implemented as the masters’ thesis requirement.” No thesis course appears in the 47-credit list. Ask how the thesis is completed and whether it adds credits.
MSN (Online) Clinical Requirements
- Total: 680 supervised hours (4 practicums × 170 hours), matching the published program total
- NUR 6041 Practicum I: 170 hours in primary care, management, or educational settings
- NUR 7011 Practicum II: 170 hours with young adults, adults, and older adults
- NUR 7070 Practicum III: 170 hours with pediatric and childbearing clients
- NUR 7253 FNP Role Practicum: 170 hours across neonates through older adults
- Specialty sites (cardiology, pulmonary, GI) are capped at 50 hours per course; the remaining 120 must be in a true primary care site
- Hospitals, emergency departments, ORs, cath labs, medical spas, Botox, and IV ketamine sites do not qualify
- At least one practicum must be precepted by a nurse practitioner, and the FNP Role Practicum (NUR 7253) must be
- Before the first practicum: pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment, plus Advanced Nursing Practice I or II
- Students find their own preceptors and submit site details in Exxat; hours start only after full Exxat approval and the official course start date
- Students carry their own NP student malpractice insurance
680 hours sits comfortably above the 500-hour certification floor and at the low end of the 600 to 700 hour range common among FNP programs. The volume is typical. The pace is not: 170 hours in a 7-week course means roughly 24 clinical hours a week on top of seminars and, for most students, a nursing job. The school’s own guidance states that no rule requires schools to find placements, so plan the preceptor search well before each practicum term.
You Should Know
- All clearance documents are due 14 days before a clinical course starts. Students not cleared 7 days before the first day are administratively dropped, with no exceptions.
- Clearance includes a urine drug screen, a background check, and Exxat health clearance with COVID vaccination or an approved exemption. Anyone who has lived in New York in the past 7 years also needs a New York background check.
- Vaccine exemptions require a physician letter and a separate approval letter from the clinical site.
- The practicum course descriptions mention 2.5-hour seminars every other week. Whether online seminars are live or asynchronous is not clearly stated.
- If the practicum courses must be taken in separate terms, the four practicums alone take four 7-week terms.
- WP’s clinical sheet allows up to 50 specialty-site hours per practicum, but the graduate FAQ says not to choose specialty practices at all. Confirm with your clinical coordinator before booking a specialty preceptor.
- Online preceptor requests are due roughly 7 to 10 weeks before each term (for example, August 1 for Fall 1 and October 5 for Fall 2).
MSN (Online) Admissions
Online admission is limited to employed RNs practicing in 15 eligible states.
- BSN from a CCNE-, NLN CNEA-, or ACEN-accredited program, including statistics, research, and physical assessment
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Active, unencumbered RN license in the state where you practice
- Currently employed as an RN
- Resume and a reference sheet with two names (former faculty and current manager or supervisor)
- Online application and $50 fee
- Eligible states: CT, DC, DE, FL, MA, MD, ME, NJ, NY, PA, RI, TX, VT, VA, WV
You Should Know
- Applicants who live in New York or hold a New York license must obtain a New Jersey RN license before acceptance and complete all clinical hours in New Jersey. WP Online’s state map adds that New York applicants sign a memorandum of agreement and that the requirement applies while the program lacks New York approval.
- Moving to another state mid-program can restrict or stop progression. WP asks students to notify their advisor before relocating.
- WP Online advertises six start dates a year, but the MSN page currently lists a single upcoming start. Confirm available terms with an enrollment advisor.
- WP notes that seats are limited and fill quickly.
RN to MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner (Online)
The estimated tuition for the online RN to MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner at William Paterson University is approximately $38,942.50 (30 credits at $337.10/credit plus 35 credits at $823.70/credit). The program can generally be completed in as few as 28 months, about 14 seven-week terms (derived), with the BSN awarded partway through.
RN-MSN Curriculum
BSN phase (30 credits). Six RN-to-BSN nursing courses plus four graduate courses: Advanced Pathophysiology, Population Health, Adult Health Assessment, and either Role of the APN or Advanced Pharmacology. The BSN is conferred after these 30 credits.
MSN phase (35 credits). The remaining FNP core, the three clinical management courses, the pediatric assessment course, and all four practicums. This matches the online MSN, minus the 12 graduate credits already completed.
Why the price works. Those 12 graduate credits are billed at the RN-to-BSN rate. At the MSN rate they would cost $5,839.20 more. That is why the bridge, which also grants a BSN, costs only $228.60 more than the BSN-entry MSN.
- NUR 3500 Nursing Research (3 credits)
- NUR 4252 Dimensions of Public Health Post Licensure (3 credits)
- NUR 4280 Healthcare Economics (3 credits)
- NUR 4305 Leadership and Professional Practice; NUR 4307 Leadership Seminar (3 credits each)
- NUR 4361 Nursing Practice for RN-BSN (3 credits)
- Graduate courses and practicums as listed under the online MSN
You Should Know
- The per-phase billing split is derived. It reconciles exactly with the published $38,942.50 total but is not stated as a policy.
- WP reports a 100 percent FNP certification pass rate for its MSN-FNP graduates but gives no year or cohort size.
RN-MSN Clinical Requirements
- 680 clinical hours in the MSN phase, identical to the online MSN (four 170-hour practicums)
- Same placement, clearance, and site rules as the online MSN
The clinical load is the same as the MSN. The BSN phase comes first, so the 24-hour-a-week practicum stretch starts late in the program.
RN-MSN Admissions
Entry is open to associate degree and diploma RNs, but continuing into the MSN phase has two gates.
- Associate degree or diploma from a CCNE-, NLN CNEA-, or ACEN-accredited program
- Minimum 2.5 GPA at entry
- Valid, unencumbered RN license in the state where you practice
- Official transcripts; high school transcripts not required
- 30 credits awarded for the RN license; general education considered complete with an AS, AAS, or diploma and 60 college credits
You Should Know
- A 3.0 GPA must be maintained to enter the MSN phase.
- Students must be employed as RNs, and submit a resume showing it, when moving into the MSN phase.
- A statistics course is required if not already completed, which can add credits.
- The RN-MSN page does not print the 15-state list, and WP Online’s interactive state map does not publish per-program results in text. Assume the online MSN restrictions apply and confirm your state with an enrollment advisor.
Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate (Online)
The estimated tuition for the online Post Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate at William Paterson University is approximately $24,223.50 (35 credits at $692.10/credit). The program can generally be completed in as few as 16 months, about 8 seven-week terms (derived).
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is the MSN’s FNP block plus two practicums from the MSN core: 11 courses, 35 credits, and all 680 clinical hours. It drops only the four non-clinical core courses (theory, APN role, research, population health). Credits can shrink after an individual gap analysis of your prior master’s coursework. The certificate rate is $131.60 per credit lower than the MSN rate.
- NUR 5461, 6001, 6011: pathophysiology, adult assessment, pharmacology (3 credits each)
- NUR 6210 pediatric and childbearing assessment (1 credit)
- NUR 6111, 6121, 6130 Advanced Nursing Practice I-III (3 credits each)
- NUR 6041, 7011, 7070, 7253 four practicums (4 credits each)
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 680 clinical hours (four 170-hour practicums)
- Same placement, clearance, and site rules as the online MSN
Certificate students complete the full MSN clinical volume. Prior clinical hours from another APRN specialty are not described as reducing the total.
You Should Know
- Whether prior graduate clinical hours can be credited is not clearly stated.
- State boards set their own rules for adding a second APRN population focus. Nurses already certified in another specialty should confirm recognition with their board.
Certificate Admissions
The online certificate uses the same 15-state list and employment requirement as the MSN.
- MSN from a CCNE-, NLN CNEA-, or ACEN-accredited program, with official graduate transcripts
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Active, unencumbered RN license in an eligible state; currently employed as an RN
- Resume, online application, and $50 fee
You Should Know
- Students missing foundation courses may need more than 35 credits.
- The campus post-master’s page lists a New Jersey RN license and an interview with the program director “as needed,” but links only to the online certificate. A separate campus certificate is not clearly offered.
- New York residents and license holders need a New Jersey RN license and must complete all clinical hours in New Jersey.
MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner (Campus)
The estimated tuition for the MSN in Family Nurse Practitioner on William Paterson’s Wayne campus is approximately $43,363.14 in-state or $67,121.64 out-of-state (47 credits at $922.62 or $1,428.12/credit, including mandatory fees). The program can generally be completed in about 2.7 years
(8 terms including summers) at two courses per term, derived from WP’s course load guidance; students may take up to six years.
MSN (Campus) Curriculum
The campus MSN uses the same 47-credit catalog curriculum and 680-hour practicum structure as the online MSN. The difference is pacing. Classes meet once a week for 2.5 hours on weekday evenings (Monday to Thursday), with summer sections available. WP says most students take one or two classes at a time.
You Should Know
- The graduate FAQ lists evening classes as “usually” 5:00 to 7:00 PM, which is shorter than the 2.5-hour meeting length it states. Expect evening classes, but confirm exact times each term.
- WP’s BSN-DNP page says its MSN phase pairs one online and one hybrid course each semester, so some campus MSN courses may be partly online.
MSN (Campus) Clinical Requirements
- 680 clinical hours across the same four practicums (170 hours each)
- Same student-secured placement, NP-preceptor, and Exxat clearance rules
- Preceptor requests due January 2 (spring), April 30 (summer), and August 1 (fall)
- Students without a confirmed preceptor or completed compliance are dropped two weeks before the semester starts
A semester-length practicum spreads 170 hours over about 15 weeks, roughly 11 to 12 hours a week. That is about half the weekly clinical load of the 7-week online practicums.
MSN (Campus) Admissions
Campus applicants need a New Jersey RN license, and missing prerequisites can be completed after admission.
- BSN from an accredited program, minimum 3.0 GPA
- Undergraduate statistics, health assessment, and nursing research; missing courses must be finished within the first academic year
- Active New Jersey RN license; currently employed as an RN
- Resume with two references (former faculty and current manager or supervisor)
- Deadlines: August 1 for fall, December 1 for spring; later applications reviewed as space allows
- Non-degree enrollment is not accepted
You Should Know
- The graduate FAQ lists earlier deadlines (April 1 for fall, October 1 for spring) than the program page. Apply by the earlier dates to be safe.
BSN to DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner (Hybrid)
The estimated tuition for the BSN to DNP Program FNP track at William Paterson University is approximately $78,902.98 in-state or $113,957.48 out-of-state (47 MSN credits at $922.62 or $1,428.12, plus 32 DNP credits at $1,110.62 or $1,463.62, derived). The program can generally be completed in about 5 years
(15 terms including summers), derived from its 29 courses at the stated two courses per term.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
Structure. Students complete the 47-credit FNP MSN, sit for national certification, then move directly into the DNP without reapplying. Each semester pairs one fully online course with one hybrid course.
Credit savings. WP’s standalone post-master’s DNP is 38 credits. The BSN-DNP lists 32 DNP credits because two DNP courses are moved into the MSN phase. Compared with earning the MSN and then applying to the DNP, the combined path saves 6 credits (79 vs. 85).
- NUR 6600 Graduate Statistics; NUR 7100 Applied Biostatistics (3 credits each)
- NUR 7300 Scientific Foundations for Nursing (3 credits)
- NUR 7320 Information Systems Management; NUR 7340 Health Policy (3 credits each)
- NUR 7360 Clinical Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Advanced Practice Nursing (3 credits)
- NUR 7380 Leadership and Collaboration; NUR 7400 Evidence-Based and Translational Methods (3 credits each)
- NUR 8300/8301 and 8310/8311 DNP Project and Advisement I and II (6 credits total)
- NUR 8350, 8351, 8360, 8361 DNP Practicum I to IV (2 credits each)
You Should Know
- WP does not name the two DNP courses taken in the MSN phase or say whether they are billed at the DNP rate. This estimate bills all 47 MSN credits at the master’s rate.
- The course list above is WP’s 38-credit post-master’s DNP; BSN-DNP students take 32 of those credits.
- The in-person cadence of the hybrid courses is not clearly stated. This profile classifies the track as Hybrid based on WP’s own description.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 680 FNP clinical hours in the MSN phase
- 360 DNP practicum hours (four practicums of 90 hours each)
- DNP degree requires at least 1,000 supervised post-baccalaureate practice hours; 680 + 360 = 1,040 (derived)
- DNP preceptors can be MDs, DOs, NPs, or RNs; practicum hours may be done at your job site if the work goes beyond your normal duties
- DNP hours count only within the semester dates; unfinished hours become an incomplete with 30 days to finish
The combined 1,040 hours clears the 1,000-hour DNP floor with little margin. The DNP practicums are light (90 hours per term) compared with the FNP practicums.
You Should Know
- WP’s DNP guidance caps transferred MSN hours at 500 for students entering with an MSN. It does not say whether this cap applies to BSN-DNP students who earn the MSN at WP. If it does, 500 + 360 = 860, and students would need extra hours from optional clinical components in five DNP courses.
- WP’s DNP clinical guide accepts RN licenses from CT, DE, FL, MA, NH, NJ, PA, RI, TX, VT, and MD (including DC). This differs from the online 15-state list, but BSN-DNP applicants need a New Jersey license anyway.
BSN-DNP Admissions
Admission mirrors the campus MSN, including the New Jersey license.
- BSN with a minimum 3.0 GPA; undergraduate statistics, health assessment, and nursing research
- Currently working as an RN with an active New Jersey RN license
- Resume with two references; $50 application fee
- Deadlines: August 1 for fall, December 1 for spring
Tuition
William Paterson charges $823.70 per credit for the online MSN, $692.10 for the online certificate, and $337.10 for the BSN phase of the online RN-MSN. Online rates are the same for every state. Campus graduate students pay $922.62 per credit in-state and $1,428.12 out-of-state, fees included, and $1,110.62 / $1,463.62 in the DNP phase.
| Campus Rate Component (2026-27) | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition per credit | $903.00 | $1,408.50 |
| Technology fee | $12.00 | $12.00 |
| Student Government Association fee | $7.62 | $7.62 |
| Total per credit | $922.62 | $1,428.12 |
| Track | Credits | Estimated Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| MSN (Online) | 47 | $38,713.90 (published) |
| RN-MSN | 65 | $38,942.50 (published) |
| Certificate | 35 | $24,223.50 (published) |
| MSN (Campus) | 47 | $43,363.14 / $67,121.64 (derived) |
| BSN-DNP | 79 | $78,902.98 / $113,957.48 (derived) |
- Online tuition includes a nursing course fee covering UpToDate for Nursing and other software
- Online tuition is paid course by course
- Application fee: $50
- Graduation fee: $125 (campus fee schedule)
Be aware that:
- Campus nursing students are also charged a $100 Graduate Clinical Nursing Fee and a $200 Graduate Nursing Physical Assessment Fee. The billing basis is not stated. If charged once per practicum and per assessment course, they add about $800.
- Whether online students pay the campus technology and student government fees is not clearly stated.
- Qualified out-of-state campus students can apply for a waiver to pay the in-state rate, saving about $505 per credit. Eligibility terms are on the university’s waiver page.
- Campus rates are reset each year by the Board of Trustees, so multi-year totals will likely rise.
- Certificate credits, and cost, depend on a gap analysis of prior coursework.
- Students pay separately for NP malpractice insurance, drug screening, background checks (plus a New York check where required), and Exxat compliance.
- A new student fee of $125 is folded into the campus admissions deposit.
For nurses outside New Jersey, the online MSN at $38,713.90 is $28,407.74 less than the campus MSN at the out-of-state rate, and $4,649.24 less than the campus MSN in-state. For associate degree RNs, the RN-MSN delivers two degrees for close to the price of WP’s one-degree MSN. See the official graduate tuition page and WP Online tuition for current rates.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for employed RNs in WP’s 15 eligible states who want a low-cost online FNP, including associate degree nurses who want the BSN built in, and who can handle compressed clinical terms.
ADN and diploma nurses. The online RN-MSN gives a BSN and an FNP-eligible MSN for $38,942.50, $228.60 more than the BSN-entry MSN.
Nurses who want more than one path at one school. WP offers online, campus, and doctoral routes to the same 680-hour FNP core. A New Jersey nurse can choose semester pacing on campus, 7-week online terms, or a seamless move into the DNP. The certificate reuses the same practicums at a lower per-credit rate than the MSN.
What to weigh. Placement is on you. The school expects students to recruit their own primary care preceptors, bars hospital and specialty-heavy sites, and drops students who miss clearance deadlines. Online enrollment is limited to 15 states, and New York nurses must license in New Jersey and train there.
Can you carry the workload? The deciding question for the online tracks is weekly time. A 170-hour practicum in 7 weeks means about 24 clinical hours a week, four times over, while WP also requires you to be employed as an RN. Nurses with three-shift schedules, flexible employers, or a preceptor lined up early will manage it. Nurses on rigid full-time schedules should ask whether practicums can be taken one per term with no other course, or consider the campus MSN if they hold a New Jersey license. Its semester-long practicums work out to about 11 to 12 clinical hours a week, alongside one evening class a week per course.
Accreditation
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits William Paterson’s baccalaureate and master’s nursing degrees, its post-master’s certification programs in family and adult-gerontology nurse practitioner, and its DNP. Accreditation runs through June 30, 2030. That covers every FNP track on this page, including the certificate by name.
William Paterson University is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which reaffirmed its accreditation in 2021. Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and the recognition of credits by other schools.
Graduates of the MSN, RN-MSN, BSN-DNP, and post-master’s certificate are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
More FNP Programs in New Jersey
- Monmouth University - West Long Branch
- Ramapo College of New Jersey - Mahwah
- Rowan University - Glassboro
- Rutgers University - Newark
- Saint Peter's University - Jersey City
- Seton Hall University - Nutley
- The College of New Jersey - Ewing
- Thomas Edison State University - Trenton