Rowan University offers 2 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN
- Post-Master’s Certificate
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (in-state) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $39.6K | 2–5 years (6–15 semesters) | 44 |
| Certificate | $19.1K | 2 years (6 semesters) | 22+ |
Tuition estimates use Rowan Online’s published per-credit rates, which are the same for New Jersey and out-of-state students.
Rowan admits MSN applicants to a shared nursing core, not directly to the FNP track. Your FNP seat is decided only after you finish 22 core credits with at least a 3.0 GPA and pass a faculty review, and the concentration that follows carries 750 clinical hours in three 250-hour blocks.
The trade-off is uncertainty and legwork. You commit roughly half the degree before knowing whether you are in the FNP specialty, and Rowan expects you to find your own preceptors for all three clinicals, with the coordinator stepping in only if you have difficulty.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN (FNP concentration); Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in FNP |
| Format | Online: asynchronous coursework, no campus visits stated on the FNP pages |
| Clinical Hours | 750 (three 250-hour clinical courses) |
| Clinical Placement | Students find their own preceptors; concentration coordinator facilitates if a student has difficulty |
| Population | Family/individual across the lifespan, including a dedicated women’s health and pediatrics clinical |
| Two-Stage Admission | MSN students enter the core first; FNP entry requires core completion, 3.0 GPA, and faculty approval |
| RN License Requirements | New Jersey or multistate compact RN license, plus the clinical state’s license if outside NJ |
| Start Terms | Fall, spring, and summer (Module A entry) |
| Tuition | $899/credit MSN (2026–27); $868.80/credit certificate (2025–26); same rate for all states |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s program); Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MSN at Rowan University is approximately $39,556 (44 credits at $899/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 2 to 5 years, based on Rowan’s published 24 to 60 month completion window.
Rowan markets the Online MSN: Family Nurse Practitioner through Rowan Online, with the degree housed in the Rita & Larry Salva School of Nursing & Health Professions, part of the Virtua Health College of Medicine & Life Sciences.
MSN Curriculum
Core first (22 credits). Every MSN student, whatever the intended specialty, completes the same seven-course core: informatics, advanced health assessment, research, pathophysiology, pharmacology, leadership, and trends. The core is also Rowan’s screening gate. You must hold a cumulative 3.0 across these courses before you can apply to the FNP concentration.
NP role block (4 credits). Two 2-credit courses cover epidemiology and the NP role, including practice regulation, reimbursement, and ethics.
FNP specialty (18 credits). The concentration alternates didactic and clinical courses. Adult acute and chronic disease management leads into FNP Clinical I, a women’s health and pediatrics theory course pairs with a dedicated women’s health/pediatrics clinical, and FNP Across the Lifespan pairs with FNP Clinical II. Giving pediatrics and women’s health their own 250-hour clinical is useful: those rotations are often the hardest to secure, and a named course makes the requirement explicit rather than something you piece together inside a general practicum.
- NURS 05504 Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
- NURS 05505 Advanced Pharmacology (3)
- NURS 05517 Nurse Practitioner Role: History, Practice Regulations, Reimbursement and Ethics (2)
- NURS 05538 Adult Acute and Chronic Disease Management (3)
- NURS 05545 FNP Clinical I (3; 250 hours)
- NURS 05546 Women’s Health and Pediatrics (3)
- NURS 05544 FNP Women’s Health/Pediatrics Clinical (3; 250 hours)
- NURS 05532 FNP Across the Lifespan (3)
- NURS 05547 FNP Clinical II (3; 250 hours)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- Rowan’s marketing page lists 36–53 credits and 24–60 months. Those ranges cover every MSN concentration. The FNP concentration itself is 44 credits in the catalog.
- A term-by-term plan of study is not published, so the order in which the three clinical courses fall is not clearly stated.
- The program is graded as a Category 2 program: a B- minimum in every course.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Total: 750 clinical hours (3 clinical courses × 250 hours), matching the catalog’s 750-hour upper bound for NP concentrations.
- Ratio: about 83 hours per clinical credit (250 hours per 3-credit course).
- Rotations: general FNP practice (Clinical I), women’s health/pediatrics, and lifespan practice (Clinical II).
- Placement model: students are “encouraged to obtain their own preceptor.” If a student has difficulty, “the concentration coordinator will facilitate placement” (Department of Nursing Student Handbook).
- Timing: each clinical’s 250 hours must be completed by the end of the semester enrolled. Exceptions require written agreement among the student, program coordinator, and department head.
- Clearance: all documents must be “compliant” in a clinical compliance account before clinicals start, including background check, drug screen, BLS, HIPAA training, immunizations and titers, and TB testing.
- Insurance: NP student liability insurance is required in addition to RN coverage.
- Out-of-state clinicals: permitted with an RN license in the state where the clinical takes place.
- Campus visits, faculty site visits, preceptor credentials, and telehealth policy: not clearly stated.
At 750 hours, Rowan sits above both the 500-hour certification floor and the 600 to 700 hour range common among FNP programs. Because each 250-hour block must be finished inside one semester, the pace is about 17 hours a week over a 15-week term, which most working nurses can manage alongside part-time or reduced hours. The bigger commitment is sourcing. Rowan’s model is student-first: you are expected to line up three preceptors, including one for women’s health and pediatrics, and coordinator help is a fallback rather than a service. Nurses with an established network in South Jersey or the Philadelphia area will have an easier time than those starting cold.
You Should Know
- The handbook does not set a deadline for submitting preceptors, describe how sites are approved, or say what happens to the semester if no preceptor is secured in time. Ask how early the search should start for each clinical.
- A shorter summer term, or a clinical placed in a single online module, would raise the weekly load above 17 hours. The term calendar for clinical courses is not published.
- Rowan does not say whether hours at your place of employment count.
- The sibling AGACNP page describes the MSN as “hybrid” with “face to face classes.” The FNP page says 100% online coursework and mentions no campus requirement. The FNP track is classified from its own page, but confirm there are no on-campus skills sessions.
MSN Admissions
The unusual feature is the second gate: admission gets you into the MSN core, and FNP entry comes later through a separate faculty review.
- BSN (or equivalent) from an accredited institution
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Current U.S. RN license; the program page requires an active New Jersey RN license maintained throughout the program
- Current professional resume; NP applicants should highlight experience relevant to the concentration
- Two professional letters of recommendation (a healthcare director or manager, or a colleague who holds an MSN)
- Official transcripts from all colleges attended
- Deadlines: August 15 (fall), December 15 (spring), April 15 (summer), each for Module A entry
- Concentration entry: core completed with a 3.0 cumulative core GPA, then coordinator and faculty review
You Should Know
- FNP admission is not guaranteed at the point of MSN admission. Rowan does not publish how many concentration seats exist or what happens if you are not approved.
- The live program page lists completed foundation courses (Comprehensive Health Assessment and Research Applications in Nursing Practice) as a requirement. The catalog lists foundation courses as “None.” Ask the MSN advisor whether your BSN coursework satisfies this.
- An earlier version of the program page said preference goes to applicants with at least one year of relevant experience. The current page no longer states an experience preference.
- The program page requires an active New Jersey RN license. The Department of Nursing handbook accepts “Valid RN NJ or Nurse Licensure Compact,” plus another state’s RN license for clinicals completed there. Confirm with admissions which rule applies before relying on a compact license.
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Post-Master’s Certificate at Rowan University is approximately $19,114 (22 credits at $868.80/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 2 years, per Rowan’s published 24-month timeline.
The Online Family Nurse Practitioner Advanced Graduate Certificate serves MSN-prepared RNs and NPs certified in another population who want to add FNP.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is the MSN’s NP role block plus the full 18-credit FNP concentration: the same six specialty courses and the same three 250-hour clinicals. What varies is the front end. Rowan runs a gap analysis on every applicant’s MSN transcript, and the concentration coordinator decides which MSN core courses you must take before starting the specialty. A graduate of a non-NP MSN will often be missing some of the advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, or health assessment courses, and each one adds credits and cost.
The 2-year timeline matches the MSN’s minimum even though the certificate is half the credits. That points to the clinical sequence, not the coursework, setting the pace.
- NURS 05516 Epidemiology, Health Promotion and Disease Management (2)
- NURS 05517 Nurse Practitioner Role: History, Practice Regulations, Reimbursement and Ethics (2)
- NURS 05538 Adult Acute and Chronic Disease Management (3)
- NURS 05545 FNP Clinical I (3; 250 hours)
- NURS 05546 Women’s Health and Pediatrics (3)
- NURS 05544 FNP Women’s Health/Pediatrics Clinical (3; 250 hours)
- NURS 05532 FNP Across the Lifespan (3)
- NURS 05547 FNP Clinical II (3; 250 hours)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- Total: 750 clinical hours, identical to the MSN (same three clinical courses)
- Prior clinical hours from another NP specialty: credit toward these hours is not clearly stated
- Placement model: same as the MSN (student-sourced preceptors, coordinator facilitation if needed)
- NP student liability insurance and full clinical clearance required before clinicals begin
Certificate students complete the full 750 hours regardless of prior NP experience, based on the published course list. For an already-certified NP, that is a substantial clinical commitment for a 22-credit credential, so ask whether the gap analysis can recognize any previous hours.
Certificate Admissions
The certificate adds an interview that the MSN does not require.
- BSN and MSN (or equivalents) from accredited institutions
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Current New Jersey RN license (see the MSN licensing note on compact licenses)
- Interview with the Faculty Admission Committee, in person or by phone
- Two letters of recommendation from professional administrators attesting to graduate-level ability
- Current professional resume and official transcripts
- Deadlines: August 15 (fall), December 15 (spring), April 15 (summer)
You Should Know
- The certificate page is still labeled for the 2025–26 academic year, so its start dates (September 2, January 20, May 12) may shift slightly for 2026–27.
- State boards set their own rules for adding a second APRN population focus. NPs certified in another specialty should confirm that a 22-credit certificate satisfies their board.
Tuition
Rowan charges $899 per credit for the MSN in 2026–27 and $868.80 per credit for the FNP certificate under the most recent published certificate rate (2025–26). Both rates are the same for New Jersey residents and out-of-state students.
| Track | Credits | Rate | Est. Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | 44 | $899 (2026–27) | $39,556 |
| Certificate (base) | 22 | $868.80 (2025–26) | $19,113.60 |
| Certificate, each added 3-credit core course | 3 | $868.80 | +$2,606.40 |
Confirmed costs:
- MSN: $899/credit, published on the program page for 2026–27
- Certificate: $868.80/credit on Rowan Online’s rate table (the certificate page rounds to $869)
- Rowan’s rate table is labeled “Tuition and Fees (per credit hour),” in state and out of state
- Rowan Online tuition and aid
Be aware that:
- The MSN rate rose from $868.80 (2025–26) to $899 (2026–27), about 3.5 percent. A 2026–27 certificate rate is not published yet; if it matches the MSN’s $899, the base certificate would cost $19,778.
- The certificate’s final cost depends on the gap analysis. Each assigned 3-credit core course adds about $2,606, and the 4-credit research course adds about $3,475.
- The rate table’s “Tuition and Fees” label suggests the per-credit rate is fee-inclusive, but Rowan Online does not itemize fees, clinical course fees, or placement-related costs.
- Rowan’s HRSA-funded DREAM scholarship is partial and applies only to FNP and PMHNP concentration classes, not the 22-credit core. Preference goes to applicants committed to rural or underserved practice. Award amounts are not stated.
The MSN’s all-in cost appears close to the published $39,556, since the rate looks fee-inclusive and does not change for out-of-state students. For certificate applicants, the real number is unknowable until the gap analysis is done, so request it before comparing Rowan’s certificate against programs with fixed credit totals.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for New Jersey-area nurses with preceptor contacts who want a heavy clinical load at a residency-neutral public rate and are comfortable proving themselves in the core before claiming an FNP seat.
Clinical depth for the price. 750 hours is 50 percent above the certification floor, and the dedicated women’s health and pediatrics clinical guarantees exposure to populations that general FNP practicums sometimes shortchange. At about $39,600 for 44 credits, that volume comes without a doctoral commitment.
Shared core, with a catch. Because every MSN student shares the same core, a student who decides the FNP role is not the right fit has options inside the same degree. The flip side is that Rowan can say no. If the FNP concentration is the only reason you are enrolling, a 22-credit wait before approval is a real risk that direct-admit programs do not carry.
Honest drawbacks. You find your own preceptors for 750 hours, Rowan’s license rules conflict between the program page and the handbook, and certificate pricing stays open until the gap analysis is complete. Weigh the extra clinical hours against that legwork.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program in nursing at Rowan University’s Rita & Larry Salva School of Nursing & Health Professions is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The FNP concentration is part of that accredited MSN. The certificate uses the same FNP courses and faculty, but Rowan’s accreditation statement names the baccalaureate and master’s programs rather than the post-master’s certificate specifically.
Rowan University is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), whose scope for Rowan includes master’s degrees and post-master’s certificates. Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer.
Graduates of both tracks are prepared to sit for a national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC). Rowan notes that the certifying agency determines individual exam eligibility.
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