James Madison University offers 2 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN
- BSN-DNP
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $34.0K / $70.7K | 2 years (6 semesters) full-time; 3 years part-time | 49 |
| BSN-DNP | $53.4K / $82.3K | 3 years (9 semesters) | 77 |
Tuition estimates use JMU’s 2026-27 graduate per-credit rates plus the $104/credit Nursing Tuition Differential (in-state / out-of-state).
JMU requires 780 clinical hours in both FNP tracks, well above the 500-hour certification floor. The MSN and BSN-DNP share the same three-course NP practicum sequence, and a dedicated program coordinator helps every student secure clinical sites.
The trade-off is a weekly trip to Harrisonburg. Diagnosis and management courses and practicum seminars meet in person every Wednesday, on top of 2 to 3 clinical days per week.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN (full- or part-time); BSN-DNP (full-time only) |
| Format | Hybrid: core courses online, specialty courses on campus Wednesdays |
| Clinical Hours | 780 NP practicum hours (MSN); 1,000 total practice hours (BSN-DNP) |
| Clinical Placement | Program coordinator assists all students with sites and preceptors |
| Population | Family/across the lifespan, including pediatrics and reproductive health |
| Distinctive Coursework | Separate courses in pediatrics, female reproductive health, and care of the elderly |
| RN License Requirements | Unrestricted Virginia or compact-state RN license |
| RN Experience | MSN: one full-time year as an RN before starting |
| Start Terms | MSN: summer (full-time) or fall (part-time); BSN-DNP: January only |
| Tuition | $694/credit in-state; $1,442 (MSN) or $1,069 (DNP) out-of-state |
| Accreditation | CCNE (MSN and DNP) |
Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration at James Madison University is approximately $34,006 for Virginia residents and $70,658 for non-residents (49 credits at $694 or $1,442/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 2 years full-time or 3 years part-time.
MSN Curriculum
Online core, campus specialty. The 21-credit core (advanced assessment, pathophysiology, pharmacology, research, theory, epidemiology, policy) runs online. The 28-credit FNP concentration runs face to face on Wednesdays.
Population-specific courses. Instead of folding lifespan content into general management courses, JMU teaches pediatrics, female reproductive health, and care of the elderly as separate courses. The pediatrics course is the only one that separates the FNP from JMU’s 46-credit AGPCNP.
Practicum progression. Hours build across three courses: 180, then 300, then 300. Practicum II and III are repeatable in smaller credit blocks, which is how the part-time plan spreads the load.
- NSG 630 Care Delivery and Coordination I (3)
- NSG 631 Care Delivery and Coordination II (3)
- NSG 632 Coordinated Care of the Elderly (3)
- NSG 634 Advanced Nursing Role Development (1)
- NSG 635 Care Delivery and Coordination: Pediatrics (3)
- NSG 636 Care Delivery and Coordination: Female Reproductive Health (2)
- NSG 671 NP Practicum I (3)
- NSG 672 and NSG 673 NP Practicum II and III (5 each)
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Total: 780 practicum hours (NSG 671: 180 + NSG 672: 300 + NSG 673: 300)
- Ratio: 13 practicum credits at 60 hours per credit
- Placement: a dedicated program coordinator assists all students with clinical placements
- Schedule: 2 to 3 practicum days per week, plus the Wednesday campus day
- Full-time workload: about 40 hours per week for courses and practicum, per JMU
- Simulation: on-campus simulation lab used to prepare for clinicals
At 780 hours, JMU sits 280 hours above the certification floor and above the 600 to 700 range common among FNP programs. On the full-time plan, that volume plus one campus day leaves little room for a full-time job. JMU actively helps find sites, but its language describes assistance, not a placement guarantee.
You Should Know
- One JMU program description still lists 750 practicum hours. The catalog, the FNP page, and the per-course hours all support 780.
- Ask whether students are expected to propose preceptors themselves before the coordinator steps in.
MSN Admissions
Admission is competitive, with one annual January deadline, a one-year RN experience gate, and interviews for top candidates.
- Application: JMU Graduate School only (NursingCAS is for leadership concentrations)
- Deadline: January 6 each year; later applications considered on merit and space
- Interviews: top candidates interview with two faculty members in January
- Start: summer for full-time students, fall for part-time students
- Degree: BSN, or a bachelor’s in another field plus an ADN
- Experience: one full-time year of RN patient care before the program begins
- Prerequisite: statistics with a grade of C or higher
- License: unrestricted Virginia or compact-state RN license
- Documents: personal statement, resume or CV, two professional recommendations, all transcripts, CPR certification
- GRE: not required
- Background and sex-offender checks required before enrollment, at the student’s cost
- JMU nursing alumni who meet minimum requirements receive guaranteed admission
You Should Know
- The minimum GPA conflicts. The School of Nursing lists 2.8 with 3.0 preferred for FNP; the catalog lists 3.0 for NP concentrations.
- ADN holders with a non-nursing bachelor’s get a transcript analysis that can add up to 11 credits (about $7,634 in-state or $15,862 out-of-state).
- JMU confirms the FNP meets licensure requirements in Virginia. Applicants planning to practice elsewhere should check JMU’s Professional Licensure Program Status by Jurisdiction Index.
- JMU states the FNP program does not qualify for a student visa.
BSN to DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Advanced Practice Post-BSN-DNP (FNP concentration) at James Madison University is approximately $53,438 for Virginia residents and $82,313 for non-residents (77 credits at $694 or $1,069/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 3 years (9 semesters) of full-time study, with summers required.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
Same NP spine as the MSN. The BSN-DNP includes every MSN FNP course, including the full 780-hour practicum sequence. It adds DNP courses in analytics, quality improvement, scholarly inquiry, organizational behavior, and a doctoral project.
No MSN along the way. Students earn only the DNP. Leaving before the doctoral project ends without a graduate degree.
- NSG 650 Organizational Behavior in Health Care (3)
- NSG 711 Analytical Methods for Health Care (3)
- NSG 712 Methods of Scholarly Inquiry (3)
- NSG 714 Improving Health Outcomes Through Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (3)
- NSG 771 to 773 Advanced Practicum I to III (6 credits minimum)
- NSG 800 Dissemination of Nursing Scholarship (3)
- NSG 801 Doctoral Project Completion, Evaluation and Dissemination (1)
- One approved NSG elective or cognate (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- Total: 1,000 course-related practice hours
- NP practicum: 780 hours (NSG 671 to 673, shared with the MSN)
- DNP practicum: at least 6 credits across NSG 771 to 773 (about 220 hours, derived)
- Placement: dedicated staff secure clinical sites and preceptors for all rotations
The BSN-DNP keeps the MSN’s full 780 direct-care hours and adds DNP practice time on top. Its placement language is stronger than the MSN’s: JMU says staff work to secure sites and preceptors for every rotation.
You Should Know
- JMU does not publish a per-credit hour ratio for NSG 771 to 773. The roughly 220-hour DNP practicum figure is derived as 1,000 minus 780.
BSN-DNP Admissions
The BSN-DNP admits once a year for a January start, with a higher GPA bar than the MSN and a required interview.
- Application window: June 1 to November 1 each year
- GPA: 3.2 minimum undergraduate GPA
- Degree: BSN from a nationally accredited program
- License: unrestricted Virginia or compact-state RN license
- References: one academic and one current clinical supervisor, within the last two years
- Personal statement: APA format, 500 words or less
- Interview: with the DNP coordinator and at least one other DNP faculty member
- Workload: full-time only; JMU does not recommend full-time employment
You Should Know
- BSN-DNP pages do not mention the MSN’s one-year RN experience requirement. Confirm whether it applies.
- Application routing conflicts. The FAQ says advanced practice applicants apply through the Graduate School only; the catalog says Graduate School plus NursingCAS.
- Licensure is confirmed for Virginia only; check JMU’s jurisdiction index for other states.
Tuition
JMU’s FNP tracks cost $694 per credit for Virginia residents. Out-of-state students pay $1,442 per credit in the MSN and $1,069 per credit in the BSN-DNP. These rates are derived from JMU’s 2026-27 graduate tuition schedule.
| Component | MSN | BSN-DNP |
|---|---|---|
| Base tuition (in-state / out-of-state) | $534 / $1,282 | Special DNP rate |
| Comprehensive fee | $56 | Included |
| Published rate | $590 / $1,338 | $590 / $965 |
| Nursing Tuition Differential | $104 | $104 |
| Total per credit | $694 / $1,442 | $694 / $1,069 |
| Credits | 49 | 77 |
| Estimated total (derived) | $34,006 / $70,658 | $53,438 / $82,313 |
- Standard graduate rate: $590 in-state, $1,338 out-of-state (includes the $56 comprehensive fee)
- Nursing DNP special rate: $590 in-state, $965 out-of-state
- Nursing Tuition Differential: $104 per credit on all nursing classes
- Background checks: paid by the student
Be aware that:
- The MSN rate is an assumption. JMU’s special-rate table lists only the CNL and Nurse Administrator MSNs, so the NP concentrations are assumed to pay the standard rate.
- All totals are derived. JMU publishes no program totals, and rates can change each year.
- The differential applies to nursing classes. A non-NSG cognate in the BSN-DNP may not carry it.
- JMU caps Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans at $20,500 per year for all graduate programs. Out-of-state MSN students on the full-time plan face about $35,300 per year in tuition alone.
- ADN holders with a non-nursing bachelor’s may add up to 11 credits.
For Virginia residents, both tracks bill at the same $694 per credit, so the BSN-DNP’s extra cost is simply 28 more credits (about $19,400). For non-residents, the lower DNP rate narrows that gap to about $11,700, which makes the doctorate more attractive per credit than the MSN.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for Harrisonburg-area nurses who want high clinical volume and real placement help, and can commit to one campus day each week.
Clinical depth on either credential. Both tracks carry the same 780-hour NP practicum. A nurse who later wants a doctorate does not trade clinical volume for it, and an MSN graduate is not shortchanged on hands-on training.
Value for Virginia residents. At $694 per credit, the in-state MSN is about $34,000. The full doctorate adds about $19,400 for 28 more credits, a modest step up for nurses who want the DNP.
Honest drawbacks. The weekly Wednesday campus day rules out distance learners. The MSN takes one intake per year, requires a year of RN experience, and interviews top candidates. The BSN-DNP is full-time only, starts only in January, and is not built for nurses working full-time.
Accreditation
JMU’s master’s and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). That covers both the MSN FNP concentration and the BSN-DNP FNP concentration.
James Madison University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer.
The FNP concentration is designed to meet NONPF and AACN competencies. JMU reports a first-time FNP certification pass rate of about 95 percent over five years.
Graduates of both tracks are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
More FNP Programs in Virginia
- ECPI University - Virginia Beach
- George Mason University - Fairfax
- George Washington University - Ashburn
- Liberty University - Lynchburg
- Mary Baldwin University - Fishersville
- Marymount University - Arlington
- Old Dominion University - Virginia Beach
- Radford University - Radford
- Shenandoah University - Winchester
- University of Virginia - Charlottesville
- Virginia Commonwealth University - Richmond