Mary Baldwin University offers 2 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN
- Post-MSN Certificate
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $31.5K | 1.7 years (5 semesters) | 47 |
| Certificate | $21.2K–$21.7K | 1.7 years (5 semesters) | 32 |
Tuition estimates use Mary Baldwin’s 2026–27 rate of $650 per credit plus the $87.50 semester technology fee and the $500 one-time FNP program fee.
Mary Baldwin’s 47-credit MSN costs about $31,500 all-in, because one flat $650 rate applies to every student regardless of residency. The $500 program fee is bundled rather than added on: it covers e-textbooks, DynaMed access, and ultrasound training.
The trade-off is campus travel and placement risk. Coursework is online, but on-campus intensives are required, and MBU assists with clinical sites rather than guaranteeing them. Mary Baldwin is also on 12-month SACSCOC probation (June 2026) over financial responsibility; its accreditation remains in effect, with a review in June 2027.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN; Post-MSN Certificate |
| Format | Mostly Online: online asynchronous and synchronous courses plus on-campus intensives |
| Clinical Hours | 600 (both tracks) |
| Clinical Placement | MBU assists with placements; no guarantee stated |
| Population | Family/individual across the lifespan; settings include pediatrics, women’s health, geriatrics, telehealth |
| Distinctive Coursework | Three-course adult primary care sequence; ultrasound training covered by the program fee |
| RN License Requirements | Unrestricted RN license in Virginia or an NC-SARA state |
| RN Experience | One year (2,080 hours) full-time, acute care preferred |
| Start Terms | Fall, spring, and summer |
| Tuition | $650/credit for all students, plus fees |
| Accreditation | CCNE (both tracks); SACSCOC accredited, on probation through June 2027 review |
MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner Track
The estimated tuition for the MSN FNP at Mary Baldwin University is approximately $31,488 (47 credits at $650/credit, plus fees). The program can generally be completed in about 20 months (5 semesters) on the full-time plan.
Program page: MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Track
MSN Curriculum
Structure. The MSN is two blocks: a 15-credit MSN core shared with MBU’s leadership, educator, and PMHNP tracks, and a 32-credit FNP sequence identical to the post-MSN certificate. The core covers leadership, theory, informatics, policy, and population health.
Adult-weighted specialty sequence. The FNP block puts 12 credits into three adult primary care courses and 4 credits into pediatric primary care. Three 2-credit clinical courses run alongside them. Students who want deep pediatric exposure should plan for it in their clinical site choices, since the didactic weighting leans adult.
Paired progression. Didactic and clinical courses are linked. Failing one can require repeating both, and once practicum starts it must run continuously unless the program director approves a break.
- NUR 501: Organization/Systems Leadership (3)
- NUR 503: Managing Outcomes: Informatics (3)
- NUR 620: Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology for the APRN (3)
- NUR 704: Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics (4)
- NUR 706: Advanced Health Assessment (3)
- NUR 824: Advanced Practice Nursing I: Pediatric Primary Care (4)
- NUR 828, 832, 845: Adult Primary Care I, II, and III (4 each)
- NUR 825, 826, 830: Advanced Practice Nursing: Clinical I, II, and III (2 each)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The program page says the MSN “runs full-time,” while MBU’s online page says it is offered full-time and part-time. A part-time timeline is not published.
- The MSN course-by-course credit list is derived: the published 15-credit core plus the 32-credit FNP sequence from the certificate catalog record equals the published 47 credits.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Total: 600 supervised clinical hours.
- Clinical courses: NUR 825, 826, and 830 (2 credits each). Per-course hours are not published; if all 600 hours sit in these courses, that is about 200 hours each (derived).
- Settings named: family practice, pediatrics, internal medicine, women’s health, geriatrics, and telehealth.
- Placement: “MBU assists students with clinical placements.” No guarantee or preceptor-sourcing rules are published.
- Practicum must be completed continuously once started.
Six hundred hours sits at the low end of the common 600 to 700 range and 100 hours above the 500-hour certification floor. Spread over three clinical semesters, it works out to roughly 13 hours a week (derived). Because placement is assistance rather than assignment, applicants should ask early how much site-finding falls on them, especially outside the Shenandoah Valley.
You Should Know
- Telehealth is listed as a clinical setting, but no cap on telehealth hours is published.
- Faculty site visit policy is not clearly stated.
MSN Admissions
The gate to note is one year of full-time RN experience, and qualified applicants may be invited to interview.
- BSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program, 3.0 GPA or higher
- Unrestricted RN license in Virginia or an NC-SARA participating state
- One year (2,080 hours) of full-time nursing experience, acute care preferred
- Undergraduate or graduate statistics, grade of C or higher
- Resume or CV, official transcripts, current BLS
- Applications through NursingCAS; fall, spring, and summer starts
- Transfer credit: up to 33% of NP coursework, excluding NP didactic and clinical courses
You Should Know
- MBU’s sources disagree on deadlines. The graduate admissions page lists December 1 (spring), April 1 (summer), and August 1 (fall). The catalog describes rolling admission up to two weeks before term.
- Prerequisite courses also vary by page: statistics only (admissions page), statistics and leadership (online program page), or statistics and evidence-based practice (catalog). Confirm with admissions.
- Mary Baldwin’s licensure disclosure page does not list the MSN FNP. Nurses outside Virginia should confirm their state before applying.
Post-MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
The estimated tuition for the Post-MSN FNP Certificate at Mary Baldwin University is approximately $21,238 to $21,738 (32 credits at $650/credit, plus fees). The program can generally be completed in about 20 months (5 semesters) on a part-time plan.
Program page: Post-MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate Track
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is the MSN’s FNP block without the 15-credit core. Students take the same 10 courses, the same three clinical courses, and the same 600 hours as MSN students. That makes it a direct way for an MSN-prepared nurse to add the FNP role at about $9,750 less tuition than the full MSN.
- NUR 620: Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology for the APRN (3)
- NUR 704: Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics (4)
- NUR 706: Advanced Health Assessment (3)
- NUR 824: Advanced Practice Nursing I: Pediatric Primary Care (4)
- NUR 828, 832, 845: Adult Primary Care I, II, and III (4 each)
- NUR 825, 826, 830: Advanced Practice Nursing: Clinical I, II, and III (2 each)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- Total: 600 supervised clinical hours, matching the MSN.
- Same clinical course sequence (NUR 825, 826, 830) and placement-assistance model as the MSN.
Certificate students get no clinical shortcut. Even practicing NPs adding the family population complete the full 600 hours.
Certificate Admissions
The certificate has two entry routes, and practicing NPs may waive the 3 Ps.
- Current NPs: MSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program (3.0 GPA) and current national NP certification
- 3 Ps waiver: pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment taken within 5 years, or active NP practice with relevant experience
- Otherwise, test out with the APEA 3P exam (67% in each domain, at the applicant’s cost)
- Non-NP MSN holders: MSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program (3.0 GPA) and one year (2,080 hours) of full-time RN experience
- All applicants: unrestricted RN license in Virginia or an NC-SARA state, CV, personal statement, transcripts, BLS
You Should Know
- A 3 Ps waiver would shorten the 32-credit plan by up to 10 credits, but MBU does not publish a reduced cost or timeline.
- The certificate takes the same 20 months as the full-time MSN because it runs part-time (about 6.4 credits per semester, derived).
- State boards set their own rules for adding a second APRN population focus. Confirm acceptance with your board before enrolling.
Tuition
Mary Baldwin charges $650 per credit (2026–27, published) for MSN FNP coursework, with no in-state/out-of-state difference. All-in, including fees, the MSN works out to about $670 per credit (derived).
| Item | MSN (47 cr) | Certificate (32 cr) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition at $650/credit | $30,550 | $20,800 |
| Technology and credentialing fee ($87.50 x 5 semesters) | $437.50 | $437.50 |
| FNP program fee (one-time) | $500 | $0–$500 |
| Estimated total (derived) | $31,487.50 | $21,237.50–$21,737.50 |
Official rates: MSN Cost and Aid
- Tuition: $650/credit for FNP students, all residencies
- Technology and credentialing fee: $87.50/semester
- FNP program fee: $500 one time, covering e-textbooks, DynaMed access, and ultrasound training
- Application fee: $70 (NursingCAS)
- Exxat clinical tracking: $151 one time (estimated by MBU)
Be aware that:
- MBU publishes no separate certificate rate. The certificate estimate assumes the $650 MSN FNP rate applies, and it is unclear whether the $500 program fee is charged to certificate students.
- Rates are for 2026–27 only. A 20-month program spans two academic years, so a rate change would affect later semesters.
- MBU’s cost page lists indirect costs (books $472/semester, transportation $768/semester) for aid purposes. These are not billed, but intensive travel is a real expense for students outside commuting range.
For a private university, the MSN’s total is predictable: one rate, two small fees, and a program fee that removes the textbook bill. The main variable is travel to campus intensives, which matters more the farther a student lives from Fishersville.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for working Virginia nurses who want a private-school FNP at a flat, residency-blind price, and who can travel to campus for scheduled intensives.
Clear, bundled pricing. The MSN costs about $31,500 including fees, and out-of-state students pay the same rate as Virginians. Because the program fee covers e-textbooks and ultrasound training, fewer costs appear after enrollment.
Three start terms. Fall, spring, and summer entry give working nurses flexibility on timing. The certificate’s part-time pace (about six credits per semester) suits NPs adding a second population while working.
Rule this out if: you need guaranteed clinical placement, want zero campus travel, or live in a state where MBU has not confirmed licensure eligibility. Nurses wary of the university’s SACSCOC probation should wait for the June 2027 decision or weigh it against MBU’s statement that degrees and aid are unaffected. Clinical volume sits at 600 hours, the low end of the common range, and the curriculum leans toward adult primary care.
Accreditation
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits Mary Baldwin’s Master of Science in Nursing program. CCNE also accredits the post-master’s certificate program, so both FNP tracks are covered.
Mary Baldwin University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Institutional accreditation underpins federal financial aid eligibility and how other schools treat transfer credit.
On June 26, 2026, SACSCOC continued Mary Baldwin’s accreditation but placed the university on Probation for Good Cause for 12 months for not meeting its financial responsibility standard. MBU states that enrollment, degrees, and federal aid are not affected. SACSCOC will review the university in June 2027, when it may end probation, extend monitoring, or remove accreditation. A 20-month FNP program starting now would extend past that review.
Graduates of both tracks are prepared to sit for a national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
Compare More Family NP Programs
- ECPI University - Virginia Beach
- George Mason University - Fairfax
- George Washington University - Ashburn
- James Madison University - Harrisonburg
- Liberty University - Lynchburg
- Marymount University - Arlington
- Old Dominion University - Virginia Beach
- Radford University - Radford
- Shenandoah University - Winchester
- University of Virginia - Charlottesville
- Virginia Commonwealth University - Richmond