University of Mississippi Medical Center offers 3 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN
- BSN-DNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $27.1K / $27.8K | 1.7 years (5 semesters) | 50 |
| BSN-DNP | $41.6K / $42.8K | 2.7 years (8 semesters) | 73 |
| Certificate | Varies | Not clearly stated | Individualized |
Tuition estimates use UMMC’s 2026-27 graduate semester rates (flat above 9 credits) on the published full-time plans, plus first-semester fees and, out of state, the $150 per-semester distance learning fee.
Every UMMC FNP clinical hour happens in Mississippi. The MSN and BSN-DNP share one 630-hour practicum sequence, and the program is built for nurses who already live and work in the state, with access to Mississippi’s only academic health science center and a network of more than 200 affiliated sites.
That same rule is the main trade-off. Out-of-state nurses can enroll at close to the resident price, but they would still complete all clinicals in Mississippi, and UMMC has not determined whether the degree meets licensure requirements in any other state.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN, BSN-DNP, Post-Graduate APRN Certificate |
| Format | Mostly Online: online and hybrid courses, campus Advanced Health Assessment, DNP intensives in Jackson |
| Clinical Hours | 630 NP hours (MSN); 1,230 total (BSN-DNP) |
| Clinical Placement | Mississippi only; SON assists, students encouraged to secure their own preceptors |
| Population | Family/individual across the lifespan |
| Distinctive Coursework | Standalone procedures course; separate reproductive health and pediatric management courses |
| Concentrations | Optional Nursing Education and Instruction (+10 credits) |
| RN License Requirements | Unrestricted RN license plus Mississippi license or compact privilege |
| Start Term | Fall only; March 15 application deadline (MSN, BSN-DNP) |
| Tuition | $596.20/credit resident; flat $5,365.80 per semester at 9+ credits |
| Accreditation | CCNE (BSN, MSN, DNP, post-graduate APRN certificate) |
Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Track
The estimated tuition for the MSN at University of Mississippi Medical Center is approximately $27,079 in-state (50 credits on a full-time plan at the flat $5,365.80 semester rate, plus a $250 skills supply fee). The program can generally be completed in about 1.7 years (5 semesters) on the published full-time plan, starting in fall and finishing the second spring.
The MSN: Family Nurse Practitioner Track is a 50-credit, five-semester plan. Part-time plans are available and are built individually with a faculty advisor.
MSN Curriculum
Front-loaded clinical skills. The first fall pairs Advanced Health Assessment with a 1-credit Advanced Clinical Diagnostics and Procedures course and a separate Reproductive Health course. Students build hands-on procedure and women’s health content before their first practicum starts in spring.
One management course per practicum. From spring of year one, each practicum runs alongside a matching therapeutic management course (pediatrics first, then Primary Care I, II and III). Theory and clinical stay in lockstep for four straight semesters, including summer.
Light core. Non-clinical core content (discipline of nursing, finance and leadership, research, quality improvement, informatics, health policy) totals 13 credits and is spread across the plan rather than stacked up front.
- N 677-1 Advanced Health Assessment (3)
- N 688-1 Advanced Clinical Diagnostics & Procedures for Nurse Practitioners (1)
- N 610-1 Reproductive Health for Advanced Nursing Practice (2)
- N 637-4 Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology (3)
- N 666-3 Advanced Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics (3)
- N 612-5 Therapeutic Management of the Pediatric Client (2)
- N 682-4/5/6 Therapeutic Management in Primary Care I-III (2 each)
- N 685-6/7/8/9 Practicum in Primary Care I-IV (2, 3, 4, 5)
- N 669-1 Role Development and Role Enactment for Advanced Role Practice (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The optional Nursing Education and Instruction concentration adds 10 credits (about $5,962 at the per-credit rate if billed below the 9-credit flat threshold).
- Advanced Health Assessment is delivered on campus, and hybrid courses may meet on campus up to four times per semester. Exact dates are not published in advance.
- Online courses may be synchronous or asynchronous, so some live class times should be expected.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 630 clinical hours: Practicum I (90) + II (135) + III (180) + IV (225), at 45 hours per practicum credit.
- All clinical hours must be completed in Mississippi.
- Preceptors may be NPs (2+ years’ experience) or physician facilitators, MD or DO (1+ year).
- The SON can assist with preceptors, but students are allowed and encouraged to secure their own.
- Preceptors should be secured the semester before each clinical course begins.
At 630 hours, UMMC sits inside the 600 to 700 hour range common among FNP programs and comfortably above the 500-hour certification floor. The load climbs steadily: roughly 6 hours a week in the first practicum, 11 to 12 in the summer and second fall, and about 15 in the final spring (derived from typical term lengths). The placement model is support, not a guarantee. A Mississippi nurse with local provider contacts is in the strongest position.
You Should Know
- The Mississippi-only clinical rule applies even to students living out of state, which means travel or relocation for every practicum.
- Weekly hour figures assume 15-week fall and spring terms and a 12-week summer; UMMC does not publish them.
MSN Admissions
Admission is competitive, fall-only, and may include an interview.
- BSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program with clinical practice courses
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, or a 3.0 nursing GPA
- One year of RN experience before courses begin; recent full-time, track-relevant experience is preferred
- Unrestricted U.S. RN license plus Mississippi license or compact privilege
- Official transcripts; no GRE
- Application deadline: March 15 each year for fall entry
You Should Know
- Students cannot transfer into the FNP track from another UMMC MSN track. Apply to FNP directly.
- Cohort size depends on available faculty, clinical sites and preceptors, and UMMC may decline to run a track if enrollment is too low.
- Applicants dismissed from any nursing program must wait one year before applying.
Post-Baccalaureate DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner Track
The estimated tuition for the BSN-DNP at University of Mississippi Medical Center is approximately $41,642 in-state (73 credits at $596.20/credit on the published full-time plan, flat above 9 credits, plus $1,100 in first-semester fees). The program can generally be completed in about 2.7 years (8 semesters) full-time, starting in fall and finishing the third spring.
The Post Baccalaureate DNP: Family Nurse Practitioner Track uses the same FNP clinical sequence as the MSN and adds a doctoral layer around it.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
Doctoral core first. The first year and summer cover biostatistics, health policy, two leadership courses, evaluation methods, population health and informatics. FNP clinical work does not start until the second spring.
Shared practicum spine. From the second fall, the plan mirrors the MSN: Advanced Health Assessment, the procedures course, the pediatric management course, and Practicum I-IV with Primary Care I-III. The DNP adds 23 credits and about $14,563 over the MSN for the same NP clinical training.
JBI-method project. The four-part Scholarly Project uses Joanna Briggs Institute rapid evidence synthesis and implementation methods, which is why a one-time $850 JBI fee appears on the first bill.
- DNP 720-1 Biostatistics I (3)
- DNP 718 Health Policy and the Health Care System (3)
- DNP 706-1 Evaluation Approaches, Models, and Methods (3)
- DNP 714 Population Health for Advanced Nursing Practice (3)
- DNP 741 Project Management for Quality Improvement in Health Care (3)
- DNP 707-1 Health Care Finance (3)
- DNP 712-1 to 712-4 Scholarly Project (8 total)
- N 685-6/7/8/9 Practicum in Primary Care I-IV (14 total)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The catalog lists both DNP 701-1 and DNP 704-1 as “Leadership in Health Systems.” The second title is likely a catalog error; confirm with the program.
- Delivery combines online courses with intensive face-to-face sessions on the Jackson campus. Dates are set the semester before each course.
- The plan is labeled full-time, but both summers fall below the 9-credit full-time threshold. UMMC also says most BSN-DNP students study part-time, which extends the timeline.
- All requirements must be finished within 150% of the plan of study.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 1,230 total clinical hours, above the AACN 1,000-hour DNP minimum.
- 630 NP practicum hours on the same Practicum I-IV sequence as the MSN (90 + 135 + 180 + 225).
- 600 remaining hours tied to DNP project and practice coursework (derived: 1,230 minus 630).
- Same Mississippi-only clinical rule and preceptor standards as the MSN.
The direct-care FNP volume is identical to the MSN. The extra 600 hours build doctoral project and systems skills, not additional primary care patient time. Choose the DNP for the credential and leadership training, not for more clinical exposure.
You Should Know
- The current catalog states the 1,230-hour total but does not assign the 600 non-practicum hours to specific courses.
BSN-DNP Admissions
The BSN-DNP sets a higher bar than the MSN, with a stricter GPA, a full-time experience requirement, and more documents.
- Minimum 3.2 undergraduate and graduate nursing cumulative GPA
- One year of full-time clinical RN experience
- At least one research course and one statistics course
- Personal statement and three academic or professional references
- Must be RN-licensed and licensed or privileged in Mississippi; new BSN graduates must pass NCLEX by the program start date (August graduates during the first semester)
- Fall-only start; March 15 deadline; interview may be required
You Should Know
- The August-graduate NCLEX allowance sits alongside the one-year full-time experience rule, so new graduates should confirm with admissions whether they are eligible for the FNP track.
- Students cannot transfer into the FNP track from another BSN-DNP track.
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Post-Graduate Certificate at University of Mississippi Medical Center depends on an individualized plan, billed at $596.20/credit (flat at 9+ credits per semester). The program length is not clearly stated, since each plan is built from the student’s prior graduate coursework.
The Post-Graduate APRN Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner is for nurses who already hold a graduate nursing degree.
Certificate Curriculum
UMMC does not publish a fixed FNP certificate plan. A track advisor builds each plan after enrollment, and applicants who already hold NP certification in another population typically receive a shorter plan. Expect the plan to center on the same FNP management and Practicum I-IV sequence used in the MSN.
You Should Know
- No published credit total or tuition estimate exists. Ask for a gap analysis before committing.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- UMMC states that all APRN tracks require 630 clinical hours.
- All clinical hours must be completed in Mississippi.
Because the 630 hours are a national-certification requirement rather than a course credit, experienced NPs should expect the full clinical sequence even when didactic courses are waived.
Certificate Admissions
The FNP certificate starts in fall only.
- Graduate degree in nursing
- Unrestricted RN license plus Mississippi license or compact privilege
- One year of RN experience before courses begin (per UMMC’s post-graduate NP catalog language)
- Requirements must be completed within six years
You Should Know
- The FNP certificate’s own catalog record was not available. The experience and six-year rules above come from UMMC’s catalog record for a sibling post-graduate NP certificate and should be confirmed.
- State boards set their own rules for adding a second APRN population focus. UMMC has only confirmed that its FNP track meets Mississippi requirements.
Tuition
UMMC charges graduate nursing students $596.20 per credit as Mississippi residents. Tuition stops rising at 9 credits, so any semester at 9 or more credits costs a flat $5,365.80. Full-time plans that run above 9 credits pay less than the per-credit rate implies.
| Item | MSN | BSN-DNP |
|---|---|---|
| Credits / semesters | 50 / 5 | 73 / 8 |
| Resident tuition (published plan) | $26,829 | $40,542 |
| Skills supply fee (first semester) | $250 | $250 |
| JBI fee (one time) | None | $850 |
| Resident total | $27,079 | $41,642 |
| Distance learning fee ($150/semester, out of state) | $750 | $1,200 |
| Out-of-state distance total | $27,829 | $42,842 |
All totals are derived from the 2026-27 School of Nursing tuition tables. UMMC does not publish program totals.
- Resident rate: $596.20 per credit, capped at $5,365.80 per semester
- Skills supply fee: $250, first semester
- Joanna Briggs Institute fee: $850, once, DNP students
- Distance learning fee: $150 per semester, charged instead of the non-resident surcharge for distance education students
Be aware that:
- Part-time students lose the flat-rate savings. Billed credit by credit, the MSN is about $30,060 and the BSN-DNP about $44,623 including fees.
- The standard non-resident rate is $1,760.61 per credit ($15,845.50 per semester). If the distance fee did not apply, out-of-state totals would reach about $79,477 (MSN) and $120,821 (BSN-DNP).
- The catalog calls the MSN a distance education program. The DNP includes required campus intensives, and UMMC does not say whether DNP students qualify for the distance fee.
- The non-resident surcharge may be waived for graduate students from states bordering Mississippi.
- Rates are for 2026-27 and are subject to change without notice.
For a Mississippi resident on a full-time plan, the MSN costs about $536 per credit in practice, which makes it a low-cost route to FNP certification. Out-of-state nurses can pay close to the same price through the distance fee, but the in-state clinical rule adds travel and housing costs that the tuition table does not show.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Built for Mississippi nurses who want an affordable, mostly online FNP with clinical training in their own communities and a clear path to a DNP.
Mississippi practice focus. All clinicals stay in-state, and UMMC is Mississippi’s only academic health science center, with NP-managed faculty practice sites in Jackson and the Delta and more than 200 affiliated sites. For a nurse who plans to practice in Mississippi, this keeps training, networking and future employment in one place.
Low cost with a flat-rate advantage. At $596.20 per credit and a flat rate above 9 credits, full-time students pay about $27,079 for the MSN. The BSN-DNP adds 23 credits and roughly $14,563 for the same 630 NP practicum hours plus doctoral training.
Honest drawbacks. Admission is fall-only with a March 15 deadline and no transfer into FNP from other tracks. Preceptor support is assistance, not placement. Nurses outside Mississippi face in-state clinicals and no licensure determination for their home state, and the program’s campus requirements (Advanced Health Assessment, hybrid meetings, DNP intensives) mean periodic trips to Jackson.
Accreditation
The University of Mississippi School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The accreditation covers the BSN, MSN, DNP and post-graduate APRN certificate programs, so all three FNP routes fall under it.
At its most recent review in March 2022, each of those programs received the maximum 10-year accreditation term.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and the transfer of graduate credit.
Graduates of the FNP track meet Mississippi Board of Nursing requirements and are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
More FNP Programs in Mississippi
- Alcorn State University - Natchez
- Delta State University - Cleveland
- Mississippi University for Women - Columbus
- University of Southern Mississippi - Hattiesburg