Creighton University offers 3 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- BSN-DNP
- MSN-DNP + Certificate
- Postgraduate Certificate
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP | $82.3K–$84.6K | Not clearly stated | 73–75 |
| MSN-DNP + Cert | $50.8K–$53.0K | Not clearly stated | 45–47 |
| Certificate | $20.3K | About 1 year (3 semesters) | 18 |
Tuition estimates use Creighton’s 2026–2027 rate of $1,050 per credit plus the $57 university fee and $21 technology fee charged per credit.
A national online FNP doctorate comes with a long list of states where you cannot enroll. Creighton’s BSN-DNP carries 1,200 clinical hours, more than double the 500-hour certification floor, and licensed APRNs can pair a general DNP with the FNP certificate in one 45–47 credit enrollment.
The trade-off is logistics. Seven states are closed to the DNP and nine to the certificate, students source their own preceptors, and every track requires trips to Omaha in numbers Creighton does not publish.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | BSN-DNP; MSN-DNP + Postgraduate Certificate; Postgraduate Certificate |
| Format | Mostly Online: online coursework, required Omaha campus trips (number varies by track) |
| Clinical Hours | 1,200 (BSN-DNP); 525 (MSN-DNP + certificate, certificate) |
| Clinical Placement | Student-sourced preceptors (stated on certificate page) |
| Population | Family/individual across the lifespan |
| Distinctive Coursework | Separate well-child and child care management courses; three-part adult-gero primary care sequence |
| RN Experience Gate | 2,000 hours of direct patient care before the first practicum |
| RN License Requirements | Active, unencumbered RN with Nebraska eligibility; APRN license for post-master’s routes |
| Enrollment Restrictions | No DE, LA, MD, MA, NH, NY, TN residents; AZ and WA limited |
| Tuition | $1,050/credit plus $78/credit fees and a $426–$840 semester program fee |
| Accreditation | CCNE (DNP and post-graduate APRN certificate); HLC institutional |
BSN to DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Doctor of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner at Creighton University is approximately $82,344 to $84,600 (73–75 credits at $1,128/credit including per-credit fees). Creighton does not publish a completion time, but it offers full-time and part-time plans with August, January, and May starts.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
Doctoral core first, specialty second. Roughly 28 credits sit in research and leadership coursework: epidemiology, statistics, evaluation methods, health policy and law, care management, and a 3-credit DNP project seminar taken across several terms. A required NCR (negotiation and conflict resolution) course reflects Creighton’s leadership emphasis.
A split pediatric and adult specialty block. The FNP sequence separates pediatrics into Well Child Care Management and Child Care Management, then runs adult-gerontology primary care as a three-course sequence (I, II, III). A standalone gerontological health promotion course adds more older-adult content than many FNP plans carry.
A long doctoral practicum tail. After two FNP practicums, students complete DNP Practicums III, IV, and V and a 5-credit DNP Residency. That tail holds about three-quarters of the program’s clinical credits.
- NUR 664 Well Child Care Management (1)
- NUR 722 Child Care Management (2)
- NUR 714 / 720 / 731 Primary Care of Adult-Gerontology I–III (3/3/2)
- NUR 756 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in the Gerontological Population (2)
- NUR 618 Population-Based Health Care for Advanced Practice Nursing (3)
- NUR 741 / 721 Practicum I and II: Family Nurse Practitioner (2/2)
- NUR 855 / 856 / 857 DNP Practicum III–V (2/2/3)
- NUR 902 DNP Residency (5)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The program page lists 74–75 credits; the catalog course list totals 73. Tuition differs by up to $2,256.
- Creighton BSN graduates who enroll within 12 months get a streamlined application and a reduced credit requirement.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 1,200 clinical hours (published)
- 16 practicum credits; 1,200 ÷ 16 = 75 hours per credit (derived)
- FNP Practicums I–II: about 300 hours; DNP Practicums III–V and Residency: about 900 hours (derived at 75 hours/credit)
- Placement model for the DNP: not clearly stated; the certificate page says students find their own preceptors
- Required Omaha campus trips; number not published
At 1,200 hours, the BSN-DNP is well above the 600–700 range common in FNP programs. At 75 hours per credit, the 2-credit practicums run about 150 hours (roughly 10 hours a week over a 15-week term), and the 5-credit residency about 375 hours (roughly 25 a week), all derived. The residency term is the hard one to combine with full-time work. Self-sourcing preceptors for six practicum courses is the biggest practical burden.
You Should Know
- Creighton does not say how many of the 1,200 hours are direct FNP patient care versus DNP project or practice hours.
- Telehealth clinical policy and faculty site visits are not published.
BSN-DNP Admissions
The RN experience gate applies before the first practicum, not at admission, so newer nurses can start the doctoral core early.
- BSN from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program; 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Active, unencumbered RN license with Nebraska eligibility
- Undergraduate statistics and physical assessment (with practicum), C or higher
- 2,000 hours of direct patient care nursing before the first practicum
- Three recommendations (one from a nursing employer or supervisor), personal statement, resume
- Deadlines (annual cycle): May 1 for August, October 1 for January, February 1 for May
You Should Know
- Creighton cannot enroll DNP students who plan to live in Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, or Tennessee.
- Washington residents may enroll in the FNP DNP track, but the certificate page bars Washington residents from graduate nursing study entirely. Confirm before applying.
- International students cannot be admitted.
MSN to DNP with Postgraduate Certificate, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MSN to DNP with Post-Graduate Certificate at Creighton University is approximately $50,760 to $53,016 (45–47 credits at $1,128/credit including per-credit fees). Creighton does not publish a completion time for this combined route.
MSN-DNP + Certificate Curriculum
This route stacks two programs: the Post-Graduate General DNP track for licensed APRNs and the 18-credit FNP certificate. The arithmetic implies about 27–29 credits of doctoral coursework on top of the certificate, inside the catalog’s 27–40 credit range for post-graduate DNPs. For an APRN adding a family population focus, it delivers both the new specialty and the doctorate in one enrollment. The FNP courses match the certificate track below.
MSN-DNP + Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 525 clinical hours minimum (published); may increase after review of prior coursework
- Prior master’s clinical hours must be verified by transcript, syllabi, or an institutional letter
- Preceptors are student-sourced (certificate page)
525 hours is just above the 500-hour floor. It works because the student already holds APRN training; the gap analysis decides whether more hours are added.
MSN-DNP + Certificate Admissions
This route is for APRNs only, and Arizona residents are locked out of it.
- MSN from an ACEN-, CCNE-, COA-, or ACME-accredited program; 3.0 GPA
- Active, unencumbered APRN license with Nebraska eligibility and current national certification
- Graduate statistics with a C or higher
You Should Know
- Arizona residents may enroll only in the general MSN-DNP, not a post-graduate certificate, so the FNP route is unavailable.
- The DNP page lists a February 1 deadline for May starts; the certificate page lists October 1. Which applies to this combined route is not stated.
Postgraduate Certificate, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Post-Graduate Certificate, Family Nurse Practitioner at Creighton University is approximately $20,304 (18 credits at $1,128/credit including per-credit fees). The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (3 semesters), derived from its three sequential practicum courses.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is the BSN-DNP’s FNP specialty block (15 of its 18 credits are identical courses) plus a 3-credit Certificate Practicum. Clinicals start in the first term, which is why applications close seven months before the May start.
- NUR 664 Well Child Care Management (1)
- NUR 714 Primary Care of Adult-Gerontology (3)
- NUR 741 Practicum I: Family Nurse Practitioner (2)
- NUR 720 Primary Care of Adult-Gerontology II (3)
- NUR 721 Practicum II: Family Nurse Practitioner (2)
- NUR 722 Child Care Management (2)
- NUR 731 Primary Care of Adult-Gerontology III (2)
- NUR 726 Certificate Practicum: Family Nurse Practitioner (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 525 direct clinical hours (published)
- 7 practicum credits; 525 ÷ 7 = 75 hours per credit, matching the BSN-DNP ratio (derived)
- Students find their own preceptors
- Clinical placement requests are due up to four months before the first term
At 75 hours per credit, Practicums I and II run about 150 hours each (roughly 10 hours a week) and the Certificate Practicum about 225 (roughly 15 a week), all derived. That load is realistic for a working APRN, provided a preceptor is lined up before the program starts.
You Should Know
- Credits and clinical hours may be adjusted after transcript review; additional courses may be required.
Certificate Admissions
The FNP certificate has one intake a year, in May.
- MSN or DNP from an ACEN-, CCNE-, COA-, or ACME-accredited program; 3.0 GPA
- Active, unencumbered RN and APRN-NP licenses
- 2,000 hours of direct care as an RN or APRN before the first practicum
- Three recommendations, resume, and a 2–3 page personal statement
- Deadline (annual cycle): October 1 for the following May
You Should Know
- Creighton cannot enroll certificate students who plan to live in Arizona, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Tennessee, or Washington.
- State boards set their own rules for adding a second APRN population focus. Check your board before enrolling.
- The October 1 deadline for May 2027 has passed; the next cycle closes October 1, 2027.
Tuition
Creighton charges $1,050 per credit for 2026–2027 across all FNP tracks, or $1,128 per credit once the per-credit university and technology fees are added. Rates are set annually and change each summer term.
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $1,050 per credit |
| University fee | $57 per credit |
| Technology fee | $21 per credit |
| Nursing academic program fee | $840 per semester (full-time) / $426 (part-time) |
- BSN-DNP: $82,344 (73 credits) to $84,600 (75 credits) before the semester program fee
- MSN-DNP + certificate: $50,760 (45 credits) to $53,016 (47 credits) before the semester program fee
- Certificate: $20,304 before the program fee; $21,582–$22,824 with three semesters of program fees (derived)
Rates are published on Creighton’s graduate tuition page.
Be aware that:
- The semester program fee depends on how many terms you enroll. A part-time BSN-DNP stretched over many terms adds several thousand dollars.
- Creighton does not publish its full-time credit threshold, so which program fee tier applies is unclear.
- Optional student health insurance is $2,212 per semester.
- Campus trip travel is not included and the number of trips is not published.
- Soto Nursing Scholars receive full tuition and a monthly stipend for a three-year DNP plus global health certificate. The first cohort is five students, and eligible specialties are not stated.
The real per-credit cost is about $1,128, not $1,050, and the BSN-DNP lands in the mid-$80,000s before semester fees and travel. The certificate is the efficient buy: about a quarter of the doctoral price for the same FNP specialty courses.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for experienced nurses outside the excluded states who want a doctorate with heavy clinical volume and can line up their own preceptors.
BSN-prepared nurses aiming for a doctorate. The BSN-DNP’s 1,200 hours and five-course doctoral practicum tail give more supervised practice than a typical FNP program. Three yearly starts and part-time plans help working nurses fit it in. The cost is high, and preceptor hunting falls on you.
APRNs adding a family focus. The combined MSN-DNP + certificate route earns the FNP specialty and the DNP together for about $51,000–$53,000. APRNs who only need the new population focus can take the 18-credit certificate for about $20,000 and finish in roughly a year.
The drawbacks. Residents of seven states cannot enroll in the DNP and nine cannot take the certificate, with Arizona and Washington rules that differ by page. Campus trips are required but uncounted. Single May entry and an October deadline make the certificate a long-lead decision.
Accreditation
Creighton’s Doctor of Nursing Practice and its post-graduate APRN certificate are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). That covers all three FNP routes on this page, including the combined MSN-DNP and certificate.
Creighton University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Regional accreditation matters for federal financial aid eligibility and for transferring credit or applying to later graduate study.
Graduates of the FNP DNP and the FNP certificate are eligible for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC). Creighton reports a 99% nurse practitioner certification rate across its NP programs over the last five years.
More FNP Programs in Nebraska
- Clarkson College - Omaha
- Nebraska Methodist College - Omaha
- University of Nebraska Medical Center - Omaha