University of Colorado Anschutz offers 3 Family Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- MS-FNP (56 credits) — master’s, for BSN-prepared RNs
- BS-to-DNP, FNP (82 credits) — earn the MS and DNP back-to-back in one application
- Post-Graduate FNP Certificate (33 credits) — for MSN-prepared nurses
All three run in a mostly online, hybrid format with limited on-campus requirements at the Anschutz campus in Aurora, CO, and the college arranges clinical placements within Colorado. CU Nursing is the birthplace of the nurse practitioner role and a top-ranked program.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MS FNP | $45K resident | 2.5 years (8 semesters) |
| BS-DNP FNP | $66K | 4 years (12–13 semesters) |
| Post-Graduate Certificate FNP | $26K | 1.5 years (5 semesters) |
CU Anschutz — the birthplace of the nurse practitioner role — offers FNP at the master’s, doctoral, and post-graduate certificate levels, mostly online with Colorado-based clinical placements arranged for you.
MS FNP
The estimated cost for the MS FNP at the University of Colorado Anschutz is about $44,856 for Colorado residents (or $72,688 nonresident; 56 credits at $801/$1,298 per credit), and the program takes about 2.5 years (eight semesters).
MS Curriculum
The MS-FNP is 56 credits — 42 didactic plus 14 clinical. It covers advanced nursing theory, the “three Ps,” evidence-based practice, policy, informatics, and an FNP clinical sequence (health promotion, pediatrics, OB/Gyn, and four advanced practicums).
It’s mostly online, with on-campus requirements for advanced assessment and several clinical-skills sessions.
- NURS 6009 — Theory Foundations for Advanced Nursing (3)
- NURS 6243 — Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
- NURS 6859 — Advanced Professional Role (2)
- NURS 6222 — Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics (3)
- NURS 6109 — Evidence-Based Practice: Evaluating Evidence (3)
- NURS 6761 — Advanced Assessment (3; on-campus requirement)
- NURS 6070 — Policy & Politics of Health (3)
- NURS 6640 — FNP Health Promotion, Prevention, Screening (3)
- NURS 6434 — FNP Care of the Pediatric Patient (3)
- NURS 6739 — OB/Gyn Essentials for the FNP (3)
- NURS 6286 — Foundations of Health Care Informatics (3)
- NURS 6882 — Foundational Clinical Skills for Advanced Practice NPs (1; 2-day on-campus)
- NURS 6549 — FNP Advanced Clinical Skills, Diagnostic Reasoning, and Clinical Decision Making (1; 2-day on-campus)
- NURS 6528 — FNP Diagnosis and Management of Physiologic and Psychiatric Health I (3; 1-day on-campus)
- NURS 6529 — FNP Diagnosis and Management of Physiologic and Psychiatric Health II (3)
- NURS 5931 — FNP Advanced Practicum I (3; 135 clinical hours)
- NURS 5932 — FNP Advanced Practicum II (3; 135 clinical hours)
- NURS 5933 — FNP Advanced Practicum III (4; 180 clinical hours)
- NURS 5934 — FNP Advanced Practicum IV (4; 180 clinical hours)
- NURS 6950 — Synthesis, Integration, and Transition into FNP Practice (2)
More curriculum details are available here.
MS Clinicals
The MS-FNP requires 630 clinical hours across four advanced practicums, with placements arranged by the college within Colorado.
- Total hours: 630 (Practicum I and II: 135 each; III and IV: 180 each)
- Placement: arranged by the college, within Colorado
- Population focus: primary care across the lifespan, including pediatrics and OB/Gyn
- On-campus: advanced assessment and several clinical-skills sessions
- Note: 1 clinical credit = 45 direct patient-care hours
MS Admissions
Admission requires a BSN and an RN license.
- BSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program and regionally accredited institution
- Minimum undergraduate nursing GPA of 3.0 (below 3.0 requires the GRE and/or 12 graduate credits)
- Undergraduate nursing research and statistics courses (C or higher)
- Current, unencumbered RN license
- Three letters of reference (one academic preferred), essay, and résumé
- Interview Day (on-campus or, in select cases, by phone)
Applications run through NursingCAS, with an $85 supplemental fee. Fall 2026 priority deadline is January 15, 2026; Spring 2027 is July 1, 2026. Out-of-state applicants should review the SARA state-authorization rules.
BS-DNP FNP
The estimated cost for the BS-DNP FNP at the University of Colorado Anschutz is about $65,682 for Colorado residents (or $106,436 nonresident; 82 credits), and the program takes about four years (12–13 semesters).
One application earns both the MS and the DNP back-to-back.
DNP Curriculum
The BS-to-DNP totals 82 credits — 56 didactic plus 26 clinical. It layers the full FNP master’s sequence with doctoral coursework in epidemiology, inferential statistics, research methods, innovative leadership, and a four-part DNP quality-improvement project.
- Full MS-FNP course sequence (theory, three Ps, FNP clinical and practicum courses; see MS section)
- NURS 6303 — Epidemiology (3)
- NURS 6108 — Inferential Statistics (3)
- NURS 6107 — Research Methods (3)
- NURS 6800 — Innovative Leadership (3)
- NURS 8020 — DNP Project Prep (2; 45 clinical hours; on-campus)
- NURS 8030 — DNP Project I (4; 180 clinical hours)
- NURS 8040 — DNP Project II (4; 135 clinical hours)
- NURS 8050 — DNP Project III (4; 180 clinical hours)
More curriculum details are available here.
DNP Clinicals
The BS-DNP includes 1,170 clinical hours, combining the FNP practicums with DNP-project clinical hours, all placed within Colorado.
- Total hours: 1,170 clinical hours
- FNP practicums: four advanced practicums (135–180 hours each)
- DNP project: a four-semester quality-improvement or program-evaluation project with embedded clinical hours
- Placement: arranged by the college, within Colorado
- Full-time = minimum 5 credits/semester; part-time options available
DNP Admissions
Admission mirrors the MS-FNP, with the same BSN, GPA, and reference requirements.
- BSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program; minimum 3.0 nursing GPA
- Undergraduate nursing research and statistics courses (C or higher)
- Current, unencumbered RN license
- Three letters of reference, essay, and Interview Day
- $85 supplemental application fee via NursingCAS
The DNP participates in WRGP/WICHE, so residents of Western states may qualify for in-state doctoral tuition — but note this discount does not extend to the FNP specialty’s per-credit rate.
Post-Graduate Certificate FNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Graduate FNP Certificate at the University of Colorado Anschutz is about $26,234 for Colorado residents (or $44,132 nonresident; 33 credits before any core add-ons).
It takes about 1.5 years (five semesters).
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is 33 credits of FNP specialty coursework and practicums for MSN-prepared nurses — pediatrics, health promotion, OB/Gyn, the FNP diagnosis-and-management sequence, and four advanced practicums.
A transcript evaluation may add core courses if needed.
- NURS 6434 — FNP Care of the Pediatric Patient (3)
- NURS 6640 — FNP Health Promotion, Prevention, Screening (3)
- NURS 6739 — OB/Gyn Essentials for the FNP (3)
- NURS 6528 — FNP Diagnosis and Management of Physiologic and Psychiatric Health I (3; 1-day on-campus)
- NURS 6529 — FNP Diagnosis and Management of Physiologic and Psychiatric Health II (3)
- NURS 6549 — FNP Advanced Clinical Skills, Diagnostic Reasoning, and Clinical Decision Making (1; 2-day on-campus)
- NURS 6882 — Foundational Clinical Skills for Advanced Practice NPs (1; 2-day on-campus)
- NURS 5931 — FNP Advanced Practicum I (3; 135 clinical hours)
- NURS 5932 — FNP Advanced Practicum II (3; 135 clinical hours)
- NURS 5933 — FNP Advanced Practicum III (4; 180 clinical hours)
- NURS 5934 — FNP Advanced Practicum IV (4; 180 clinical hours)
- NURS 6950 — Synthesis, Integration, and Transition into FNP Practice (2)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinicals
The certificate requires the same 630 clinical hours across four advanced practicums, placed within Colorado.
- Total hours: 630 (four practicums, 135–180 hours each)
- Placement: arranged by the college, within Colorado
- Population focus: primary care across the lifespan
- Scope: 33 credits before any core courses added after transcript evaluation
- Note: this program has state restrictions on distance education — check the certification disclaimer
Certificate Admissions
The certificate is for MSN-prepared nurses.
- MSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program and regionally accredited institution
- Minimum undergraduate nursing GPA of 3.0 (below 3.0 requires the GRE and/or 12 graduate credits)
- Current, unencumbered RN license
- Three letters of reference, essay, and résumé
- Zoom interview if selected
Applications run through NursingCAS with an $85 supplemental fee. Note the certificate carries distance-education state restrictions, so out-of-state applicants should confirm eligibility.
Tuition
CU Anschutz charges FNP tuition at $801 per credit for Colorado residents and $1,298 per credit for nonresidents (2025–26).
Importantly, the FNP specialty does not receive the WRGP regional discount that some other CU specialties offer, so Western-state residents pay the full nonresident rate. Estimated total tuition: about $44,856 (resident) / $72,688 (nonresident) for the 56-credit MS; $65,682 / $106,436 for the 82-credit BS-DNP; and $26,234 / $44,132 for the 33-credit certificate.
Add per-term fees (about $392 fall, $232 spring, $180 summer), a one-time $140 matriculation fee, roughly $2,000 in books, and optional CU health insurance.
See the official tuition page for details: Tuition and Fees.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate, master’s, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at the University of Colorado Anschutz College of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The university is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. FNP graduates are eligible to sit for national FNP certification through the ANCC or the AANP and can pursue licensure in all 50 states.
Review More Colorado Family NP Programs
- Colorado Mesa University - Grand Junction
- Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs
- Regis University - Denver
- University of Colorado, Colorado Springs - Colorado Springs
- University of Northern Colorado - Greeley