“Chamberlain builds board exam prep and faculty-evaluated clinical readiness into the degree itself — not as add-ons, but as required program milestones.”
Chamberlain University offers 2 Family Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty Track
- Graduate Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner
Both tracks are fully online with practicum experiences completed locally, but each requires two in-person events at a designated Chicago-area location: a skills immersion weekend before clinicals begin and a board prep intensive during the capstone course.
The certificate track is open to nurses with a master’s or doctoral degree who want FNP credentials without re-enrolling in a full MSN. Google-backed AI training is integrated into both programs at no additional cost.
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN FNP | $34,200 | 2.5 years |
| Graduate Certificate FNP | $25,080 | ~2 years |
MSN FNP
The estimated cost for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner at Chamberlain University is approximately $34,200 in tuition (45 credits × $760/credit hour, effective January 2026), and the program takes about 2.5 years to complete on a full-time basis.
Fees are additional and include a $200/session student services charge, $75/course electronic resource fee, $450/NP course APRN fee, and a one-time $150 background/fingerprint check.
MSN Curriculum
The MSN FNP totals 45 credit hours across three tiers: 6 MSN core courses (18 credits), 3 NP specialty core courses (9 credits), and 6 FNP specialty track courses (18 credits).
Core coursework covers nursing theory, leadership, informatics, quality and safety, research methods, and population health.
NP specialty core adds advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology fundamentals, and physical assessment.
FNP track courses move through differential diagnosis, lifespan-specific primary care, and a capstone practicum with built-in board certification review. Up to 6 transfer credits may be accepted toward core courses (B or higher, completed within the past 7 years).
MSN Core Courses:
- NR-581NP: Foundational Concepts for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NR-582NP: Leadership and Role Development for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NR-583NP: Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NR-584NP: Quality and Safety for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NR-585NP: Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NR-586NP: Population Health and Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
NP Specialty Core Courses:
- NR-507: Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credits)
- NR-509: Advanced Physical Assessment — includes 25 lab hours and in-person immersion (3 credits)
- NR-565: Advanced Pharmacology Fundamentals (3 credits)
FNP Specialty Track Courses:
NR-511 Differential Diagnosis and Primary Care Practicum (C=125) (3 credits)
Provides foundational skills in developing differential diagnoses in primary care. Emphasizes logical clinical reasoning, evidence-based decision-making, and includes 125 hours of supervised practicum across the lifespan.
NR-566 Advanced Pharmacology for Care of the Family (3 credits)
Expands pharmacology knowledge across the lifespan, addressing factors such as age, culture, pregnancy, and gender. Includes legal and ethical considerations related to prescribing and medication management.
NR-601 Primary Care of the Maturing and Aged Family Practicum (C=125) (3 credits)
Focuses on assessment and management of common conditions in middle-aged and older adults. Students enhance skills in chronic disease management, patient education, and care coordination through a supervised practicum.
NR-602 Primary Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family Practicum (C=125) (3 credits)
Covers healthcare needs of women and families during reproductive and childrearing years. Emphasizes health promotion, disease prevention, and management of common conditions through hands-on clinical experience.
NR-603 Advanced Clinical Diagnosis and Practice across the Lifespan Practicum (C=125) (3 credits)
Develops advanced diagnostic and clinical management skills for patients of all ages. Focuses on complex acute and chronic conditions, including behavioral health, with supervised practicum experience.
NR-667 FNP Capstone Practicum and Intensive (C=125) (3 credits)
Integrates clinical knowledge and skills in a final practicum experience. Students refine advanced practice competencies through case analysis, clinical evaluation, and a capstone project, preparing for FNP certification and practice.
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinicals
The MSN FNP requires 625 direct patient care hours across five practicum courses, plus 25 faculty-supervised lab hours. Students are responsible for identifying their own practicum site and preceptor.
Chamberlain’s Practicum Commitment® provides structured backup support: if a student documents at least five formal site denials and submits the request three sessions in advance, Chamberlain will provide one preceptor option within a 100-mile radius of the student’s home address.
- 625 total direct patient care hours across 5 practicum courses (125 hours each)
- 25 lab hours during Advanced Physical Assessment
- In-person immersion weekend (Chicago area) during NR-509 — faculty evaluate clinical assessment skills before practicum begins
- In-person board prep intensive (Chicago area) during NR-667 capstone — live lectures, comprehensive exam review, test-taking strategy
- Practicum populations span reproductive/childbearing, pediatric/young adult, maturing/aged adult, and lifespan across all settings
- Preceptor must meet Chamberlain-established criteria; third-party placement fees are not reimbursed
- Active, unrestricted RN license required in the state where practicum is completed
MSN Admissions
Admission requires a BSN and active RN license; no GRE is required. Applicants with a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99 may be considered for provisional acceptance.
- BSN from a regionally or nationally accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (2.5–2.99 may qualify for provisional admission with NP placement assessment)
- Current unencumbered RN license valid in the U.S.
- Background and fingerprint check required before registering for any NP specialty courses
- License review for past sanctions or restrictions prior to clinical approval
- Program and specialty track availability vary by state
Start date: July 6, 2026.
Graduate Certificate FNP
The estimated cost for the Graduate Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner at Chamberlain University is approximately $25,080 in tuition (33 credits × $760/credit hour, effective January 2026), and the program takes about 2 years to complete on a full-time basis.
Fees are additional and follow the same structure as the MSN track.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate spans 33 credit hours across 11 courses and mirrors the FNP specialty content from the MSN program exactly — same courses, same clinical requirements, same in-person events.
The curriculum moves from population health, pathophysiology, and pharmacology through physical assessment, differential diagnosis, and four practicum-integrated courses before the capstone.
NR-565 Advanced Pharmacology Fundamentals is not required for Oregon residents.
Current course list (effective March 2024):
- NR-586NP: Population Health and Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NR-582NP: Leadership and Role Development for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NR-507: Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credits)
- NR-565: Advanced Pharmacology Fundamentals (3 credits)
- NR-509: Advanced Physical Assessment — 25 lab hours + in-person immersion (3 credits)
- NR-511: Differential Diagnosis and Primary Care Practicum — 125 clinical hours (3 credits)
- NR-566: Advanced Pharmacology for Care of the Family (3 credits)
- NR-601: Primary Care of the Maturing and Aged Family Practicum — 125 clinical hours (3 credits)
- NR-602: Primary Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family Practicum — 125 clinical hours (3 credits)
- NR-603: Advanced Clinical Diagnosis and Practice Across the Lifespan Practicum — 125 clinical hours (3 credits)
- NR-667: FNP Capstone Practicum and Intensive — 125 clinical hours + in-person board prep (3 credits)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinicals
Clinical requirements are identical to the MSN FNP track: 625 direct patient care hours across five practicum courses plus 25 supervised lab hours. The same Practicum Commitment® backup process applies, and both in-person Chicago-area events are required. Nurses who are already practicing NPs enrolling in the certificate are strongly encouraged to have a practicum site secured before admission to avoid delays.
- 625 total direct patient care hours (125 hours per practicum course)
- 25 faculty-supervised lab hours during Advanced Physical Assessment
- In-person immersion weekend (Chicago area) before clinicals begin
- In-person board prep intensive (Chicago area) during capstone
- Student responsible for identifying site and preceptor; Practicum Commitment® backup available after 5 documented denials
- Immunization records, TB testing, and background check required before clinical prerequisite course
Certificate Admissions
Applicants must hold a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing; the program is designed for credentialed nurses seeking to add FNP certification.
- Master’s or doctoral degree in nursing from an accredited institution
- Active unencumbered RN license valid in the state where practicum will be completed
- Background and fingerprint check required by end of first course
- License review for past sanctions prior to clinical approval
- Program and certificate availability vary by state
Start date: July 6, 2026.
Tuition
Chamberlain charges $760 per credit hour for MSN FNP courses effective January 2026, applied across both the MSN and graduate certificate programs.
Tuition does not vary by resident status for online programs. Fees are charged separately and include a non-refundable $200 student services charge per session, a $75 electronic course resource fee per course, a $450 APRN fee per NP practicum course, and a one-time $150 background/fingerprint/drug screening fee for NP students.
Military-affiliated students and Chamberlain alumni qualify for reduced rates of $588 per NP credit hour. The Commitment to Completion Grant can reduce total MSN costs by up to $8,974, including two courses at no cost for qualifying new and readmit students.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate, master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Chamberlain University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Chamberlain holds institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The university has also earned state approvals in most states; availability of the FNP specialty track and graduate certificate varies by location.