Cedarville University FNP Programs

School of Nursing • Cedarville, OH • Mostly Online • $707–$750/credit

Cedarville University offers four Family Nurse Practitioner tracks:

  • MSN
  • MSN – FNP with Nursing Education Certificate
  • BSN-to-DNP
  • Post-Graduate DNP (NP)

Program Tracks Overview

ProgramEst. TuitionEst. DurationCredit Hours
MSN$31.8K7 sem45
MSN + Ed Cert$39.6KNot stated56
BSN-DNP$57.8K12 sem77
Post-Grad DNP$51.0K10 sem68

Cedarville’s defining advantage is an FNP program organized around an explicit Christian commitment. Admission requires documented personal faith, a pastor or mentor reference, and affirmation of the Cedarville Covenant; the trade-offs are 800 clinical hours, eight required days on the Ohio campus, and an FNP track that is licensure-eligible in only 24 states.

Quick Facts

FeatureDetails
Program TypesMSN, MSN with Nursing Education Certificate, BSN-to-DNP, Post-Graduate DNP (NP)
FormatMostly Online. Coursework online; four required on-campus experiences totaling eight days.
Clinical Hours800 direct patient care hours, structured as four clinical semesters of 200 hours each.
Clinical PlacementClinical Placement Coordinator partners with the student. Not a guarantee; travel is often necessary.
PopulationPrimary care across the lifespan, with separate courses for adults, older adults, women, and children.
Distinctive CourseworkNSG-6080 Biblical Basis for Advanced Nursing Practice; a standalone 3-credit Care of Women course.
Faith RequirementDocumented relationship with Jesus Christ, Christian character reference, and affirmation of the Cedarville Covenant.
Enrollment RestrictionsFNP track licensure-eligible in 24 states. Unavailable in 26 states, DC, and eight territories.
Start TermsSix entry points per year: August, October, January, March, May, and June.
Cohort SizeNot published. Catalog states a set number of spaces for incoming students each term.
RN License RequirementsActive, unencumbered U.S. RN license plus RN work experience. No minimum years stated.
Tuition$707 per credit (MSN) and $750 per credit (DNP) for Summer 2026 through Spring 2027.
AccreditationCCNE-accredited master’s and DNP programs. Institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner at Cedarville University is approximately $31,815 (45 credits at $707/credit). The program can generally be completed in about seven semesters full-time, or eight semesters part-time, on a year-round three-term calendar.

MSN Curriculum

Core sequence (23 credits). The core splits into three named blocks rather than one undifferentiated pile: a 12-credit Graduate Nursing Core covering role development, healthcare economics and policy, evidence-based practice, and the biblical foundations course; a 9-credit Direct Care Core carrying advanced physiology and pathophysiology with genomics, advanced pharmacology, and advanced health assessment; and a 2-credit Applied Scholarship course. The genomics content folded into the pathophysiology course is worth noting, since many FNP programs treat genetics as an elective topic rather than a required component of the science core.

FNP specialty sequence (22 credits). Cedarville splits the population coursework four ways instead of the more common two or three. Adults and children each carry 6 credits, while older adults and women each carry 3. Breaking women’s health out as its own graded course rather than folding it into a general primary care survey gives that content dedicated assessment, and separating older adults from general adult care mirrors how gerontology is tested on certification exams.

Sequencing flexibility. The published full-time plan of study lists the three clinical rotation blocks as interchangeable across semesters five, six, and seven. Students can begin with children, adults, or the older adults and women pairing. Most FNP programs fix the rotation order, so this is a scheduling advantage when a preceptor in one population becomes available before another.

  • NSG-6080 Biblical Basis for Advanced Nursing Practice (3)
  • NSG-6190 Transition to Clinical for Advanced Practice Nursing (3)
  • NSG-6310 Advanced Concepts and Practice in the Care of Adults (6)
  • NSG-6315 Advanced Concepts and Practice in the Care of Older Adults (3)
  • NSG-6320 Advanced Concepts and Practice in the Care of Women (3)
  • NSG-6325 Advanced Concepts and Practice in the Care of Children (6)
  • NSG-6500 Applied Scholarship in Advanced Nursing Practice (2)
  • NSG-6990 Transition to Practice for Advanced Practice Nursing (1)

More curriculum details are available here.

You Should Know
  • There is no academic warning status. A cumulative GPA below 3.0 moves a student directly to academic probation, and six semester credits at C+ or below trigger academic suspension with a one-year wait before readmission is considered.
  • All MSN requirements must be completed within seven years of matriculation.
  • Transfer credit is capped at 12 semester hours. Advanced pathophysiology and advanced physical assessment are rejected if completed more than five years before the first Cedarville graduate course, and advanced pharmacology must be repeated regardless of when it was taken.
  • A graduation portfolio is a stated degree requirement. Its contents are not described on the program pages.

MSN Clinical Requirements

  • 800 direct patient care clinical hours across the lifespan.
  • Structured as four clinical semesters at 200 hours each (4 × 200 = 800).
  • Roughly 13 hours per week during a clinical semester, which the school describes as about two days a week.
  • Placement is coordinated jointly by the FNP track coordinator and a Clinical Placement Coordinator, who initiates contact early in the program to build a tentative clinical plan.
  • Preceptor mix is expected to include both physicians and APRNs, with the majority of hours in primary care settings.
  • Four required on-campus experiences totaling eight days, held in Cedarville, Ohio.
  • Clearance requirements include state and federal background checks with fingerprinting, BLS certification from the American Heart Association with written and skills exams, documented immunizations, provider-signed medical eligibility, and personal health insurance.

At 800 hours, Cedarville sits 300 hours above the 500-hour national certification floor and 100 hours above the top of the 600 to 700 range that is common among FNP programs. That extra volume is real preparation, but it is also real time. Four consecutive semesters at two clinical days a week is a heavier sustained commitment than a program that concentrates hours into fewer, denser terms, and it is the single factor most likely to force a change in work schedule. The placement model is a partnership rather than a guarantee: the coordinator works the problem with the student, but the school states plainly that travel is often necessary, so a nurse in a saturated preceptor market should treat placement as an open question rather than a solved one.

You Should Know
  • The 800-hour total comes from the program FAQ. Cedarville does not publish an hour count for each individual clinical course, so the four-semester breakdown cannot be verified course by course.
  • The catalog states that students earn one credit hour per 100 direct clinical hours. Applied literally, 800 hours would equal 8 credits, but the four clinical courses carry 18 credits between them. The equivalency rule appears to describe a different set of practicum courses.
  • The eight campus days are not evenly distributed. One follows the advanced health assessment course, and the other three fall in week six of each clinical semester on a Thursday and Friday.

MSN Admissions

Admission turns on faith documentation as much as academic record, and the program is described as competitive with a fixed number of seats each term.

  • Evidence of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
  • BSN from a regionally accredited or otherwise approved institution with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
  • Applicants with a 2.5 to 2.9 GPA may petition, reviewed only after the application is complete.
  • Active, unencumbered U.S. RN license and RN work experience.
  • One professional or academic reference plus one Christian character reference from a pastor or mentor. Family members and personal friends are not accepted.
  • Two essay questions, 250 words maximum each.
  • College-level nursing research and statistics coursework completed at C- or better before the enrollment date.
  • Affirmation of the Cedarville Covenant and agreement to the graduate student handbook.
  • GRE optional. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with no published deadline.
You Should Know
  • The FNP track is licensure-eligible in 24 states. Cedarville’s licensure map lists the FNP program as unavailable in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, plus Washington DC and eight U.S. territories. Verify current status on the nursing licensure map before applying.
  • In California, Delaware, and New York the nurse practitioner tracks are closed while the leadership and education tracks remain open, so a Cedarville acceptance in one specialty does not imply FNP eligibility.
  • RN work experience is required but no minimum number of years is stated anywhere in the source material.
  • The catalog says an interview may be required for MSN applicants, while the published admission standards list does not include one. Treat an interview as possible.
  • The statistics and research prerequisites can be outstanding at the time of enrollment, but they block progression into specific courses until finished.
  • Applicants from 17 named affiliate institutions may qualify for preferred admission benefits or tuition discounts. Discount amounts are not published.

MSN – FNP with Nursing Education Certificate

The estimated tuition for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner with Nursing Education Certificate at Cedarville University is approximately $39,592 (56 credits at $707/credit). The duration is not clearly stated; Cedarville publishes no separate plan of study for this combined pathway.

Combined Pathway Curriculum

This is the standard 45-credit MSN FNP with the Nursing Education graduate certificate stacked on top. The published tuition table is the only place Cedarville treats it as a distinct program, and the difference works out to 11 additional credits and $7,777 in additional tuition. The certificate is aimed at FNPs who expect to teach: clinical faculty roles, staff development, preceptor and continuing education work. For a nurse practitioner who already intends to precept students or run staff education, bundling the certificate during the MSN is cheaper and faster than returning for it later as a standalone credential.

Clinical requirements, admissions criteria, and the campus obligation are identical to the MSN FNP track described above. The Nursing Education certificate itself carries no additional FNP clinical hours.

You Should Know
  • The 11-credit gap between the 45-credit MSN and this 56-credit total does not match the 12-credit figure Cedarville uses elsewhere to describe its graduate certificates for MSN students. One credit is unaccounted for, most likely a shared course. Ask the School of Nursing to confirm the exact certificate course list.
  • No plan of study, semester count, or completion timeline is published for the combined pathway. Every duration estimate for this track would be guesswork.
  • The program fee schedule does not state whether adding the certificate changes the per-semester fee or extends the number of billed semesters.

BSN-to-DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the BSN-to-DNP Family Nurse Practitioner at Cedarville University is approximately $57,750 (77 credits at $750/credit), a figure derived from the published per-credit rate. The program can generally be completed in about 12 semesters full-time, roughly four years on Cedarville’s year-round three-term calendar, with a part-time option available on request.

BSN-DNP Curriculum

Three-block architecture. The 77 credits divide into a 23-credit graduate nursing core, a 32-credit DNP core, and the same 22-credit FNP specialty block used in the MSN. The FNP clinical content is identical across both credentials, so the doctoral premium buys doctoral coursework rather than deeper specialty training.

The DNP core is front-loaded and long. Biostatistics, healthcare informatics, scholarly writing, two evidence-based practice courses, quality improvement and safety, population health and epidemiology, advocacy and resource management, and ethical healthcare delivery run across the first eight semesters. The scholarly project is delivered as five separate 1-credit Scholarly Practice Integration phases spread from semester eight through semester twelve, which keeps the project moving in small increments rather than concentrating it into a final capstone term.

Clinical work comes late. In the published full-time plan, the first specialty clinical course does not appear until semester ten. Students spend roughly three years on core and doctoral coursework before entering the FNP rotation sequence. That is a meaningful structural choice: it delays hands-on advanced practice experience considerably compared with the MSN, where clinical work begins in semester five.

  • NSG-8000 EBP 1: Foundation of Scholarly Inquiry (3)
  • NSG-8010 Biostatistics (3)
  • NSG-8040 EBP 2: Application of Scholarly Inquiry (3)
  • NSG-8050 Quality Improvement and Safety (3)
  • NSG-8060 Population Health and Epidemiology (3)
  • NSG-8070 Advocacy and Resource Management (3)
  • NSG-8080 Ethical Healthcare Delivery in Organizations and Systems (3)
  • NSG-8101 through NSG-8105 Scholarly Practice Integration Phases 1–5 (1 each)

More curriculum details are available here.

You Should Know
  • The catalog header states graduate nursing requirements of 75 to 77 credits, while the FNP summary in the same catalog totals exactly 77. The two-credit spread carries a $1,500 tuition difference.
  • The DNP core is listed as a 32 to 35 credit range because electives run 3 to 6 credits. The 77-credit FNP total assumes the 3-credit elective minimum, so a student taking additional electives pays more.
  • Transfer credit is capped at 18 semester hours for the BSN-to-DNP, higher than the MSN’s 12, but the same five-year recency rule applies to pathophysiology and physical assessment.
  • All DNP requirements must be completed within seven years of matriculation, which leaves limited slack against a 12-semester full-time plan if a student steps down to part-time.

BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements

  • 800 direct patient care clinical hours, the same total as the MSN FNP track.
  • Same four-semester, 200-hour structure, occupying semesters nine through twelve of the full-time plan.
  • Four required on-campus experiences totaling eight days, tied to the transition-to-clinical course and the adults, older adults, and children courses.
  • Same placement model: FNP track coordinator plus Clinical Placement Coordinator, with travel often necessary.
  • Same clearance stack: background checks with fingerprinting, BLS certification, immunizations, medical eligibility, and personal health insurance.
  • Five Scholarly Practice Integration phases run alongside the clinical sequence from semester eight onward.

Because the clinical hour total is identical to the MSN, the doctoral route does not deliver more patient contact. What it adds is the overlap between the scholarly project and the clinical rotations in the final three semesters, when a student is carrying 200 clinical hours and a project phase simultaneously. Applicants who assume a DNP means more clinical depth should reset that expectation: the difference is scholarly and systems coursework, not bedside volume.

You Should Know
  • Cedarville does not publish a separate hour requirement for the Scholarly Practice Integration phases, so the total supervised hours across the doctorate cannot be reconstructed from the published material.
  • The DNP program page states that all DNP courses are offered online, while the same catalog lists four FNP courses with required on-campus experiences. The campus obligation is real and applies to this track.

BSN-DNP Admissions

Doctoral admission adds a mandatory committee interview and a second professional reference to the MSN requirements.

  • Evidence of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
  • BSN from a regionally accredited or otherwise approved institution with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Applicants at 2.5 to 2.9 may petition.
  • Active, unencumbered U.S. RN license and RN work experience.
  • Two professional or academic references plus one Christian character reference from a pastor or mentor.
  • Two essay questions, 250 words maximum each.
  • Interview with the School of Nursing Graduate Admission, Progression, Retention Committee.
  • Nursing research and statistics coursework completed at C- or better before enrollment.
  • Affirmation of the Cedarville Covenant. Rolling review, no published deadline.
You Should Know
  • The same 26-state FNP exclusion applies to this track. Confirm your state on Cedarville’s licensure map before committing to a four-year doctoral sequence.
  • The interview is stated as a requirement here, unlike the MSN track where the source material conflicts on the point.
  • Cedarville states its programs meet Ohio’s educational prerequisites for licensure. Students outside Ohio are directed to contact both the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs and their own board of nursing before starting.

Post-Graduate DNP (NP) – Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the Post-Graduate DNP Nurse Practitioner track in Family Nurse Practitioner at Cedarville University is approximately $51,000 (68 credits at $750/credit), a figure derived from the published per-credit rate. The program can generally be completed in about 10 semesters full-time, roughly three years and four months, with an individualized plan built from a gap analysis at admission.

Post-Graduate DNP Curriculum

Who this is actually for. This pathway is designed for nurses who already hold an MSN in a different advanced practice specialty or in nursing leadership and want to add the FNP population focus while earning a doctorate. An adult-gerontology acute care NP or a nursing leadership MSN graduate uses this route to convert to family practice. It is not a route for someone who already holds an FNP credential.

No shorter certificate exists. Cedarville’s three graduate nursing certificates cover global public health, nursing education, and nursing leadership. There is no post-master’s FNP certificate. For an MSN-prepared nurse who wants to add family practice at Cedarville, this 68-credit doctorate is the only available route, which is a substantially larger commitment than the post-master’s certificates offered by many other schools.

Structure. The 68 credits split into a 14-credit graduate core, a 32-credit DNP core, and the same 22-credit FNP specialty block. The graduate core is trimmed from the BSN-entry version’s 23 credits by removing role development, healthcare economics and policy, and evidence-based nursing practice, on the assumption those were covered in the prior MSN. The three Ps and the biblical foundations course are retained and must be taken at Cedarville.

  • NSG-6080 Biblical Basis for Advanced Nursing Practice (3)
  • NSG-6150 Advanced Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Genomics (3)
  • NSG-6160 Advanced Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice (3)
  • NSG-6170 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (3)
  • NSG-6500 Applied Scholarship in Advanced Nursing Practice (2)
  • NSG-6190 Transition to Clinical for Advanced Practice Nursing (3)
  • NSG-6310, 6315, 6320, 6325 Advanced Concepts and Practice, four population courses (18 total)
  • NSG-6990 Transition to Practice for Advanced Practice Nursing (1)
You Should Know
  • The DNP program page states the MSN-to-DNP FNP route runs 14 core credits plus 31 to 35 DNP core credits plus 22 FNP credits, which produces a 67 to 71 credit range. The catalog summary states 68. The spread carries a tuition difference of up to $3,000.
  • Every admitted post-graduate student receives an individualized curriculum plan based on a gap analysis, so the published 10-semester sample plan is illustrative rather than binding.
  • Transfer credit is capped at 12 semester hours for this pathway, and advanced pharmacology must be repeated at Cedarville regardless of when it was previously completed.
  • The per-semester program fee for this track is $225, higher than the $200 charged to BSN-entry DNP nurse practitioner students.

Post-Graduate DNP Clinical Requirements

  • 800 direct patient care clinical hours, matching both other FNP credentials at Cedarville.
  • Same four-semester, 200-hour structure, running semesters seven through ten in the published sample plan.
  • Four required on-campus experiences totaling eight days.
  • Same placement partnership and the same clearance requirements as the other tracks.

The 800-hour requirement holds even for a nurse who already completed a full clinical residency in another NP specialty. Cedarville does not publish a reduction for prior supervised practice hours, though the gap analysis is where any such adjustment would be determined. An AGACNP with several years of independent practice should ask directly whether any of the 800 hours can be waived, because the answer materially changes both the timeline and the total cost.

You Should Know
  • Whether the gap analysis can reduce the 800-hour clinical requirement is not addressed in any published Cedarville material.
  • The individualized plan means the 10-semester duration and the derived $51,000 total are both starting points, not commitments.

Post-Graduate DNP Admissions

This pathway adds a master’s-level transcript review to the doctoral requirements and applies the GPA standard to the MSN rather than the BSN.

  • Evidence of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
  • Transcripts confirming both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in nursing, with an MSN GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants at 2.5 to 2.9 may petition.
  • Applicants holding an MSN or higher with active RN or APRN licensure may be considered as meeting the baccalaureate requirement based on prior preparation.
  • Active, unencumbered U.S. RN license and RN work experience.
  • Two professional or academic references plus one Christian character reference.
  • Two essay questions, 250 words maximum each.
  • Interview with the School of Nursing Graduate Admission, Progression, Retention Committee.
  • Nursing research and statistics coursework completed at C- or better before enrollment.
You Should Know
  • The same 26-state FNP exclusion applies. An MSN-prepared nurse licensed in a closed state cannot use this route to add the FNP credential.
  • The gap analysis happens after admission, so applicants will not know their actual credit count, cost, or timeline until they have already accepted a seat.

Tuition

Cedarville publishes both per-credit rates directly. For Summer 2026 through Spring 2027, the MSN rate is $707 per semester credit hour and the DNP rate is $750 per semester credit hour. Audit rates are half of each: $354 for MSN courses and $375 for DNP courses. Neither rate is fee-inclusive. Cedarville is a private university, so there is no resident or non-resident distinction.

Both rates reconcile against Cedarville’s own cost-of-attendance tables. The MSN table bills $4,242 per term at 6 credits, which is exactly 6 × $707. The DNP table bills $4,500 per term at 6 credits, exactly 6 × $750.

Mandatory Fee Stack

ChargeMSN FNPBSN-DNP FNPPost-Grad DNP FNP
Per-credit rate$707$750$750
Credits457768
Tuition subtotal$31,815$57,750$51,000
Technology fee ($40/sem)$280$480$400
Program fee (per sem)$1,575 ($225)$2,400 ($200)$2,250 ($225)
Graduation fee$125$125$125
Estimated all-in$33,795$60,755$53,775

Confirmed costs:

  • MSN FNP tuition of $31,815 is published by Cedarville and matches 45 × $707 exactly.
  • MSN FNP with Nursing Education Certificate tuition of $39,592 is published and matches 56 × $707 exactly.
  • Technology fee of $40 per semester applies to both MSN and DNP students.
  • Program fees are $225 per semester for MSN nurse practitioner tracks, $200 per semester for BSN-entry DNP nurse practitioner tracks, and $225 per semester for post-graduate DNP nurse practitioner tracks.
  • Graduation fee of $125 applies to both the MSN and the DNP.

Be aware that:

  • The BSN-DNP total of $57,750 and the post-graduate DNP total of $51,000 are derived figures: published per-credit rate multiplied by catalog credit totals. Cedarville publishes no program total for either doctoral FNP pathway.
  • The DNP tuition table publishes a total of $36,000 against a program requirement of 35 to 79 credits. At $750 per credit that implies 48 credits, which matches neither the 77-credit BSN-DNP FNP route nor the 68-credit post-graduate FNP route. Do not use the $36,000 figure to budget for an FNP doctorate.
  • The program fee is stated two ways. The catalog says $225 per semester for MSN nurse practitioner tracks, while the cost page shows the summer term as “varies” and adds that Summer 2026 starters pay a one-time program fee ranging from $250 to $1,500 depending on track. Depending on start term, this is a swing of over $1,200.
  • The BSN-DNP credit total is stated as 75 to 77 in one catalog line and exactly 77 in the FNP summary, a $1,500 difference. The post-graduate route is stated as 68 in the catalog and as a 67 to 71 range on the program page, a swing of up to $3,000.
  • All fee stacks above assume the published full-time semester counts. Part-time study extends the number of billed semesters, and every additional semester adds $240 to $265 in technology and program fees.
  • Course fees are charged on top of everything above. The DNP catalog states these range from $50 to $1,000 per course and are listed individually in the graduate catalog. The MSN catalog states course fees vary without giving a range.
  • Books are excluded from all figures above. Cedarville’s own estimate is $415 per term.
  • Published rates cover Summer 2026 through Spring 2027 only. No multi-year rate lock or projected increase is disclosed, so a four-year BSN-DNP student should expect the rate to move.
  • A limited number of need-based scholarships of $3,000 to $5,000 are available to graduate nursing students. Award counts are not published.
  • Applicants from 17 named affiliate institutions may qualify for tuition discounts. Amounts are not disclosed and must be confirmed individually.
  • The cost-of-attendance tables on Cedarville’s tuition pages include housing, food, transportation, and personal expenses. Those are federal financial aid estimates, not charges. The billed direct charges are tuition plus the technology and program fees.

The practical takeaway is that Cedarville’s MSN is the only FNP pathway here with a firm, published price. At roughly $33,800 all-in, it is predictable in a way the doctoral routes are not. Both DNP pathways require a nurse to accept a five-figure uncertainty band before enrolling: derived totals, conflicting credit counts, unpublished course fees, and a rate that is only guaranteed for one academic year against a three- to four-year program. That does not make the doctorates a bad value, but it does mean the honest comparison is $33,800 known against roughly $54,000 to $61,000 estimated. Ask for a written credit count and a course-fee schedule before signing anything.

Why Choose This FNP Program?

Best suited for nurses who want their graduate education explicitly framed by Christian faith, who can absorb a heavy clinical load, and who have already confirmed their state appears on Cedarville’s approved list.

The faith integration is structural, not optional. Most FNP programs that describe themselves as faith-based mean it as institutional heritage. Cedarville means it as an admissions requirement and a curriculum requirement. Applicants document a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, supply a character reference from a pastor or mentor, and affirm the Cedarville Covenant and doctrinal statement. A required 3-credit course, Biblical Basis for Advanced Nursing Practice, sits in the core for every FNP credential, including the post-graduate doctorate. For a nurse who wants faith and clinical practice taught together rather than kept in separate rooms, this is the clearest expression of that in Ohio. For a nurse who does not share those commitments, the covenant is a genuine barrier and should be read carefully before applying.

The clinical training runs deep, and the entry points are frequent. 800 hours is 300 above the certification floor and 100 above the top of the common range, split evenly across four population-focused semesters rather than concentrated into one long residency. Six start terms a year, rolling admissions, and no published application deadline make it unusually easy to begin when you are ready rather than waiting for a single annual intake. The 22-credit FNP specialty block is identical whether you enter with a BSN toward an MSN, a BSN toward a DNP, or an MSN toward a post-graduate doctorate, so the clinical preparation does not vary by credential.

The honest constraints are geography and schedule. The FNP track is licensure-eligible in 24 states and closed in 26 plus Washington DC and eight territories, which is a wider exclusion footprint than most online FNP programs carry. There is no post-master’s FNP certificate, so an MSN-prepared nurse changing specialties faces a 68-credit doctorate rather than a short bridge. And the doctoral cost figures are derived rather than published, with conflicting credit counts on both routes.

Before applying, be clear about what the program asks of your calendar. Four consecutive semesters at roughly two clinical days a week is the core demand, and Cedarville says openly that most FNP students keep working full time only if they have self-scheduling flexibility, 12-hour shifts, or weekend availability. Add eight days of required travel to Cedarville, Ohio, spread across four separate visits, plus a seven-year completion clock that a four-year doctoral plan already consumes more than half of. If your work schedule can absorb two clinical days a week for well over a year, and your state is on the list, the rest of the decision comes down to whether the faith commitment is one you want to make.

Accreditation

Cedarville’s nursing programs hold specialty accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The school states that the baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Cedarville University are accredited by CCNE. That scope covers the MSN FNP, the BSN-to-DNP FNP, and the post-graduate DNP nurse practitioner FNP route.

Institutionally, Cedarville University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and the School of Nursing’s programs are authorized by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. Institutional accreditation is what determines federal financial aid eligibility and whether credits transfer to other universities, so it matters independently of the nursing-specific accreditation. Cedarville has participated in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements since September 2015.

Graduates of the FNP track are qualified to seek national certification through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board or the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Dual eligibility is worth noting because a small number of employers and state boards still express a preference between the FNP-C and FNP-BC credentials, and Cedarville’s curriculum prepares graduates for either exam.

Compare More Family NP Programs