Delaware State University offers an MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Track.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $25.2K–$27.0K | 2.7 years (8 semesters) | 47 |
Tuition estimates use DSU Online’s $500 per-credit MSN rate plus per-semester registration and technology fees and the $50 per-class distance education fee, with the upper figure adding textbook access and student activity fees.
Delaware State charges $500 per credit for its online FNP MSN, and the same plan of study requires 765 practicum hours. That pairing of a low flat rate with a clinical load above the common 600 to 700 hour range is the main reason to look at this program. Coursework is fully online, and the four 180-hour practicums each run a full 16-week semester.
The trade-offs sit outside the classroom. DSU does not accept students from 14 states, its master’s program currently holds ACEN accreditation with conditions, and no source says who arranges clinical sites. Nurses in an excluded state cannot enroll, and everyone else should ask about placement support before applying.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner option. RN-to-MSN entry also offered. |
| Format | Online. 100% online coursework; clinicals completed locally. |
| Clinical Hours | 765: four 180-hour practicums plus a 45-hour capstone. |
| Clinical Placement | Not clearly stated. A practicum coordinator is on staff. |
| Population | Infant through older adult, plus a special populations practicum. |
| Distinctive Coursework | Epidemiology with a health disparities focus; APRN leadership role course. |
| Concentrations | None within the FNP option. |
| RN License Requirements | Unencumbered U.S. RN license, valid in the state where clinicals occur. |
| Tuition | $500 per credit (DSU Online MSN rate). |
| Accreditation | ACEN (continuing accreditation with conditions); MSCHE institutional. |
| Enrollment Restrictions | Not accepted from AL, AZ, AR, CO, CA, LA, NM, MS, NY, OK, SD, TN, TX, WA. |
| Admission Cycle | Rolling admission. |
Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Option
The estimated tuition for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Option at Delaware State University is approximately $23,500 (47 credits at $500/credit), or about $25,220 with mandatory fees. The program can generally be completed in about 2 years and 8 months (8 semesters), following the published plan of study.
MSN Curriculum
Foundation semesters. The first three semesters (18 credits) cover ethics and law, research and statistics, advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and epidemiology. None of these carry practicum hours, so the first year is coursework only.
Population-sequenced clinical spine. Semesters four through seven each pair a 2-credit theory course with a 4-credit practicum for one population: pediatrics, young and middle-aged adults, older adults, and special populations. The order is fixed. Each practicum must be taken with its theory course and in the printed sequence, so a delayed course pushes back every course after it.
What stands out. The special populations sequence is a full fourth practicum rather than a seminar, which adds clinical breadth beyond the usual lifespan rotations. Health disparities and social determinants of health run through the epidemiology, research, and population courses. The program closes with a capstone portfolio mapped to FNP competencies and the start of certification exam preparation.
- NURS 653 Comprehensive Advanced Health Assessment for the APRN (3)
- NURS 611 Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
- NURS 612 Advanced Pharmacology (3)
- NURS 613 Epidemiology for the Healthcare Provider (3)
- NURS 616 / 625 Infant, Child, and Adolescent Client, theory and Practicum I (2 + 4)
- NURS 615 / 626 Young and Middle-Aged Adult Client, theory and Practicum II (2 + 4)
- NURS 614 / 627 Gerontologic Client, theory and Practicum III (2 + 4)
- NURS 617 / 629 Special Populations for the FNP, theory and Practicum IV (2 + 4)
- NURS 654 Examining the Leadership Role of the APRN (2)
- NURS 652 Capstone for the Family Nurse Practitioner (3)
You Should Know
- Most courses run in 8-week blocks, but all four practicums run the full 16 weeks.
- No semester exceeds 8 credits, so the program runs at a steady part-time pace. DSU does not publish a faster full-time option.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Total: 765 practicum hours (4 × 180 hours + 45 capstone hours)
- Each 180-hour practicum spans a 16-week semester, about 11 hours per week
- Clinical semesters run consecutively, semesters four through seven
- Students must hold an RN license valid in the state where clinicals take place
- Placement responsibility: not clearly stated
At 765 hours, DSU sits above the 500-hour certification floor and above the 600 to 700 hours common among FNP programs. The load is spread evenly, so a working nurse faces roughly one or two clinical days a week for four straight semesters rather than a single heavy term. That pacing is manageable alongside a job, but it means about 16 months of continuous preceptor commitments.
You Should Know
- DSU does not say whether it finds preceptors or expects students to secure their own. Ask the practicum coordinator before applying, especially if you live outside Delaware.
- Alabama, Oregon, Minnesota, Alaska, and Wyoming have specific requirements for NP students. DSU makes students responsible for contacting their board before the clinical semester.
- The health assessment course mentions a “residency opportunity.” DSU does not say whether it is on campus or required. The program is otherwise described as 100% online coursework.
MSN Admissions
Admission is rolling, with no RN experience minimum and no GRE listed.
- Application through the School of Graduate, Adult and Extended Studies, selecting “Online” as the campus location
- Current, unencumbered U.S. RN license
- BSN from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program, minimum 2.5 GPA
- Current resume
- One professional reference on letterhead from a faculty member, supervisor, or professional colleague
You Should Know
- DSU does not accept students from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, or Washington.
- The application fee is listed as $50 on the department’s admissions page and $35 on the DSU Online page.
- DSU publishes completion and job placement outcomes for its Nurse Educator and Global Leadership options, but no completion, employment, or certification pass rates for the FNP option.
- Nurses without a BSN can enter through DSU’s RN-to-MSN pathway, which DSU Online lists at 3 to 4 years and 60 to 74 credits overall.
Tuition
The MSN costs $500 per credit, the published DSU Online rate for MSN students. That rate applies to the online MSN regardless of the Dover campus’s separate in-state and out-of-state rates.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 47 credits × $500 | $23,500 |
| Registration fee | $60 × 8 semesters | $480 |
| Technology fee | $55 × 8 semesters | $440 |
| Distance education fee | $50 × 16 courses | $800 |
| Estimated total (derived) | $25,220 |
Confirmed costs:
- Tuition: $23,500
- Registration and technology fees: $920 across eight semesters
- Distance education fee: $800 across 16 courses
- Application fee: $35 to $50
Be aware that:
- DSU Online lists a graduate textbook access fee of $27 per credit hour for terms under 12 credits. No FNP semester reaches 12 credits, so this would add about $1,269 if it applies and cannot be waived.
- The graduate admissions page lists a $60 per-term student activity fee for DSU Online MSN students, while the 2024-25 schedule lists it only for campus students. If charged, it adds $480.
- With both, the total reaches about $26,969.
- The $500 rate is consistent across DSU’s 2024-25 schedule, the graduate admissions page, and the DSU Online program page, but none labels a 2026-27 rate.
Even at the upper estimate, the all-in cost works out to about $574 per credit. Students should still budget for travel to clinical sites and certification exam fees, and confirm which of the two disputed fees DSU Online actually bills.
Official rates: Delaware State University Tuition & Fees
Why Choose This FNP Program?
A good match for nurses who want a low per-credit price, no campus travel, and clinical hours above the common 600 to 700 range, and who live in a state DSU accepts.
Cost against clinical volume. DSU’s tuition comes to about $31 per practicum hour before fees ($23,500 / 765). The 765 hours give graduates a buffer above the certification floor and more exposure across the lifespan than a 600-hour program. For nurses paying out of pocket, that combination is hard to overlook.
Steady pacing for working nurses. The plan never asks for more than 8 credits a term, and clinical hours average about 11 a week. That suits a nurse working full-time. It does not suit someone trying to finish quickly, since the fixed sequence offers no acceleration.
What to check first. The ACEN conditions, the unstated placement model, and the absence of published FNP outcomes are the main unknowns. Asking DSU about all three is worth doing before applying. If the answers are reassuring, an all-in cost near $25,000 for 765 clinical hours is a strong value for eligible nurses.
Accreditation
The master’s nursing program at Delaware State University is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The FNP option falls under that master’s program accreditation. ACEN’s most recent decision for the program is continuing accreditation with conditions, meaning the program remains accredited while it addresses standards ACEN flagged. Details are posted on ACEN’s public information page for DSU.
Delaware State University, founded in 1891, holds institutional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and the transfer of graduate credit.
Graduates meet the educational requirements to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
More FNP Programs in Delaware
- University of Delaware - Newark
- Wilmington University - New Castle