Delta State University offers 4 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN
- Post-Master’s Certificate
- BSN-DNP
- MSN-DNP
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $21.0K | 2 years (4 semesters) | 48 |
| Certificate | $21.0K | 2 years (4 semesters) | 40 |
| BSN-DNP | $28.8K | 3 years (6 semesters) | 56-65 |
| MSN-DNP | $12.9K | 1.5 years (3 semesters) | 31 |
Tuition estimates use Delta State’s 2026-27 flat full-time graduate rate ($4,217.50 per semester for 9-13 credits, all residencies) on the published full-time plans, $469/credit for lighter terms and the pathophysiology prerequisite, plus the published course/lab fees.
Delta State’s 40-credit FNP certificate and 48-credit FNP MSN cost the same tuition. Every graduate student pays one flat $4,217.50 semester rate for 9 to 13 credits, with no out-of-state surcharge, and both full-time plans fit four flat-rate semesters. The same structure puts the BSN-DNP only about $8,000 above the MSN while adding 420 project hours and the doctorate.
The savings depend on enrolling full time, and the program is regional. Part-time plans drop below 9 credits and are billed at $469/credit, FNP clinicals must be completed in Mississippi or Arkansas, and students travel to Cleveland, Mississippi, 1 to 3 times every semester.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN, Post-Master’s Certificate, BSN-DNP (also Post-Master’s non-FNP), Post-Master’s FNP-DNP |
| Format | Mostly Online: online courses plus 1-3 Cleveland campus visits per semester |
| Clinical Hours | 780 FNP hours (MSN, certificate); 1,200 BSN-DNP; 420 MSN-DNP |
| Clinical Placement | Mississippi or Arkansas only; scheduled near home where possible; who arranges is not stated |
| Distinctive Coursework | Three paired theory/practicum courses; built-in FNP review course; informatics in clinical practice |
| RN License Requirements | Unencumbered RN license in Mississippi or the state where clinicals occur |
| Experience Gate | One year continuous patient-contact RN experience within the past three years |
| Start Term | Fall only; priority deadline February 1 (DNP February 15); faculty interview |
| Prerequisite | Graduate Advanced Pathophysiology with a B or better before starting |
| Tuition | $4,217.50 flat per full-time semester or $469/credit; same rate for all residencies |
| Accreditation | CCNE (MSN, post-master’s FNP certificate, DNP) |
Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Master of Science in Nursing (FNP role) at Delta State University is approximately $18,277 (48 credits: four flat-rate semesters plus the 3-credit pathophysiology prerequisite at $469/credit), or about $21,002 with course/lab fees. The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (4 semesters) full time or 3 years (6 semesters) part time, after a spring or summer prerequisite term.
MSN Curriculum
The plan runs fall and spring only, with no summer terms. Year one front-loads assessment, pharmacology, differential diagnosis, and role synthesis, then opens the first practicum in spring. The specialty spine is three paired courses: each Family Nurse Practice theory course runs alongside its own practicum, and practicum load rises from 4 to 5 credits by the final term.
Two features stand out. A 1-credit quality improvement project (NUR 687) is spread across three consecutive semesters rather than packed into a capstone term. The final semester includes a graded FNP Review Course, so board preparation is part of the degree rather than an outside purchase.
- NUR 602 Advanced Health Assessment (3)
- NUR 603 Advanced Pathophysiology (3, prerequisite)
- NUR 605 Advanced Pharmacology (3)
- NUR 624 Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care (2)
- NUR 620 Role Synthesis (NP) (2)
- NUR 630/634/638 Family Nurse Practice I-III (3, 3, 2)
- NUR 631/635/639 Family Nurse Practice I-III Practicum (4, 4, 5)
- NUR 640 Informatics in Clinical Practice (2)
- NUR 687 Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Project (1 x 3)
- NUR 680 Family Nurse Practitioner Review Course (2)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- Graduation requires a passing standardized exit exam in the final semester: HESI APRN-FNP score of 800 or APEA Post-Predictor score of 70%.
- The published part-time plan totals 46 credits and omits NUR 640 Informatics. The full-time plan and the catalog both total 48. Confirm where NUR 640 falls before choosing part time.
- Students must hold a B or better in every core and role course and a 3.0 GPA each semester to progress.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 780 clinical hours: NUR 631 (240) + NUR 635 (240) + NUR 639 (300).
- Ratio: 60 hours per practicum credit (the catalog counts four weekly clinical hours as one credit).
- Weekly load: about 16 hours/week in the first two practicum semesters and 20 hours/week in the last.
- Location: FNP clinicals must be completed in Mississippi or Arkansas.
- Placement: the school says clinicals are “arranged each semester” with efforts to schedule near the student’s home.
- Campus: 1 to 3 visits to Cleveland, Mississippi, per semester (4 to 12 visits on the full-time plan).
780 hours sits well above the 500-hour certification floor and above the 600 to 700 hours common among FNP programs. The trade-off is weekly load: full-time students carry 16 to 20 clinical hours a week while taking 10 to 13 credits, which leaves little room for full-time RN work in the final three semesters.
You Should Know
- Delta State does not say whether faculty secure preceptors or students find their own. Ask who signs the site agreement and how early the search starts.
- The Mississippi-or-Arkansas rule applies even to online students who live elsewhere.
- Campus visit dates and purpose (skills check-offs, exams, seminars) are not published.
MSN Admissions
Admission is competitive, fall-only, and includes a faculty interview and a pathophysiology prerequisite.
- BSN with a 3.0 GPA.
- One year of continuous patient-contact RN experience within the past three years.
- Unencumbered RN license in Mississippi or the state where clinicals occur.
- Graduate Advanced Pathophysiology with a B or better; introductory statistics with a C or better.
- Resume, school of nursing application, and faculty interview.
- After acceptance: health and immunization forms, personal health insurance, BLS, and fingerprint-based background check.
- Deadline: February 1 each year for fall entry.
You Should Know
- The catalog allows admission with conditions below a 3.0 GPA (B or better in the first 9 credits or dismissal). The program page lists 3.0 as a firm minimum.
- The catalog’s MSN requirements omit the interview and statistics course that the program page requires.
- Seats are limited, and a role track runs only with “sufficient enrollment.”
- Transfer credit must be negotiated before admission. More than 9 transfer hours needs dean approval.
Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
The estimated tuition for the Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate at Delta State University is approximately $18,277 (40 credits: four flat-rate semesters plus the pathophysiology prerequisite at $469/credit), or about $21,002 with course/lab fees. The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (4 semesters) full time or 3 years (6 semesters) part time.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is the MSN minus three courses: NUR 601 theory and ethics, NUR 606 research, and the 3-credit quality improvement project. Every FNP course, all three practica, informatics, health policy, and the review course stay in. Because both full-time plans fill four flat-rate semesters, the certificate saves 8 credits of work but no tuition.
- NUR 602, 603, 605, 624: assessment, pathophysiology, pharmacology, differential diagnosis
- NUR 620 Role Synthesis (NP) (2)
- NUR 604 Advanced Healthcare Policy and Politics (2)
- NUR 630/634/638 Family Nurse Practice I-III with paired practica (780 hours)
- NUR 640 Informatics in Clinical Practice (2)
- NUR 680 Family Nurse Practitioner Review Course (2)
You Should Know
- The part-time plan on the certificate page lists “NUR 604 Informatics in Clinical Practice.” NUR 604 is Health Policy; NUR 640 is Informatics. Both appear in the 40-credit total.
- The same HESI or APEA exit exam requirement applies.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 780 clinical hours on the same NUR 631/635/639 sequence as the MSN.
- Mississippi or Arkansas clinicals; 1 to 3 campus visits per semester.
Certificate students complete the full MSN clinical volume, not a reduced version. No gap analysis is described, so nurses adding FNP to another APRN role should plan for the full 780 hours.
You Should Know
- The certificate page offers no gap analysis or credit for prior advanced practice coursework beyond the general transfer policy.
- Each state board sets its own rules for adding a second APRN population focus. Check your board before enrolling.
Certificate Admissions
Requirements mirror the MSN, with an MSN in place of the BSN.
- MSN with a 3.0 GPA.
- One year of patient-contact RN experience within the past three years.
- Graduate pathophysiology (B or better) and introductory statistics (C or better).
- Faculty interview; February 1 deadline; fall entry only.
BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the BSN-DNP (FNP) at Delta State University is approximately $26,247 (65 credits: five flat-rate semesters, an 8-credit final semester at $469/credit, and the pathophysiology prerequisite), or about $28,755 with course/lab fees. The program can generally be completed in about 3 years (6 semesters) full time or 4.5 years (9 semesters) part time.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
The BSN-DNP is not the MSN with doctoral courses added. It drops the MSN core (theory, policy, research, role synthesis, informatics, and the quality improvement project) and replaces it with eight 3-credit DNP courses. The FNP block (34 credits) is identical to the MSN’s.
Full-time students take one DNP course alongside each Family Nurse Practice semester, then finish with two semesters of population health, business, informatics, and the DNP project. Nurses with a non-FNP MSN follow the same plan at 56 to 65 credits, transferring up to 9 credits (assessment, pathophysiology, pharmacology) with chair approval.
- NUR 801 Advanced Theory and Ethical Issues in Advanced Nursing Practice (3)
- NUR 804 Health Care Policy and Economics in Clinical Practice (3)
- NUR 806 Evidence Based Nursing Practice: Theory, Design and Methods (3)
- NUR 808 Advanced Statistics for Clinical Practice (3)
- NUR 810 Epidemiology and Population Health (3)
- NUR 820 Leadership and Role Development in Advanced Nursing Practice (3)
- NUR 822 Business Management and Quality Care in Clinical Practice (3)
- NUR 824 Information Management and Decision Support in Clinical Practice (3)
- NUR 887 DNP Project Development (2) and NUR 890 DNP Project (5)
You Should Know
- The DNP project requires an oral defense of the proposal and final project, an abstract or manuscript submission, and an electronic portfolio.
- BSN and non-FNP post-master’s students must pass the same HESI or APEA exit exam as MSN students.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 1,200 total hours: 780 FNP practicum + 420 DNP project.
- Project hours: NUR 887 (60 + 60) + NUR 890 (120 + 180) on the full-time plan.
- Project hours overlap the second and third practicum semesters, so semesters 3 and 4 carry about 16 to 20 practicum hours a week plus project work.
- Mississippi or Arkansas FNP clinicals; 1 to 3 campus visits per semester (6 to 18 over the full-time plan).
The 780 FNP hours are the same as the MSN’s. The extra 420 hours are project hours, not additional patient care, so the DNP does not add direct clinical training.
BSN-DNP Admissions
Requirements match the MSN, with a later deadline.
- BSN (or non-FNP MSN) with a 3.0 GPA; one year of patient-contact RN experience within three years.
- Graduate pathophysiology (B or better) and introductory statistics (C or better).
- Faculty interview; February 15 deadline; fall entry only.
Post-Master’s FNP to Doctor of Nursing Practice
The estimated tuition for the Post-Master’s FNP-DNP at Delta State University is approximately $12,653 (31 credits over three flat-rate semesters), or about $12,873 with course/lab fees. The program can generally be completed in about 1.5 years (3 semesters) full time or 2.5 years (5 semesters) part time.
MSN-DNP Curriculum
Certified FNPs take only the eight DNP courses and the 7-credit project. No FNP coursework repeats.
MSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 420 DNP project hours, required regardless of hours earned in the master’s program.
- Additional hours may be required if the student’s FNP program included fewer than 580 clinical hours.
The 580-hour threshold plus 420 project hours reaches 1,000 post-baccalaureate hours, the usual DNP benchmark. FNPs from 500 to 579-hour programs should expect a supplemental clinical requirement.
MSN-DNP Admissions
- MSN with a 3.0 GPA and current national FNP certification (AANP or ANCC).
- Proof of total clinical hours completed in the FNP program.
- One year of patient-contact RN or APRN experience within three years; introductory statistics (C or better).
- Faculty interview; February 15 deadline; fall entry only.
Tuition
Delta State charges $469 per credit for part-time graduate study and a flat $4,217.50 per semester for 9 to 13 graduate credits in 2026-27. Both rates apply to every student regardless of state of residence. On a full-time load, the flat rate works out to $324 to $469 per credit depending on credits taken.
| Track | Full-Time Tuition | Course/Lab Fees | Full-Time Total | Part-Time Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSN (48 cr) | $18,277 | $2,725 | $21,002 | $24,296 |
| Certificate (40 cr) | $18,277 | $2,725 | $21,002 | $21,482 |
| BSN-DNP (65 cr) | $26,247 | $2,508 | $28,755 | $32,993 |
| MSN-DNP (31 cr) | $12,653 | $220 | $12,873 | $14,756 |
Derivation: each published semester of 9 to 13 credits is billed at $4,217.50; any semester under 9 credits and the NUR 603 prerequisite are billed at $469/credit. All totals are derived, not published by Delta State.
Confirmed costs:
- Full-time graduate tuition: $4,217.50 per semester (9-13 credits), 2026-27.
- Part-time graduate tuition: $469 per credit, fall, spring, and summer.
- No out-of-state tuition.
- FNP course/lab fees: $2,725 (MSN and certificate), $2,508 (BSN-DNP), $220 (post-master’s FNP-DNP), per 2025-26 schedules.
- Largest single fee: $775 for NUR 680 FNP Review Course (MSN and certificate).
Be aware that:
- Part-time study costs more. Part-time MSN terms run 6 to 8 credits, so they bill per credit: about $3,300 more than full time for the same degree.
- The part-time MSN total assumes the published 46-credit plan. Adding NUR 640 would raise it by about $938.
- Course fees differ by track for the same courses. NUR 680 is $775 in the MSN schedule and $392 in the DNP schedule; NUR 602 and 605 also differ.
- Fee schedules are dated 2025-26 while tuition is 2026-27, and each schedule is mislabeled “for the BSN program.”
- The NUR 603 prerequisite estimate assumes it is taken at Delta State. Taking it elsewhere changes the cost.
- Exam proctoring services may add charges in some courses.
- Delta State does not list any other per-semester university fees for online graduate students.
- Travel for 1 to 3 campus visits per semester is extra.
For a full-time student, the all-in cost of an FNP MSN is about $21,000 for any resident of any state. The flat rate rewards a heavy load: the eight extra MSN credits over the certificate cost nothing, and the DNP adds about $7,750 in all-in cost over the MSN. Part-time students lose most of that advantage.
View Delta State’s official tuition and fees.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for Mississippi and Arkansas nurses who can study full time, want a doctorate or a second credential without paying out-of-state rates, and can reach Cleveland a few times each semester.
Low cost for full-time students. A full-time FNP MSN costs about $21,000 all in, and the flat semester rate covers 9 to 13 credits. That makes the MSN the better value than the certificate for anyone eligible for both, since the extra courses ride inside the same four tuition payments. A BSN-entry student can reach the DNP for about $28,800 over three years.
Clinical volume above the norm. All FNP routes include 780 practicum hours, built in three escalating 240- to 300-hour blocks paired with their theory courses. The built-in review course and exit exam put board preparation inside the program.
Honest drawbacks. Clinicals are limited to two states, campus trips recur every semester, and the school does not say who secures preceptors. Entry is fall-only, requires a pathophysiology course before starting, and includes an interview. Part-time students pay per credit and lose much of the cost advantage, and the 16 to 20 weekly clinical hours make full-time study hard to pair with full-time work.
Accreditation
The Master of Science in Nursing, the Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice at Delta State University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). All four FNP routes on this page fall under that accreditation.
Delta State University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees. SACSCOC reaffirmed the university’s accreditation in 2025. Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and the transfer of graduate credit.
Graduates of the MSN, certificate, and BSN-DNP meet the educational eligibility requirements for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
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