FIU FNP Programs

Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences • Miami, FL • Hybrid • $628/credit

Florida International University offers 3 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:

  • MSN (with optional Dual MSN + Nurse Educator Certificate)
  • BSN to DNP
  • Post-Graduate Certificate

Program Tracks Overview

ProgramEst. TuitionEst. DurationCredit Hours
MSN$30.8K 2 yrs49
Post-BS DNP$50.9K 3.5 yrs80
Certificate$16.4K 2 yrs37

FIU’s defining advantage is credential flexibility: the BSN-to-DNP awards the MSN partway through so you can certify and practice as an FNP while finishing the doctorate, and the MSN offers an optional Nurse Educator add-on that produces a dual NP-and-educator credential. The trade-off is geography — every FNP track is a Miami-based hybrid program, and FNP clinicals are completed in FIU’s four-county South Florida service area.

Quick Facts

FeatureDetails
Program TypesMSN, BSN-to-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate; optional Dual MSN + Nurse Educator
FormatHybrid (Miami); on-campus cadence not clearly stated
Clinical Hours770 (MSN); 1,310 (DNP); certificate not clearly stated
Clinical PlacementClinical department assists with one-on-one placements at partner facilities
Clinical GeographyMonroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties (FNP is not an online track)
PopulationFamilies and individuals of all ages, including pregnant and postpartum patients
Distinctive CourseworkCulture in Advanced Nursing Practice; Diagnostics & Therapeutics
ConcentrationsNurse Educator Certificate add-on (Dual MSN, 66 credits, +210 teaching hours)
RN License RequirementsFlorida RN license required before admission, including out-of-state applicants
Application WindowMSN/certificate: one Fall intake, apply Nov. 1–Feb. 1; DNP adds Spring intake
Admissions ProcessLimited enrollment; invitation-only panel interview; one NursingCAS application per cycle
Enrollment PolicyLock-step, year-round; no semesters off outside approved leave of absence
Tuition~$628/credit in-state, ~$1,133/credit out-of-state (derived, MSN)
AccreditationCCNE (verified from FIU’s pages); Florida Board of Nursing approved

MSN Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner at FIU is approximately $30,796 in-state or $55,496 out-of-state (49 credits at roughly $628 or $1,133 per credit, derived).

The program can generally be completed in about two years — six consecutive semesters, including summers, with no breaks permitted.

MSN FNP Curriculum

The 49-credit plan runs in two phases. Year one is didactic foundation; year two is the clinical specialty sequence, with a practicum attached to every specialty course. The FNP track carries two more credits than FIU’s other primary care MSN tracks (49 vs. 47) because its lifespan scope demands a longer specialty sequence. A distinctive inclusion is a required three-credit course in culturally competent advanced practice — a reflection of FIU’s Miami patient population that most FNP curricula treat as a module, not a course.

Foundation Courses (Semesters 1–3)

  • NGR 5110 – Theories in Nursing (3)
  • NGR 5810 – Research Methods in Nursing (3)
  • NGR 5141 – Pathophysiologic Concepts (3) and NGR 6172 – Pharmacological Concepts (3)
  • NGR 6002C – Advanced Health Assessment (4)
  • NGR 5064C – Diagnostics & Therapeutics (3)
  • NGR 5131 – Culture in Advanced Nursing Practice (3)

FNP Specialty Sequence (Semesters 4–6)

  • NGR 6601/6602/6604 – Advanced Family Nursing I–III with paired practica (NGR 6601L, 6602L, 6604L)
  • NGR 6744 – Professional Advanced Practice Seminar (2)

Dual MSN + Nurse Educator option: Applicants can add the Nurse Educator Certificate at entry, converting the degree to a 66-credit Dual MSN. Graduates qualify for both national FNP certification and the NLN nurse educator certification, and complete an additional 210 clinical hours in teaching practica — a genuine second credential, not elective padding, for nurses eyeing faculty or staff-development roles.

The current plan of study takes effect Spring 2027. More curriculum details are available here.

MSN FNP Clinical Requirements

  • 770 total clinical hours, completed across three practicum courses in the final three semesters
  • FIU’s designated clinical department assists students with one-on-one placements at partner facilities
  • FNP clinicals occur within FIU’s long-standing service area: Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties (only the fully online AG-PC and pediatric tracks may arrange sites elsewhere)
  • Preceptors are nurse practitioners and physicians in general and specialty ambulatory practices
  • Background check, fingerprinting, drug screening, and immunization tracking required via FIU Express

At 770 hours, FIU sits well above the 500-hour national certification floor and above the 600–700 hours most FNP programs require — meaningful extra supervised practice before independent work. The placement model splits the labor: the school’s clinical department actively assists rather than leaving students to cold-call preceptors, but the four-county boundary means nurses outside greater Miami cannot realistically complete this track.

MSN FNP Admissions

Admission is limited-enrollment and competitive, with a single Fall intake, a mandatory invitation-only panel interview, and a one-application-per-cycle rule — you cannot hedge across FIU specialties.

  • BSN from an ACEN (NLNAC)- or CCNE-accredited program; non-accredited considered case by case
  • Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and a 3.0 in upper-division BSN coursework
  • Active Florida RN license before admission; out-of-state applicants must obtain one first
  • Prerequisites: introductory statistics (3 credits) and health assessment (3 credits)
  • NursingCAS + FIU supplemental application, essay, CV, three professional references
  • Apply Nov. 1–Feb. 1 for Fall admission (annual cycle); no GRE
  • Maximum six transfer credits

Post-BSN to DNP Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the Post-BSN to DNP FNP at FIU is approximately $50,908 in-state or $91,738 out-of-state (80 credits at roughly $636 or $1,147 per credit, derived).

The program can generally be completed in about three and a half years — ten consecutive semesters for Fall entrants or eleven for Spring entrants.

Post-BSN to DNP Curriculum

The structural feature that matters most: the MSN is formally awarded partway through — after semester six (62 credits) for Fall entrants, semester eight (68 credits) for Spring entrants. At that point you sit for national FNP certification and can practice as an APRN while completing the remaining doctoral semesters. Most BSN-to-DNP programs make you wait the full ride for any credential; FIU’s design means the doctorate costs time but not delayed earning power.

MSN Phase — mirrors the MSN FNP core and specialty sequence, plus doctoral-level additions woven in early:

  • NGR 7121 – Scientific and Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice (3)
  • NGR 7769 – Patient Safety and Quality Improvement (3)
  • NGR 7892L – Health Policy Practicum (3; 40 clinical hours)
  • NGR 7854 – Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Clinical Practice (3)
  • NGR 7853 – Translational Research (3)
  • NGR 7871 – Healthcare Informatics (3)
  • Advanced Family Nursing I–III with practica (NGR 6601/L–6604/L)

Doctoral Phase (final 3–4 semesters)

  • NGR 7733 – Organizational Dynamics of Health Systems (3)
  • NGR 7891 – Healthcare Finance and Economics (3)
  • NGR 7940C/7941C/7942C – DNP Project I–III (12 credits; 500 clinical hours)

The current plan of study takes effect Spring 2027. More curriculum details are available here.

Post-BSN to DNP Clinical Requirements

  • 1,310 total clinical hours for the FNP track: 770 specialty practicum hours + 40 health policy practicum hours + 500 DNP project hours (170 + 165 + 165)
  • Same placement model and four-county South Florida clinical geography as the MSN
  • FNP carries the highest clinical load of FIU’s BSN-to-DNP tracks (1,310 vs. 1,170 listed for the other Fall-entry specialties)

1,310 hours is roughly double what a typical MSN-level FNP program requires and clears the 1,000-hour DNP standard with room to spare. The per-course math checks out exactly, which is not always true of published DNP totals — a small credibility point in FIU’s favor.

Post-BSN to DNP Admissions

Requirements match the MSN (GPA, Florida RN license, prerequisites, references, interview), with one practical difference: the DNP accepts both Fall (apply Nov. 1–Feb. 1) and Spring (apply March 1–Aug. 1) cohorts, making it the only FIU FNP entry point with two intakes per year.

Post-Graduate FNP Certificate

The estimated tuition for the Post-Graduate FNP Certificate at FIU is approximately $16,403 in-state or $36,061 out-of-state (37 credits at roughly $443 or $975 per credit, derived).

The program can generally be completed in about two years across six semesters, though students with equivalent prior graduate coursework can shorten the front end.

Certificate Curriculum

The 37-credit plan is essentially the MSN’s clinical spine without the theory and research core: pathophysiology, pharmacology, culture, and advanced health assessment in year one, then the identical three-course Advanced Family Nursing sequence with practica in year two. Students who completed equivalent advanced patho, pharm, assessment, or culture coursework in their prior MSN can submit course descriptions for faculty evaluation — approved waivers reduce both credits and cost below the published figures. The FNP certificate runs two credits longer than FIU’s adult and pediatric certificates (37 vs. 35), again reflecting the lifespan scope. More curriculum details are available here.

Certificate Clinical Requirements

  • Total clinical hours: not clearly stated for the primary care certificates ⚠️
  • The certificate uses the same three FNP practicum courses as the MSN, which total 770 hours in that program
  • Same assisted-placement model and South Florida clinical geography as the degree tracks (FNP certificate is a hybrid track)

FIU’s DNP clinical education page states certificate hours match the degree tracks at 1,310, but that figure includes 500 DNP project hours the certificate does not contain; the certificate’s course structure points to the MSN’s 770. Confirm the exact total with the program before enrolling.

Certificate Admissions

This certificate serves MSN-prepared nurses adding FNP as a new or additional specialty; certification eligibility comes only at graduation.

  • MSN from an ACEN (NLNAC)- or CCNE-accredited program
  • Graduate GPA of at least 3.0
  • Current Florida RN or APRN license, as applicable
  • NursingCAS + FIU supplemental application, essay, CV, three references, invitation-only panel interview
  • Fall start only; apply Nov. 1–Feb. 1

Tuition

FIU’s derived cost per credit is approximately $628 in-state and $1,133 out-of-state for the MSN ($30,796 and $55,496 across 49 credits), about $636 and $1,147 for the BSN-to-DNP ($50,908 and $91,738 across 80 credits), and about $443 and $975 for the certificate ($16,403 and $36,061 across 37 credits). All figures are FIU’s published “tuition only” estimates for the current academic year, restated per credit as estimates.

  • FIU also publishes “Tuition + Est. costs” figures (e.g., $33,629 in-state for the MSN FNP) that bundle university fees with textbook and supply estimates — a partial cost-of-attendance figure, not a fee schedule
  • Tuition and fees change annually; FIU labels all figures as estimates
  • Dual MSN FNP + Nurse Educator tuition is not separately published; expect the 66-credit load to cost proportionally more than the 49-credit MSN
  • Certificate students with approved course waivers pay for fewer than 37 credits
  • Out-of-state applicants must obtain a Florida RN license before admission, but non-resident tuition still applies at nearly double the resident rate

The practical read: in-state, the full BSN-to-DNP costs about $20,000 more than the MSN — a modest premium for a doctorate with certification granted en route — while out-of-state pricing nearly doubles every figure and erases FIU’s value case for non-Floridians.

Official tuition details are available here.

Why Choose This FNP Program?

FIU makes the most sense for South Florida nurses who want to keep every credential door open — NP practice, a doctorate, or a teaching role — without committing to all of them on day one.

The pathway architecture is the draw. The BSN-to-DNP grants the MSN at the midpoint, so doctoral students certify and earn NP income for the final doctoral year rather than waiting three-plus years for any payoff. The Dual MSN + Nurse Educator option adds an NLN-certifiable teaching credential inside one admission — rare among Florida FNP programs and directly useful given faculty shortages. Clinical preparation is strong across the board: 770 hours at the MSN level exceeds the 600–700 typical of the field, the school’s clinical department assists with one-on-one placements, and in-state pricing around $628 per credit keeps the public-university value proposition intact.

The constraints are equally clear. This is a hybrid, Miami-based program with clinicals confined to Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties — FIU’s fully online flexibility applies to its adult-gerontology and pediatric tracks, not the FNP. Admission is limited-enrollment with an interview gate, one application per cycle, and (for the MSN and certificate) a single Fall start: miss February 1 and you wait a year. Enrollment is lock-step and year-round with no semesters off. The ideal student is a Florida-licensed RN in greater Miami who can sustain continuous enrollment and wants stacked credentials from one institution; a nurse elsewhere in Florida seeking distance delivery should look to fully online public options instead.

Accreditation

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program and the baccalaureate and graduate nursing degree programs at Florida International University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), verified from FIU’s own program and accreditation pages, and all FIU nursing programs are approved by the Florida Board of Nursing. FIU is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). FIU states that graduates are qualified to apply for national certification in their specialty area and for Florida APRN licensure; it does not name a specific certifying body, and graduates of CCNE-accredited FNP programs can generally sit for either the AANP (FNP-C) or ANCC (FNP-BC) exam.

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