George Washington University FNP Programs

School of Nursing • Ashburn, VA • Mostly Online • $1,710/credit

George Washington University offers 3 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:

  • MSN
  • BSN-DNP
  • Postgraduate Certificate

Program Tracks Overview

ProgramEst. TuitionEst. DurationCredit Hours
MSN$82.1KAbout 2.7 years (8 semesters)48
BSN-DNP$123.1KAbout 4 years (12 semesters)72
Certificate$29.1KAbout 1.5 years (4 to 5 semesters)17

GW’s advantage is a part-time MSN with both fall and spring starts, paired with graded simulation checkpoints on its Ashburn campus. Every track bills the same flat $1,710 per credit, so the choice between them comes down to credential and time, not rate.

Quick Facts

FeatureDetails
Program TypesMSN, BSN-DNP (no master’s exit), Post-Master’s Certificate
FormatMostly Online: online courses plus required simulation events in Ashburn, VA
Clinical HoursMSN 600; DNP 600 clinical plus 500 practice; Certificate 500 (catalog says 600)
Clinical PlacementStudent secures sites; placement team clears contracts and supports the search
PopulationPrimary care across the lifespan
Start TermsMSN fall or spring; DNP fall only; Certificate summer (not currently admitting)
Enrollment RestrictionsNo AL or LA residents; NY residents must complete clinicals in another state
RN License RequirementsActive, unencumbered RN license from a U.S. state or territory
Tuition$1,710 per credit, all tracks; $350 simulation or CLASI fee per designated course
AccreditationCCNE (MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate)

MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the MSN: Family Nurse Practitioner at George Washington University is approximately $82,080 (48 credits at $1,710/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 2.7 years on GW’s 6-credits-per-semester billing basis, with full-time and part-time plans of study available.

MSN Curriculum

The 48 credits split into three blocks: a professional core in population health, leadership, and health policy; a two-course research block; and the FNP field courses. The FNP sequence runs as three numbered courses (FNP I, II, and III), and the clinical hours are attached directly to them, so clinical time ramps up from 120 hours in the first course to 240 in each of the next two.

GW publishes three plans of study: fall full-time, fall part-time, and spring part-time. Spring entrants have no full-time option.

  • NURS 6202 Concepts in Population Health
  • NURS 6205 Health Policy, Quality, and Political Process
  • NURS 6208 Biostatistics for Health Care Research
  • NURS 6222 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
  • NURS 6230 FNP I: Lifespan Primary Care/Diagnosis/Management
  • NURS 6231 FNP II: Lifespan Primary Care/Diagnosis/Management
  • NURS 6232 FNP III: Professional Issues/Diagnosis/Management
  • NURS 6233 Genetics for Healthcare Providers

More curriculum details are available here.

You Should Know
  • The university bulletin does not list credit values per course, so the 48-credit total cannot be reconciled course by course from the catalog.
  • Total program length for each plan of study is not published. The 2.7-year figure is derived from 48 credits at GW’s stated 6 credits per semester, assuming continuous enrollment including summers.

MSN Clinical Requirements

  • 600 clinical hours with an approved preceptor: NURS 6230 (120) + NURS 6231 (240) + NURS 6232 (240)
  • Students are encouraged to find their own preceptors; GW can share information on local clinical sites
  • A dedicated placement team processes clinical contracts once a site is approved
  • On-campus Clinical Learning and Skills Intensive (CLASI) before clinical courses begin
  • Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) with standardized patients during FNP II and FNP III
  • End-of-program on-campus skills assessment for all NP students

At 600 hours, GW sits at the low end of the 600 to 700 range common among FNP programs and 100 hours above the certification floor. Spread over the two 240-hour courses, that works out to roughly 16 hours a week, assuming a 15-week semester, which is manageable alongside part-time work. The placement model is support, not a guarantee. GW’s own FAQ states that securing a clinical site is the student’s responsibility, with the placement team stepping in on documentation, site vetting, and coaching on how to approach preceptors.

You Should Know
  • Plan on at least three trips to Ashburn, VA: CLASI, the OSCE series, and the end-of-program assessment. GW’s cost page budgets clinical-phase campus travel “up to twice per year,” and travel is not covered by tuition.
  • Sources differ on when CLASI happens. The program page says before clinical courses, the FAQ ties it to NURS 6222, and the fee schedule ties the CLASI fee to NURS 6230.

MSN Admissions

Admission is straightforward, with no entrance exam, no GRE, and review of applicants below a 3.0 GPA.

  • BSN from a regionally accredited institution
  • Preferred GPA of 3.0, calculated across all nursing degrees
  • Active, unencumbered U.S. RN license
  • Two letters of recommendation; at least one recommender must hold a graduate degree
  • Current resume and a 250- to 500-word statement of purpose naming the NP role sought
  • Applications through the GW Application System, not NursingCAS
  • Annual cycle: spring entry priority deadline September 1, final November 15; fall entry priority deadline December 1, final June 15
You Should Know
  • The university bulletin lists different deadlines (fall final May 15; spring priority June 1, final October 1) than the program page. Confirm with admissions before planning around either set.
  • GW cannot admit residents of Alabama or Louisiana to online programs. New York residents are accepted only if they agree to complete clinicals in another state.

BSN to DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the DNP: Family Nurse Practitioner at George Washington University is approximately $123,120 (72 credits at $1,710/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 4 years under the part-time, fall-entry plan of study.

BSN-DNP Curriculum

The DNP shares the MSN’s entire FNP clinical spine (FNP I through III, advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, and genetics), then layers on doctoral coursework in informatics, epidemiology, quality improvement, and healthcare economics. It drops the MSN’s professional core and evidence-based practice courses in favor of their doctoral counterparts.

The DNP project runs as a four-course sequence: scholarly inquiry, planning, implementation, and evaluation. GW signals that the project matters at admission, too. The statement of purpose must outline a potential DNP project, and applicants with a clear project idea receive preference. There is no master’s exit point, so leaving early earns no credential.

  • NURS 8351 Healthcare Informatics
  • NURS 8400 Epidemiology and Population Health
  • NURS 8405 Healthcare Quality Improvement
  • NURS 8418 Healthcare Economics, Finance, and Reimbursement
  • NURS 8419 Analytical Methods and Appraisal for Evidence-Based Practice
  • NURS 8489 DNP Project Scholarly Inquiry
  • NURS 8491 DNP Project Implementation
  • NURS 8492 DNP Project Evaluation and Dissemination

More curriculum details are available here.

You Should Know
  • The 4-year duration is derived from 72 credits at GW’s stated 6 credits per semester. GW publishes only a part-time plan of study, yet strongly recommends that DNP students not work full-time.
  • The current bulletin is labeled a provisional 2026-2027 edition, so course lists may still change.

BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements

  • 1,100 total post-baccalaureate practice hours
  • 600 direct clinical hours with an approved preceptor, in the same FNP I to III courses as the MSN
  • 500 indirect practice hours built into program coursework
  • Same student-driven placement model, CLASI, OSCEs, and end-of-program assessment as the MSN
  • Required Virtual New Student Orientation

The direct patient care requirement is identical to the MSN’s 600 hours. The additional 500 hours come from coursework GW provides inside the program, so the doctoral premium is about project and systems work rather than extra preceptor time. For nurses worried about finding preceptors, that matters: the DNP does not add to the preceptor search.

BSN-DNP Admissions

The DNP admits once a year, in fall only.

  • BSN minimum from a regionally accredited institution, preferred GPA of 3.0
  • Active, unencumbered U.S. RN license
  • Two letters of recommendation; at least one recommender must hold a doctoral degree
  • Statement of purpose with a proposed DNP project idea and professional practice background
  • Clinical experience recommended but not required
  • Annual cycle: priority deadline December 1, final June 15

Post-Master’s Certificate, Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner at George Washington University is approximately $29,070 (17 credits at $1,710/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 1.5 years under the part-time, summer-entry plan of study.

Certificate Curriculum

This certificate is built for practicing NPs adding the family population, not for nurses entering advanced practice. GW names eligible applicants as women’s health, pediatric, adult-gerontology primary care, and acute care NPs. Coursework is limited to three FNP courses written specifically for nurse practitioners, plus a variable-credit clinical practicum.

  • NURS 6250 FNP I for Nurse Practitioners: Adult Primary Care (2 credits)
  • NURS 6251 FNP II for Nurse Practitioners: Lifespan Primary Care (4 credits)
  • NURS 6252 FNP III for Nurse Practitioners: Lifespan Primary Care (4 credits)
  • NURS 6227 FNP Clinical Practicum (1 to 7 credits)

More curriculum details are available here.

You Should Know
  • GW is not currently accepting applications for this certificate. The bulletin still lists a March 31 deadline for summer entry.
  • The certificate is not eligible for federal financial aid.
  • Listed courses total 11 to 17 credits depending on practicum load. The 17-credit total assumes the full 7-credit practicum.

Certificate Clinical Requirements

  • 500 clinical hours with an approved preceptor (program page)
  • Students are encouraged to find their own preceptors; GW can share local site information
  • Faculty clinical site visit, usually in the second or final clinical course
  • Two on-campus events: CLASI before the first clinical course, and OSCEs during NURS 6251 and 6252

At 500 hours, the certificate sits at the certification floor, which is typical for NPs whose prior training already covers part of the lifespan.

You Should Know
  • The program page states 500 clinical hours, but the university bulletin states 600. Confirm the requirement before enrolling, since it changes how long the practicum phase runs.

Certificate Admissions

  • MSN from a regionally accredited institution, preferred GPA of 3.0
  • Current NP preparation in women’s health, pediatrics, adult-gerontology primary care, or acute care
  • Completed advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology, and health assessment as three separate lifespan courses
  • Two letters of recommendation, resume, and statement of purpose; no GRE
You Should Know
  • GW’s general FAQ says direct-entry MSN and Clinical Nurse Leader graduates may qualify for post-master’s certificates, but the FNP certificate page limits eligibility to practicing NPs. Treat the narrower FNP list as controlling.

Tuition

GW publishes a cost per credit of $1,710 for every FNP track, with no residency differential. Totals below are published by GW and verified as credits times rate.

TrackCreditsRateTuitionTuition + Mandatory Fees
MSN48$1,710$82,080$83,253
BSN-DNP72$1,710$123,120$124,293
Certificate17$1,710$29,070$30,243

Confirmed costs:

  • $350 Graduate Clinical Program Simulation Fee per designated course (FNP II and III, or certificate FNP II and III)
  • $350 CLASI Fee per designated course (FNP I, or certificate FNP I)
  • $123 one-time Complio fee for clinical students
  • $500 advance deposit, applied to tuition
  • Required equipment: $35 to $650
  • Laptop or tablet: $900 or more
  • Textbooks: about $765 per semester by GW’s estimate

Be aware that:

  • The fees-included column adds three $350 course fees and the $123 Complio fee. It excludes travel, books, and equipment.
  • Travel to Ashburn for CLASI, OSCEs, and the final skills assessment is at the student’s expense.
  • GW’s textbook estimate assumes four semesters, but the MSN runs about eight on GW’s own billing basis.
  • Student health insurance ($2,999 per year) is voluntary.

Real cost adds roughly $1,200 in mandatory fees to each track, plus campus travel that depends on where you live. The flat rate makes GW easy to budget, but it also means the DNP costs about $41,000 more than the MSN for the same 600 preceptor hours. See GW’s tuition page.

Why Choose This FNP Program?

Best suited for working RNs within reach of Northern Virginia who want a part-time FNP with a spring start option and structured skills checkpoints.

Flexible entry for the MSN. Fall and spring starts, plus a full-time fall plan, give GW more entry points than many single-intake programs. No entrance exam and a holistic look at sub-3.0 GPAs widen the door further.

Simulation as quality control. CLASI, the OSCE series, and the final skills assessment give faculty three scheduled chances to evaluate your history-taking and diagnostic reasoning with standardized patients. Students who live close to Ashburn get that structure with little travel burden. Those farther away should budget for several trips.

The honest trade-offs. At $1,710 per credit, GW is a premium-priced program, and the DNP’s $123,120 tuition buys project work rather than added clinical time. The placement model is support, not placement, so you still own the preceptor search. Alabama and Louisiana residents cannot enroll, and the post-master’s certificate is not currently admitting.

Accreditation

GW’s master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). That covers all three FNP tracks on this page. GW’s APRN programs are also approved by the DC Board of Nursing.

The George Washington University is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Institutional accreditation affects federal aid eligibility and how other schools treat transfer credit.

MSN and DNP graduates are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC). The certificate page does not state exam eligibility directly, so confirm it with GW.

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