Loyola University New Orleans offers 3 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN
- BSN to DNP
- Post-Graduate Certificate
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $42K–$43K | ~3 yrs | 48 |
| BSN to DNP | $55K–$57K | 36 months | 63 |
| Certificate | $21K–$30K | Varies | 24–33 |
Loyola’s defining advantage is an 800-hour supervised practicum requirement carried across all three FNP pathways, including the post-graduate certificate, where many schools reduce the clinical load for already-credentialed nurses. All three tracks are delivered fully asynchronously online with no scheduled campus visits and no live class meetings.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN, BSN to DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate |
| Format | Online; asynchronous coursework, no stated campus requirement |
| Clinical Hours | 800 practicum hours (MSN, DNP, and Certificate) |
| Clinical Placement | Not clearly stated |
| Population | Individuals and families across the lifespan |
| Distinctive Coursework | Social Justice and Health; Informatics, Economics & Health Policy |
| RN License Requirements | Louisiana RN or multistate license required while enrolled |
| Clinical Location | Practicum must occur where the student holds an active license |
| Experience Requirement | Minimum one year full-time nursing work experience |
| Interviews | Required for selected applicants; scheduled bi-monthly |
| Start Terms | MSN and DNP: Fall, Spring, Summer. Certificate: Fall, Spring |
| Tuition | $900/credit fall; $870/credit spring and summer |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s, DNP, and post-graduate certificate) |
MSN: Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MSN: Family Nurse Practitioner at Loyola University New Orleans is approximately $41,760 to $43,200 (48 credits at $870–$900 per credit). The program can generally be completed in about three years, though Loyola’s program page does not state a length.
MSN Curriculum
The 48-credit curriculum is built on a rigid four-course clinical spine rather than a single capstone practicum. Family Primary Care Management I through IV each pair a three-credit theory course with a matching three-credit practicum, so students carry classroom content and patient care simultaneously across four consecutive terms. That structure means the clinical experience is not back-loaded; a student who cannot secure a site early will stall the sequence rather than delay a final semester.
Two courses distinguish the didactic side. Social Justice and Health reflects Loyola’s Jesuit mission and appears in the MSN but not the DNP version of the curriculum. Informatics, Economics & Health Policy folds three topics that are often separate courses into a single three-credit block, which keeps the degree at 48 credits but compresses coverage.
- NURS G769 Social Justice and Health (3 cr)
- NURS G805 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 cr)
- NURS G810 Advanced Health Assessment (3 cr)
- NURS G820 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics (3 cr)
- NURS G822/G823 Family Primary Care Management I Theory and Practicum (6 cr)
- NURS G826/G827 Family Primary Care Management II Theory and Practicum (6 cr)
- NURS G828/G829 Family Primary Care Management III Theory and Practicum (6 cr)
- NURS G832/G833 Family Primary Care Management IV Theory and Practicum (6 cr)
- NURS G836 Informatics, Economics & Health Policy (3 cr)
- NURS G838 Population Health & Epidemiology (3 cr)
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 800 total supervised practicum hours
- Four practicum courses at 200 hours each (4 × 200 = 800), matching the stated total
- Practicum must be completed in a state where the student holds a valid RN license
- Students must obtain and maintain a Louisiana RN license or a multistate license while enrolled
- Placement model not clearly stated — Loyola does not publish whether it assigns preceptors or requires students to find their own
- Background check and drug screen required within 30 days of enrollment, at the student’s expense
At 800 hours, the requirement sits well above the 500-hour national certification floor and above the 600 to 700 hours common in FNP programs. That is roughly one extra semester of unpaid clinical time compared with a 600-hour program, which matters for a working nurse budgeting hours away from a paying job. The upside is a graduate who enters the job market with meaningfully more supervised patient contact. The unresolved question is placement: because Loyola does not publish a placement model, prospective students should ask directly whether the school secures sites or leaves that work to the student. In a program with a locked four-term clinical sequence, self-placement is a real scheduling risk.
MSN Admissions
Two requirements screen more applicants than the GPA rule: a completed undergraduate statistics course with a B- or better, and an interview for selected candidates.
- BSN from an accredited nursing school
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, or 3.0 in the last 60 undergraduate nursing hours
- Three-credit undergraduate statistics course with a grade of B- (80%) or better, before admission or as a progression condition
- Minimum one year of full-time nursing work experience
- Current unencumbered RN license; Louisiana or multistate license required while enrolled
- Two-page essay covering career experience, how the FNP degree advances goals, and expected time commitment
- Two references and letters of recommendation
- Applications accepted year-round for Fall, Spring, and Summer entry via NursingCAS
BSN to DNP: Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the BSN to DNP: Family Nurse Practitioner at Loyola University New Orleans is approximately $54,810 to $56,700 (63 credits at $870–$900 per credit). The program can be completed in 36 months.
BSN to DNP Curriculum
The doctoral track adds 15 credits to the MSN and keeps the same four-course FNP clinical spine intact. The additional coursework is doctoral rather than clinical: scientific inquiry and translational research, quality and health outcomes, leadership in evolving health systems, and a three-course DNP scholarly project sequence spanning planning, implementation, and evaluation.
One curricular difference is worth noting for applicants weighing the two degrees. The MSN’s standalone Social Justice and Health course is absorbed into a broader Health Policy, Economics & Social Justice course at the doctoral level, and Population Health & Epidemiology gains statistical methods. The doctoral version is denser rather than simply longer.
- NURS G805 / G810 / G820 Advanced Pathophysiology, Health Assessment, and Pharmacotherapeutics (9 cr)
- NURS G822–G833 Family Primary Care Management I–IV, theory and practicum (24 cr)
- NURS G900 Scientific Inquiry & Translational Research (3 cr)
- NURS G936 Leadership and Evolving Health Systems (3 cr)
- NURS G937 Health Policy, Economics, & Social Justice (3 cr)
- NURS G938 Population Health, Epidemiology & Statistical Methods (3 cr)
- NURS G939 / G942 / G944 DNP Scholarly Project I–III (9 cr, 180 practicum hours each)
- NURS G941 Quality Care and Health Outcomes (3 cr)
- NURS G943 Transition to Advanced Role (3 cr)
- NURS G946 Research for Evidence Based Practice (3 cr)
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN to DNP Clinical Requirements
- 800 FNP practicum hours across four Family Primary Care Management practicum courses (4 × 200)
- 540 additional DNP scholarly project hours across three project courses (3 × 180)
- 1,340 total practicum hours — derived by summing course-level hours; Loyola does not publish a combined total
- Practicum must be completed in a state where the student holds a valid RN license
- Louisiana or multistate RN licensure required prior to the second semester of study
- Placement model not clearly stated
The distinction between the two hour categories matters more than the total. Direct patient care in the FNP role is 800 hours, identical to the MSN. The remaining 540 hours are project hours attached to the scholarly project, which typically involve implementation work in a practice setting rather than seeing patients. Applicants comparing this program to doctoral programs advertising 1,000-plus hours should ask how each school counts project time, since the totals are not measuring the same thing.
BSN to DNP Admissions
Admissions requirements are slightly lighter than the MSN’s on paper: no statistics prerequisite is listed, and the license deadline is deferred to the second semester rather than required at entry.
- BSN from an accredited nursing school
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on earned coursework
- Minimum one year of full-time nursing work experience
- Unencumbered RN license in any U.S. state at application; Louisiana or multistate license before the second semester
- Two-page essay covering doctoral study goals, a research translation interest for the scholarly project, and career goals
- Interview required for selected applicants
- Applications accepted year-round for Fall, Spring, and Summer entry
Post-Graduate Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Post-Graduate Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner at Loyola University New Orleans is approximately $20,880 to $29,700 (24 to 33 credits at $870–$900 per credit). Duration is not clearly stated and depends on the individualized plan of study.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is not a fixed program. It runs from 24 to 33 credits depending on what a student completed in a prior master’s degree, and the FNP program director performs an individual gap analysis with each applicant to build a plan of study. That nine-credit spread is roughly $8,800 in tuition difference, so the gap analysis is a financially material step that happens after application rather than before.
What does not flex is the clinical requirement. Loyola states that certificate students complete at least 800 supervised clinical hours in direct patient care, the same volume required of MSN students. Many post-graduate certificates credit prior practicum hours and reduce the total; this one does not appear to. Applicants should confirm in writing whether any prior hours can be applied, since the answer changes the length of the program substantially.
- 24 to 33 credits, determined by individual gap analysis
- Didactic coursework delivered asynchronously online
- Course requirements drawn from the MSN curriculum; specific course list assigned per student
- At least 800 supervised clinical hours in direct patient care
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- At least 800 supervised clinical hours in direct patient care
- No published reduction for prior practicum hours completed in a previous graduate program
- Practicum must be completed in a state where the student holds a valid RN license
- Louisiana RN or multistate license required while enrolled
- Placement model not clearly stated
Holding certificate students to the full 800 hours is defensible on preparation grounds and expensive on practical ones. A nurse practitioner already working in another population focus is being asked for the same clinical volume as a first-time NP student, on top of a current job. Weigh that against certificate programs that grant partial credit for documented prior hours, and factor the answer into the total time commitment rather than only the credit count.
Certificate Admissions
The certificate requires both a BSN and a master’s degree in nursing, and carries the same statistics prerequisite as the MSN.
- Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from an accredited nursing school
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, or 3.0 in the last 60 undergraduate nursing hours
- Three-credit undergraduate statistics course with a grade of B- (80%) or better
- Minimum one year of full-time nursing work experience
- Current unencumbered RN license; APRN license and certification if applicable
- Two-page personal statement, letters of recommendation, and two references
- Interview required for selected applicants
- Applications accepted year-round for Fall and Spring entry only — no summer start
Tuition
Loyola charges graduate nursing programs by the credit hour at a rate that changes by term: $900 per credit in the fall and $870 per credit in the spring and summer for the 2026-2027 academic year. The same rate schedule governs the MSN, the doctoral program, and the post-master’s FNP certificate, so the only variable across tracks is credit count.
- MSN (48 credits): $41,760 at $870 to $43,200 at $900 — roughly $42,000 for a typical mix of fall, spring, and summer terms
- BSN to DNP (63 credits): $54,810 to $56,700
- Certificate (24–33 credits): $20,880 to $29,700, depending on the gap analysis
Fees sit outside those totals and add up over a multi-year program:
- Online program fee of $250 per semester at 6 or more credit hours, or $125 per semester at 1 to 5 credit hours
- Across a three-year MSN, that fee runs roughly $1,100 to $2,250 depending on course load
- One-time graduation fee of $450
- Books and course materials averaging $50 to $150 per class, not included in tuition — roughly $800 to $2,400 across a 16-course MSN
- Background check and drug screen at the student’s own expense
- Rates shown are the published 2026-2027 schedule; per-credit rates are subject to annual increase
One enrollment rule has a larger financial effect than any single fee: federal student aid and private student loans require enrollment in 6 or more credit hours per semester. A student stretching the degree at 3 to 5 credits per term pays the lower $125 fee but loses federal aid eligibility, which makes the slowest path the hardest one to finance. All-in, plan on roughly $44,000 to $47,000 for the MSN and $57,000 to $60,000 for the DNP once fees and materials are counted.
View Loyola’s official online tuition and fees page.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for nurses who want maximum schedule freedom in the classroom and are willing to pay private-university tuition for a heavier clinical requirement.
The format is the clearest practical benefit. Coursework is fully asynchronous with no live class sessions and no campus visits stated anywhere in Loyola’s current program materials, which suits nurses on rotating shifts, night schedules, or unpredictable staffing. Applications are accepted year-round with three entry points for the MSN and DNP, so a candidate does not have to wait out a single annual cohort. Loyola also reports a 98% certification pass rate for its online MSN graduates, though no cohort year or size is published alongside that figure.
The trade-offs are real and mostly financial. At roughly $42,000 for the MSN before fees, this is private-school pricing in a state with several public alternatives, and the 800-hour clinical requirement means more unpaid time in a practice setting than a 600-hour program demands. The absence of a published placement model is the single biggest open question: with four consecutive practicum courses, a student who has to find their own preceptors carries meaningful schedule risk. Get a written answer on placement support before committing.
Choosing between the three pathways comes down to timeline and prior credential. The MSN and DNP share the identical 800-hour FNP clinical spine and the same NP preparation, so the doctorate buys 15 additional credits of leadership, translational research, and a scholarly project for about $13,000 more, not better clinical training. If the goal is practicing as an FNP, the MSN gets there for less. If the goal includes faculty work, system leadership, or a terminal degree eventually, doing it in one 36-month sequence costs less than returning later. For already-credentialed NPs, the certificate is the cheapest entry on paper but carries the same full clinical load, so confirm the gap analysis before assuming it will be quick.
Accreditation
Loyola University New Orleans is regionally accredited, and the College of Nursing and Health’s programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Loyola states CCNE accreditation separately for the master’s degree program, the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and the post-graduate certificate program, so all three FNP pathways are covered. Graduates of the MSN and BSN-DNP tracks are eligible to sit for national FNP certification through either the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), which Loyola confirms for both degree tracks. Dual eligibility is standard for accredited FNP programs and gives graduates a choice of credential based on employer preference.
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