Mississippi University for Women offers 3 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN
- BSN-DNP
- Post-Graduate APRN Certificate
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $15.3K / $17.0K | 1 year (3 semesters) | 39 (+3 prereq) |
| BSN-DNP | $33.4K / $37.1K | 2.75 years (8 terms) | 78 minimum |
| Certificate | $11.5K-$13.2K / $12.7K-$14.6K | 1 year (3 semesters) | 23-30 |
Tuition estimates use The W’s 2026-27 graduate rates ($4,523.50 flat per semester at 9-13 credits, $498.45 per credit below that) on the published plans of study, plus the $140 commuter meal fee and, out of state, the graduate out-of-state fee.
The W finishes its FNP MSN in one calendar year, August to August, and graduate faculty arrange each student’s clinical sites near home. Combined with flat-rate tuition, the full MSN costs a Mississippi resident about $15,300 including the required pathophysiology prerequisite.
The price of that speed is a fixed weekly schedule. Students attend face-to-face classes in Columbus every Monday (and some Tuesdays) for the full year, carry 13 credits every term including summer, and cannot enroll part time.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN, BSN-DNP (MSN then DNP), Post-Graduate APRN Certificate (RN-to-FNP and APRN-to-FNP options) |
| Format | Hybrid: weekly Monday classes in Columbus, occasional Tuesdays |
| Clinical Hours | 675 by course math (135 + 270 + 270); school states 660 |
| Clinical Placement | Arranged by graduate faculty in the student’s home area |
| Population | Family (all ages), primary care |
| Distinctive Coursework | Advanced Primary Care Procedures (on campus); Science of Diagnostic Reasoning |
| RN License Requirements | Unencumbered Mississippi RN license or multistate compact privilege |
| Tuition | $4,523.50 per semester flat (9-13 credits); $498.45 per credit below 9 |
| Accreditation | CCNE (MSN, certificate, DNP) |
| Start Term | Fall only; March 1 application deadline |
| Experience Gate | Two years of RN practice before admission |
| Enrollment Pace | Full-time only for MSN and certificate |
Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MSN at Mississippi University for Women is approximately $15,346 in-state (three flat-rate semesters at $4,523.50, plus the 3-credit prerequisite at $498.45/credit and $280 in meal fees). The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (3 semesters), running August to August as a single full-time cohort.
The Master of Science in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner) is the only MSN track The W currently offers, and it is the core every other FNP pathway at the school is built on.
MSN Curriculum
Pathophysiology before day one. NU 513 Advanced Pathophysiology is a preadmission course, offered on The W’s campus in spring and summer only. Applicants need a B or better before the fall start, so the real timeline begins months before the 39-credit plan does.
Three dense terms. Each semester carries 13 credits (up to 14 if a student takes 2 credits of the research project). Fall pairs health assessment with a standalone diagnostic reasoning course. Spring adds pharmacology, Primary Care Management I and the on-campus procedures course. Summer finishes Primary Care Management II alongside role, population health and policy courses.
Procedures taught in person. NU 550 Advanced Primary Care Procedures is a 2-credit, hands-on course taught on campus by graduate faculty. School materials list suturing, basic radiology, EKG interpretation and dermatologic procedures among its topics. Many FNP programs fold procedures into a short intensive; here it is a full course inside the spring term.
- NU 513 Advanced Pathophysiology (3, prerequisite)
- NU 503 / 503L Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical (3 + 2)
- NU 521 Science of Diagnostic Reasoning (3)
- NU 501 Advanced Pharmacology (3)
- NU 505 / 505L Primary Care Management I and Clinical (3 + 4)
- NU 550 Advanced Primary Care Procedures (2)
- NU 506 / 506L Primary Care Management II and Clinical (2 + 4)
- NU 597 Clinical Research Project (1-2 per term, spring and summer)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- Graduation also requires a clinical research project or thesis and a comprehensive examination.
- Students need a B in every clinical course. More than two C grades in non-clinical courses ends enrollment, and readmission is considered only once.
- No more than 6 semester hours of approved coursework may transfer in.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 675 clinical hours across three courses: NU 503L (135), NU 505L (270) and NU 506L (270)
- Ratio: 1 clinical credit equals 4.5 practice hours per week (67.5 hours per credit over a 15-week term)
- Placement: arranged by graduate faculty in the student’s geographic area
- Progression: 135 hours in fall, then 270 hours in each of spring and summer
- Clinical hours are tracked through Meditrax (about $75)
At 675 hours, The W sits inside the 600-700 hour range common among FNP programs and well above the 500-hour certification floor. The bigger point is placement: faculty arrange sites near each student’s home, so students are not left cold-calling preceptors. The load rises sharply after fall, from about 9 hours a week to about 18 in spring (derived), on top of a weekly campus day and a 13-credit course load.
You Should Know
- The school states a 660-hour total, but its own per-course clock hours sum to 675. The MSN page publishes no hour total; figures come from the certificate page, which uses the same courses.
- Summer is likely shorter than fall and spring, so the 270 summer hours may run above 18 hours a week. The W does not publish term lengths.
MSN Admissions
Admission is a single fall intake with a March 1 deadline, a faculty interview and a two-year RN experience gate.
- BSN from a nationally and regionally accredited institution
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Undergraduate statistics with a C or better
- Unencumbered Mississippi RN license or compact privilege
- At least two years of RN practice experience
- Advanced Pathophysiology (NU 513) completed with a B or better
- Three references, one from an undergraduate nursing faculty member
- Personal interview with graduate nursing faculty
- Nationwide background check and 9-panel drug screen
- Graduate application and $25 fee
You Should Know
- The W’s admissions page still lists a “2024” deadline of March 1, 2024. Treat March 1 as the annual deadline and confirm the current cycle with the department.
- The W’s licensure disclosure lists the MSN as not meeting educational requirements in Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon and Pennsylvania, with New Hampshire undetermined. Nurses planning to practice there should check with that state’s board first.
- The weekly campus requirement makes this practical mainly for nurses within driving distance of Columbus. The W describes recent cohorts as drawn from Mississippi and neighboring states.
BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice (FNP)
The estimated tuition for the BSN-DNP at Mississippi University for Women is approximately $33,440 in-state (the $15,346 MSN plus four flat-rate DNP semesters at $4,523.50). The program can generally be completed in about 2.75 years (8 terms), which The W publishes as roughly 33 months.
The BSN to DNP pathway is not a separate FNP curriculum. Students complete the full MSN FNP year, earn national certification, then continue into The W’s post-master’s DNP.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
Two programs, back to back. Year one is the 39-credit MSN described above. The doctoral phase adds at least 38 credits focused on chronic disease, quality and safety, informatics, policy and economics, leadership, and a DNP project completed in the student’s community.
A softer doctoral format. The chair describes the DNP as hybrid with about three one-day campus visits each year, and it offers both full-time and part-time plans. That is a much lighter travel load than the MSN year.
- NU 700 Philosophy and Theory of Nursing Practice (2)
- NU 701 Quality and Safety in Complex Health Systems (3)
- NU 713 Chronic Disease in the Human (3)
- NU 721 Science of Advanced Diagnostic Reasoning (3)
- NU 770 Health Care Policy and Economics (3)
- NU 799 DNP Residency (3-4 per enrollment)
- NU 800 DNP Project I and II
- HED 517 Biostatistics (3, may be taken before entry)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The W states a 78-credit minimum after the BSN, but its own MSN (39) and DNP (38 minimum) requirements add to 77. The published full-time DNP plan sums to 42-44 credits.
- Students must hold national NP certification before enrolling in NU 799 DNP Residency.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- FNP clinical training: the same 675 hours as the MSN
- DNP residency: NU 799, completed at the student’s practice site; hour total not clearly stated
- New NP graduates needing monitored practice hours can have placement arranged by the school
All FNP clinical training happens in the MSN year. The doctoral phase adds a residency and an evidence-based practice project rather than more FNP hours, so a BSN-DNP student does not get more family practice training than an MSN student.
BSN-DNP Admissions
Applicants must meet the full MSN requirements first, then the separate DNP admission requirements before the doctoral phase.
- All MSN admission requirements above
- DNP admission requirements, applied at the transition to the doctoral phase
- National certification as a nurse practitioner before the DNP residency
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Certificate at Mississippi University for Women is approximately $11,464 to $13,175 in-state (23 credits at $498.45/credit for the APRN-to-FNP option; 30 credits mixing part-time and flat-rate terms for the RN-to-FNP option). The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (3 semesters), alongside the MSN cohort.
The Post-Graduate APRN Certificate uses the MSN’s FNP courses and places certificate students in the same clinical sequence as master’s students.
Certificate Curriculum
Two entry options. The RN-to-FNP option (30 credits) is for nurses with a non-NP master’s in nursing. The APRN-to-FNP option (23 credits) is for practicing nurse practitioners adding the family population, and drops pharmacology, procedures and population health.
Individualized by gap analysis. Required coursework depends on prior graduate transcripts and deficiencies identified at the interview, so the published plans are a starting point.
- NU 503 / 503L Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical (3 + 2)
- NU 521 Science of Diagnostic Reasoning (3)
- NU 501 Advanced Pharmacology (3, RN-to-FNP only)
- NU 505 / 505L Primary Care Management I and Clinical (3 + 4)
- NU 550 Advanced Primary Care Procedures (2, RN-to-FNP only)
- NU 506 / 506L Primary Care Management II and Clinical (2 + 4)
- NU 512 Advanced Practice Role Development (2)
- NU 516 Population Health in Advanced Nursing Practice (2, RN-to-FNP only)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 675 hours by course math (135 + 270 + 270), identical in both options
- Placement arranged by graduate faculty in the student’s geographic area
- Classes usually meet Mondays, per the academic calendar
Both certificate options complete the full FNP clinical sequence, so the APRN-to-FNP route saves credits but not clinical time. The full-time, one-year pace still applies.
Certificate Admissions
Both options require an interview, two years of RN experience and graduate-level pathophysiology before entry.
- MSN from a nationally and/or regionally accredited institution
- Unencumbered Mississippi nursing license
- Current national board certification (APRN-to-FNP option only)
- At least two years of RN practice experience
- 3 credits of graduate Advanced Pathophysiology with a B or better
- Three references, interview, background check and drug screen
You Should Know
- The certificate page lists a Mississippi license only, while the MSN accepts compact privilege. Confirm whether a compact license qualifies.
- The W’s licensure disclosure covers the MSN by name, not the certificate. State boards set their own rules for adding a second APRN population focus.
- The RN-to-FNP option costs only about $536 less in tuition than the 39-credit MSN, because the MSN’s three terms all fall under the flat semester rate.
Tuition
Mississippi University for Women charges graduate students $498.45 per credit for 1-8 credits a semester and a flat $4,523.50 per semester for 9-13 credits in 2026-27. Both rates include the capital improvement and technology fees. Because MSN terms run at 13 credits, the effective MSN rate is about $348 per credit (derived).
| Component | Part Time (per credit) | Full Time (per semester) |
|---|---|---|
| Base tuition | $480.39 | $4,323.50 |
| Capital improvement fee | $5.56 | $50.00 |
| Technology fee | $12.50 | $150.00 |
| Total | $498.45 | $4,523.50 |
| Out-of-state fee | $55.56 (max $500/semester) | $500.00 |
| Track | Credits | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | 39 + 3 prereq | $15,346 | $17,013 |
| BSN-DNP | 78 minimum | $33,440 | $37,107 |
| Certificate (APRN-to-FNP) | 23 | $11,464 | $12,742 |
| Certificate (RN-to-FNP) | 30 | $13,175 | $14,619 |
All totals are derived from the published plans of study and The W’s 2026-27 tuition and fees schedule.
- Flat rate: $4,523.50 per semester for 9-13 graduate credits
- Per-credit rate: $498.45 for 1-8 graduate credits
- Out-of-state fee: $55.56 per credit, capped at $500 per semester
- Commuter meal fee: $140 per semester for full-time students with at least one on-campus class
- Application fee: $25
Be aware that:
- Credits above 13 in a semester cost an extra $480.39 each. An MSN student taking 2 credits of NU 597 in both spring and summer reaches 14 credits twice, adding about $961.
- Estimates apply 2026-27 rates to every term. The W publishes summer rates separately, and summer 2027 rates are not yet posted.
- The W lists about $4,845 in additional nursing expenses: $2,500 in books, a required $1,000 WelchAllyn equipment package, $650 for certification application and review, $250 skills camp, $150 procedure equipment, $200 editing, $75 Meditrax and $20+ malpractice insurance.
- The DNP phase lists about $2,550 more in expenses: books and software ($2,000), editing ($500+) and malpractice insurance ($50+).
- The tuition page lists a $16.67 part-time technology fee per credit; the bursar PDF lists $12.50. The $498.45 total only reconciles with $12.50.
- Certificate totals exclude the pathophysiology prerequisite. Applicants without it would add about $1,495.
- Weekly travel to Columbus is a real cost for the MSN year and is not reflected above.
For a Mississippi nurse, the MSN’s all-in tuition stays near $15,300 because three full terms fall under one flat semester rate. Out-of-state students pay only $500 more per semester, so residency changes the price far less than the weekly drive does.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
A strong fit for experienced Mississippi-area nurses who can commit one full year, want faculty-arranged clinicals close to home, and prefer learning face to face.
Speed with placement support. The MSN takes one calendar year, from fall start to completion. Faculty arrange clinical sites in each student’s home area, which removes the preceptor search that slows many online students.
Low, predictable cost. The flat semester rate keeps the MSN near $15,300 for residents, and the out-of-state fee is capped at $500 a semester. The BSN-DNP adds four more flat-rate terms for about $18,100.
Can you carry the load? This is the question to answer before applying. Students take 13 credits every term, attend class in Columbus each Monday, and climb to roughly 18 clinical hours a week by spring. Pathophysiology must be finished on campus beforehand, and two years of RN practice are required. Nurses who need part-time study, remote coursework or a spring start should look elsewhere.
Accreditation
The Master of Science in Nursing, Post-Graduate APRN Certificate and Doctor of Nursing Practice at Mississippi University for Women are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The MSN was last reviewed in February 2020, with its next review in spring 2030.
The certificate and DNP were last reviewed in September 2020, with the next review in fall 2030. Because the certificate is accredited by name, post-graduate students are not relying on the MSN’s status alone.
The university is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Regional accreditation affects federal financial aid eligibility and how other schools treat transferred credits.
The W states that both the MSN and the Post-Graduate APRN Certificate prepare graduates to take the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
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