Northwest Nazarene University offers an MSN Family Nurse Practitioner track.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $41.6K–$42.4K | 2 years (6 semesters) | 47–48 |
Northwest Nazarene’s defining advantage is the credential: it leads to FNP certification through a two-year master’s, while Boise State and Idaho State both require a three-year DNP. Coursework is asynchronous online, with campus competency labs tied to four clinical courses.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN (BSN entry) |
| Format | Mostly Online: asynchronous courses plus campus competency labs in four clinical courses |
| Clinical Hours | Not clearly stated; 8 credits of combined lab and clinical courses |
| Clinical Placement | Clinicals in the student’s home state; who arranges preceptors is not clearly stated |
| Population | Family/individual across the lifespan |
| Distinctive Coursework | Two-course advanced pharmacology sequence; four-part Primary Care of the Family series |
| RN License Requirements | Active U.S. RN license in good standing |
| Tuition | $865/credit, plus $150/semester technology fee and unpriced clinical course fees |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s) |
| Course Sequence | Fully sequential; every course must be taken in order |
| Licensure Limits | Does not meet APRN requirements in 9 states, including Washington and Arizona |
MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner program at Northwest Nazarene University is approximately $40,655 (47 credits at $865/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (6 semesters), matching the 24-month timeline NNU publishes.
MSN Curriculum
The sequence is fixed. NNU requires every course to be taken in order, so students cannot rearrange the plan around work or family conflicts. Falling behind in one course can delay everything after it.
Four paired courses form the clinical spine. Each 4-credit Primary Care of the Family course runs alongside a 2-credit competency lab and clinical course. Those four lab courses carry the on-campus requirement.
Pharmacology gets extra weight. Advanced Pharmacology I and II total 6 credits. Research is split into two 2-credit scholarly inquiry courses rather than a thesis or doctoral project.
- NURS 6160 Advanced Pharmacology I (3)
- NURS 7115 Advanced Pharmacology II (3)
- NURS 7090 Advanced Pathophysiology (4)
- NURS 6175 Advanced Health Assessment (3)
- NURS 7130/7130C Primary Care of the Family I and Competency Lab and Clinical (4 + 2)
- NURS 7145/7145C Primary Care of the Family II and Competency Lab and Clinical (4 + 2)
- NURS 7165/7165C Primary Care of the Family III and Competency Lab and Clinical (4 + 2)
- NURS 7170/7170C Primary Care of the Family IV and Competency Lab and Clinical (4 + 2)
- NURS 6185/6190 Scholarly Inquiry I and II (2 + 2)
- NURS 6115 Organizational Leadership and NURS 6125 Managing the Health of Populations (3 + 3)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The 2026-27 catalog lists 47 credits, and its course list sums to 47. The program page says 48 credits for BSN entry. Estimates on this page cover both.
- NNU does not publish start terms or application deadlines. A fully sequential plan usually means limited entry points.
- Students have a maximum of five years to finish.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- Total: Not clearly stated. NNU publishes no clinical-hour figure for the program or any course.
- Clinical courses: four 2-credit competency lab and clinical courses (8 credits), paired with Primary Care of the Family I through IV
- Location: clinicals take place in the student’s home state
- Campus: on-campus competency lab hours in each of the four clinical courses; the number of days is not clearly stated
- Placement: who finds and arranges preceptors is not clearly stated
- State-specific rules: Oregon students must complete clinicals in Idaho; Massachusetts requires both student and preceptor to hold Massachusetts licenses; Colorado students need workers’ compensation insurance at extra cost
The missing hour total is the largest gap in NNU’s published material. National FNP certification requires at least 500 supervised clinical hours, and many FNP programs run 600 to 700. Because NNU combines lab and clinical work in the same 8 credits, ask how many hours are direct patient care. Also ask who arranges preceptors, since a student-led search can add months to a 24-month plan.
MSN Admissions
Admission is open to BSN-prepared RNs, but where you live decides whether the degree leads to licensure.
- Baccalaureate degree in nursing
- Active RN license in good standing in the United States
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in all nursing courses completed
- RN experience requirement: Not clearly stated
You Should Know
- NNU’s licensure disclosure says the program does not meet APRN requirements in Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Washington.
- Status is undetermined in Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, South Carolina, West Virginia, and several U.S. territories.
- The program meets requirements in 34 states plus DC and the Northern Mariana Islands, including Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.
- Montana students must hold a Montana RN license. Nevada and Oklahoma require clinical faculty licensed in those states.
Tuition
Northwest Nazarene University charges $865 per credit for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner program, as published on the program page. A $150 technology fee is added each semester, and several nursing courses carry course and clinical fees that NNU does not price publicly.
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, 47 credits (2026-27 catalog) | $40,655 |
| Tuition, 48 credits (program page) | $41,520 |
| Technology fee, 6 semesters (derived) | $900 |
| Estimated total | $41,555–$42,420 |
- Tuition: $865 per credit
- Technology fee: $150 per semester
- Estimated tuition and technology fees: about $41,555 to $42,420
Be aware that:
- The catalog lists course and clinical fees on Advanced Health Assessment and all four competency lab and clinical courses. NNU does not publish the amounts.
- The six-semester count is derived from the 24-month timeline. A slower path adds technology fees.
- Travel and lodging for campus competency labs are not included.
- Colorado students must buy workers’ compensation insurance for clinicals.
- NNU publishes one rate, with no separate resident or non-resident tier.
Even with fees, the MSN costs well below Idaho’s DNP routes: Boise State’s BSN-DNP estimate runs about $63,000 and Idaho State’s about $64,544. That is not a like-for-like comparison, because the DNPs award a doctorate and publish 780 to 1,008 clinical hours. For a nurse who wants the FNP credential rather than the doctorate, NNU saves about a year and roughly $20,000 before its unpriced clinical fees.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for BSN-prepared nurses who want FNP certification eligibility through a two-year master’s and are willing to confirm a few details NNU does not publish.
The master’s is the point. Boise State and Idaho State both route Idaho FNP students through a three-year DNP. NNU’s MSN finishes in about 24 months, leaving the doctorate as a later choice rather than a requirement.
Online, but not campus-free. Asynchronous coursework suits working nurses. Each of the four clinical courses brings students to the Nampa campus for competency lab hours, so plan travel time into every clinical semester.
Ask before you apply. NNU does not publish its clinical-hour total, who arranges preceptors, start terms, or clinical fee amounts. Those answers decide both the real cost and whether the 24-month timeline holds. Nurses in Washington, Arizona, or the seven other states listed above should look elsewhere, since the program does not meet licensure requirements there.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in nursing at Northwest Nazarene University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). That covers the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner program, which is also approved by the Idaho Board of Nursing.
Northwest Nazarene University is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), which reaffirmed its accreditation in spring 2024. Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and the recognition of NNU credits and degrees by employers and other schools.
The MSN prepares graduates to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
Compare More Family NP Programs
- Boise State University - Boise
- Idaho State University - Pocatello