Radford University FNP Programs

College of Nursing • Radford, VA • Mostly Online • $624–$898/credit

Radford University offers 2 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:

  • MSN
  • BSN-DNP

Program Tracks Overview

ProgramEst. Tuition (In-State / Out-of-State)Est. DurationCredit Hours
MSN$47.6K / $48.7KNot clearly stated53
BSN-DNP$48.7K / $90.6KNot clearly stated78

Tuition estimates use Radford’s published per-credit rates with mandatory fees: the 2025-2026 Radford University Carilion graduate rate (including its $298 program fee) for the Roanoke-based MSN and the 2026-2027 main campus graduate rate for the BSN-DNP.

Radford’s FNP programs are built for nurses who live and plan to practice in Virginia. Radford’s own licensure disclosure confirms the FNP curriculum meets licensure requirements in Virginia and lists every other state as not met.

For Virginia residents, the two credentials cost nearly the same. The MSN is billed at the Roanoke campus rate, which adds a $298-per-credit program fee, so the 78-credit BSN-DNP runs only about $1,100 more than the 53-credit MSN. The trade-off is time: the DNP adds 25 credits and 460 residency hours.

Quick Facts

FeatureDetails
Program TypesMSN, BSN-DNP
FormatMostly Online: online courses plus 2-3 on-campus intensives
Clinical Hours540 (MSN); 1,000 supervised clinical and residency hours (BSN-DNP)
Clinical PlacementStudent-initiated or college-assisted; clinical resource coordinator supports placement
PopulationFamily/individual across the lifespan
Distinctive CourseworkPrimary Care Intensive (suturing, biopsy, microscopy); separate pediatric and reproductive health courses
RN License RequirementsCurrent, unencumbered RN license
Tuition$898/credit MSN (Roanoke rate); $624/credit BSN-DNP (main campus, in-state)
AccreditationCCNE (master’s and DNP); SACSCOC institutional
Licensure ReachRequirements met in Virginia only; all other states listed as not met
RN Experience2,000 hours or 1 year full-time RN practice before clinical courses (DNP page)

MSN Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the Family Nurse Practitioner, M.S.N. at Radford University is approximately $47,594 (53 credits at $898/credit). The program length is not clearly stated; Radford publishes no plan of study or semester count for the MSN.

MSN Curriculum

The MSN is taught through Radford University Carilion in Roanoke. Its FNP spine splits specialty content into stand-alone courses rather than one combined lifespan sequence: two FNP primary care courses, a separate pediatric course, and a separate reproductive health course.

Hands-on skills block. NURS 705, the Primary Care Intensive, is a 1-credit hybrid lab covering suturing, biopsy, microscopy, and diagnostic procedures. It follows the advanced pathophysiology, assessment, and pharmacology courses and is one of the program’s on-campus touchpoints.

Variable-credit clinical course. Clinical hours run through NURS 735, a variable-credit course repeated until students reach 8 credits, then a 4-credit capstone preceptorship. This lets the program spread clinical load across terms instead of one fixed practicum per semester.

  • NURS 705: Primary Care Intensive
  • NURS 714: Advanced Health Assessment Lab
  • NURS 726: Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care 1: FNP Concentration
  • NURS 727: Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care 2: FNP Concentration
  • NURS 654: Primary Care of Pediatric Populations
  • NURS 656: Primary Care in Reproductive Health
  • NURS 735: Primary Care Advanced Practice Nursing Across the Lifespan, Clinical (8 credits total)
  • NURS 736: Advanced Family Nursing: Preceptorship
  • NURS 812: Healthcare Ethics and Law

More curriculum details are available here.

You Should Know
  • Credit values for NURS 656, 701, and 709 are not published on Radford’s course-description pages. The other 17 courses total 47 credits, leaving 6 credits for these three, which is consistent with the 53-credit total.

MSN Clinical Requirements

  • 540 clinical hours total: 360 in NURS 735 (8 credits) plus 180 in NURS 736 (4 credits).
  • Both courses run at 45 clinical hours per credit.
  • Placement is student-initiated or college-assisted, with a clinical resource coordinator supporting placement and mentorship.
  • Preceptors may be nurse practitioners, physicians, or physician assistants in community-based primary care.
  • The handbook describes the 180-hour preceptorship as one semester; other clinical work averages about 6 to 8 hours per week.
  • Each student attends 2-3 on-campus intensive events, held at the Radford main campus or the Roanoke Higher Education Center.

At 540 hours, the MSN sits just above the 500-hour certification floor and below the 600 to 700 hours common among FNP programs. That keeps the weekly clinical load manageable for working nurses, but it leaves less margin for students who want extra exposure before boards. The placement model is a mix: Radford helps, but students should expect to identify at least some preceptors themselves.

You Should Know
  • The NURS 736 course description still lists retired prerequisite course numbers (NURS 720 through 733), so confirm current sequencing with an advisor.
  • Radford’s program pages label both tracks Hybrid. The graduate handbook specifies 2-3 on-campus intensive events in total, which this profile classifies as Mostly Online. Some course pages also say on-campus sessions may be used, so confirm the schedule before enrolling.
  • Telehealth clinical policy is not clearly stated.

MSN Admissions

Radford publishes few MSN-specific admission criteria; the clearest details are the start terms and an alumni priority path.

  • Admits every semester: fall, spring, and summer.
  • Priority deadlines: June 15 (fall), November 15 (spring), March 15 (summer).
  • Radford BSN alumni receive guaranteed priority admission, subject to space availability.
  • Current, unencumbered RN license.
  • Criminal background check and drug screen at admission; Project Concert subscription required on admission.
You Should Know
  • Radford’s licensure disclosure confirms the MSN FNP meets licensure requirements in Virginia only and lists all other states as not met. Nurses planning to practice outside Virginia should check with their own state board before applying.
  • GPA, reference, and RN experience requirements are published for the DNP but not clearly stated for the MSN.

BSN to DNP Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the D.N.P. Family Nurse Practitioner concentration at Radford University is approximately $48,672 for Virginia residents (78 credits at $624/credit). The program length is not clearly stated; Radford publishes no plan of study or semester count for the DNP.

BSN-DNP Curriculum

The BSN-DNP contains the full MSN clinical spine (all FNP specialty courses, NURS 735, and NURS 736) plus a doctoral layer. It drops the MSN’s NURS 709 and adds 25 credits overall.

Doctoral layer. Students add a theory course, two evidence and outcomes courses, a three-part DNP final project, and a 12-credit clinical residency. Radford describes the residency as tailored to each student’s goals, spanning practice, education, policy, or research.

  • NURS 702: Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice
  • NURS 705: Primary Care Intensive
  • NURS 735: Primary Care Advanced Practice Nursing Across the Lifespan, Clinical (8 credits total)
  • NURS 736: Advanced Family Nursing: Preceptorship
  • NURS 802: Synthesis and Evaluation of Evidence-Based Data for Advanced Practice Nurses
  • NURS 804: Clinical Scholarship and Population-Based Outcomes for Advanced Practice Nurses
  • NURS 820-822: Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project I-III
  • NURS 824: Doctor of Nursing Practice Clinical Residency (12 credits total)

More curriculum details are available here.

You Should Know
  • Credit values for NURS 656, 701, and 820 are not published on Radford’s course-description pages. The remaining courses total 70 credits, leaving 8 for these three.
  • The catalog says the FNP concentration can be taken post-BSN or post-MSN, but no separate post-MSN credit total or plan is published.

BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements

  • 1,000 supervised clinical and residency hours from post-BSN to DNP (graduate handbook).
  • 540 direct-care FNP hours in NURS 735 and NURS 736, shared with the MSN.
  • About 460 residency hours in NURS 824, derived as 1,000 minus 540.
  • The residency is precepted, with faculty mentorship, and supports the DNP final project.
  • Same 2-3 on-campus intensive events and placement model as the MSN.

The 1,000-hour total meets the national DNP expectation, but only 540 of those hours are FNP primary care practice. The rest is residency time aimed at leadership and scholarly work. Nurses choosing the DNP for more patient-care training get the same clinical volume as the MSN.

You Should Know
  • The NURS 824 course page does not state an hour minimum and mentions “executive leadership immersion hours,” which reads as leadership-track language. The 460-hour residency figure is derived from the handbook’s 1,000-hour total.

BSN-DNP Admissions

The DNP sets an RN experience gate that applies before clinical courses, not at admission.

  • BSN from an accredited program (others considered case by case).
  • Current, unencumbered RN license.
  • Cumulative BSN nursing-major GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • One professional reference letter.
  • Reflection essay on career goals.
  • Current resume or CV.
  • 2,000 hours or 1 year of full-time RN clinical practice before starting clinical courses.
  • Rolling admission with fall (August 15), spring (November 15), and summer (March 15) deadlines.
You Should Know
  • Radford notes that not all online programs are available in all states. Its licensure disclosure covers only the MSN FNP, so DNP-FNP licensure status outside Virginia is not clearly stated.
  • The DNP fall deadline (August 15) differs from the alumni priority deadline posted for graduate nursing (June 15).

Tuition

Radford’s cost per credit depends on campus: $898 per credit for the Roanoke-based MSN (2025-2026 Radford University Carilion graduate rate) and $624 per credit for the main-campus BSN-DNP (2026-2027 in-state graduate rate). Both figures include mandatory fees.

Component (per credit)MSN, RUC In-StateMSN, RUC Out-of-StateDNP, Main In-StateDNP, Main Out-of-State
Tuition$422$422$435$953
Capital feeNone$20None$20
Technology fee$5$5$5$5
Comprehensive fee$173$173$184$184
Program fee$298$298NoneNone
Total per credit$898$918$624$1,162
Program total$47,594$48,654$48,672$90,636

Totals are derived (credits × per-credit rate); Radford does not publish program totals.

  • MSN: 53 credits × $898 = $47,594 in-state; 53 × $918 = $48,654 out-of-state.
  • BSN-DNP: 78 credits × $624 = $48,672 in-state; 78 × $1,162 = $90,636 out-of-state.
  • The $298 RUC program fee adds $15,794 to the MSN.
  • Full-time flat rates (12-16 credits) match 12 credits at the per-credit rate, so they offer no real discount.
  • Students pay separately for a Project Concert subscription, background check, drug screen, immunizations, health insurance, and CPR certification.

Be aware that:

  • The MSN estimate assumes Radford University Carilion rates apply because the program is based in Roanoke. If it bills at main-campus rates instead, the MSN would be about $33,072 in-state (53 × $624).
  • RUC rates are posted only through 2025-2026, while main-campus rates are posted for 2026-2027. The MSN figure will likely rise when RUC posts its new rates.
  • Radford’s RUC out-of-state table carries a mislabeled year heading, and its tuition line matches the in-state rate. Confirm the out-of-state MSN rate with the bursar.
  • The 2025-2026 main-campus rate in Radford’s own source materials ($600/credit) is now superseded by $624.
  • Radford lists a $60 online comprehensive fee in place of the $184 fee for online students. If the DNP qualifies, the in-state total would fall to about $39,000. Eligibility is not clearly stated.
  • Radford notes that program- and course-specific fees may be added to the bill.

For Virginia residents, the pricing reverses the usual pattern: the shorter MSN costs about the same as the longer DNP because of the Roanoke program fee. A resident choosing between them is really choosing how much time to invest, not how much money. Out-of-state students face a large DNP premium, but the Virginia-only licensure disclosure makes either credential a poor fit for them.

Why Choose This FNP Program?

Best suited for Virginia RNs who want a public-university price, only a few campus visits, and an open path to the DNP.

Virginia nurses who will stay in Virginia. Radford confirms its FNP curriculum meets Virginia licensure requirements and lists every other state as not met. That makes the program a strong fit for nurses whose careers are tied to the Commonwealth and a risky one for anyone likely to relocate.

Residents weighing the MSN against the DNP. Because the MSN carries the Roanoke program fee, the DNP costs Virginia residents only about $1,100 more in tuition. Nurses who already expect to pursue a doctorate can do it in one admission at little added cost. Those focused only on primary care practice should note that both credentials share the same 540 FNP clinical hours.

Honest drawbacks. Radford does not publish program length, MSN admission criteria, or a guaranteed placement model. The MSN’s 540 clinical hours are below the common range, and the pricing depends on which campus rate applies, so applicants should confirm costs with the bursar before enrolling.

Accreditation

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits Radford’s baccalaureate, master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs. Both FNP credentials, the MSN and the BSN-DNP, fall within that scope.

Radford University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award degrees through the doctorate. Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility, credit transfer, and recognition of the degree by employers.

Graduates of both tracks are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).

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