University of Central Arkansas offers 1 Family Nurse Practitioner track: an MSN-FNP.
Program highlights:
- 46 credit hours, largely online with minimal required on-campus sessions
- On-campus components limited to Advanced Health Assessment and the clinical immersion course
- Primary-care curriculum spanning adults, children, and clinical immersion
- Affordable public-university tuition, built for working RNs
The MSN offers two tracks — FNP and Nurse Educator — but only the FNP prepares advanced practice nurses for primary care. Graduates are eligible to sit for FNP national certification through the AANP or ANCC.
A 1,000-hour RN work-experience verification is required before clinical courses.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN FNP | $21K | Not clearly stated |
UCA offers a largely online MSN-FNP at affordable public rates — coming to campus only for advanced assessment and clinical immersion — making it a flexible path to FNP practice for working nurses in Arkansas.
MSN FNP
The estimated cost for the MSN FNP at the University of Central Arkansas is about $15,180 in base tuition (46 credit hours at $330 each), though UCA’s online fee of about $130/credit pushes the all-in tuition higher — closer to $21,000 (see the Tuition section).
The program’s published length is not clearly stated.
MSN Curriculum
The MSN-FNP is 46 credit hours: a shared MSN core (research, population health, the “three Ps,” evidence-based practice, informatics, health policy, and leadership) plus the FNP track courses (diagnostics and clinical reasoning, primary care of adults and children, and a clinical immersion).
It’s largely online, with on-campus sessions only for Advanced Health Assessment and the clinical course.
Absolutely — here are shorter, catalog-style blurbs:
NURS 6306 — Research Methods for Advanced Nursing Practice
Introduces research methods, evidence appraisal, and synthesis for advanced practice.
NURS 7365 — Population Health for Advanced Nursing Practice
Examines population health concepts in advanced nursing practice.
NURS 6315 — Advanced Health Assessment
Develops advanced assessment skills for diagnostic reasoning and patient-centered care.
NURS 6320 — Advanced Pathophysiology
Explores disease processes and physiologic changes across the lifespan.
NURS 6325 — Advanced Pharmacology
Covers pharmacotherapeutics and safe prescribing in advanced practice.
NURS 6206 — Evidence Based Practice and Quality Improvement
Focuses on evidence-based practice and quality improvement in healthcare.
NURS 6334 — Healthcare Systems and Informatics
Examines healthcare systems, informatics, and data use in practice.
NURS 6232 — Health Policy for Advanced Nursing Practice
Focuses on health policy, advocacy, and healthcare regulation.
NURS 7240 — Leadership for Advanced Practice Nursing
Develops leadership skills for advanced practice nursing roles.
NURS 6270 — Advanced Diagnostics and Clinical Reasoning
Strengthens diagnostic reasoning and evidence-based clinical decision-making.
NURS 6411 — Introduction to Primary Care
Introduces the nurse practitioner role in primary care.
NURS 6412 — Primary Care of Adults I
Builds adult primary care assessment and treatment skills.
NURS 6313 — Primary Care of Adults II
Advances adult primary care diagnosis, prevention, and management.
NURS 6418 — Primary Care of Children
Focuses on pediatric primary care assessment and management.
NURS 6525 — Clinical Immersion for the Family Nurse Practitioner
Capstone immersion integrating FNP skills in primary care.
MSN Clinicals
Clinical preparation runs through the FNP primary-care sequence and a final clinical immersion, with on-campus attendance required for the clinical course. A total practicum-hour count is not clearly stated.
- Clinical course: NURS 6525 Clinical Immersion for the Family Nurse Practitioner (requires on-campus attendance)
- Population focus: primary care of adults and children across the lifespan
- On-campus: also required for Advanced Health Assessment
- Total clinical hours: not clearly stated
- Pre-clinical requirement: 1,000 verified RN work hours before clinical courses (work experience, not program clinical hours)
MSN Admissions
Admission is competitive and requires a BSN and an RN license.
- BSN from a nationally accredited program
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70, or 3.00 on the last 60 hours
- Undergraduate basic statistics course (C or above)
- Current, unencumbered Arkansas (or clinical-state) RN license
- Cover letter, résumé, and interview
Admission is weighted: GPA 50%, cover letter 25%, interview 25%. The Fall 2026 application window runs January 5–June 15, 2026. After acceptance, students complete a background check, drug screen, health requirements, and (before clinicals) verification of 1,000 RN work hours.
Tuition
UCA charges $330 per credit hour in base graduate tuition, which puts the 46-credit MSN-FNP at about $15,180 before fees. However, UCA’s online courses carry a substantial online fee (about $130.20 per credit hour per the university’s estimator), plus smaller per-credit fees, which can push all-in tuition for an online-heavy program closer to $21,000. As a public university, UCA remains among the more affordable FNP options.
See the official rates page for current figures: Tuition and Fee Rates.
Accreditation
The MSN program at the University of Central Arkansas School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The university is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. FNP graduates are eligible to sit for national FNP certification through the AANP or the ANCC.
Check Out Additional Arkansas FNP Programs
- Arkansas State University - Jonesboro
- Harding University - Searcy
- Henderson State University - Arkadelphia
- University of Arkansas - Fayetteville
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - Little Rock