University of Nevada, Reno offers 3 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN
- BSN-DNP
- Postgraduate Certificate
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $35.0K / $43.8K | 2 years (5 semesters) | 46-48 |
| BSN-DNP | $51.0K / $63.9K | 3 years (8 semesters) | 67 |
| Certificate | $12.9K-$25.1K / $16.2K-$31.4K | Not clearly stated | 17-33 |
Tuition estimates use UNR’s 2026-27 graduate registration fee plus the $335 nursing differential, $34 online fee, and $9 tech fee per credit (in-state / out-of-state).
The Orvis School of Nursing secures every FNP clinical placement for its students. Coursework is fully online for the MSN and certificate, and the BSN-DNP adds only 2-3 campus visits.
Those placements are in Nevada. Every Orvis page describing clinicals points to approved Nevada sites, so an out-of-state student should expect to complete roughly 780 hours inside Nevada rather than near home.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN, BSN-DNP, Postgraduate Certificate |
| Format | MSN and certificate: Online. BSN-DNP: Mostly Online (2-3 campus visits). |
| Clinical Hours | 780 (MSN); 1,000 incl. residency (BSN-DNP); 500-780 (certificate) |
| Clinical Placement | Secured by Orvis at approved Nevada sites; DNP residency self-placed |
| Population | Family/individual across the lifespan |
| Distinctive Coursework | Separate pediatric and adult-gero acute and chronic illness courses |
| RN License Requirements | Unencumbered U.S. RN license; must be eligible for Nevada licensure |
| Tuition | $761.25/credit in-state, $953/credit out-of-state (derived, fee-inclusive) |
| Accreditation | CCNE (MSN, DNP, post-graduate APRN certificate) |
| Clinical Location | Nevada counties only, per Orvis program pages |
Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MSN at University of Nevada, Reno is approximately $35,018 (46 credits at $761.25/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (5 semesters, fall start, full-time).
Official program: Family Nurse Practitioner Specialization, MSN (Online).
MSN Curriculum
Structure. The full-time plan runs fall, spring, summer, fall, spring. The first fall is pure foundation (pathophysiology, health assessment, scientific inquiry, population health). Clinical work starts with one practicum unit in the first spring, then jumps to four units per term for the remaining three terms.
Population-split specialty courses. Instead of one broad “primary care” sequence, Orvis splits management by age group and acuity: pediatric acute illness, adult-gero acute illness, pediatric chronic illness, and adult-gero chronic illness, plus reproductive health. Each runs alongside the practicum term where students are likely seeing those patients. A final complex-illness course caps the sequence.
Scholarly track choice. Students take an evidence-based scholarship course across four terms or substitute a thesis, which moves the total from 46 to as many as 48 credits.
- NURS 717 Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
- NURS 750 Advanced Health Assessment (3)
- NURS 716 Advanced Ambulatory Pharmacology (3)
- NURS 755 Role in Managing Pediatric Acute Illnesses in Primary Care (1)
- NURS 773 Role in Managing Adult/Gero Acute Illnesses in Primary Care (2)
- NURS 757 Role in Managing Pediatric Chronic Illnesses in Primary Care (1)
- NURS 784 Role Managing Adult/Gero Chronic Illnesses in Primary Care (2)
- NURS 756 NP Role in Reproductive Health and Management of Family Care (2)
- NURS 758 The FNP Role in Disease Prevention and Managing Complex Illness (3)
- NURS 751 Assessment and Management for the FNP: Clinical Practicum (13 units across 4 terms)
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 780 clinical hours, per Orvis
- NURS 751 totals 13 units (1 + 4 + 4 + 4), which equals 780 hours at 60 hours per unit (derived from the term plan)
- Placements coordinated and secured by Orvis
- Settings named by Orvis: family practice, community health centers, pediatric clinics, specialty care
- Nevada Online states placements are at approved Nevada locations, statewide
At 780 hours, the MSN sits above the 600-700 hour range common among FNP programs and well past the 500-hour certification floor. The load is front-light and back-heavy: about 60 hours in the first clinical spring, then about 240 hours per term, or roughly 15 hours a week in a 16-week semester and closer to 20 in summer. School-secured placement removes the preceptor search that consumes many online FNP students, but only for nurses able to train in Nevada.
You Should Know
- The 60-hours-per-unit ratio is derived. Orvis publishes the 780 total, not a per-unit figure.
- Orvis does not publish an out-of-state placement option. A student living elsewhere should confirm in writing where clinicals would occur before applying.
MSN Admissions
The MSN admits for fall only, and a graduate statistics course must be completed before admission.
- Application deadline: March 1 for fall (annual cycle)
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
- BSN from a CCNE- or NLN-accredited program, or an ADN plus a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and 2 years of RN practice
- Current unencumbered U.S. RN license and eligibility to practice as an RN in Nevada
- 3-credit graduate applied statistics course (EDRS 640 at UNR)
- Resume, letter of intent (up to 1,000 words), three references
- Interview may be required; GRE not required
You Should Know
- The ADN-plus-bachelor’s route is an unusual admissions door. It lets an RN with an unrelated bachelor’s degree enter the MSN without first completing a BSN, provided they have 2 years of RN experience.
- A part-time MSN plan exists but is not published; Orvis asks students to contact the school for a modified schedule.
BSN to DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the BSN-DNP at University of Nevada, Reno is approximately $51,004 (67 credits at $761.25/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 3 years (8 semesters) full-time, or about 4 years (11 semesters) on the catalog’s part-time plan.
Official program: Nursing, DNP (from BSN) (Online).
BSN-DNP Curriculum
DNP core first. The full-time plan spends the first year on doctoral coursework: translational evidence, practice development, outcomes management, health economics, policy, informatics, and organizational analysis. The DNP project and residency begin in year one and are largely finished before FNP clinicals start in the second spring.
Same FNP spine as the MSN. From the second spring onward, the DNP runs the MSN’s clinical sequence almost course for course: NURS 751 across four terms, adult-gero acute and chronic illness, reproductive health, and complex illness. The difference is pediatrics, where the DNP uses one 2-credit pediatric wellness course in place of the MSN’s two 1-credit pediatric illness courses.
What the extra 21 credits buy. The DNP costs about $15,986 more in-state than the MSN for the same 780 FNP hours. The premium pays for the doctoral core, a 6-credit DNP project, and a 4-credit residency.
- NURS 725 Scientific Underpinnings and Translational Evidence for the DNP (3)
- NURS 764 Practice Development Strategies for the APRN (3)
- NURS 792 Outcomes Management and Performance Improvement in Nursing (3)
- NURS 732 Economics of Healthcare Delivery (3)
- NURS 745 Healthcare Information Systems and Technology (3)
- NURS 742 Pediatric Wellness, Development, and Primary Care (2)
- NURS 765 Executive/Advanced Practice DNP Residency (4)
- NURS 788 DNP Project (6)
- NURS 751 Assessment and Management for the FNP: Clinical Practicum (13 units across 4 terms)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The FNP plan sums to 67 credits in both the full-time and part-time schedules. Nevada Online lists 68-72 credits for all BSN-DNP specializations, and the catalog lists 60-78.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 1,000 total hours, per Orvis: 780 FNP practicum hours plus DNP residency hours
- Residency hours implied by subtraction: about 220
- FNP practicum placements secured by Orvis at approved Nevada sites
- DNP residency: students self-place
- 2-3 required campus visits: orientation, DNP project defense, final presentations
The FNP hours match the MSN exactly, so the DNP adds no extra patient-care training for certification purposes. The residency adds about 220 hours of systems-level work, and that is the one placement students must arrange themselves. The campus visits are finite and tied to milestones, which keeps the program in the Mostly Online category rather than Hybrid.
You Should Know
- Residency units (4) at the MSN’s 60-hour ratio would equal 240 hours, not 220. Orvis publishes only the 1,000-hour total.
- Orvis does not publish the timing of the 2-3 campus visits beyond their purpose.
BSN-DNP Admissions
The BSN-DNP lists fall and spring deadlines, but spring entry applies only to specialties that offer it, and the FNP’s status is not stated.
- Deadlines: March 1 (fall), October 1 (spring, where offered)
- BSN from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program, with statistics, lifespan growth and development, research, and health assessment
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher; no conditional admission
- Graduate applied statistics course with a B or higher
- Unencumbered U.S. RN license with eligibility for Nevada licensure
- Personal statement, three recommendations, resume; interview may be required
Postgraduate Certificate, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Postgraduate Certificate at University of Nevada, Reno is approximately $12,941-$25,121 (17-33 credits at $761.25/credit). The program duration is not clearly stated.
Official program: Family Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Graduate Certificate (Online).
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate has two entry plans. Licensed, nationally certified APRNs take a 17-credit specialty block. MSN-prepared nurses without an APRN credential take 33 credits, adding pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, complex illness, and pediatric acute illness. Pharmacology and health assessment may be waived after transcript review.
- NURS 752 Family Health in the Primary Care Setting (2)
- NURS 753 Management of Chronic Illness in the Primary Care Setting (4)
- NURS 754 Management of Complex Illness in the Primary Care Setting (4, non-APRN plan)
- NURS 756 NP Role in Reproductive Health and Management of Family Care (2)
- NURS 757 Role in Managing Pediatric Chronic Illnesses in Primary Care (1)
- NURS 758 The FNP Role in Disease Prevention and Managing Complex Illness (3)
- NURS 751 Assessment and Management for the FNP: Clinical Practicum (5-7 units, derived)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The certificate catalog uses NURS 752, 753, and 754, none of which appear in the current MSN plan. The MSN uses the population-split NURS 755, 773, 784 sequence instead. Confirm which course set a new certificate student would actually take.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 500-780 clinical hours, per Orvis, depending on entry plan
- Placements coordinated and secured by Orvis
- Coursework 100% online
A practicing APRN adding the family population likely lands near the 500-hour floor, while a non-APRN MSN graduate would need closer to the MSN’s 780. School-secured placement matters even more here, since certificate students are often working full-time as nurses or NPs.
You Should Know
- The catalog’s credit totals leave room for only 5 practicum units (APRN plan) or 7 units (non-APRN plan). At the MSN’s 60-hour ratio, that equals 300 or 420 hours, below the published 500-780. Ask Orvis for the per-unit ratio used in the certificate.
- State boards set their own rules for adding a second APRN population focus. A certified NP should confirm that the certificate’s hours satisfy their board.
Certificate Admissions
The certificate requires a Nevada RN license outright, a stricter standard than the degree tracks’ “eligible for Nevada licensure.”
- Deadlines: March 1 (fall), October 1 (spring); decisions by April 15 and November 15
- MSN, or MSN plus national APRN certification, depending on entry plan
- Current unrestricted Nevada RN license
- Resume, letter of intent naming the chosen track, three recommendations
You Should Know
- Students enrolled only in the certificate are not eligible for federal financial aid.
- The certificate catalog repeats BSN-level MSN prerequisites (BSN with 3.0 GPA), which appear to be carried over from the MSN listing.
Tuition
UNR’s derived cost per credit for online FNP coursework in 2026-27 is $761.25 for Nevada residents and $953 for non-residents. Both figures are fee-inclusive. The base registration fee alone is $383.25 per credit.
| Per-Credit Component (2026-27) | Resident | Non-Resident |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate registration fee | $383.25 | $383.25 |
| Non-resident distance education tuition | $0 | $191.75 |
| School of Nursing differential (600/700-level) | $335.00 | $335.00 |
| Online learning fee | $34.00 | $34.00 |
| Technology fee (fully online students) | $9.00 | $9.00 |
| Total per credit | $761.25 | $953.00 |
| Track | Credits | Resident | Non-Resident |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | 46-48 | $35,018-$36,540 | $43,838-$45,744 |
| BSN-DNP | 67 | $51,004 | $63,851 |
| Certificate (APRN plan) | 17 | $12,941 | $16,201 |
| Certificate (non-APRN plan) | 33 | $25,121 | $31,449 |
All totals are derived (credits × per-credit stack). Orvis does not publish program totals. Rates come from UNR’s graduate tuition and fees page and Nevada Online’s fee page.
- Registration fee: $383.25 per credit (2026-27)
- Nursing differential: $335 per credit on 600- and 700-level courses
- Online learning fee: $34 per credit
- Non-resident distance tuition: $191.75 per credit, equal to about 150% of the in-state registration fee
- Academic success fee: $5 per semester
- One-time fees: $60 application, $35 new graduate student, $145 graduation
Be aware that:
- Nevada Online’s program pages still advertise $353.50 per credit (2025-26), and the certificate page shows $344.25 (2024-25). Both list base tuition only and exclude the $335 differential.
- The differential nearly doubles the base rate. U.S. News lists Orvis online graduate nursing at $741 in-state and $918 out-of-state, which matches the 2025-26 stack including the differential.
- Nevada Online lists a $9 tech fee for fully online students. UNR’s campus table shows $18. Students who also take any in-person class pay full campus fees and standard non-resident tuition.
- Campus visits for the BSN-DNP, and any travel to Nevada for clinicals, are not covered by these figures.
- NSHE has approved rate schedules through 2028-29, with the graduate registration fee rising to $414.50 in 2027-28. Multi-year tracks will cost more than the totals above.
The advertised $353.50 rate understates real cost by more than half. At $761.25 all-in, a resident MSN runs about $35,000, which is still moderate for a 780-hour program with placements included. Non-residents pay about $8,800 more for the MSN. The BSN-DNP premium over the MSN is about $16,000 in-state for the same FNP training.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for Nevada nurses who want online coursework, a school-secured preceptor at every clinical stage, and well above the certification minimum in hours.
Placement without the search. Orvis arranges all graduate clinical placements, and 780 hours across four practicum terms gives students substantial primary care exposure. For a working nurse in Reno, Las Vegas, or rural Nevada, that combination removes the biggest risk in online FNP study: stalling for a term because no preceptor signed on.
MSN or DNP on the same clinical spine. Both degrees run the same four-term practicum and nearly identical specialty courses. Nurses who want a doctorate for leadership or faculty roles can choose it; those who only need FNP certification can save about $16,000 and a year with the MSN.
The honest drawbacks. The placement promise is tied to Nevada. A nurse living in another state would likely need to relocate or travel for clinicals, and non-residents pay about $192 more per credit. The certificate’s clinical-hour math does not reconcile with its catalog, and the advertised per-credit rate omits a $335 differential that real bills include.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at the Orvis School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). All three FNP tracks fall within that scope, and Nevada Online states the MSN is accredited through 2031.
The University of Nevada, Reno is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility for the degree programs and credit recognition by other universities.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC). Orvis reports that its graduates regularly exceed the national first-attempt pass rate, with most cohorts reaching 100%, though cohort years and sizes are not published.
More FNP Programs in Nevada
- Roseman University of Health Sciences - Henderson
- Touro University Nevada - Henderson
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas - Las Vegas