The University of South Alabama offers 5 Family Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- MSN FNP – BSN-Entry
- MSN FNP – RN-Entry (for RNs with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree)
- BSN-DNP
- MSN-DNP (same specialty or new specialty certification)
- Post-Graduate Certificate FNP
All tracks are fully online with one mandatory on-campus Clinical Skills Intensive (two days).
Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN FNP (BSN-Entry) | $26,730 | Not clearly stated |
| MSN FNP (RN-Entry) | $33,858 | Not clearly stated |
| BSN-DNP | $41,000–$52,000 | ~3.5 years |
| MSN-DNP | $21,000–$41,000 | Not clearly stated |
| Post-Graduate Certificate | $14,256–$19,602 | Not clearly stated |
“USA pairs a CCNE-accredited NP residency with faculty-assisted clinical placement and a flat $594/credit web rate — the same for every state — making it the strongest clinical depth option in this comparison at one of the most predictable cost points.”
Four of the MSN core courses are taught at the doctoral level, meaning MSN graduates who continue to the DNP will have already completed 12 of the required DNP credits.
The BSN-DNP produces the deepest clinical pipeline reviewed here — 600 FNP specialty hours followed by 540 CCNE-accredited residency hours — for a combined minimum of 1,140 preceptor-supervised hours.
Admission requires at least one year of nursing experience, with two years required before clinical rotations begin.
MSN FNP
USA’s MSN FNP is offered via two entry tracks. The BSN-entry track is for registered nurses who hold a BSN. The RN-entry track accepts RNs who hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline and adds 12 prerequisite credits before the standard MSN sequence begins.
BSN-Entry Track: The estimated cost for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN-Entry) at the University of South Alabama is approximately $26,730 (45 credits × $594/credit). Estimated duration is not clearly stated on the official program page.
RN-Entry Track: The estimated cost for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (RN-Entry) at the University of South Alabama is approximately $33,858 (57 credits × $594/credit).
MSN Curriculum
The BSN-entry MSN FNP totals 45 credit hours across three tiers: 9 credits of support courses (the APRN triad), 12 credits of MSN core, and 24 credits of FNP specialty content.
Notably, the four MSN core courses (NU 607, 608, 610, 613) are offered at the doctoral level — students who later enroll in the DNP program will have already completed 12 of the required credits.
The FNP specialty sequence runs three paired didactic/practicum courses covering pediatric through elderly populations, with an introductory role course and a health promotion course preceding the clinical sequence.
The RN-entry track adds 12 credits of foundational coursework (NU 506, 507, 508) before the standard 45-credit sequence.
Support Courses (9 credits):
- NU 518: Advanced Nursing Assessment (3 credits)
- NU 545: Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing (3 credits)
- NU 578: Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses (3 credits)
MSN Core Courses — Doctoral-Level (12 credits):
- NU 607: Scientific Underpinnings of Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NU 608: Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement in Healthcare (3 credits)
- NU 610: Healthcare Policy and Finance (3 credits)
- NU 613: Organizational and Systems Leadership (3 credits)
FNP Specialty Courses (24 credits):
- CMN 568: Introduction to Family NP (3 credits)
- CMN 571: Health Promotion/Disease Prevention and Issues for Family NP (2 credits)
- CMN 572: Family NP I (3 credits)
- CMN 573: Family NP Practicum I — 180 clinical hours (3 credits)
- CMN 574: Family NP II (3 credits)
- CMN 575: Family NP Practicum II — 180 clinical hours (3 credits)
- CMN 577: Family NP III (3 credits)
- CMN 576: Family NP Practicum III — 240 clinical hours (4 credits)
RN-Entry Additional Courses (12 credits):
- NU 506: Evidence-Based Practice and Informatics for Professional Nurses (4 credits)
- NU 507: Leadership and Management Roles for Professional Nurses (4 credits)
- NU 508: Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Professional Nurses (4 credits)
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinicals
The MSN FNP requires 600 total preceptor-supervised clinical hours distributed across three practicum courses. Clinical hours are completed locally with an approved preceptor.
Faculty actively assist students in identifying clinical sites; if a student cannot secure a site in their home area, the College of Nursing works to identify placement, though no guarantee is offered.
Full admission is contingent on a confirmed clinical site being secured by the end of the first semester.
- CMN 573: Family NP Practicum I — 180 hours (pediatric, adult, and elderly populations)
- CMN 575: Family NP Practicum II — 180 hours
- CMN 576: Family NP Practicum III — 240 hours
- 600 total clinical hours
- One mandatory on-campus Clinical Skills Intensive — two days, scheduled during the spring semester of CMN 572/573 enrollment
- Faculty assist with placement; students encouraged to identify local sites using professional networks
- Clinical placement must be confirmed before full admission is granted
- Students may be required to return to campus at semester ends for exams and orientation
MSN Admissions
Admission is rolling each semester based on space; no GRE, MAT, or letters of reference are required.
BSN-Entry Requirements:
- BSN from a regionally accredited, nationally accredited (CCNE/ACEN/NLN) nursing program
- Minimum 3.0 GPA on all BSN coursework
- Current unencumbered RN license with no restrictions
- Resume documenting clinical experience (minimum 1 year required for admission; 2 years required before clinical rotations)
- Negative drug screen and acceptable background check (required after acceptance)
- Health Data Forms, health insurance evidence, and Medical Documents Manager completion
- Confirmed clinical site placement required for full admission
- Not approved in NY or SD
RN-Entry Requirements (Non-Nursing Bachelor’s):
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in a discipline other than nursing
- Current unencumbered RN license with no restrictions
- Minimum 3.0 GPA on all undergraduate work
- NursingCAS application required
- Same post-acceptance requirements as BSN-entry track
All requirements must be completed within 5 years of matriculation.
DNP FNP
USA offers three pathways to the DNP with an FNP specialty: BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP for nurses adding FNP as a new specialty, and MSN-to-DNP for nurses already certified as FNPs who want to earn the doctorate in their current specialty. All are fully online.
BSN-DNP Track: The estimated cost for the BSN-DNP Family Nurse Practitioner at the University of South Alabama is approximately $41,000–$52,000 in tuition (69–87 credits × $594/credit). The program takes about 3.5 years to complete on a full-time basis (10 semesters), or up to 5–6 years part-time (16 semesters).
MSN-DNP Track (Same Specialty): The estimated cost for the MSN-DNP FNP (same specialty) at the University of South Alabama is approximately $21,384 (36 credits × $594/credit).
MSN-DNP Track (New Specialty): The estimated cost for the MSN-DNP FNP (new specialty) at the University of South Alabama is approximately $35,640–$40,986 (60–69 credits × $594/credit).
DNP Curriculum
The BSN-DNP totals 69 credit hours (minimum): 9 support credits, 24 FNP specialty credits, 12 MSN core credits, 12 additional DNP core credits, and 12 credits of DNP project planning and residency coursework.
Students in the BSN-DNP pathway earn the MSN degree during program completion; MSN requirements must be met within the first 5 years, and the full DNP must be completed within 7 years.
The DNP project is an evidence-based quality improvement initiative completed with a faculty advisor and on-site mentor — no thesis or dissertation required. Residency hours can be completed in the student’s home region.
The MSN-DNP (same specialty) requires only 36 credits of DNP core, project planning, and residency. The MSN-DNP (new specialty) adds the FNP specialty and support courses to that base for a total of 60–69 credits.
DNP Core Courses (added beyond MSN core — 12 credits):
- NU 611: Translating Evidence Into Practice Systems (3 credits)
- NU 612: Clinical Prevention and Population Health (3 credits)
- NU 615: Quality Improvement and Outcomes Assessment (3 credits)
- NU 616: Data Management and Decision Making in Complex Healthcare Systems (3 credits)
DNP Project Planning, Development, and Residency (12 credits):
- CMN 680: Family NP Project Planning and Development (3 credits)
- CMN 681: Family NP Residency I — 180 specialty clinical hours (3 credits)
- CMN 682: Family NP Residency II — 180 specialty clinical hours (3 credits)
- CMN 683: Family NP Residency III — 180 specialty clinical hours (3 credits)
More curriculum details are available here.
DNP Clinicals
The BSN-DNP FNP requires a minimum of 1,140 preceptor-supervised clinical hours: 600 hours in the FNP specialty practicum sequence (same as the MSN) plus 540 hours across three DNP residency courses.
Residency hours are completed locally with an approved mentor and are embedded in the evidence-based DNP scholarly project.
USA’s NP Residency Program holds its own separate CCNE accreditation — one of the few programs in this comparison where the residency itself carries independent accreditation status.
- 600 FNP specialty clinical hours (CMN 573, 575, 576) — same as MSN track
- 540 DNP residency hours across 3 residency courses (180 hours each)
- 1,140 minimum combined clinical hours for BSN-DNP students
- One mandatory on-campus Clinical Skills Intensive (two days) during CMN 572/573 enrollment
- Residency completed in student’s home region with approved mentor
- DNP project reviewed by USA’s Scientific Review Committee before Residency I enrollment
- Faculty assist with clinical placement; students encouraged to identify local sites
- 2 years of family nursing experience required before clinical rotations begin
DNP Admissions
No GRE or letters of reference required; a personal goal statement and resume are required. Applications submitted through NursingCAS.
BSN-DNP Requirements:
- BSN from a nationally accredited (CCNE/ACEN/NLN) nursing program
- Minimum 3.0 GPA on all BSN work
- Current unencumbered RN license with no restrictions
- Personal goal statement (serves as scholarly writing sample)
- Resume documenting clinical experience (1 year required for admission; 2 years required before clinical rotations)
- NursingCAS primary application
- Supplemental application submitted directly to DNP Office — $100 non-refundable fee
- Negative drug screen, background check, health data forms required after acceptance
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Not approved in NY or SD
MSN-DNP Additional Requirement:
- MSN from a nationally accredited nursing program
- Minimum 3.0 GPA on all MSN work
- Same application process and post-acceptance requirements as BSN-DNP
Applications accepted three times per year.
Post-Graduate Certificate FNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Graduate Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner at the University of South Alabama is approximately $14,256–$19,602 in tuition (24–33 credits × $594/credit depending on whether support courses must be completed).
Certificate Curriculum
The post-graduate certificate consists of the 8 FNP specialty courses (24 credits) plus any of the three support courses (up to 9 additional credits) not previously completed in the student’s MSN program.
Graduate core and research courses are not required for the certificate. Students undergo an individual evaluation of prior coursework to determine which support courses, if any, must be added.
The specialty course sequence is identical to the MSN FNP track.
FNP Specialty Courses (24 credits, all required):
- CMN 568: Introduction to Family NP (3 credits)
- CMN 571: Health Promotion/Disease Prevention and Issues for Family NP (2 credits)
- CMN 572: Family NP I (3 credits)
- CMN 573: Family NP Practicum I — 180 clinical hours (3 credits)
- CMN 574: Family NP II (3 credits)
- CMN 575: Family NP Practicum II — 180 clinical hours (3 credits)
- CMN 577: Family NP III (3 credits)
- CMN 576: Family NP Practicum III — 240 clinical hours (4 credits)
Support Courses (added if not previously completed — up to 9 credits):
- NU 518: Advanced Nursing Assessment (3 credits)
- NU 545: Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing (3 credits)
- NU 578: Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses (3 credits)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinicals
The certificate requires 600 total clinical hours across three practicum courses, structured identically to the MSN FNP track. One mandatory on-campus Clinical Skills Intensive (two days) is required during CMN 572/573 enrollment. Post-graduate certificate students admitted directly to the clinical specialty must provide evidence of a guaranteed clinical placement and preceptor to receive full admission.
- 600 total clinical hours across 3 practicum courses (180 + 180 + 240 hours)
- One mandatory on-campus Clinical Skills Intensive (two days)
- Guaranteed clinical placement required as a condition of full admission
- Faculty assist with site identification if needed; local completion preferred
- 2 years of experience in family nursing required before clinical rotations
Certificate Admissions
Admission requires a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing and a 3.0 graduate GPA; no GRE or letters of reference required.
- Master’s or doctoral degree in nursing from an accredited program
- Minimum 3.0 GPA on all MSN work
- Current unencumbered RN license with no restrictions
- Resume documenting clinical experience (1 year for admission; 2 years before clinical rotations)
- Negative drug screen, background check, health data forms required after acceptance
- Guaranteed clinical placement required for full admission
- Not approved in NY or SD
Tuition
All USA College of Nursing graduate web courses are priced at a flat $594 per credit hour regardless of in-state or out-of-state residency — a meaningful advantage for out-of-state students compared to programs that charge $960–$1,596 for non-residents.
This flat rate applies equally to MSN, DNP, and post-graduate certificate students.
Fees beyond tuition include costs for background check and drug screen, travel to the required on-campus Clinical Skills Intensive, travel to clinical sites, and proctoring or identity authentication fees when required by individual courses.
Student hospitalization insurance is also an out-of-pocket expense unless the student has comparable existing coverage.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate, master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at the University of South Alabama College of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Notably, USA’s NP Residency Program holds its own separate CCNE accreditation — distinguishing it from programs where residency components are simply embedded within the degree. The entry-level baccalaureate program is approved by the Alabama Board of Nursing.
Continue Researching Alabama FNP Programs
- Samford University - Birmingham
- University of Alabama at Birmingham - Birmingham
- University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa