Washburn University offers 2 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- BSN-DNP
- MSN-DNP (Non-NP MSN)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP | $54.4K | 4 years (12 semesters) | 74 |
| MSN-DNP | $51.5K | 4 years (12 semesters) | 70 |
Tuition estimates use Washburn’s 2026-2027 DNP rate of $727 per credit for all credits plus the $72 student fee in each fall and spring term.
Washburn’s FNP plans of study carry 1,170 clinical hours, nearly double the common 600 to 700 hour range. The total includes two dedicated office-procedures courses, with hands-on skills sessions on the Topeka campus after advanced health assessment and each of the three primary care courses.
The trade-off is time. Both tracks run part-time, 2 to 8 credits per term, and take about four years from a single summer start. Plan on about five two-day campus trips over that span, plus mandatory virtual sessions three times a year.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | BSN-DNP; MSN-DNP for MSN nurses without NP certification |
| Format | Mostly Online: online coursework, scheduled live virtual classes, finite campus skills sessions |
| Clinical Hours | 1,170 total in plans of study, including simulation; 1,000 direct-care minimum stated |
| Clinical Placement | Faculty-student team approach; students identify local preceptors, faculty approve all sites |
| Population | Patients across the lifespan |
| Distinctive Coursework | Basic and Advanced Office Procedures; Applied Diagnostic Reasoning; Health Care Economics |
| RN License Requirements | Unencumbered RN license in state of residence and in each clinical state |
| Tuition | $727/credit, same for all residencies, plus $72 fall/spring student fee |
| Single Start Term | Summer start; fall entry only with an approved graduate statistics course |
| Application Gates | Interview and writing assessment required |
| Accreditation | CCNE (DNP); HLC (institution) |
BSN to DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the BSN-DNP at Washburn University is approximately $54,374 (74 credits at $727/credit, plus $576 in student fees). The program can generally be completed in about four years (12 terms, including four summers), derived from the published plan of study.
Program page: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Family Nurse Practitioner Track
BSN-DNP Curriculum
Doctoral core first. The first two years are mostly DNP and foundation coursework: theory, research methods, health policy, informatics, population health, leadership, and health care economics. Advanced pathophysiology and pharmacology run alongside this core. FNP clinical work does not start until the fifth semester.
Procedures as a separate thread. Washburn splits office procedures into its own courses. NU 843 (1 credit) pairs with advanced health assessment. NU 876 (2 credits) comes in the summer between Primary Care II and III. Most FNP programs fold procedures into assessment or practicum courses, so this is a real difference in skills preparation.
Three-part primary care sequence. Primary Care I, II, and III each pair a 3-credit didactic course with a 3-credit practicum over three consecutive fall/spring terms. The DNP project runs in parallel (Practice Inquiry I to III), so project and clinical work overlap in the final two years.
- NU 829 Advanced Health Assessment and Differential Diagnosis Across the Lifespan (3)
- NU 843 Basic Office Procedures and Assessment (1)
- NU 874 Applied Diagnostic Reasoning and Clinical Decision-Making (2)
- NU 830/832 Primary Care I and Practicum I (3 + 3)
- NU 834/836 Primary Care II and Practicum II (3 + 3)
- NU 876 Advanced Office Procedures (2)
- NU 838/840 Primary Care III and Practicum III (3 + 3)
- NU 904 DNP Residency: BSN-DNP (4)
- NU 971 to 973 Practice Inquiry DNP Project I to III (2 each)
- NU 980 Professional Role Development and Transition to Practice (1)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The plan starts with PY 610 Intermediate Statistics in the summer. Applicants with an approved graduate statistics course from the past ten years can skip it and start in fall.
- Washburn notes that course sequencing may change based on faculty availability and enrollment.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- Total: 1,170 hours in the plan of study (975 direct patient care + 195 simulation)
- ⚠️ Direct care in the plan (975) sits below the 1,000 direct-care minimum the program states elsewhere
- Ratio: 1 credit = 75 clock hours (1:5)
- Practicum math: three 3-credit practicums × 225 hours = 675 FNP hours, plus a 4-credit DNP residency = 300 hours
- Simulation hours sit inside NU 829 and NU 876
- Placement: faculty-student team approach; students identify preceptors near home, and DNP faculty approve every placement
- Preceptors: APRN, MD, or DO
- Oversight: virtual faculty site visits in each clinical course; 1:8 faculty ratio for clinical supervision
- Campus: in-person August orientation in the admission year, then hands-on skills sessions after advanced health assessment and after each primary care course
Even at the 975 direct-care figure, Washburn’s FNP clinical load is well above the 500-hour certification floor and the 600 to 700 hours common in FNP programs. Each practicum works out to about 15 hours a week over a 15-week term, and the residency semester to about 20, which is manageable alongside part-time work. The placement model is a shared search, not a placement service. Expect to bring preceptor leads to faculty rather than wait for an assignment.
You Should Know
- Washburn publishes three direct-care figures: 1,000 minimum (program page, clinical page, catalog), 975 (BSN-DNP plan of study), and 1,125 (MSN-DNP plan, which counts NU 876 as direct care). Ask which figure your cohort must meet.
- The plan footnote treats the residency as part of the clinical total. FNP-specific practicum hours alone are 675.
- Campus requirements are described differently across Washburn’s pages. The On-Campus Experience page (most specific) says the three yearly sessions are mostly virtual, with in-person attendance for the BSN-DNP August orientation and the FNP skills sessions. The DNP FAQ still says on-campus experiences are scheduled three times a year and are mandatory.
- The in-person count of about five trips is derived from the plan of study. Washburn does not publish a total.
- You must hold an RN license in every state where you complete clinical hours.
BSN-DNP Admissions
Admission includes an interview and a writing assessment, and the program admits once a year for a summer start.
- Washburn graduate application (no application fee stated; the school calls it free)
- Priority consideration: October 1 to February 1; space-available review: February 1 to May 1
- Official BSN transcripts by May 15
- Minimum 3.0 GPA; preference for 3.25 or higher in nursing coursework
- References: catalog minimum is two; three recommended for priority consideration
- Current resume
- Active, unencumbered RN license in state of residence (conditional admission possible if licensed by August 1)
- Applicants living outside the United States are not eligible
You Should Know
- Washburn authorizes its graduate nursing programs state by state through a map on its State Authorization page and is still seeking approval in some states. Out-of-state applicants must confirm clinical and NP licensure rules with their own board.
- Admission is by track. Switching between FNP and PMHNP later depends on space and committee approval.
- Up to 9 credits of non-practicum coursework can be taken before admission, though this may reduce later financial aid.
MSN to DNP (Without NP Certification), Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the MSN-DNP at Washburn University is approximately $51,466 (70 credits at $727/credit, plus $576 in student fees). The program can generally be completed in about four years (12 terms, including four summers), derived from the published plan of study.
Program page: MSN to DNP without NP Status, Family Nurse Practitioner Track
MSN-DNP Curriculum
This track serves nurses with a non-NP master’s degree, such as education or leadership. It follows the BSN-DNP sequence almost exactly. It drops Theoretical Foundations and Health Policy, and it swaps the BSN-DNP residency for NU 905 DNP Residency: MSN-DNP (4 credits). That is a 4-credit difference, which saves about $2,900. The full FNP sequence, including both procedures courses and all three primary care practicums, stays the same.
- NU 820 Advanced Pathophysiology (3) and NU 822 Advanced Pharmacology: Lifespan (3)
- NU 829 Advanced Health Assessment and Differential Diagnosis Across the Lifespan (3)
- NU 843 Basic Office Procedures and Assessment (1) and NU 876 Advanced Office Procedures (2)
- NU 830 to 840 Primary Care I to III with Practicums (18 total)
- NU 905 DNP Residency: MSN-DNP (4)
- NU 971 to 973 Practice Inquiry DNP Project I to III (2 each)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The catalog lists a 5-year recency rule on prior advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment for MSN applicants without FNP status. The 70-credit plan already includes all three courses, so it is unclear whether prior courses can replace them. Ask before applying.
- Practicing NPs who want only the DNP use separate generic tracks (35 to 40 credits). Those tracks do not lead to FNP certification.
MSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- Total: 1,170 hours in the plan of study (1,125 direct patient care + 45 simulation)
- Practicum math: 675 FNP practicum hours + 300 residency hours + 150 hours in NU 876
- Same placement model, preceptor rules, and virtual site visits as the BSN-DNP
- Campus: skills sessions after advanced health assessment and after each primary care course (no August orientation requirement)
The hour total matches the BSN-DNP. The difference is labeling: this plan counts Advanced Office Procedures as direct care, while the BSN-DNP plan counts it as simulation. In practice, students in both tracks complete the same clinical courses. Expect about four campus trips over the program.
You Should Know
- The catalog intro for this track says a minimum of 975 direct-care hours, while the plan of study shows 1,125 and the program pages state 1,000.
- The catalog says the DNP is “offered online for MSN to DNP students,” yet requires campus travel for this track’s FNP skills sessions.
MSN-DNP Admissions
Requirements, deadlines, the interview, and the writing assessment match the BSN-DNP, with one addition.
- Official BSN and MSN transcripts
- Catalog lists lifespan advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment completed within the last 5 years for MSN applicants without FNP status (see the curriculum note above)
Tuition
Washburn charges $727 per credit for DNP courses in 2026-2027. The rate is the same for Kansas residents and non-residents, and it did not change from 2025-2026.
| Item | BSN-DNP | MSN-DNP |
|---|---|---|
| Credits × $727 | 74 × $727 = $53,798 | 70 × $727 = $50,890 |
| Student fee ($72 × 8 fall/spring terms) | $576 | $576 |
| Estimated total (derived) | $54,374 | $51,466 |
- DNP tuition: $727 per credit, residency-blind (2026-2027 bursar schedule)
- Student fee: $72 per fall and spring term; no fee in summer
- Washburn lists clinical documentation software and selected learning software as program costs; textbooks are extra
Be aware that:
- PY 610 Intermediate Statistics is a psychology course, and the bursar schedule does not say whether it bills at the DNP rate. At the traditional graduate rate ($522 resident, $962 non-resident), the total shifts by about -$615 to +$705.
- Skipping PY 610 with prior graduate statistics removes 3 credits, about $2,181.
- Software costs are mentioned but not priced.
- Travel for about four to five two-day campus sessions is not included.
- Rates are set yearly by the Washburn Board of Regents. A four-year program will likely cross several rate cycles.
Spread over four years, the all-in cost works out to roughly $13,000 to $14,000 per year, paid on a part-time load. Because the rate does not change with residency, out-of-state students pay the same tuition as Kansans. Their added cost is mainly travel to Topeka.
Source: Washburn University Tuition & Fees
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Best suited for working nurses who want a doctorate with heavy clinical and procedural training and can commit to a slow, steady four-year pace.
Clinical depth over speed. At 1,170 planned hours, Washburn’s FNP tracks give far more clinical exposure than most FNP programs require. The separate office-procedures courses and campus check-offs suit nurses heading into rural or independent primary care, where suturing, minor procedures, and in-office assessment are routine.
A load that fits a full-time job. No term carries more than 8 credits. Coursework is online, with live virtual classes at set times and faculty pacing. Washburn reports a 93% FNP certification pass rate for 2024. The cost is time: about four years from start to finish, with one summer intake.
Honest drawbacks. Placement is a shared search, so students in areas with few preceptors carry real risk. Washburn’s own pages disagree on direct-care hours and on campus requirements, so confirm both in the interview. There is no MSN-level FNP option or FNP post-graduate certificate. The DNP is the only route to FNP certification here.
Accreditation
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Washburn University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). This covers both FNP tracks on this page. CCNE also accredits Washburn’s baccalaureate and post-graduate APRN certificate programs.
Washburn University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which reaffirmed its accreditation in 2019. Institutional accreditation is required for federal financial aid and helps with credit transfer.
Graduates of both tracks are eligible to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
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