Wilmington University offers 4 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
- MSN
- Graduate Certificate
- BSN-DNP
- Graduate Certificate + DNP
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $31.5K | 2 years (6 semesters) | 55 |
| Certificate | $15.7K–$24.3K | About 1.7 years (5 semesters) | 27–42 |
| BSN-DNP | $49.2K–$56.9K | 3.5 years (about 10 semesters) | 75 |
| Cert + DNP | $40.7K–$56.9K | Not clearly stated | 60–75 |
Tuition estimates use Wilmington University’s published $564 graduate and $749 doctoral per-credit rates plus the $60 per-semester registration and technology fees and the $150 graduation fee.
Four credentials at Wilmington run on one FNP course sequence. The MSN, the post-master’s certificate, and both DNP routes share the same four practicums (750 clinical hours), so a nurse can enter with a BSN or an MSN and finish with either a master’s or a doctorate. The DNP routes add 500 practice experience hours on top, for 1,250 total.
The trade-off is the front door. Admission runs through a two-stage review that ends in a Zoom interview of up to three hours, and no source says Wilmington arranges clinical sites. Practicum students also attend two face-to-face seminars a year, so the program is not fully remote.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN, post-master’s graduate certificate, BSN-DNP, combined certificate + DNP. |
| Format | Mostly Online. Synchronous virtual classes plus two face-to-face seminars yearly for practicum students. |
| Clinical Hours | 750 FNP hours (175 + 175 + 175 + 225). DNP routes add 500 practice hours. |
| Clinical Placement | Not clearly stated. |
| Population | Family (individuals across the lifespan). |
| Distinctive Coursework | Three-course Acute and Chronic Care sequence; 4-credit lab-based health assessment. |
| RN License Requirements | Unencumbered RN license; licensure in the state where clinicals occur. |
| Tuition | $564/credit graduate; $749/credit doctoral; $60 per-semester fees. |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s, DNP, post-graduate APRN certificate). |
| Admissions Process | Two-stage review with a Zoom interview of up to 2–3 hours. |
| Start Terms | Fall and spring; deadlines May 1 and October 1. |
Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner at Wilmington University is approximately $31,530 (55 credits at $564/credit, plus semester and graduation fees). The program can generally be completed in about 24 months, which works out to six semesters under Wilmington’s fall, spring, and summer calendar (derived).
MSN Curriculum
The 55 credits split into a 16-credit core and a 39-credit FNP sequence. Practicums start in the second half of the program, after the pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment block, which gives working nurses time to plan schedule changes.
Sequencing that matters. The catalog locks several courses together. Health assessment and differential diagnosis run in the same semester. Family Practicum I runs alongside Acute and Chronic Care I and II, making that the heaviest term in the program. Each later practicum requires the one before it, so the four clinical semesters must run back to back.
Acute and chronic care emphasis. Instead of a single primary care management course, Wilmington spreads disease management across three Acute and Chronic Care courses that run in parallel with the practicums.
- GRN 7000 Scholarly Writing (1 credit)
- GRN 7102 Advanced Practice Roles in Nursing Practice (3)
- GRN 7104 Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan (4, clinical lab)
- GRN 7105 Differential Diagnosis and Clinical Decision Making (2)
- GRN 7106–7108 Acute and Chronic Care Across the Lifespan I–III (3 each)
- GRN 7121–7124 Family Practicum I–IV (4 each)
- GRN 8102–8105 Evidence-Based Practice, Epidemiology, Policy, Informatics (3 each)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- Applicants without an undergraduate statistics course (grade C or better) must take one before GRN 8102 or degree candidacy at 12 credits. Wilmington offers MAT 308 for this.
- The program must be finished within five years. Students who miss more than a year must repeat selected courses.
- Up to 12 transfer credits may be accepted when course content matches.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 750 clinical hours minimum, including planned simulation experiences.
- Per-course hours: Practicum I, II, and III at 175 direct care hours each; Practicum IV at 225.
- Four consecutive practicum semesters.
- Two face-to-face seminars per year for practicum students.
- Current CPR certification and RN licensure in the state where clinicals take place.
- Student liability insurance carried by the university under a group policy.
At 750 hours, Wilmington sits above the 500-hour certification floor and above the 600 to 700 hour range common among FNP programs. Spread over a 15-week semester, the first three practicums run about 12 hours a week and the last about 15. That is manageable alongside part-time work, but the final term needs real schedule room.
You Should Know
- No source says who finds or approves preceptors. Ask whether students must secure their own sites before applying.
- Simulation counts toward the 750 hours, but the share allowed is not clearly stated.
- Seminar location and dates are not clearly stated.
MSN Admissions
Admission is selective and ends in an interview that can take up to three hours.
- BSN from a nationally accredited program, cumulative GPA 3.0 or higher (applicants down to 2.75 are considered).
- Undergraduate health assessment course with a B or better, or an equivalent continuing education course.
- Current resume and unencumbered RN license.
- Statement of goals: at least two typed, double-spaced pages answering one of two prompts.
- $35 application fee.
- Stage 1 file review; Stage 2 Zoom interview of up to 2–3 hours.
- Fall start (May 1 deadline, classes in August) or spring start (October 1 deadline, classes in January).
You Should Know
- Decisions take about two months after the deadline, and committee decisions are final.
- Applicants who cannot attend their scheduled interview are moved to the next intake.
- Both deadlines repeat each year: May 1 for fall and October 1 for spring.
- Wilmington lists a few states as “Not Determined Yet” for FNP licensure alignment. Check the state licensure page before applying from outside Delaware.
Family Nurse Practitioner Graduate Certificate
The estimated tuition for the Family Nurse Practitioner Graduate Certificate at Wilmington University is approximately $15,678 to $24,258 (27 to 42 credits at $564/credit, plus fees). The program can generally be completed in about five semesters, derived from the catalog’s back-to-back practicum chain; Wilmington does not publish a duration.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is the MSN’s FNP sequence without the master’s core. Every applicant gets a gap analysis. Nurses who already hold APRN-level advanced practice roles, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment take 27 credits; those who don’t add 15 prerequisite credits for 42.
- Prerequisites: GRN 7101, 7102, 7103, 7104 (15 credits)
- GRN 7105 Differential Diagnosis and Clinical Decision Making (2)
- GRN 7106–7108 Acute and Chronic Care Across the Lifespan I–III (9)
- GRN 7121–7124 Family Practicum I–IV (16)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The certificate page says missing prerequisites must be completed before enrollment, but also says they can be completed during the program. Ask which applies, since prerequisite courses can affect financial aid eligibility.
- The catalog requires GRN 7105 in the same semester as GRN 7104. How that works for students who completed 7104 elsewhere is not clearly stated.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 750 clinical hours across the same four practicums as the MSN (175, 175, 175, 225).
- Practicums spread over several semesters in the second half of the program.
Certificate students complete the full 750 hours, the same clinical load as MSN students. Nurses adding FNP to an existing APRN role do not get a reduced clinical requirement here.
You Should Know
- The certificate page does not mention the face-to-face seminars. Because it shares the MSN’s practicum courses, confirm whether certificate students attend them.
- Nurses adding a second APRN population focus should check how their state board recognizes a post-master’s certificate.
Certificate Admissions
Admissions mirror the MSN, including the interview, with one change to the degree requirement.
- MSN or DNP from a nationally accredited program, cumulative GPA 3.0 or higher.
- All other MSN materials, deadlines, and interview stages apply.
BSN to DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the BSN to DNP Family Nurse Practitioner at Wilmington University is approximately $49,155 to $56,925 (75 credits at $564 to $749/credit, plus fees). The program can generally be completed in about 3.5 years, roughly 10 semesters (derived).
BSN-DNP Curriculum
The BSN-DNP stacks the full 42-credit FNP sequence onto a 24-credit DNP core and a 9-credit, three-course DNP project. Students are advised jointly by the NP Program Chair and the DNP Program Director.
- FNP sequence: GRN 7101–7108 and 7121–7124 (42 credits)
- GRN 8101 Healthcare Leadership and Innovation (2)
- GRN 8106 Healthcare QI and Systems Thinking (3)
- GRN 8107 Healthcare Economics (3)
- GRN 8108 Applied Evidence-Based Practice (3)
- GRN 9001–9003 Doctor of Nursing Practice Project I–III (3 each)
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 750 FNP clinical hours (175, 175, 175, 225).
- About 500 DNP practice experience hours: 20 in epidemiology, 5 in policy, 35 in QI, and roughly 145, 145, and 150 across the three project courses.
- Derived total: about 1,250 hours.
The 1,250-hour total clears the 1,000 post-baccalaureate practice hours expected of DNP graduates. Most DNP hours sit inside project courses, so they come from project work rather than extra preceptor time.
You Should Know
- Wilmington’s program page says only “additional practice experience hours” for the DNP side. The 500-hour figure is summed from catalog course descriptions.
- The program page lists the BSN-DNP as Online, but it uses the MSN’s practicum courses, which carry face-to-face seminars. Confirm before assuming zero travel.
- Projects that run long require GRN 9004 DNP Project Continuation, billed at $1,123 per enrollment.
BSN-DNP Admissions
Applicants must qualify for both the FNP and DNP programs, and Wilmington calls this track highly competitive.
- All MSN admission materials, plus:
- One letter of recommendation from a doctoral-level professional, on letterhead.
- Three-question statement of goals, including why a DNP rather than an MSN.
Graduate FNP Certificate and Doctor of Nursing Practice (Combined)
The estimated tuition for the combined Graduate FNP Certificate and Doctor of Nursing Practice at Wilmington University is approximately $40,695 to $56,925 (60 to 75 credits at $564 to $749/credit, plus fees). Completion time is not clearly stated.
Cert + DNP Curriculum
This route is for MSN-prepared nurses who are not yet FNPs. The course list is identical to the BSN-DNP. The difference is credit transfer: GRN 7101 through 7104 can transfer in on the certificate side, and up to 6 credits can transfer toward the DNP.
You Should Know
- The combined page says the certificate is 39 credits and the DNP 33. Those sum to 72, not the 75 the same page states. The catalog course credits support 42 + 33 = 75.
- The combined page says cohorts start three times a year; the FNP certificate admits twice a year. Ask which start terms apply.
- The combined options list New Castle traditional classroom and online formats.
Cert + DNP Clinical Requirements
- 750 FNP clinical hours plus 500 DNP practice experience hours, as published on the combined page.
Cert + DNP Admissions
This track needs two separate applications, and acceptance to one does not guarantee the other.
- One application to the FNP certificate (MSN or DNP, GPA 3.0, interview).
- One application to the DNP program.
Tuition
Wilmington charges $564 per credit for graduate courses and $749 per credit for doctoral courses, with no separate online rate. These are published rates.
| Track | Credits | Tuition | Fees | Est. Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | 55 × $564 | $31,020 | $510 | $31,530 |
| Certificate | 27–42 × $564 | $15,228–$23,688 | $450–$570 | $15,678–$24,258 |
| BSN-DNP | 42 × $564 + 33 × $749, up to 75 × $749 | $48,405–$56,175 | $750 | $49,155–$56,925 |
| Cert + DNP | 27 × $564 + 33 × $749, up to 75 × $749 | $39,945–$56,175 | $750 | $40,695–$56,925 |
Fees assume $60 per semester (registration and technology) over 6 MSN, 5 to 7 certificate, and 10 DNP semesters, plus the $150 graduation fee. All totals are derived.
- Graduate tuition: $564 per credit.
- Doctoral tuition: $749 per credit.
- Registration fee: $30 per semester.
- Student technology fee: $30 per semester.
- Graduation fee: $150.
- Application fee: $35.
Be aware that:
- Wilmington does not say which rate applies to the FNP courses in the DNP tracks. The low end bills them at the graduate rate; the high end bills all 75 credits at the doctoral rate.
- Selected courses carry an additional course fee. Amounts are not clearly stated.
- Active-duty service members pay $300 per graduate credit. International students pay $621 graduate and $824 doctoral.
- DNP Project Continuation (GRN 9004) costs $1,123 each time it is needed.
- The certificate’s upper figure assumes all four prerequisites are taken at Wilmington.
Wilmington’s fee stack is thin, so the per-credit rate drives nearly all of the cost. The real decision for DNP applicants is which rate the FNP block is billed at, a gap of up to about $7,800. Get that answer in writing before choosing between the MSN and a DNP route.
Why Choose This FNP Program?
Wilmington fits nurses who want to pick their endpoint (MSN or DNP) without changing schools, and who can handle a selective interview and occasional campus seminars.
One sequence, four exits. Because every track uses the same 750-hour practicum chain, the clinical training is identical whether you finish with an MSN, a certificate, or a DNP. That lets you choose a credential based on cost and career plans rather than clinical quality.
MSN versus DNP at the same school. The MSN runs about $31,500 over two years. The BSN-DNP adds 20 credits, about 1.5 years, and roughly $17,600 to $25,400 for the doctorate and 500 practice hours. For nurses who expect to lead quality or systems work, that margin buys a credential. For nurses who only want to practice, the MSN covers the same clinical ground.
Honest drawbacks. No source describes clinical placement support, so plan to recruit your own preceptors. The interview can take up to three hours and missing it pushes you to the next intake. Practicum students travel for two seminars a year, and the location is not clearly stated.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program in nursing, the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and the post-graduate APRN certificate program at Wilmington University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). That scope covers all four FNP tracks on this page.
Wilmington University holds institutional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and the transfer of graduate credit.
Graduates of all four tracks meet the educational requirements to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).
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