University of Colorado Anschutz Nurse Practitioner Programs

The University of Colorado College of Nursing at CU Anschutz offers six nurse practitioner population focuses: family, psychiatric-mental health, adult-gerontology primary care, adult-gerontology acute care, pediatric primary care, and pediatric acute care. Every specialty is available three ways: as a Master of Science (MS), as a BS-to-DNP, and as a post-graduate certificate.

All pathways are Mostly Online. Coursework is online, and a small number of courses have on-campus requirements at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. Two policies matter more than specialty choice for many applicants:

• Where you live determines clinical placement support. CU arranges placements only for students who live in the Denver metro area.
• Your licensure state determines whether you can enroll. Applicants who plan to seek licensure in a state CU designates as “does not meet” cannot be admitted to a distance program, and the list of those states varies by pathway.

Quick facts

Category	Information
Nursing School	University of Colorado College of Nursing
Location	Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
NP Specialties	FNP, PMHNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC, PNP-AC
Degree Options	MS, BS-to-DNP, and post-graduate certificate in every specialty
Format	Mostly Online
Campus Visits	Short on-campus course requirements in Aurora
Clinical Placement	Arranged by CU for Denver metro residents; other students find their own
Minimum GPA	3.0 (GRE scores and/or 12 graduate credits if below 3.0)
Entry Points	BSN for MS and BS-DNP; MSN for certificates
Cost per Credit	$820 resident; $1,330 non-resident (2026-27)
Accreditation	CCNE; HLC institutional

Comparing CU Anschutz’s NP programs

Format, placement policy, and admissions are shared across every specialty. The differences worth weighing are credit load, specialty clinical hours, and certificate length.

Pathway	Credits	Est. resident tuition	Specialty clinical hours	Entry requirement
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
MS	56	$46K	630	BSN
BS-DNP	82	$67K	630	BSN
Post-graduate certificate	33	$27K	630	MSN
Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP)
MS	52	$43K	630	BSN
BS-DNP	78	$64K	630	BSN
Post-graduate certificate	29	$24K	630	MSN
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPCNP)
MS	48	$39K	540	BSN
BS-DNP	74	$61K	540	BSN
Post-graduate certificate	25	$21K	540	MSN
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP)
MS	49	$40K	675	BSN
BS-DNP	74	$61K	675	BSN
Post-graduate certificate	16	$13K	360	MSN
Pediatric Primary Care (PNP-PC)
MS	47	$39K	540	BSN
BS-DNP	73	$60K	540	BSN
Post-graduate certificate	24*	$29K*	540	MSN
Pediatric Acute Care (PNP-AC)
MS	50	$41K	585	BSN
BS-DNP	76	$62K	585	BSN
Post-graduate certificate	19	$16K	360	MSN

On the tuition column: these are estimates, not CU-published program costs. They multiply total credits by the 2026-27 resident rate of $820 per credit and exclude fees. Non-residents pay $1,330 per credit. Certificate figures exclude any core courses added through transcript evaluation. *The PNP-PC certificate figure is CU’s published estimate, which reflects more coursework than its 24-credit specialty sequence.

Hours shown are specialty practicum hours. CU defines one clinical credit as 45 direct patient-care hours. Each BS-DNP also includes 540 DNP project clinical hours, bringing totals to 1,080 to 1,215 hours. CU lists the PMHNP BS-DNP total as more than 1,000 hours.

What stands out about CU Anschutz’s NP programs

• Every specialty at every degree level. Six population focuses and three pathway types create 18 entry points. A nurse can choose a specialty and a degree level independently.
• Placement support depends on your address. Denver metro residents have sites and preceptors arranged. Nurses elsewhere in Colorado or out of state arrange their own, subject to CU approval.
• Credits drive cost. The College applies one per-credit rate across MS, DNP, and certificate pathways. The practical difference between programs is credit count, and non-residents pay 62% more per credit.
• DNP hours are project hours. The BS-DNP adds 540 project clinical hours but no additional specialty practicum hours.
• Acute care certificates are short. The AGACNP certificate is 16 credits and the PNP-AC certificate is 19 credits. Each lists 360 clinical hours, fewer than the matching MS.

Which CU Anschutz NP program fits your goal?

Family Nurse Practitioner

Credits 56 / 82 / 33 · Clinical hours 630 · MS · BS-DNP · Certificate

The MS FNP, BS-DNP FNP, and Post-Graduate FNP Certificate prepare nurses for primary care across the lifespan, including pediatrics and OB/Gyn. FNP has the highest credit total of CU’s NP programs at both the MS and DNP levels.

The specialty sequence includes FNP Care of the Pediatric Patient, OB/Gyn Essentials for the FNP, FNP Health Promotion, Prevention, Screening, and a two-course Diagnosis and Management of Physiologic and Psychiatric Health series. It closes with Synthesis, Integration, and Transition into FNP Practice. Students complete 630 clinical hours in four practicums of 135, 135, 180, and 180 hours.

Certificate students complete the same specialty coursework, the same 630 hours, and the same on-campus sessions. CU identifies state restrictions on distance education for the FNP certificate, so out-of-state applicants should check eligibility before applying.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Credits 52 / 78 / 29 · Clinical hours 630 · MS · BS-DNP · Certificate

The MS PMHNP, BS-DNP PMHNP, and PMHNP Post-Graduate Certificate prepare nurses for psychiatric and behavioral healthcare across the lifespan.

Specialty courses include Advanced Assessment, Neurobiology and Psychopharmacology; Integrated Behavioral Health Care and Common Psychiatric Presentations Across the Lifespan; and Psychotherapy, Behavior Change and Health Promotion/Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan. Diagnosis and management is split into two courses: one for adults, and one for children, adolescents, and older adults. Students complete 630 clinical hours in four practicums of 90, 135, 135, and 270 hours.

The certificate has 29 credits, 15 didactic and 14 clinical, with the same four practicums as the MS. It runs on a different cycle: the MS and BS-DNP start in fall, while the certificate starts in spring with a July 1 priority deadline.

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care

Credits 48 / 74 / 25 · Clinical hours 540 · MS · BS-DNP · Certificate

The MS AGPCNP, BS-DNP AGPCNP, and AGPCNP Post-Graduate Certificate cover primary care from adolescence through older adulthood. The specialty sequence has four courses: Health Promotion and Prevention, Diagnosis and Management I and II, and Care of the Older Complex Adult.

The MS begins with a fully didactic first year. Practicums start in the fourth semester, and each remaining term pairs one practicum with one specialty course, so clinical and classroom work advance together. All three pathways include 540 clinical hours in four 135-hour practicums.

The certificate requires an MSN; APRN certification is not required. Its only on-campus requirement is a 2-day skills intensive. CU reports a 100% certification pass rate for AGPCNP graduates but does not publish the number of test-takers.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care

Credits 49 / 74 / 16 · Clinical hours 675 / 360 certificate · MS · BS-DNP · Certificate

The MS AGACNP, BS-DNP AGACNP, and AGACNP Post-Graduate Certificate prepare nurses for acute care of adults and older adults. Acute care content begins in the fourth semester with Introduction to AG-ACNP, followed by AG-ACNP I and II, AG-ACNP Diagnostics and Therapeutics, and a closing synthesis course.

The MS includes 675 specialty clinical hours: 45 hours in the introductory course plus four practicums of 135, 135, 180, and 180 hours. CU’s admissions pages list no RN, acute care, or critical care experience requirement.

The 16-credit certificate includes AG-ACNP I and II, Diagnostics and Therapeutics, and practicums of 90, 135, and 135 hours, for 360 total hours. It omits the introductory and synthesis courses and starts in spring, with a July 1 priority deadline. ANCC and AACN certification requires at least 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours in the AGACNP program. Transcript evaluation can add courses and hours, so certificate applicants should confirm how their final plan meets that threshold before enrolling.

CU reports a 100% certification pass rate for this specialty. The AGACNP also has the most detailed published state restrictions; see State authorization.

Pediatric Primary Care

Credits 47 / 73 / 24+ · Clinical hours 540 · MS · BS-DNP · Certificate

CU runs primary care and acute care pediatric NP preparation as parallel program lines. Both share Advanced Pediatric Physical Assessment and the on-campus Pediatric Advanced Clinical Skills course.

The MS PNP-PC and BS-DNP PNP-PC specialty courses include Care of the Well Child, Pediatric Minor Acute Illness, and Pediatric Chronic Illness and Disability. Students complete 540 clinical hours in four 135-hour practicums.

The post-graduate certificate specialty sequence is 24 credits: 12 didactic credits plus the four practicums. CU’s published estimate of $28,700 for Colorado residents reflects additional coursework beyond that sequence. Final credits and cost are set by transcript evaluation.

Pediatric Acute Care

Credits 50 / 76 / 19 · Clinical hours 585 / 360 certificate · MS · BS-DNP · Certificate

The MS PNP-AC and BS-DNP PNP-AC begin the acute care sequence with Pediatric Primary Care Essentials, then move through Acute Care PNP 1, 2, and 3. Students complete 585 clinical hours across five practicums of 90, 90, 135, 135, and 135 hours. It is the only CU pediatric track with five practicums. No PICU or acute care experience prerequisite is published.

The 19-credit PNP-AC Post-Graduate Certificate includes Acute Care PNP 1 through 3 and practicums totaling 360 hours. Pediatric Advanced Assessment is required only for non-practicing PNPs.

Clinical placement

Clinical placement policy is the factor most likely to decide whether CU Anschutz is practical for you. The same policy applies to every specialty.

• Denver metro residents: CU matches students with a clinical site and preceptor. Placements may be anywhere in Colorado, not necessarily near home.
• Students outside the Denver metro or outside Colorado: students are primarily responsible for finding their own sites and preceptors. The Clinical Placement Team and specialty director provide support, and student-arranged placements require program or specialty director approval.

CU’s named clinical partners include UCHealth, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and CU’s nurse-led clinics. Pediatric tracks also list Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children. CU’s placement guidance warns that assignments may involve travel, rural locations, overnight shifts, multiple sites in one semester, and confirmation shortly before the start date. CU does not publish a placement guarantee for either group.

Format and campus requirements

All CU Anschutz NP pathways are Mostly Online. Didactic coursework is online, and on-campus requirements are tied to specific courses at the Aurora campus. CU does not publish a total number of visits for any track.

• All MS and BS-DNP students: Advanced Assessment, which has an on-campus component
• All BS-DNP students: DNP Project Prep, also on campus
• FNP: two 2-day skills sessions and a 1-day session within Diagnosis and Management I, the most published campus time of the six specialties
• AGPCNP: one 2-day Foundational Clinical Skills intensive
• PNP (both tracks): Pediatric Advanced Clinical Skills, listed as an on-campus course

Certificate students generally skip Advanced Assessment but keep specialty skills sessions. The AGPCNP certificate requires one 2-day intensive, while the FNP certificate includes all three FNP sessions.

The BS-to-DNP pathway

Every CU Anschutz NP specialty offers a BS-to-DNP. Students apply once and earn the MS and DNP back-to-back, with no second application. The structure is the same across specialties:

• Added credits: about 25 to 26 credits beyond the MS
• Doctoral coursework: Epidemiology, Inferential Statistics and Quality Improvement, Research Methods, and Innovative Leadership
• DNP project: Project Prep plus Projects I through III, carrying 540 clinical hours
• Specialty content: the same specialty courses and practicum hours as the MS

The DNP adds project hours, not specialty patient-care hours. When comparing clinical training across schools, use the specialty hours in the comparison table. The project runs alongside specialty coursework rather than after it. In the pediatric tracks, students earn the MS partway through and can sit for board certification before finishing the doctorate. CU publishes separate study plans for students entering in Fall 2026 or later and for earlier entrants.

Prior graduate coursework may reduce requirements by up to 12 credits, subject to CU’s transfer credit evaluation. CU also publishes a separate BS-DNP admissions page.

Post-graduate certificates

Post-graduate certificates add an NP population focus for nurses who already hold a master’s degree in nursing. The normal eligibility route requires a master’s in nursing from an accredited program, a minimum 3.0 GPA (GRE scores and/or 12 graduate credits if below 3.0), an active, unrestricted U.S. RN license, three references, an essay, a CV, and an interview if selected.

• Credits may increase. Listed credits cover the specialty sequence. A transcript evaluation determines whether core courses such as advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, or assessment must be added, and CU’s certificate tuition estimates exclude those courses.
• Prior coursework rules. Prior advanced practice coursework generally counts when it was completed at an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited school within five years, with a grade of B- or better. CU offers special consideration for APRNs whose coursework is older.
• Evaluation timing. CU says transfer credit review typically takes two to four weeks, so request an evaluation early.
• Start terms vary. The PMHNP and AGACNP certificates start in spring. The others follow the fall cycle.
• Seats are limited. Pediatric certificate enrollment is space-available.

Admissions

These requirements apply to MS and BS-DNP applicants across all specialties.

Requirement	Detail
Nursing degree	BSN from a regionally accredited institution and a nationally accredited nursing program
Minimum GPA	3.0; below 3.0, submit GRE scores and/or at least 12 graduate credits
Prerequisites	Undergraduate nursing research and statistics courses, grade of C or better
RN license	Active, unrestricted U.S. RN license
Application	NursingCAS application, essay, CV/resume, three references (one academic recommended), plus a CU supplemental fee
Interview	Required for selected applicants
State eligibility	Attestation that you will seek licensure in an eligible state
After admission	Drug screen, background check, and immunizations
Deadline	Fall 2027 priority deadline January 15, 2027; applications opened August 15, 2026

CU’s drug screen includes marijuana, even though recreational use is legal in Colorado. Applications verified by the priority deadline receive priority scholarship consideration. Most MS and BS-DNP tracks admit once a year for fall, so missing a cycle usually delays enrollment by a full year.

Tuition

CU Anschutz charges one per-credit rate across its graduate nursing pathways, with no semester cap. Estimated resident tuition for each pathway appears in the comparison table. Estimated non-resident tuition ranges from $62,510 to $74,480 for the MS, $97,090 to $109,060 for the BS-DNP, and $21,280 to $46,550 for certificates.

2026-27 rates. CU’s fee schedule also lists $100 per online course and $50 per hybrid course. Budget about $2,000 for books and supplies. Student health insurance is billed unless waived with proof of comparable coverage. See CU’s College of Nursing tuition and fees, the 2026-27 fee schedule, and scholarships and financial aid.

Residents of WICHE states may qualify for the resident rate through the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP). Participation varies by program, and CU’s reduced-tuition page lists participating programs. CU’s pages are not consistent on whether post-graduate certificates qualify, so certificate applicants from WICHE states should confirm eligibility directly. Total cost will also vary with transfer credits, the number of semesters, and future tuition changes.

Accreditation and certification

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits the College of Nursing’s baccalaureate, master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs. The university is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Graduates are eligible for national board certification in their population focus. Named certifying bodies include AANPCB or ANCC for FNP and AGPCNP, ANCC (AGACNP-BC) or AACN (ACNPC-AG) for AGACNP, and the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) for primary care PNP.

State authorization

CU Anschutz participates in NC-SARA but maintains program-specific state restrictions for its distance NP programs. Applicants who plan to seek licensure in a state CU designates as “does not meet” cannot be admitted, and every applicant signs an attestation confirming licensure in an eligible state.

Restrictions vary by pathway. The MS AGACNP is closed to applicants seeking licensure in Kansas, Michigan, New York, and Ohio. The AGACNP certificate is closed to those four states plus Arkansas, Arizona, Maryland, and Texas. The FNP certificate also carries distance-education state restrictions. Designations change, so check the CU Anschutz state authorization page and the College of Nursing SARA page for your specific pathway before applying.

Who is CU Anschutz best for?

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