Arkansas State University (A-State) in Jonesboro offers three NP population focuses through its School of Nursing: family (FNP), psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP), and adult-gerontology acute care (AGACNP). Each is available as an MSN and a post-master’s certificate. A-State does not offer an NP doctorate.
All six tracks are Online. Coursework runs in accelerated terms, with no required campus visits, and clinicals are completed with preceptors in the student’s area.
Two factors shape the decision at A-State more than anything else:
- All-inclusive pricing. Published rates include fees, and the rate is the same for in-state and out-of-state students.
- A regional licensure footprint. Each specialty meets NP licensure requirements in only a few states. For the PMHNP, that is Arkansas and Tennessee only.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | School of Nursing |
| Location | Jonesboro, AR |
| NP Specialties | FNP, PMHNP, AGACNP |
| Degree Options | MSN, post-master’s certificate |
| Format | Online |
| Campus Visits | None required; optional on-site skills labs for FNP and AGACNP |
| Minimum GPA | 3.25 |
| RN Experience | 1,500 RN practice hours before MSN admission |
| Cost per Credit | $380 FNP and AGACNP; $500–$510 PMHNP; fees included |
| Accreditation | ACEN; Higher Learning Commission institutional |
| Licensure States | FNP and AGACNP: AR, MO, MS, TN; PMHNP: AR, TN |
Comparing A-State’s NP programs
The FNP and AGACNP share one credit structure and price. The PMHNP is longer and costs more.
| NP Specialty | Pathway | Credits | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FNP | MSN | 41.5 | As few as 24 months | 750 |
| FNP | Certificate | 21.5 | As few as 16 months | 750 |
| PMHNP | MSN | 47.5 | About 26 months | 750 |
| PMHNP | Certificate | 27.5 | About 18 months | 750 |
| AGACNP | MSN | 41.5 | As few as 24 months | Not published |
| AGACNP | Certificate | 21.5 | About 16 months | Not published |
Certificate credits are minimums. A gap analysis can add up to 9 credits of advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment. A-State publishes no clock-hour total for AGACNP; both AGACNP tracks carry 12.5 practicum credits.
What stands out about A-State’s NP programs
- No campus travel. No orientation, intensive, or on-campus exam is required for any track.
- Low, predictable cost. The FNP and AGACNP MSNs are $15,770 with fees included, for every student regardless of residency.
- Licensure limits come first. Out-of-state applicants should check A-State’s licensure disclosure before comparing cost or curriculum.
- Experience is required at admission. MSN applicants must document 1,500 RN practice hours before they are admitted.
- Several start dates. The MSN tracks list multiple starts each year, so a missed deadline costs weeks, not a year.
Which A-State NP program fits your goal?
- FNP: Primary care across the lifespan
- PMHNP: Psychiatric-mental health care for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults
- AGACNP: Acute and complex care for adolescents, adults, and older adults
Family Nurse Practitioner
Credits 41.5 / 21.5 · MSN · Certificate
A-State offers the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner and the Post-Master’s FNP Certificate.
The MSN combines a 20-credit core and support block with the FNP sequence: women’s health, pediatrics, three organ-systems courses, and a seminar. Clinical training runs through six practicums, five of 120 hours and a final 150-hour practicum, for 750 hours in primary care settings. The certificate carries the same six practicums.
Up to 9 graduate hours may transfer into the MSN, with no course older than six years. Graduates can sit for FNP certification through the ANCC or AANP. See the FNP catalog listing for the full curriculum.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Credits 47.5 / 27.5 · MSN · Certificate
The MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and the PMHNP Post-Master’s Certificate share a 27.5-credit specialty sequence. After psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, students complete three paired seminar and practicum blocks: child and adolescent, adult, and trauma and substance use disorders.
Clinical hours come with a required mix. The 750 hours (240, 240, and 270) include set allocations for child and adolescent, older adult, psychotherapy, substance use, and adult medication management. No more than 400 hours may be telehealth, and no more than 400 inpatient.
The practical difference is geography. The MSN is open only to residents of Arkansas and Tennessee, and both PMHNP tracks meet licensure requirements only in those two states. Unlike the FNP, the PMHNP MSN accepts no transfer credit. Graduates are prepared for the ANCC PMHNP exam.
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
Credits 41.5 / 21.5 · MSN · Certificate
A-State offers the MSN Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and the Post-Master’s AGACNP Certificate. Both carry the same 21.5-credit specialty block and 12.5 practicum credits. The MSN adds the 20-credit graduate core.
Seminars cover organ-system management, then neurological disorders, shock and trauma, palliative care, and special procedures, and finally geriatric disorders. The MSN runs six 7-week practicums; the certificate packages the same content as three 14-week seminar and practicum pairs. Certificate students must finish all seminars before the first practicum.
No ICU or acute care experience is required. A-State does not publish a clinical clock-hour total for either track. Graduates are eligible for the ANCC AGACNP-BC and AACN ACNPC-AG exams. See the AGACNP catalog listing for details.
Clinical placement
- Location: clinicals are completed in person with approved preceptors, in a state where A-State holds State Operating Authority
- PMHNP model: after acceptance, students submit a list of potential preceptors; the clinical coordinator verifies the site and arranges the contract
- PMHNP preceptors: certified PMHNPs with prescriptive authority, board-certified psychiatrists, or licensed master’s- or doctoral-level psychotherapists, each with at least 12 months in the role
- Start rule: PMHNP clinical hours cannot begin until the site accepts in writing and the contract is confirmed
A-State’s FNP and AGACNP materials do not describe who secures the clinical site. Applicants in those tracks should ask how placement works before enrolling. PMHNP applicants should start identifying local psychiatric preceptors early, since the student supplies the leads.
Format and schedule
Every track is Online. No campus visits are required. FNP and AGACNP students may attend optional on-site skills labs.
Most MSN courses run in 7-week terms, and the MSN tracks list several start dates each year. The AGACNP certificate admits in fall and spring. Students who plan to move to another state should talk with their advisor first, because a move can affect licensure eligibility.
Admissions
| Requirement | MSN | Post-Master’s Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing degree | BSN from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program | MSN from an ACEN-, CCNE-, or CNEA-accredited program |
| GPA | 3.25 undergraduate cumulative | 3.25 in MSN coursework |
| RN license | Current, unencumbered | Current, unencumbered |
| RN experience | 1,500 documented RN practice hours before admission | None stated |
| Other | Official transcripts; background check; $30 application fee | Official transcripts; background check; gap analysis; $30 application fee |
No entrance exam is required. Before clinical courses, students need CPR, immunizations, TB screening, and professional liability insurance. PMHNP students must earn at least a B in every course and pass a written comprehensive exam in the final term.
Post-master’s certificate eligibility
Each certificate is the specialty sequence from the matching MSN, without the graduate core. The normal route requires an MSN from an accredited program, a 3.25 graduate GPA, and a current RN license.
A gap analysis before admission checks for advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment. Missing courses add up to 9 credits. FNP and AGACNP materials also cite ANCC’s 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours as a benchmark for evaluating a prior program. PMHNP certificate admission is space-available.
Certificates are not eligible for federal financial aid.
Tuition
A-State charges one rate for in-state and out-of-state students, and states that all fees are included. The rate depends on the specialty.
| Track | Credits | Rate per Credit | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| FNP MSN | 41.5 | $380 | $15,770 |
| AGACNP MSN | 41.5 | $380 | $15,770 |
| PMHNP MSN | 47.5 | $500 | $24,225 |
| FNP certificate | 21.5 | $380 | $8,170 |
| AGACNP certificate | 21.5 | $380 | $8,170 |
| PMHNP certificate | 27.5 | $510 | $14,025 |
MSN totals are A-State’s published figures. Certificate totals are estimates from published per-credit rates. Each gap-analysis course adds 3 credits at the track’s rate.
Billing is per course. A-State Online students cannot use payment plans. Clinical costs such as background checks, immunizations, liability insurance, and travel to sites sit outside tuition. Rates may change yearly.
See A-State’s online tuition page for current rates.
Accreditation and certification
The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) accredits A-State’s master’s and post-master’s certificate nursing programs. Arkansas State University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The specialty sections above name the certification exams for each track.
State authorization and licensure
A-State’s State Authorization and Licensure Disclosures list where each program meets NP licensure requirements:
- FNP: the MSN is open only to residents of Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee
- AGACNP: meets requirements in Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee only
- PMHNP: the MSN is open only to Arkansas and Tennessee residents, and both tracks meet requirements only in those two states
Nurses elsewhere should confirm with A-State and their own board of nursing before applying.
Who is Arkansas State best for?
May be a strong fit for
- Nurses in Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, or Mississippi who want a fully online NP program
- Nurses who want fees-included pricing with no residency premium
- Nurses who cannot travel for campus visits
- Experienced RNs with 1,500 practice hours who want an MSN rather than a DNP
- Nurses without ICU experience seeking AGACNP preparation
- PMHNP applicants interested in trauma and substance use training
- MSN-prepared nurses adding FNP, PMHNP, or AGACNP by certificate
Compare other options if
- You live outside the states where your specialty meets licensure requirements
- You want a DNP
- You have fewer than 1,500 RN practice hours or a GPA below 3.25
- You want to transfer graduate credit into the PMHNP MSN
- You need federal financial aid for a certificate
- You want a published clinical-hour total for AGACNP
Compare more NP programs in Arkansas
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - Little Rock