Azusa Pacific University (APU) School of Nursing offers four nurse practitioner specialties: family (FNP), psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP), adult-gerontology primary care (AGPCNP), and pediatric primary care (PNP-PC). All four are available as an MSN, a post-master’s certificate, and an entry-level MSN for career changers. FNP and AGPCNP are also offered as a BSN to DNP. APU offers no acute care NP program.
APU is a private Christian university with campuses across Southern California. Three policies shape the decision more than any single specialty detail:
- The MSN is for Southern California residents. APU’s catalog requires NP master’s applicants to live in Southern California and have one year of nursing experience.
- Students find their own preceptors. APU states that students are responsible for securing clinical sites, with help from staff, faculty, and placement coordinators.
- One rate for every student. Master’s, certificate, and entry-level MSN units cost $895 in 2026-27, and BSN to DNP units cost $1,160, with no residency premium.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | Azusa Pacific University School of Nursing |
| Location | Azusa, CA, plus Inland Empire, San Diego, and Monrovia sites |
| NP Specialties | FNP, PMHNP, AGPCNP, PNP-PC |
| Degree Options | MSN and post-master’s certificate in all four; BSN to DNP in FNP and AGPCNP; entry-level MSN in all four |
| School Nurse Credential | Can be paired with the FNP or PNP-PC master’s |
| Format | Campus-based MSN; BSN to DNP mixes in-person, online, and intensive sessions |
| Clinical Placement | Student-secured, with staff and coordinator assistance |
| RN Experience | One year for the MSN; eight months for the BSN to DNP NP tracks |
| Tuition (2026-27) | $895 per unit (MSN, certificate, entry-level MSN); $1,160 per unit (BSN to DNP) |
| Accreditation | CCNE; California BRN approved |
Comparing Azusa Pacific’s NP programs
Unit totals come from APU’s 2026-27 catalog. Ranges reflect choices within a program, such as a thesis or a comprehensive exam to finish the MSN. The master’s takes six to nine semesters, depending on the specialty.
| Pathway | Semester units | Base tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | ||
| MSN | 47 | $42,065 |
| MSN + School Nurse Credential | 56 | $50,120 |
| BSN to DNP | 67–71 | $77,720–$82,360 |
| Post-master’s certificate | 36 | $32,220 |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) | ||
| MSN | 54–56 | $48,330–$50,120 |
| Post-master’s certificate | 43 | $38,485 |
| Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPCNP) | ||
| MSN | 46 | $41,170 |
| BSN to DNP | 67–71 | $77,720–$82,360 |
| Post-master’s certificate | 35 | $31,325 |
| Pediatric Primary Care (PNP-PC) | ||
| MSN | 44–50 | $39,380–$44,750 |
| MSN + School Nurse Credential | 53–55 | Verify current rate |
| Post-master’s certificate | 33–37 | $29,535–$33,115 |
Base tuition is units times APU’s 2026-27 per-unit rate, before fees. APU publishes one unit range for the BSN to DNP rather than a total for each track, and its program page also shows a lower blended estimate of $63,980–$77,060 that bills master’s-level courses at $680–$860 per unit. The entry-level MSN adds 69 prelicensure units before any of these master’s sequences.
What stands out about Azusa Pacific’s NP programs
- Primary care master’s options that are rare in California. APU is the only California school in NPPrograms.com’s data with an AGPCNP or PNP-PC master’s or post-master’s certificate.
- A route into NP practice without a nursing degree. The entry-level MSN admits bachelor’s holders from other fields and leads into any of the four NP specialties.
- A school nurse credential alongside NP training. FNP and PNP-PC students can add California’s School Nurse Services Credential in one combined master’s.
- Master’s-level pricing well below a doctorate. An NP master’s costs about $39,000 to $50,000 in base tuition, compared with $64,000 to $82,000 for the BSN to DNP.
- Primary care and psychiatry only. Nurses seeking adult-gerontology or pediatric acute care need another school.
Which Azusa Pacific NP program fits your goal?
- FNP: Primary care across the lifespan; the widest range of pathways, including a doctorate and a school nurse option
- PMHNP: Psychiatric care across the lifespan; the longest master’s
- AGPCNP: Primary care of adolescents through older adults; available as a doctorate
- PNP-PC: Pediatric primary care; the shortest master’s, with a school nurse option
Family Nurse Practitioner
Units 36–71 · Clinical hours Not published (MSN); 1,000 (DNP) · MSN, BSN to DNP, certificate
FNP has more pathways at APU than any other specialty. The 47-unit MSN is offered at the Azusa, Inland Empire, and San Diego locations. It includes 12 units of NP clinical experience, taken at 2 to 6 units per semester with faculty approval.
The MSN with School Nurse Services Credential adds 9 units, for 56 in total, and is offered at the Azusa campus. The BSN to DNP FNP track requires eight months of RN experience and at least 1,000 clinical residency hours.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Units 43–56 · Clinical hours Not published · MSN, certificate
The PMHNP master’s is APU’s longest, at 54 to 56 units. Its specialty block includes four psychiatric clinical courses covering adults and older adults, children and adolescents, and selected populations, plus a psychopharmacology course.
The 43-unit certificate is for nurses who already hold a master’s in nursing. It is offered in Azusa and the Inland Empire, with fall and spring starts. APU offers no PMHNP doctorate.
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
Units 35–71 · Clinical hours Not published (MSN); 1,000 (DNP) · MSN, BSN to DNP, certificate
AGPCNP shares most of its coursework with FNP. The 46-unit MSN replaces the family content with a 2-unit gerontology specialization, and both BSN to DNP tracks share a 26-unit FNP/AGPCNP clinical core.
Graduates can practice in community clinics, private practices, long-term care, and home-based care. The 35-unit certificate is the only AGPCNP certificate in California’s supplied data.
Pediatric Primary Care
Units 33–55 · Clinical hours Not published · MSN, certificate
The PNP-PC master’s runs 44 to 50 units, the shortest of APU’s NP degrees. Its specialty sequence covers advanced pediatric practice, pediatric primary care competencies, primary care of the young family, and a 4-unit clinical practicum.
A combined MSN with the School Nurse Services Credential runs 53 to 55 units. APU offers no pediatric acute care track or pediatric doctorate.
APU also offers an Oncology Nurse Practitioner Certificate at $1,160 per unit, outside the six specialties NPPrograms.com compares.
Entry-level MSN for non-nurses
APU’s entry-level MSN is for students with a bachelor’s degree in another field. It begins with 69 prelicensure units that meet California Board of Registered Nursing requirements for RN licensure, then continues into an NP master’s sequence.
- Specialties: FNP, PMHNP, AGPCNP, or PNP-PC, with School Nurse Services Credential options for FNP and PNP-PC
- Locations: San Diego, Inland Empire, and Monrovia
- Cost: about $101,000 to $112,000 in base tuition at $895 per unit, depending on the specialty, plus a $600 nursing fee each prelicensure semester
Clinical placement
APU states that students are responsible for finding a clinical site and preceptor, with help from APU staff, faculty, and student placement coordinators. That policy appears on its BSN to DNP page. APU’s master’s and certificate pages describe no different model.
- Ongoing practice: the catalog states that the MSN requires ongoing clinical work experience.
- Pacing: FNP and AGPCNP students may take 2 to 6 clinical units per semester with faculty approval.
- DNP hours: BSN to DNP students complete at least 1,000 clinical residency hours.
APU does not publish direct clinical hour totals for its master’s tracks. Ask admissions how many hours each specialty requires and how many students secure sites before their first clinical term.
Format and campus requirements
| Program | Format | Locations |
|---|---|---|
| NP master’s | Campus-based; classes at regional campuses | Azusa, Inland Empire, San Diego |
| MSN + School Nurse Credential | On-campus meetings plus synchronous and asynchronous online classes | Azusa |
| BSN to DNP | In-person, synchronous, and asynchronous courses, plus intensives | Azusa, Inland Empire, Monrovia, San Diego, online |
| PMHNP certificate | Part-time options for working nurses | Azusa, Inland Empire |
| Entry-level MSN | Campus-based prelicensure | San Diego, Inland Empire, Monrovia |
Specialty availability can differ by location. Confirm that your specialty runs at your preferred campus before applying.
Post-master’s certificates
APU offers a post-master’s certificate in all four of its NP specialties. Applicants need a master’s in nursing and an RN license.
- PNP-PC: 33 to 37 units
- AGPCNP: 35 units
- FNP: 36 units
- PMHNP: 43 units
The PMHNP certificate is the longest of the four, 6 to 10 units longer than the primary care certificates.
Admissions
- MSN: a BSN, an RN license, at least one year of nursing experience, and residence in Southern California
- BSN to DNP: a BSN and RN license; the FNP and AGPCNP tracks require eight months of RN experience
- Certificates: a master’s in nursing, an RN license, and completion of prerequisite courses
- Entry-level MSN: a bachelor’s degree in another field
MSN applications for fall have a priority deadline of April 1 and a final deadline of June 15. Spring has an October 20 priority deadline. Certificates also admit in spring, with priority and final deadlines of July 15 and September 30.
Tuition
APU is a private university with one rate for all students. Its 2026-27 per-unit rates:
| MSN, post-master’s certificate, and entry-level MSN | $895 per unit |
| BSN to DNP | $1,160 per unit |
| Clinical and practicum course fees | $200–$300 per course |
| Entry-level MSN prelicensure nursing fee | $600 per semester |
Source: APU’s 2026-27 graduate tuition and fees. APU lists a separate $860 rate for School Nurse Services programs, so confirm how combined NP and credential units are billed.
- Master’s vs. doctorate: an FNP or AGPCNP master’s costs about $41,000 to $42,000 in base tuition, compared with $77,720 to $82,360 for the BSN to DNP at the flat doctoral rate. APU’s BSN to DNP page also lists a blended estimate of $63,980 to $77,060, so ask admissions which applies.
- Fees add up: each clinical or practicum course carries its own fee, and the PMHNP and PNP-PC sequences include several.
- Rates change yearly: APU notes that prices are subject to change, so multi-year students should expect increases.
Accreditation and certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits APU’s nursing programs, and the California Board of Registered Nursing approves them. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing accredits the School Nurse Services Credential.
Graduates of each NP track are eligible for California nurse practitioner certification and the national board exam for their population focus.
State authorization
APU’s NP master’s is limited to Southern California residents, and its programs are built around regional campuses. Applicants outside California should confirm eligibility with admissions before applying, including for the BSN to DNP, which lists online among its locations.
Who is Azusa Pacific University best for?
May be a strong fit for
- Southern California RNs who want an NP master’s rather than a doctorate
- Nurses seeking an AGPCNP or PNP-PC master’s or certificate in California
- Career changers with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree who want to become NPs
- FNP or PNP-PC students who also want to work as school nurses
- Nurses who prefer in-person classes at a regional campus
- Applicants comfortable with a Christian university’s curriculum
Compare other options if
- You live outside Southern California
- You want adult-gerontology or pediatric acute care
- You want the school to arrange your clinical placements
- You want an online program with little or no campus time
- You qualify for lower resident tuition at a public university
- You want a PMHNP or PNP doctorate
Compare more NP programs in California
- Loma Linda University - Loma Linda
- University of California, San Francisco - San Francisco