The University of South Florida (USF) Health College of Nursing offers five nurse practitioner population focuses: family (FNP), psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP), adult-gerontology primary care (AGPCNP), adult-gerontology acute care (AGACNP), and pediatric primary care (PNP-PC). Four of them run as both an MSN and a BSN to DNP. PMHNP is offered only as a post-graduate certificate for nurses who are already certified APRNs.
Every degree track is taught in Tampa in the same hybrid format and charges the same per-credit rate. Three policies shape the decision more than any single specialty detail:
- Master’s and doctorate side by side. The BSN to DNP adds 20 credits and about $8,600 in resident tuition to the MSN, with the same 780 clinical hours. Applicants may apply to only one degree per cycle.
- Monthly trips to Tampa. USF calls its graduate clinical programs hybrid, not online, and expects students on campus about once a month.
- Only acute care requires RN experience. AGACNP requires 12 months of critical care. The primary care tracks admit new graduates on a lighter-load plan.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | USF Health College of Nursing |
| Location | Tampa, FL |
| NP Specialties | FNP, PMHNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC |
| Degree Options | MSN and BSN to DNP (FNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC); post-graduate certificate (PMHNP, AGACNP); post-master’s DNP for practicing APRNs |
| Format | Hybrid: on-campus classes or activities about once a month |
| Clinical Placement | Coordinated by the college through a statewide preceptor network; Florida sites only |
| Entry Points | RN with a BSN (MSN, BSN to DNP); certified APRN (certificates, post-master’s DNP) |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 nursing GPA |
| RN License | Unencumbered Florida RN license by October 30 |
| Tuition | $431.43 per credit for Florida residents |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate) |
Comparing USF’s NP programs
Every MSN and BSN to DNP track shares the same advanced practice core of pathophysiology, health assessment, pharmacology, and diagnostic reasoning. It also includes a one-credit advanced cardiac monitoring course. Each specialty then runs three 180-hour clinical courses and closes with a 240-hour clinical practice immersion.
| Pathway | Credits | Clinical hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | |||
| MSN | 60 | 780 | BSN; new graduates accepted |
| BSN to DNP | 80 | 780 | BSN; new graduates accepted |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) | |||
| Post-graduate certificate | 24 | 540 | MSN or DNP and APRN certification |
| Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPCNP) | |||
| MSN | 57 | 780 | BSN; new graduates accepted |
| BSN to DNP | 77 | 780 | BSN; new graduates accepted |
| MSN with Occupational Health | 76 | 780 | BSN; new graduates accepted |
| BSN to DNP with Occupational Health | 96 | 780 | BSN; new graduates accepted |
| Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) | |||
| MSN | 57 | 780 | BSN and 12 months of critical care |
| BSN to DNP | 77 | 780 | BSN and 12 months of critical care |
| Post-graduate certificate | 24 | 780 | MSN or DNP and APRN certification |
| Pediatric Primary Care (PNP-PC) | |||
| MSN | 57 | 780 | BSN; new graduates accepted |
| BSN to DNP | 77 | 780 | BSN; new graduates accepted |
Credits and hours come from USF’s 2026 full-time program plans. The FNP plan totals 780 hours, but USF’s catalog sets the FNP minimum at 750 direct hours because one clinical course includes 30 indirect hours. The DNP adds project credits, not clinical hours.
What stands out about USF’s NP programs
- Low public pricing. Florida residents pay about $24,600 to $25,900 for an MSN and $33,200 to $34,500 for a BSN to DNP, among the lowest totals in the state.
- High clinical volume. Every MSN and DNP track schedules 780 clinical hours, well above the 500-hour certification minimum, and ends with a standalone 240-hour immersion.
- Room for new graduates. Applicants with under 12 months of RN experience are admitted to the primary care tracks on a lighter-load plan rather than turned away.
- An occupational health option. AGPCNP students can add an occupational health nursing subspecialty through the College of Public Health, which USF says may be grant-funded.
- Certificates only for certified APRNs. The PMHNP and AGACNP certificates require national certification in another APRN specialty and carry no federal financial aid.
Which USF NP program fits your goal?
- FNP: Primary care across the lifespan, including a standalone obstetric management course
- PMHNP: A psychiatric certificate for APRNs already certified in another population
- AGPCNP: Primary care from adolescence through older adulthood, with an optional occupational health subspecialty
- AGACNP: Acute and critical care of adults, for nurses with a year of ICU or high-acuity experience
- PNP-PC: Well-child and ambulatory care for children, open to new graduates
Family Nurse Practitioner
Credits 60–80 · Clinical hours 780 · MSN · BSN to DNP
The FNP concentration is USF’s longest NP master’s at 60 credits and eight full-time semesters. The BSN to DNP runs 80 credits over nine. The clinical sequence ramps from 60 to 240 hours across five courses and moves by population, with separate courses for pediatric and for obstetric and special populations.
No RN experience minimum applies. MSN students must pass a comprehensive exam in no more than two attempts. Graduates are eligible for certification through the ANCC or AANPCB.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Credits 24 · Clinical hours 540 · Post-graduate certificate
USF offers PMHNP only through its post-graduate certificate. It is open to nurses with an MSN or DNP who hold national certification in another advanced practice specialty and a current Florida license. Pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment must have been completed within the past 10 years.
The certificate starts in fall only. It includes 540 clinical hours across three practicum courses (120, 180, and 240 hours) and must be finished within five years. As a non-degree program, it is not eligible for federal financial aid. BSN-prepared nurses who want PMHNP preparation need another school.
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
Credits 57–96 · Clinical hours 780 · MSN · BSN to DNP
The AGPCNP concentration covers adolescents through older adults in hospitals, community clinics, and private offices. It runs 57 credits as an MSN and 77 as a BSN to DNP.
An occupational health nursing subspecialty adds 19 credits of occupational and public health coursework at either degree level. It does not add clinical hours. Graduates sit for ANCC or AANPCB AGPCNP certification, and USF states DNP subspecialty graduates are also eligible for occupational health nursing certification. USF offers no AGPCNP certificate.
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
Credits 24–77 · Clinical hours 780 · MSN · BSN to DNP · Certificate
AGACNP is USF’s only specialty offered at all three levels: MSN, BSN to DNP, and a post-graduate certificate. The 24-credit certificate is the MSN’s full specialty sequence, with the same 780 hours. It is open to certified APRNs with a Florida APRN license and starts in fall or spring.
Degree applicants need 12 months of full-time critical care or high-acuity experience before the program starts, assessed case by case. Graduates are eligible for ANCC or AACN certification.
Pediatric Primary Care
Credits 57–77 · Clinical hours 780 · MSN · BSN to DNP
The PNP-PC concentration prepares students for ambulatory pediatric care in private and public settings. It runs 57 credits as an MSN and 77 as a BSN to DNP, both with 780 clinical hours.
No experience minimum applies, so new graduates can enter. USF offers no pediatric acute care track and no PNP certificate. Graduates are eligible for PNCB certification (CPNP-PC).
Post-master’s DNP for practicing APRNs
USF’s post-master’s DNP completes the doctorate for nurses who already hold APRN licensure and national certification. It does not add a population focus.
- Length: at least 31 credits, including 8 practicum and 4 project credits, over seven semesters
- Format: most didactic courses can be taken online; the practicum and project may require in-person attendance
- Location: all practicum work must be completed in Florida
- Estimated tuition: about $13,400 for Florida residents
Clinical placement
The College of Nursing recruits volunteer preceptors across Florida and coordinates student placements. Clinical faculty visit sites, and preceptors work from a clinical learning guide that follows each student. USF does not publish a formal policy assigning preceptor sourcing to students, or a guarantee of placement.
- Geography: every clinical hour must be completed in Florida with Florida-licensed preceptors, and a site anywhere in the state is possible.
- Timing: clinical courses begin in the fourth semester of the full-time MSN and build to the final-semester immersion.
- Background checks: clear Level 1 and Level 2 checks are required; USF cannot guarantee placement otherwise.
The practical trade-off: students are spared a preceptor search, but the college decides where in Florida their hours happen.
Format and campus requirements
| Program | Format | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| MSN and BSN to DNP (all concentrations) | Hybrid | On-campus classes or activities about once a month in Tampa, year-round |
| Post-master’s DNP | Mostly Online | Didactic courses largely online; practicum and project may require attendance |
| PMHNP and AGACNP certificates | Not clearly stated | USF does not publish certificate attendance |
USF’s FAQ notes that some core classes in the first two or three semesters may be online. Students in live or blended courses attend one to two times a month. Plans are lock-step with no summer break, and part-time plans are available for the standard MSN and DNP concentrations.
Admissions
MSN and BSN to DNP applicants submit both a USF Graduate Admissions application and a NursingCAS application. They choose one concentration and one degree per cycle.
- Degree: a BSN or foreign equivalent
- GPA: 3.0 minimum nursing GPA, plus USF’s graduate B-average standard
- Licensure: a U.S. RN license before admission and an unencumbered Florida RN license by October 30
- Experience: required only for AGACNP; applicants with under 12 months of RN experience follow a lighter-load plan
- DNP prerequisite: a three-credit undergraduate statistics course with a B or better
- Materials: three letters (nursing faculty or clinical instructor, nursing supervisor, and advanced practice provider) and a résumé or CV
- Testing: GRE optional
- Visa: F-1 visa holders are not eligible for the MSN or DNP
Degree programs admit in fall only. For fall 2027, NursingCAS opens January 1 and closes May 1, 2027, with verified status due May 15. Admitted students complete Level 1 and Level 2 background checks, drug screening, and a mandatory graduate orientation.
Tuition
USF charges graduate nursing students one per-credit rate that already includes mandatory per-credit fees. No programmatic surcharge applies to the NP tracks.
| Florida resident, per credit | $431.43 |
| Nonresident, per credit (2025-26) | $921.74 |
| Flat fees, per term | $37 |
| College of Nursing expenses, per year (USF estimate) | $1,000–$2,500 |
USF’s trustees considered a roughly 15% increase to the graduate out-of-state fee for fall 2026, which would raise nonresident costs above the figures below; resident rates were not affected. See the USF tuition rate schedule for current figures.
| Pathway | Credits | Florida Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN (AGPCNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC) | 57 | $24,592 | $52,539 |
| MSN (FNP) | 60 | $25,886 | $55,304 |
| BSN to DNP (AGPCNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC) | 77 | $33,220 | $70,974 |
| BSN to DNP (FNP) | 80 | $34,514 | $73,739 |
| Certificate (PMHNP, AGACNP) | 24 | $10,354 | $22,122 |
| AGPCNP with Occupational Health (MSN / DNP) | 76 / 96 | $32,789 / $41,417 | $70,052 / $88,487 |
- The doctorate costs little more: about $8,600 extra in resident tuition over the MSN, for two more semesters.
- Residency more than doubles the price: nonresidents pay about $490 more per credit.
- Certificates need private funding: they carry no federal financial aid.
These are NPPrograms.com estimates, not USF-published program costs. They apply current per-credit rates to each 2026 program plan and exclude flat fees, program expenses, and living costs. Scholarships are listed on USF’s tuition and financial aid page.
Accreditation and certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits USF’s master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs. The University of South Florida is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Certification follows the population focus: ANCC or AANPCB for FNP and AGPCNP, ANCC for PMHNP, ANCC or AACN for AGACNP, and PNCB for PNP-PC. Occupational health DNP graduates are also eligible for occupational health nursing certification.
State authorization
Every USF NP pathway requires a Florida RN license and Florida clinical sites, and degree students attend the Tampa campus monthly. Enrollment is practical only for nurses living in or moving to Florida. Graduates planning to practice elsewhere should confirm with USF that the program meets that state’s APRN education requirements.
Who is USF best for?
May be a strong fit for
- Florida nurses within reach of Tampa who want low public tuition
- New BSN graduates heading into FNP, AGPCNP, or PNP-PC
- Nurses choosing between an MSN and a DNP at the same school
- Students who want 780 clinical hours and coordinated placements
- Critical care nurses seeking AGACNP at any degree level
- Certified APRNs adding PMHNP or AGACNP through a certificate
Compare other options if
- You need a fully online program or can’t travel to Tampa monthly
- You want a PMHNP master’s or doctorate
- You want pediatric acute care preparation
- You live outside Florida or would pay nonresident tuition
- You need federal aid for a certificate
- You want rolling or spring degree starts
Compare more NP programs in Florida
- Florida Atlantic University - Boca Raton
- Florida Southern College - Lakeland
- University of Central Florida - Orlando
- University of Florida - Gainesville
- University of Miami - Coral Gables