Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing offers three nurse practitioner population focuses: family (FNP), adult-gerontology primary care (AGPCNP, which FAU calls Adult/Gerontological NP), and psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP). FNP and AGPCNP are offered at all three levels: MSN, BSN to DNP, and post-graduate certificate. PMHNP is offered as a BSN to DNP and a post-graduate certificate, with no master’s.
Classes run at the Boca Raton, Davie, and Harbor Branch campuses, with Harbor Branch moving to Jupiter. Three policies shape the decision more than any single specialty detail:
- FAU arranges every clinical placement. Students are not allowed to find their own sites or preceptors, and all placements are in South Florida or Treasure Coast counties tied to their campus.
- Low resident pricing. Florida residents pay about $19,300 for the FNP or AGPCNP MSN and about $27,000 to $29,000 for a BSN to DNP.
- One intake a year, on fixed schedules. The MSN is part-time only with fall entry; the BSN to DNP is full-time only with summer entry.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing |
| Location | Boca Raton, FL (also Davie and Harbor Branch/Jupiter) |
| NP Specialties | FNP, AGPCNP, PMHNP |
| Degree Options | MSN (FNP, AGPCNP); BSN to DNP and post-graduate certificate (all three); post-master’s DNP for APRNs |
| Format | Hybrid; the PMHNP certificate is online |
| Clinical Placement | Arranged by FAU; students may not arrange their own |
| Entry Points | RN with a BSN (MSN, BSN to DNP); RN with an MSN (certificate) |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| RN License | Florida RN license, or a compact license that includes Florida |
| Tuition (2026-27) | $371.82 per credit for Florida residents; $1,125.06 for nonresidents |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate) |
Comparing FAU’s NP programs
Every NP track includes 780 hours of specialty practicum, and the DNP adds project and practicum hours to reach at least 1,000. The MSN and DNP share the same specialty courses, so the doctorate adds credits and scholarly work rather than NP clinical time.
| Pathway | Credits | Clinical hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | |||
| MSN | 52 | 780 | BSN; no experience requirement |
| BSN to DNP | 77 | 1,000+ | BSN; interview required |
| Post-graduate certificate | Gap analysis | Gap analysis | MSN; see eligibility note below |
| Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPCNP) | |||
| MSN | 52 | 780 | BSN; no experience requirement |
| BSN to DNP | 77 | 1,000 | BSN; interview required |
| Post-graduate certificate | Gap analysis | Gap analysis | MSN |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 72 | 1,060 | BSN; interview required |
| Post-graduate certificate | 28 | 780 | MSN; no prior NP certification required |
Credits are from FAU’s BSN to DNP and MSN program pages and curriculum plans. DNP clinical totals come from FAU’s curriculum plans and include population health, DNP practicum, and project hours; FAU sets 1,000 as the DNP minimum. FNP and AGPCNP certificate credits are set individually after a gap analysis.
What stands out about FAU’s NP programs
- Placement fully handled. FAU assigns every site and preceptor and does not allow students to arrange their own, which removes the preceptor search entirely.
- Florida’s lowest-cost NP master’s. The 52-credit FNP or AGPCNP MSN runs about $19,300 in resident tuition, plus about $2,100 in lab and practicum fees.
- 780 practicum hours on every NP track. That is well above the 500-hour certification minimum, and FAU notes students may need more to reach competency.
- A master’s along the way. BSN to DNP students can be awarded the MSN after semester IX, sit for certification, and work as an APRN while finishing the doctorate.
- An open PMHNP certificate. The online PMHNP certificate accepts MSN-prepared nurses without prior NP certification.
Which FAU NP program fits your goal?
- FNP: Primary care across the lifespan, with dedicated pediatric and women’s health courses
- AGPCNP: Primary care from adolescence through older adulthood, with a standalone aging course
- PMHNP: Psychiatric care across the lifespan, through a doctorate or an online certificate
Family Nurse Practitioner
Credits 52–77 · Clinical hours 780–1,000+ · MSN · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The FNP MSN runs 52 credits over eight part-time semesters. Clinical work starts in semester five with three practicums of 300, 240, and 240 hours, alongside courses in care of children and women’s health. FAU notes students can usually work full-time through the first half of the program.
The BSN to DNP uses the same practicum sequence over 11 full-time semesters and 77 credits. The FNP certificate is planned individually; FAU’s catalog lists current APRN board certification as an FNP certificate requirement, so confirm eligibility at the required advising meeting. Graduates are eligible for ANCC or AANP certification.
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
Credits 52–77 · Clinical hours 780–1,000 · MSN · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The Adult/Gerontological NP concentration covers adolescents through older adults. It adds a standalone Perspectives of Aging course and requires women’s health. The MSN matches the FNP’s 52 credits and 780 practicum hours. Settings include health department clinics, private practices, home health, community health centers, hospitals, and long-term care.
The BSN to DNP runs 77 credits and 1,000 clinical hours. Certificate plans are set by gap analysis, and FAU directs applicants needing 30 or more credits to a second MSN instead. Graduates are eligible for ANCC or AANP certification.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Credits 28–72 · Clinical hours 780–1,060 · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The PMHNP BSN to DNP runs 72 credits, five fewer than FAU’s other DNP concentrations. Its 780 specialty practicum hours cover diagnosis and medication management, individual and family therapy, group therapy, and a role synthesis practicum. With DNP practicum and project hours, the plan totals 1,060.
The 28-credit PMHNP certificate uses the same specialty sequence and 780 hours, delivered online, with clinicals in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. It accepts MSN-prepared nurses without prior NP certification. FAU offers no PMHNP master’s. Graduates are eligible for ANCC or AANPCB certification.
Post-master’s DNP for practicing APRNs
FAU’s post-master’s DNP is a part-time doctorate for certified APRNs with a master’s degree. It focuses on leadership and practice and does not add a population focus. APRNs who want a new specialty use the post-graduate certificates instead.
Clinical placement
FAU arranges every clinical site and preceptor, and its DNP page states plainly that students are not allowed to find their own. Placement geography depends on the campus a student is admitted to.
- Boca Raton and Davie: Broward, Martin, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties.
- Harbor Branch and Jupiter: Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Brevard, and Orange counties.
- Campus lock-in: students may not take courses at a campus other than the one they were admitted to.
- Weekly load: MSN practicums run about 12 hours a week in the first clinical terms and 16 in the last two.
The practical trade-off: no preceptor search, but no choice of site, and no way to use an employer as a clinical partner.
Format and campus requirements
| Program | Format | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| MSN (FNP, AGPCNP) | Hybrid | Core courses online; NP courses meet in person on Thursdays |
| BSN to DNP (all concentrations) | Hybrid | DNP courses meet one weekend day a month; NP courses meet online or in person on Thursdays |
| PMHNP certificate | Online | Coursework online; clinicals on site in South Florida |
FAU strongly advises DNP students against full-time work once clinicals begin in semester VI.
Admissions
Each degree admits once a year. Applicants choose one concentration and one campus at application, and DNP students cannot switch concentrations later.
- MSN: BSN, 3.0 GPA on the final 60 baccalaureate credits, statistics and nursing research prerequisites, one recommendation, and a philosophy of nursing essay through GradCAS; fall entry with a February 15 deadline
- BSN to DNP: BSN, 3.0 cumulative GPA, two recommendations (one from a doctorally prepared reference), a 500-word goals statement, and an oral interview; summer entry with a hard January 15 deadline
- Certificates: MSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program, 3.0 graduate GPA, and a required advising meeting with the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs before applying
- Licensure: a Florida RN license, or a compact license that includes Florida
- Experience and testing: no RN experience requirement; GRE and MAT not required
Tuition
FAU charges graduate students a flat per-credit rate that includes university fees. Nursing adds a $150-per-credit fee on lab and practicum courses.
| Florida resident, per credit (2026-27) | $371.82 |
| Nonresident, per credit (2026-27) | $1,125.06 |
| Lab and practicum fee, per credit | $150 |
| Lab and practicum fees, MSN total | $2,100 |
Rates are from FAU’s Controller’s Office tuition breakdown. The College of Nursing’s program pages still show the 2025-26 nonresident rate of $1,026.81.
| Pathway | Credits | Florida Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN (FNP, AGPCNP) | 52 | $19,335 | $58,503 |
| BSN to DNP (FNP, AGPCNP) | 77 | $28,630 | $86,630 |
| BSN to DNP (PMHNP) | 72 | $26,771 | $81,004 |
| PMHNP certificate | 28 | $10,411 | $31,502 |
| FNP or AGPCNP certificate | Gap analysis | Not published | Not published |
- The doctorate adds about $9,300: 25 more credits than the MSN at the resident rate, with the same NP practicum hours.
- Residency triples the price: nonresidents pay about $753 more per credit.
- Fees are extra: totals above exclude the lab and practicum fee, orientation and transportation fees, and clinical travel.
These are NPPrograms.com estimates, not FAU-published program costs. They apply 2026-27 rates to every credit and exclude fees and living costs. See FAU’s cost of attendance page.
Accreditation and certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits FAU’s master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs. Florida Atlantic University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Certification follows the population focus: ANCC or AANP for FNP and AGPCNP, and ANCC or AANPCB for PMHNP.
State authorization
FAU requires Florida RN licensure and places every clinical in its South Florida or Treasure Coast counties, so enrollment is practical only for nurses living within reach of those regions. Graduates planning to practice outside Florida should confirm with FAU that the program meets that state’s APRN education requirements.
Who is FAU best for?
May be a strong fit for
- South Florida and Treasure Coast nurses who want placements arranged
- Florida residents seeking the lowest-cost NP master’s
- Working nurses who need a part-time MSN
- BSN nurses who want a DNP with a master’s awarded along the way
- MSN-prepared nurses adding PMHNP online
Compare other options if
- You live outside South Florida or would pay nonresident tuition
- You want to choose your own clinical site or preceptor
- You want a full-time MSN or a fully online degree
- You want acute care or pediatric preparation
- You want a PMHNP master’s
Compare more NP programs in Florida
- Florida Southern College - Lakeland
- University of Central Florida - Orlando
- University of Florida - Gainesville
- University of Miami - Coral Gables
- University of South Florida - Tampa