Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing offers eight nurse practitioner tracks, more than any other school in Georgia: family (FNP), family/emergency (FNP/ENP), psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP), adult-gerontology primary care (AGPCNP), adult-gerontology acute care (AGACNP), pediatric primary care (PNP-PC), neonatal (NNP), and women’s health/gender-related (WHNP). Entry levels differ by track: some run as an MSN, some only as a doctorate, and most also offer a post-graduate certificate for practicing APRNs.
Every track uses the same delivery model: online courses with mandatory in-person intensives in Atlanta. Three policies shape the decision more than any single specialty detail:
- Private tuition at every level. For 2026–27, Emory charges $2,320 per credit for the MSN, $2,152 for certificates, and $2,110 for the DNP, about $111,000 for a full-time MSN.
- Clinical sites near home, found with Emory’s help. Students play an active, required role in securing placements, supported by a Clinical Placement Team, and may complete clinicals where they live.
- Degree options vary by track. PMHNP and Family/Emergency are doctorate-level only, while AGPCNP and NNP have no DNP option.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing |
| Location | Atlanta, GA |
| NP Specialties | FNP, FNP/ENP, PMHNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC, NNP, WHNP |
| Degree Options | MSN (six tracks); BSN to DNP (six tracks); post-graduate certificate (seven tracks); post-master’s DNP; MN pathway for non-nurses |
| Format | Mostly Online: online courses with mandatory intensives in Atlanta |
| Clinical Placement | Student-secured with support from a Clinical Placement Team; sites near home |
| Entry Points | BSN (MSN, DNP); certified APRN (certificates); MSN (post-master’s DNP); non-nursing bachelor’s (MN pathway) |
| RN License | Georgia or multistate RN license |
| Tuition | $2,320 per credit (MSN), $2,152 (certificate), $2,110 (DNP), 2026–27 |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s, DNP, and post-graduate certificate) |
Comparing Emory’s NP programs
MSN tracks take four semesters full-time, or six to seven part-time. BSN to DNP tracks take seven semesters full-time or ten part-time. Emory publishes credit and clinical-hour totals for some pathways but not others.
| Pathway | Credits | Clinical hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | |||
| MSN | 49 | 780 | BSN; no experience minimum |
| BSN to DNP | Not published | 780+ | BSN |
| Post-graduate certificate | Not published | Not published | Certified APRN |
| Family/Emergency (FNP/ENP) | |||
| BSN to DNP | Not published | 700+ | BSN and a year of ED experience |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 86 | 1,170 | BSN and psychiatric RN experience |
| Post-graduate certificate | 26 | 705 | Certified APRN |
| Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPCNP) | |||
| MSN | 49 | 780 | BSN; ACLS |
| Post-graduate certificate | Not published | Not published | Certified APRN |
| Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) | |||
| MSN | 48–49 | 840 | BSN, a year of RN experience, ACLS |
| BSN to DNP | Not published | Not published | BSN and RN experience |
| Post-graduate certificate | Not published | Not published | Certified APRN |
| Pediatric Primary Care (PNP-PC) | |||
| MSN | Not published | 500+ | BSN |
| BSN to DNP | Not published | 500+ | BSN |
| Post-graduate certificate | Not published | Not published | Certified APRN |
| Neonatal (NNP) | |||
| MSN | 48 | 780 | BSN and two years of Level III/IV NICU work before clinicals |
| Post-graduate certificate | Not published | Not published | Certified APRN |
| Women’s Health/Gender-Related (WHNP) | |||
| MSN | 45.5 | 600–780 | BSN |
| BSN to DNP | Not published | Not published | BSN |
| Post-graduate certificate | Not published | Not published | Certified APRN |
Figures come from Emory’s program pages and nursing catalog. Where the two disagree, the table shows the catalog figure or a range: AGACNP’s catalog text says 48 credits while its plan tables total 49, and WHNP’s catalog lists 600 clinical hours while its program page says more than 780.
What stands out about Emory’s NP programs
- The broadest NP portfolio in Georgia. Emory’s eight tracks include the state’s only neonatal, women’s health, and family/emergency NP programs in our Georgia research.
- Georgia’s only NNP program. Emory describes its neonatal track as the only one in Georgia and the immediate Southeast.
- Dual FNP and ENP preparation. The Family/Emergency DNP prepares graduates for both FNP and ENP-C certification.
- Clinicals where you live. Students work with the Clinical Placement Team to secure sites near home, rather than moving to Atlanta.
- High clinical volume. Most MSN tracks schedule 780 hours or more, and the PMHNP DNP schedules 1,170.
Which Emory NP program fits your goal?
- FNP: Primary care across the lifespan, with specialty rotations in areas such as cardiology, dermatology, and palliative care
- FNP/ENP: Family practice plus emergency care, for nurses with emergency department experience
- PMHNP: Psychiatric care through a DNP or a certificate, for nurses with psychiatric experience
- AGPCNP: Primary care for adults and older adults through an MSN
- AGACNP: Acute care of adults, for nurses with a year of acute or critical care experience
- PNP-PC: Primary care for children, with sites that include Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
- NNP: Care of newborns, for experienced Level III or IV NICU nurses
- WHNP: Reproductive, gynecologic, and gender-related care
Family Nurse Practitioner
Credits 49 (MSN) · Clinical hours 780 · MSN · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The FNP program runs as a 49-credit MSN, a BSN to DNP, or a certificate. Students complete 780 clinical hours, with specialty rotations available in endocrinology, cardiology, neurology, dermatology, orthopedics, and palliative care.
No RN experience minimum is listed. Graduates can sit for ANCC or AANPCB certification.
Family/Emergency Nurse Practitioner
Clinical hours 700+ · BSN to DNP only
The Family/Emergency program is offered only as a DNP. It takes seven semesters full-time or ten part-time and includes more than 700 clinical hours. It is the only Georgia program in our research that prepares graduates for both FNP-BC and ENP-C certification.
Applicants need at least one year of RN experience in an emergency department. Emory does not offer this track as a certificate.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Credits 26–86 · Clinical hours 705–1,170 · BSN to DNP · Certificate
Emory offers PMHNP as an 86-credit BSN to DNP with 1,170 direct clinical hours, or as a 26-credit certificate with 705 hours over three semesters. There is no PMHNP MSN.
DNP applicants need a year of full-time RN work in psychiatric and mental health nursing, though Emory notes that less experienced applicants may still be competitive. The Blake Scholars Program supports certificate students focused on child and adolescent mental health. Graduates sit for ANCC PMHNP-BC certification.
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
Credits 49 · Clinical hours 780 · MSN · Certificate
The AGPCNP program runs as a 49-credit MSN with 780 clinical hours in the catalog. The program page describes more than 750. Applicants need current ACLS certification, and no RN experience minimum is listed.
Emory does not list a DNP option for AGPCNP. Graduates can sit for ANCC or AANP certification.
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
Credits 48–49 (MSN) · Clinical hours 840 · MSN · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The AGACNP program is offered at all three levels. The catalog’s MSN plans total 840 clinical hours, the most of any Emory MSN track.
Applicants need a year of RN experience, which the program page says must be in acute or critical care and the catalog says is preferably critical care. ACLS certification is required. Graduates are eligible for ANCC or AACN certification.
Pediatric Primary Care
Clinical hours 500+ · MSN · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The PNP-PC program is offered as an MSN, a BSN to DNP, or a certificate, with more than 500 hours of directly supervised pediatric practice. Clinical sites include Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Emory does not publish credit totals for this track. Graduates are eligible for PNCB certification (CPNP-PC).
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Credits 48 · Clinical hours 780 · MSN · Certificate
Emory’s NNP program is a 48-credit MSN with 780 clinical hours, at least 750 of them in direct patient care. Emory describes it as the only NNP program in Georgia and the immediate Southeast.
The catalog requires two years of full-time Level III or IV NICU experience before clinical courses begin; the program page calls it preferred. There is no DNP option. Graduates are eligible for NCC certification.
Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner
Credits 45.5 (MSN) · Clinical hours 600–780 · MSN · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The WHNP program runs as a 45.5-credit MSN, a BSN to DNP, or a certificate. The catalog lists 600 clinical hours across three courses, while the program page describes more than 780.
Graduates are eligible for NCC WHNP-BC certification.
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Emory’s DNP has two entry points.
- BSN to DNP: NP preparation in FNP, Family/Emergency, PMHNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC, or WHNP; seven semesters full-time or ten part-time
- Post-master’s DNP: a part-time program for nurses who already hold an MSN; Emory does not describe it as adding a population focus
- Admission: includes a 500-word statement on DNP project interests
- International students: Emory says its DNP programs are not approved for international students at this time
Emory publishes DNP credit totals only for PMHNP (86 credits).
Post-graduate certificates
Emory’s post-graduate certificates cover seven specialties: FNP, PMHNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC, NNP, and WHNP. They are designed for practicing APRNs.
- Eligibility: a BSN and MSN, RN and APRN licenses, and board certification
- Format: three semesters, hybrid, full-time
- Credits: published only for PMHNP (26)
Nurses with a non-APRN master’s degree will need a different route to a new specialty.
Clinical placement
Emory describes placement as a shared responsibility. Students have an active and required role in securing clinical placements, with support from the Clinical Placement Team, and may identify preferred sites near home.
- Where: clinicals can take place where students live, subject to state approval.
- Restrictions: students may not contact Emory Healthcare, Grady, WellStar, or Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta directly to arrange placements.
- State eligibility: Emory notes that not every state allows students to enroll in a distance program or complete clinicals there.
The practical trade-off: students outside Atlanta can stay home for clinicals, but should expect to take an active part in finding preceptors.
Format and campus requirements
Every NP track is distance-based, with online courses and mandatory on-campus intensives in Atlanta. Emory publishes intensive dates in advance but does not state how many there are per program.
| Program | Format | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| MSN (six tracks) | Mostly Online | Online courses plus mandatory Atlanta intensives |
| BSN to DNP (six tracks) | Mostly Online | Online courses plus mandatory Atlanta intensives |
| Post-graduate certificates | Mostly Online | Three semesters of hybrid coursework |
| MN pathway | Campus | 15 months in person, full-time |
MSN tracks admit full-time students in the fall and part-time students in fall or spring.
Admissions
- Degree: a BSN from an accredited nursing program (MSN and BSN to DNP)
- Licensure: an unencumbered Georgia RN license or a multistate RN license
- Experience: varies by track, from none (FNP, AGPCNP) to two years of NICU work (NNP)
- Materials: transcripts, a résumé, a personal statement, two to three references, and a $50 application fee
- Fall 2027 deadlines: August 1, October 1, and December 1, 2026 (rolling rounds)
Emory’s program pages do not list a minimum GPA or a GRE requirement.
MN pathway for non-nurses
Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in another field can enter through Emory’s Master of Nursing pathway. It is a 15-month, full-time, in-person program. Graduates earn RN licensure, then continue into Emory’s MSN or DNP. Emory does not state which NP specialties are open to pathway students.
Tuition
Emory charges one rate by degree level, with no residency difference. Students taking 12 or more credits pay a flat semester rate.
| MSN, per credit (2026–27) | $2,320 |
| MSN, flat semester (12+ credits) | $27,836 |
| DNP, per credit | $2,110 |
| DNP, flat semester (12+ credits) | $25,320 |
| Post-graduate certificate, per credit | $2,152 |
| Fees, per year | $2,552 |
| Health insurance, per year (required) | $5,588 |
| Pathway | Basis | Estimated Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| MSN, full-time | 4 semesters at the flat rate | $111,344 |
| BSN to DNP, full-time | 7 semesters at the flat rate | $177,240 |
| PMHNP BSN to DNP | 86 credits at $2,110 | $181,460 |
| PMHNP certificate | 26 credits at $2,152 | $55,952 |
- Full-time load saves money: a flat semester rate rewards 12 or more credits.
- Part-time costs more per credit: a 49-credit MSN at the per-credit rate is about $113,700.
- Other certificates: Emory does not publish credit totals, so their cost cannot be estimated.
These are NPPrograms.com estimates built from Emory’s 2026–27 rates and do not include fees, insurance, or living costs. See Emory’s tuition and funding page for current figures.
Accreditation and certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits Emory’s master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate certificate programs. Emory University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Certification follows the population focus: ANCC or AANPCB for FNP, ENP-C for emergency, ANCC for PMHNP, ANCC or AANP for AGPCNP, ANCC or AACN for AGACNP, PNCB for PNP-PC, and NCC for NNP and WHNP. Emory does not publish certification pass rates on its program pages.
State authorization
Emory’s licensure disclosure states that its programs meet educational requirements for licensure in all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Separately, Emory notes that some states may not allow students to enroll in a distance program or complete clinicals there, without listing which. Confirm your state with Emory before applying.
Who is Emory best for?
May be a strong fit for
- Experienced NICU nurses seeking Georgia’s only NNP program
- Emergency department nurses who want dual FNP and ENP preparation
- Nurses interested in women’s health or gender-related care
- Students outside Atlanta who want clinicals near home
- Nurses who want 780 or more clinical hours
- Certified APRNs adding one of seven specialties
Compare other options if
- Tuition is your main constraint
- You want a PMHNP master’s degree
- You want an AGPCNP or NNP doctorate
- You need a program with no campus travel
- You want placements arranged for you
- You hold a non-APRN master’s and want a certificate
Compare more NP programs in Georgia
- Augusta University - Augusta
- Brenau University - Norcross
- Georgia College & State University - Milledgeville
- Georgia Southern University - Statesboro
- Georgia State University - Atlanta
- Mercer University - Atlanta
- South University - Savannah
- Valdosta State University - Valdosta