Augusta University’s College of Nursing offers four nurse practitioner population focuses: family (FNP), psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP), adult-gerontology acute care (AGACNP), and pediatric primary care (PNP-PC). All four are offered through a BSN to DNP, and Augusta also offers post-master’s certificates for practicing NPs. There is no NP master’s degree.
Augusta established Georgia’s first Doctor of Nursing Practice program in 2005. Three policies shape the decision more than any single specialty detail:
- Georgia and South Carolina residents only. Every NP track requires students to live in one of the two states, because faculty visit each student, preceptor, and clinical site.
- A doctorate at public rates. Georgia residents pay $445 per credit for 2026–27, about $34,000 in tuition for a 77-credit DNP.
- Hybrid, with campus time. Coursework is mostly online, with a required orientation, multi-day campus intensives, and an in-person DNP project defense.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | Augusta University College of Nursing |
| Location | Augusta, GA |
| NP Specialties | FNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC |
| Degree Options | BSN to DNP (all four); post-master’s certificate (AGACNP and PMHNP admitting for Spring 2027) |
| Format | Mostly Online: online coursework with orientation, campus intensives, and an in-person defense |
| Clinical Placement | Faculty visit each student, preceptor, and site; preceptor-sourcing policy not published |
| Residency | Georgia or South Carolina residents only |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| RN License | Unencumbered RN license; compact license preferred for certificates |
| Tuition | $445 per credit for Georgia residents; $1,249 for nonresidents (2026–27) |
| Accreditation | CCNE |
Comparing Augusta’s NP programs
The four BSN to DNP tracks share one set of admission requirements and a fall start. Augusta’s 2025–26 catalog lists 77 credits and 1,183 clinical hours for the FNP, PMHNP, and PNP-PC doctorates, completed in three years full-time or four years part-time.
| Pathway | Credits | Clinical hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 77 | 1,183 | BSN; fall start |
| Post-master’s certificate | 19 | 549 | Certified NP; not listed for Spring 2027 |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 77 | 1,183 | BSN; fall start |
| Post-master’s certificate | 22 | 504 | Certified NP; spring start |
| Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 75–76 | Not published | BSN; fall start |
| Post-master’s certificate | Not published | Not published | Certified NP; spring start |
| Pediatric Primary Care (PNP-PC) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 77 | 1,183 | BSN; fall start |
| Post-master’s certificate | Not published | Not published | Certified NP; not listed for Spring 2027 |
Doctoral figures come from Augusta’s 2025–26 catalog. The PMHNP certificate figures come from the 2024–25 catalog, and the FNP certificate figures from the 2025–26 catalog. Augusta’s current certificate pages list only AGACNP and PMHNP certificates for Spring 2027, while the catalog lists all four.
What stands out about Augusta’s NP programs
- Georgia’s first DNP. Augusta launched the state’s first Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2005.
- High pass rates. Augusta reports a 100% board pass rate over the last five years for PMHNP, and in four of the last five years for AGACNP and PNP-PC.
- More than 1,100 clinical hours. Each published BSN to DNP track includes 1,183 clinical hours, more than double the 500-hour certification minimum.
- Faculty on site. Instructors visit each student, preceptor, and clinical site, which is why enrollment is limited to two states.
- No GRE. Applicants need a 3.0 GPA, a statistics course, and an RN license, with no entrance exam.
Which Augusta NP program fits your goal?
- FNP: Primary care across the lifespan through a three-year doctorate
- PMHNP: Psychiatric care across the lifespan, with the program’s strongest published pass-rate record
- AGACNP: Acute care of adults, through a doctorate or a certificate for practicing NPs
- PNP-PC: Primary care of children from birth through young adulthood
Family Nurse Practitioner
Credits 19–77 · Clinical hours 549–1,183 · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The FNP DNP runs 77 credits with 1,183 clinical hours, over three years full-time or four years part-time. It prepares graduates for ANCC or AANP certification. Augusta does not publish an FNP pass rate.
The catalog also lists a 19-credit FNP certificate with 549 clinical hours for certified NPs, but Augusta’s current certificate pages do not list it for Spring 2027.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Credits 22–77 · Clinical hours 504–1,183 · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The PMHNP DNP runs 77 credits with 1,183 clinical hours and reports a 100% board pass rate over the last five years. Graduates are prepared for ANCC or AANP certification.
The post-master’s certificate takes about a year part-time. Augusta’s 2024–25 catalog lists 22 credits and 504 clinical hours. It admits in spring for practicing NPs.
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
BSN to DNP · Certificate
The AGACNP DNP is offered full-time or part-time in a hybrid format and reports a 100% board pass rate in four of the last five years. Its Fall 2026 plan of study totals 76 credits, one more than the 75 in the 2023–24 catalog, and Augusta does not currently publish a clinical-hour total.
The AGACNP certificate takes about a year and admits in spring. Augusta describes its format inconsistently, as on campus in the catalog and as an online program on its admission page. Graduates are prepared for AACN or ANCC certification.
Pediatric Primary Care
Credits 77 (DNP) · Clinical hours 1,183 · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The PNP-PC DNP focuses on the primary care of children from birth through young adulthood. It runs 77 credits with 1,183 clinical hours and reports a 100% board pass rate in four of the last five years. Graduates are prepared for ANCC or PNCB certification.
Augusta offers no pediatric acute care track. The catalog lists a PNP certificate, but it is not listed for Spring 2027.
BSN to DNP
All four NP tracks share one admission process and admit in fall only.
- Degree: a BSN with a 3.0 GPA
- Prerequisite: a three-credit statistics course with a B or better
- Experience: one year of RN experience recommended before clinical courses, but not required
- Testing: no GRE
- Materials: three references, including one from a supervisor
- Deadlines: applications for fall 2027 open in August 2026 and close May 15, 2027
Augusta also offers a post-master’s DNP for certified NPs, CRNAs, CNMs, and CNSs. It runs 37 credits online and does not add an NP specialty.
Post-master’s certificates
Augusta’s certificates are for nurses who already hold NP certification.
- Specialties admitting for Spring 2027: AGACNP and PMHNP
- Eligibility: an NP master’s or APRN doctorate, current APRN certification, and a 3.0 GPA
- Licensure: an RN license in every state where clinicals take place; a compact license is preferred
- Deadline: September 15, 2026 for Spring 2027
Augusta does not publish certificate tuition.
Clinical placement
Augusta faculty visit each student, preceptor, and clinical site during the program. That is the reason Augusta gives for its residency rule: students must live in Georgia or South Carolina to attend any NP track.
Augusta does not publish whether the school or the student finds preceptors. Applicants should ask how placements are arranged for their track and region.
Format and campus requirements
| Program | Format | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| BSN to DNP (FNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC) | Mostly Online | Face-to-face orientation, multi-day campus intensives, and an in-person DNP defense |
| BSN to DNP (PMHNP) | Mostly Online | Face-to-face orientation and defense; intensives not specified |
| Post-master’s certificates | Varies | Described as online on the admission page; AGACNP listed as on campus in the catalog |
| Post-master’s DNP | Online | Described as fully online, with up to two campus visits noted on the same page |
Augusta does not publish how often its campus intensives meet. The College of Nursing has campuses in Augusta and Athens, and its program pages do not say which campus hosts each track.
Tuition
Augusta’s BSN to DNP tracks charge the same rate. Students taking 12 or more credits pay a flat semester rate.
| Georgia resident, per credit (1–11 credits) | $445 |
| Georgia resident, flat rate per semester (12+ credits) | $5,340 |
| Nonresident, per credit (1–11 credits) | $1,249 |
| Nonresident, flat rate per semester (12+ credits) | $14,988 |
| Mandatory fees, per semester | $675 |
| Online learning fee, per semester (distance-only students) | $393 |
| Pathway | Credits | Georgia Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN to DNP (FNP, PNP-PC) | 77 | $34,265 | $96,173 |
| BSN to DNP (PMHNP) | 77 | Not published | Not published |
| Post-master’s certificate | 19–22 | Not published | Not published |
- South Carolina residents pay nonresident rates unless they qualify for a waiver; residency is required, but in-state pricing is not.
- Full-time semesters may cost less because 12 or more credits bill at the flat rate.
- PMHNP and certificate rates are missing from Augusta’s 2026–27 tuition tables.
These are NPPrograms.com estimates built from Augusta’s 2026–27 per-credit rates and do not include fees. See Augusta’s graduate tuition page for current figures.
Accreditation and certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits Augusta’s nursing programs. Augusta 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 PMHNP, AACN or ANCC for AGACNP, and ANCC or PNCB for PNP-PC.
State authorization
Every Augusta NP track requires students to live in Georgia or South Carolina, because faculty must visit students and clinical sites. Nurses in other states cannot enroll in these programs.
Who is Augusta best for?
May be a strong fit for
- Georgia residents who want an NP doctorate at public rates
- South Carolina nurses who want faculty-supervised clinicals
- Students who want more than 1,100 clinical hours
- BSN graduates without a year of RN experience
- Practicing NPs adding PMHNP or AGACNP
- Applicants who want to skip the GRE
Compare other options if
- You live outside Georgia or South Carolina
- You want an NP master’s degree
- You want to finish in under three years
- You want an FNP or PNP certificate in 2027
- You need a spring or summer doctoral start
- You want pediatric acute care
Compare more NP programs in Georgia
- Brenau University - Norcross
- Emory University - Atlanta
- Georgia College & State University - Milledgeville
- Georgia Southern University - Statesboro
- Georgia State University - Atlanta
- Mercer University - Atlanta
- South University - Savannah
- Valdosta State University - Valdosta