The University of Southern Indiana (USI) in Evansville offers three nurse practitioner population foci: family (FNP), psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP), and adult-gerontology acute care (AGACNP). Each specialty is available as an MSN, a BSN-to-DNP, and a post-master’s certificate, and all three are delivered online.
Three policies shape the decision more than any single specialty detail:
- Out-of-state online students pay only $50 more per credit. Indiana and Kentucky residents pay $446.94 per credit, and online non-residents pay $496.94. A program fee of $100 per credit (MSN and certificate) or $150 (DNP) applies on top.
- Students find their own preceptors. USI does not arrange placements. A clinical liaison approves each site, and a signed agreement is required before hours begin.
- Enrollment is limited to approved states. Moving to an unapproved state during the program ends progression, with an exception only for active military.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | Kinney College of Nursing and Health Professions |
| Location | Evansville, IN |
| NP Specialties | FNP, PMHNP, AGACNP |
| Degree Options | MSN, BSN to DNP, and post-master’s certificate in all three specialties |
| Format | Online; the catalog notes possible campus visits for competency checks, with no count published |
| Clinical Hours | 750 direct hours in FNP and AGACNP; PMHNP total not published |
| Clinical Placement | Student-secured, with liaison approval and a signed clinical agreement |
| RN Experience | One year or 2,000 hours recommended, not required |
| Tuition | $446.94/credit resident and Kentucky reciprocity; $496.94 online non-resident; plus $100 to $150/credit program fee |
| Start Terms | MSN: January, May, August. DNP: August. Certificate: May. |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s, DNP, post-graduate certificate); HLC |
Comparing USI’s NP programs
Every specialty uses the same structure: a 16-credit nursing core, a 9-credit clinical core in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment, and a 19-credit specialty block. The MSN combines all three for 44 credits. The certificate drops the nursing core for 28 credits. The BSN-to-DNP adds 36 doctoral credits for 72, with the same specialty courses renumbered.
| Pathway | Credits | Clinical hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | |||
| MSN | 44 | 750 | BSN; 3.0 GPA; statistics |
| BSN to DNP | 72 | 750 + DNP practice | BSN; 3.0 GPA; statistics |
| Post-master’s certificate | 28 | 750 | MSN; up to 9 credits may transfer |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) | |||
| MSN | 44 | Not published | BSN; 3.0 GPA; statistics |
| BSN to DNP | 72 | Not published | BSN; 3.0 GPA; statistics |
| Post-master’s certificate | 28 | Not published | MSN; up to 9 credits may transfer |
| Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) | |||
| MSN | 44 | 750 | BSN; 3.0 GPA; statistics |
| BSN to DNP | 72 | 750 + DNP practice | BSN; 3.0 GPA; statistics |
| Post-master’s certificate | 28 | 750 | MSN; up to 9 credits may transfer |
Clinical hours are direct patient care hours. The DNP adds indirect practice hours tied to the DNP project, which USI does not quantify.
What stands out about USI’s NP programs
- Near-resident pricing for out-of-state nurses. The online non-resident rate is $50 per credit above the Indiana rate, so a 44-credit MSN costs an out-of-state nurse about $2,200 more in total, not three times as much.
- Every specialty at every level. USI is the only Indiana school offering FNP, PMHNP, and AGACNP each as an MSN, a BSN-to-DNP, and a certificate.
- No required RN experience. A year of experience is recommended but not required, so BSN graduates can apply directly, including to AGACNP.
- Online acute care. USI is Indiana’s only AGACNP program that lists no campus visits.
- A written telehealth policy. Up to 75 telehealth hours (10% of the total) count, but only when the student and preceptor are together at the approved site.
Which USI NP program fits your goal?
Family Nurse Practitioner
The 44-credit MSN carries 750 direct clinical hours across three primary care courses (200, 250, and 300 hours). USI’s track overview cites 630 hours, but the course descriptions and the telehealth cap both support 750. The specialty sequence starts each summer, so January and August entrants complete core coursework first. The BSN-to-DNP and certificate use the same specialty courses and the same 750 hours.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The PMHNP follows the same 44-, 72-, and 28-credit structure, with a three-course Psychiatric Mental Health Care of Families Across the Lifespan sequence and a psychopharmacology course. USI labels its doctorate a Family PMHNP. USI does not publish a PMHNP clinical hour total, so request it before comparing with other programs.
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
The AGACNP MSN, DNP, and certificate carry 750 direct clinical hours and list no campus visits. USI recommends, but does not require, a year of RN experience, making it the only Indiana AGACNP program a nurse can enter straight from a BSN. For 2026–27, the MSN grew from 42 to 44 credits and the DNP dropped from 78 to 72, so older catalogs may show different totals.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Each MSN runs 44 credits, about 2.5 to 3 years part-time, with starts in January, May, and August. Every course requires a B or better. The clinical core courses run in a fixed fall-spring-summer order and gate entry to the specialty sequence.
Doctor of Nursing Practice
BSN-to-DNP tracks run 72 credits over four to five years and admit in August only. The doctorate drops three MSN core courses and adds doctoral coursework in writing, evidence appraisal, applied statistics, population health, resource utilization, and project planning, plus a three-course DNP project sequence. Students do not earn an MSN along the way, and the direct clinical requirement matches the MSN.
Post-graduate certificates
All three certificates run 28 credits and admit in May only. Up to 9 graduate credits may transfer, which covers the clinical core, but specialty courses must be completed at USI. Transfer requires syllabus review and approval, even for practicing NPs. Certificate students complete the same clinical hours as degree students in a shorter calendar.
Clinical placement
Students identify their own preceptors and sites in their home area. A university clinical liaison must approve each preceptor and site, and a signed clinical education agreement must be in place before hours begin. USI asks students without a preceptor to contact faculty at least six weeks before the term starts. Faculty validate competency through virtual sessions, site visits, or preceptor calls.
Students must hold an unencumbered RN license in every state where they practice, including the state where any telehealth patient is located.
Format and campus requirements
USI markets all three specialties as 100% online. The catalog notes that students may be required to visit campus to demonstrate clinical competency, but USI publishes no visit count or schedule. Nurses who cannot travel to Evansville should confirm this before enrolling.
Admissions
- Degree and GPA: BSN from a nationally accredited program with a 3.0 cumulative GPA, calculated on the full BSN transcript including RN-completion coursework.
- Statistics: undergraduate statistics with a C or better, completed before applying.
- License: unencumbered U.S. RN license in all states of practice.
- Experience: one year full-time or 2,000 hours in the past five years recommended, not required.
- Documents: $40 application fee and transcripts; DNP applicants add a résumé, and certificate applicants add three references.
- Residency: online enrollment is limited to approved states listed on USI’s professional licensure disclosure page.
Tuition
USI charges $446.94 per credit for Indiana residents and Kentucky residents under reciprocity, $496.94 for online non-residents, and $875.33 for standard non-residents in 2026–27. Every nursing credit also carries a program fee of $100 for the MSN and $150 for the DNP.
| Pathway | Credits | Indiana / KY | Online non-resident |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN (any specialty) | 44 | $24,065 | $26,265 |
| BSN to DNP (any specialty) | 72 | $42,980 | $46,580 |
| Post-master’s certificate | 28 | $15,314 | $16,714 |
Totals are derived from USI’s published rates and include program fees; USI publishes no program totals. The fee schedule lists no certificate program fee, so these figures apply the $100 MSN fee. USI marks its online non-resident rate as varying by program, so confirm that your track qualifies. Per-semester university fees and course software, including i-Human, a board review package, and Typhon, are extra.
Accreditation and certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredits USI’s master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs, so all three credentials are covered. The University of Southern Indiana is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, with a reaccreditation visit scheduled for February 2027.
FNP graduates sit for national certification through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board or the American Nurses Credentialing Center. PMHNP graduates certify through the ANCC, and AGACNP graduates are eligible for the ANCC AGACNP-BC or the AACN ACNPC-AG exam.
State authorization
USI enrolls online graduate nursing students only from approved states and requires an unencumbered RN license in every state of practice. Students who move to a state USI does not recognize cannot continue coursework, except for active military. Check USI’s professional licensure disclosure page before applying, especially for a four- to five-year doctorate.
Who is USI best for?
May be a strong fit for
- Out-of-state nurses who want public pricing with a small online premium
- Kentucky nurses, who pay the Indiana rate under reciprocity
- BSN graduates who want acute care without an experience requirement
- Nurses who need fully online coursework
- Nurses with existing preceptor connections
Compare other options if
- You want the school to arrange clinical placements
- You live in a state USI does not approve, or may relocate
- You want a doctorate that finishes in about three years
- You need a published PMHNP clinical hour total
- You need adult-gerontology primary care or pediatrics
Compare more NP programs in Indiana
- Indiana State University - Terre Haute
- Indiana University - Indianapolis
- Indiana Wesleyan University - Marion
- Purdue University - West Lafayette
- University of Indianapolis - Indianapolis