Bradley University’s Department of Nursing, in the College of Education and Health Sciences, offers four nurse practitioner population foci online: family (FNP), psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP), adult-gerontology primary care (AGPCNP), and adult-gerontology acute care (AGACNP). Each specialty has the same four entry points: RN-to-MSN, BSN-to-MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and a post-master’s certificate.
Three policies shape the decision more than any single specialty detail:
- RNs without a BSN can enter every specialty. Nurses with an associate degree, a diploma, or a non-nursing bachelor’s complete nine bridge credits inside the MSN instead of earning a separate BSN.
- Students find their own preceptors. Clinicals are completed locally, and the admission essay must name potential clinical mentors.
- One flat rate. Bradley charges $1,158 per credit to every online graduate student, with no residency difference, plus a $250 technology fee each semester.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | Department of Nursing, College of Education and Health Sciences |
| Location | Peoria, IL |
| NP Specialties | FNP, PMHNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP |
| Degree Options | RN to MSN, BSN to MSN, BSN to DNP, post-master’s certificate (all four specialties) |
| Format | Online; FNP adds one 2-day campus bootcamp |
| Clinical Placement | Student-identified preceptors, completed locally |
| RN Experience | No minimum published |
| Start Terms | Fall, spring, and summer |
| Tuition | $1,158 per credit, plus $250 per semester technology fee |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate); HLC |
Comparing Bradley’s NP programs
All four specialties share a graduate core of pathophysiology, health assessment, and pharmacology, then branch into specialty practicum courses. Credits and clinical hours differ by specialty and entry point.
| Pathway | Credits | Clinical hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | |||
| RN to MSN | 59 | 800 | ADN, diploma, or non-nursing bachelor’s |
| BSN to MSN | 50 | 750 | BSN |
| BSN to DNP | 71 | 1,000 | BSN |
| Post-master’s certificate | 35 | 750 | MSN |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) | |||
| RN to MSN | 60.5 | 800 | ADN, diploma, or non-nursing bachelor’s |
| BSN to MSN | 51 | 750 | BSN |
| BSN to DNP | 72 | 1,000 | BSN |
| Post-master’s certificate | 27–36 | 750 | MSN |
| Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPCNP) | |||
| RN to MSN | 56.5 | 750 | ADN, diploma, or non-nursing bachelor’s |
| BSN to MSN | 47 | 750 | BSN |
| BSN to DNP | 68 | 1,050 | BSN |
| Post-master’s certificate | 32 | 750 | MSN |
| Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) | |||
| RN to MSN | 56.5 | 750 | ADN, diploma, or non-nursing bachelor’s |
| BSN to MSN | 47 | 750 | BSN |
| BSN to DNP | 68 | 1,050 | BSN |
| Post-master’s certificate | 26–32 | 750 | MSN |
Figures follow Bradley’s online program pages, which are newer than some graduate catalog records. The FNP DNP credit total comes from the catalog, since the program page does not state one. The AGACNP certificate drops to 26 credits when recent pathophysiology and health assessment courses are waived.
What stands out about Bradley’s NP programs
- ADN entry in four specialties. No other Illinois school offers RN-to-MSN entry in more than one NP specialty.
- Almost no campus travel. PMHNP, AGPCNP, and AGACNP have no campus residency. FNP students attend one two-day bootcamp in Peoria.
- No experience gate. Bradley publishes no minimum RN experience, GRE, or interview for any NP track.
- Clinical hours published by course. FNP practicums escalate from 100 to 300 hours, and adult-gerontology practicums run 200, 200, and 300, so students can see when the clinical load peaks.
- Three starts a year. Fall, spring, and summer intakes, with deadlines of July 15, November 15, and April 15.
Which Bradley NP program fits your goal?
- FNP: Lifespan primary care, including a women’s and pediatric practicum block
- PMHNP: Psychiatric care across the lifespan, with a sub-specialty focus practicum
- AGPCNP: Primary care for adolescents, adults, and older adults
- AGACNP: Acute care of adults and older adults, for nurses who can secure hospital preceptors
Family Nurse Practitioner
Credits 35–71 · Clinical hours 750–1,000 · RN to MSN · MSN · DNP · Certificate
The MSN-FNP runs 50 credits from a BSN, about 2.7 years. Its specialty spine is four 6-credit primary care practicums organized by clinical problem: acute conditions, chronic conditions, women’s and pediatric care, and a final immersion. Practicum hours step up from 100 to 150, 200, and 300, so the last semester carries 40 percent of the 750-hour clinical load.
FNP is Bradley’s only NP specialty with required campus time: a two-day bootcamp in Peoria each October, completed before the final practicum. The BSN-to-DNP totals 1,000 clinical hours, including DNP project work.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Credits 27–72 · Clinical hours 750–1,000 · RN to MSN · MSN · DNP · Certificate
The PMHNP programs launched in 2021 and run fully online with no campus residency. The specialty sequence covers PMHNP roles, psychopharmacology and neurophysiology, psychiatric interviewing and differential diagnosis, and three practicums, the last focused on a sub-specialty.
The BSN-to-DNP runs 72 credits over about 3.7 years, with 1,000 total hours. The post-master’s certificate runs 27 to 36 credits depending on prior coursework.
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
Credits 32–68 · Clinical hours 750–1,050 · RN to MSN · MSN · DNP · Certificate
The BSN-to-MSN runs 47 credits over about seven semesters. Its specialty sequence is three 6-credit courses covering adolescents, adults, and older adults, with 200, 200, and 300 clinical hours, plus 50 practicum hours in diagnostic reasoning. Every entry point completes the same 750 hours.
The 32-credit certificate is the fastest route for MSN-prepared nurses, at about five semesters. Bradley does not require existing APRN certification, and it publishes no waiver policy for the AGPCNP certificate’s core courses.
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
Credits 26–68 · Clinical hours 750–1,050 · RN to MSN · MSN · DNP · Certificate
The BSN-to-MSN AGACNP mirrors the AGPCNP structure: 47 credits and three 6-credit practicum courses in acute care settings. It is fully online, and Bradley publishes no minimum acute care or ICU experience.
The certificate runs 32 credits, or 26 if recent advanced pathophysiology and health assessment courses are waived. Acute care preceptors are often harder to secure than primary care preceptors, and the search is the student’s.
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Each BSN-to-DNP keeps its specialty’s practicum sequence and replaces the MSN core with doctoral courses in nursing science, population health, research design, evidence-based practice, leadership, policy and ethics, informatics, and health care economics.
- Who can enter: RNs with a BSN; there is no MSN-to-DNP NP track
- Clinical hours: 1,000 (FNP, PMHNP) or 1,050 (AGPCNP, AGACNP), including 300 hours across a four-course DNP project
- Length: 10 to 11 semesters, with a seven-year completion limit
- Extra requirement: a portfolio, whose contents Bradley does not describe
Bradley’s MSN-to-DNP is a leadership degree and does not add NP certification eligibility. MSN-prepared nurses who want a new specialty use the certificate.
Post-graduate certificates
Bradley offers a post-master’s certificate in all four specialties, open to nurses with an accredited MSN.
- FNP: 35 credits, about two years
- PMHNP: 27 to 36 credits, about two years
- AGPCNP: 32 credits, about five semesters
- AGACNP: 32 credits, or 26 with waivers for recent coursework
Existing APRN certification is not required, so nurse educators and administrators with an MSN can apply. Certificate students complete the same practicum courses as degree students.
Clinical placement
Bradley students choose their own preceptors and clinical sites, subject to school approval, and complete practicums where they live.
- Before admission: the application essay must discuss potential clinical mentors
- Settings: primary care and outpatient for FNP and AGPCNP, mental health settings for PMHNP, and acute care for AGACNP
- Tracking: hours are logged in Typhon ($100)
- Support: Bradley publishes no placement guarantee or fallback if a site falls through
The trade-off is direct: students can train almost anywhere, but those without local preceptor contacts carry the full search.
Format and campus requirements
Coursework is asynchronous and online in every NP track. FNP is the only specialty with a campus requirement.
| Program | Format | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| PMHNP | Online | No campus residency |
| AGPCNP | Online | No campus residency |
| AGACNP | Online | No campus residency |
| FNP | Mostly Online | Two-day bootcamp in Peoria each October, before the final practicum |
Admissions
- Degree: a BSN for MSN and DNP entry; an ADN, diploma, or non-nursing bachelor’s for RN-to-MSN; an MSN for certificates
- GPA: 3.0 in the last 60 undergraduate semester hours, or across at least 12 graduate credits
- Licensure: a current, unencumbered RN license
- Experience: no minimum published
- Materials: an essay naming potential clinical mentors, two letters of recommendation, a CV, and a $40 fee; DNP applicants add a portfolio
- Deadlines: July 15 (fall), November 15 (spring), and April 15 (summer)
Bradley requires no GRE or interview. Applicants needing visa sponsorship cannot enroll in its online programs.
Tuition
Bradley charges one rate for all online graduate programs, with no in-state or out-of-state difference.
| Per credit | $1,158 |
| Technology fee, per semester (4+ credits) | $250 |
| Typhon clinical tracking, one time | $100 |
| Malpractice insurance, per year | $66 |
| Background check | Up to $118 |
| Pathway | Credits | Estimated Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| AGPCNP or AGACNP MSN | 47 | $54,426 |
| FNP MSN | 50 | $57,900 |
| PMHNP MSN | 51 | $59,058 |
| AGPCNP or AGACNP RN to MSN | 56.5 | $65,427 |
| FNP RN to MSN | 59 | $68,322 |
| PMHNP RN to MSN | 60.5 | $70,059 |
| AGPCNP or AGACNP DNP | 68 | $78,744 |
| FNP DNP | 71 | $82,218 |
| PMHNP DNP | 72 | $83,376 |
| Certificates | 26–36 | $30,108–$41,688 |
- Technology fee adds up: $1,250 to $2,500 over a full plan, depending on the number of semesters.
- Bridge credits: Bradley does not publish the rate for the nine undergraduate bridge credits, so RN-to-MSN estimates may run high.
- Other costs: books, proctoring, and FNP bootcamp travel are not included, and card payments carry a 2.95% fee.
These are NPPrograms.com estimates built from Bradley’s published rate and credit totals. Bradley notes that rates can change each academic year. See Bradley’s online tuition and fees.
Accreditation and certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits Bradley’s master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs. Bradley University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Graduates sit for certification by population focus: ANCC or AANP for FNP, AGPCNP, and PMHNP, and ANCC for AGACNP.
State authorization
Bradley participates in NC-SARA, but licensure alignment varies by specialty. Bradley reports that the AGACNP does not meet licensure requirements in California, Maryland, New Hampshire, Tennessee, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, and New York students cannot complete clinicals in New York. Because students study from home, confirm your state on Bradley’s state authorization page before applying.
Who is Bradley best for?
May be a strong fit for
- RNs with an associate degree or diploma who want one program from bridge to NP
- Nurses who want to avoid campus travel
- Nurses with local preceptor contacts
- Applicants without years of RN experience
- MSN-prepared nurses adding a specialty, with or without APRN certification
Compare other options if
- You want the school to arrange clinical placements
- You qualify for in-state public tuition
- You want an MSN-to-DNP that adds an NP specialty
- You live in a state where your chosen track is not licensure-eligible
Compare more NP programs in Illinois
- DePaul University - Chicago
- Loyola University Chicago - Chicago
- Rush University - Chicago
- University of Illinois Chicago - Chicago