Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) in Marion offers two nurse practitioner population foci: family (FNP) and psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP). Each is available through four entry points: ASN-to-MSN, MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and post-graduate certificate. Coursework is online, but every track requires at least one residency on campus.
Three policies shape the decision more than any single specialty detail:
- One rate for every state, locked at enrollment. Graduate courses cost $675 per credit and doctoral courses $859, whatever your residency. The rate holds only while you stay continuously enrolled.
- Associate-degree nurses can enter directly. IWU’s ASN-to-MSN is the only associate-degree NP entry point in Indiana, in either specialty. No BSN is awarded along the way.
- The curriculum is lock-step. Students take one course at a time in a fixed order. Failing a course triggers administrative withdrawal, and a second unsatisfactory grade means dismissal.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | School of Nursing |
| Location | Marion, IN |
| NP Specialties | FNP, PMHNP |
| Degree Options | ASN to MSN, MSN, BSN to DNP, and post-graduate certificate in both specialties |
| Format | Mostly online; one or more campus residencies in every track |
| Clinical Hours | FNP master’s 850 plus 800 patient encounters; PMHNP MSN 525 to 785 (sources differ); DNP 1,000 practicum |
| Clinical Placement | Practicum in the student’s own community; FNP students identify their own preceptors for school approval |
| RN Experience | 500 hours of direct patient care in the year before admission (master’s tracks) |
| Tuition | $675/credit graduate; $859/credit doctoral; $455/credit ASN bridge; same for all states |
| Faith Integration | Christian worldview integrated throughout coursework |
| Accreditation | CCNE (baccalaureate, master’s, DNP, post-graduate APRN certificate); HLC |
Comparing IWU’s NP programs
Both specialties share one structure. The MSN pairs a 9-credit nursing core with a 40-credit specialty block for 49 credits. The ASN-to-MSN adds 17 undergraduate bridge credits for 66. The BSN-to-DNP replaces the master’s core with doctoral coursework for 76 credits. The certificates keep only the specialty courses: 26 credits for FNP and 32 for PMHNP.
| Pathway | Credits | Clinical hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | |||
| ASN to MSN | 66 | 850 | ASN; 3.0 GPA |
| MSN | 49 | 850 | BSN; 3.25 GPA; 500 recent RN hours |
| BSN to DNP | 76 | 1,000 | BSN; 3.25 GPA; narrative |
| Post-graduate certificate | 26 | 850 | MSN or nursing doctorate |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) | |||
| ASN to MSN | 66 | 820 | ASN; 3.0 GPA |
| MSN | 49 | 525 to 785 | BSN; 3.25 GPA; 500 recent RN hours |
| BSN to DNP | 76 | 1,000 | BSN; 3.25 GPA; narrative |
| Post-graduate certificate | 32 | Not published | MSN or nursing doctorate |
DNP practicum hours may include faculty-approved work or projects, so they are not all direct patient care. Master’s-level hours are supervised practicum hours.
What stands out about IWU’s NP programs
- The only associate-degree entry in Indiana. ADN-prepared nurses can reach FNP or PMHNP preparation without a separate BSN, with bridge credits billed at the lower $455 undergraduate rate.
- Four entry points in both specialties. No other Indiana school offers each specialty as an ASN-to-MSN, MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and certificate.
- A patient-encounter quota for FNP. FNP master’s students must document 800 encounters, including 350 adult (40 in women’s health) and 150 pediatric, on top of 850 hours.
- The highest MSN clinical total in Indiana. The FNP’s 850 practicum hours are the most among the state’s MSN programs.
- Out-of-state students pay no premium. One national rate applies, unlike Purdue, IU, and Indiana State, where non-residents pay far more.
Which IWU NP program fits your goal?
Family Nurse Practitioner
All three master’s-level FNP tracks require 850 practicum hours and 800 documented patient encounters, with one residency weekend in Marion during advanced health assessment. The MSN overview cites 700 hours, but the graduation requirements and catalog both state 850. The certificate drops the credit load to 26 but keeps all 850 hours, so it shortens coursework, not clinical time. Students identify their own preceptors and sites; the School of Nursing approves each one, and faculty visit sites during clinical courses.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The PMHNP MSN page lists a 525-hour minimum, but the catalog’s course descriptions add to 785, and the ASN-to-MSN page lists 820 for the same graduate courses. Ask IWU which figure governs. The MSN and ASN-to-MSN require an onsite advanced health assessment residency and two intensives. IWU also uses live psychiatric evaluations with trained actors. PMHNP pages state that clinicals happen in the student’s community but do not say who secures the sites.
ASN to MSN
The ASN-to-MSN adds five undergraduate bridge courses (17 credits) before the same 49-credit MSN. It takes about 41 months for FNP and 45 months for PMHNP, and must be finished within five years. Admission requires an associate degree in nursing with a 3.0 GPA. For FNP, the 500-hour recent-practice requirement applies when students enter the graduate portion, not at application.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Each MSN runs 49 credits, about 28 months for FNP, and must be completed within four years. Nursing core courses require a C or better and specialty courses a B or better. RNs with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and at least 10 years of recent practice may apply through a portfolio review.
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Both BSN-to-DNP tracks run 76 credits over about 48 months, with a 78-month limit. They require 1,000 practicum hours, three onsite residencies tied to the DNP project, and a B or better in every course. The PMHNP track adds a two-day onsite intensive in its final course, and IWU’s FNP catalog lists a fourth residency, so confirm the count before budgeting travel. Admission is capped, and applicants submit a resume and a practice narrative instead of routine references.
Post-graduate certificates
The FNP certificate runs 26 credits and the PMHNP certificate 32. Both require a master’s or doctorate in nursing, and students may only add a specialty they do not already hold. The FNP certificate assumes prior advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment; nurses without them take those courses at extra cost. IWU lists the FNP certificate at both 16 and 28 months and the PMHNP certificate at about two years. FNP certificate starts are January, May, and August.
Clinical placement
Practicum hours are completed in the student’s own community. For FNP, students identify preceptors and sites, the School of Nursing vets and approves them, and faculty conduct site visits during each clinical course. IWU’s PMHNP pages do not state who secures sites. Students must hold an active, unencumbered RN license in every state where they complete practicum hours, and a second background check and drug screen are required before the first practicum course.
Format and campus requirements
IWU markets its NP programs as online, but every track requires travel to Marion. FNP master’s tracks require one residency weekend. PMHNP master’s tracks require a residency plus two intensives. The BSN-to-DNP requires at least three residencies, and residency attendance is mandatory.
Admissions
- Degree and GPA: ASN with a 3.0 GPA (ASN-to-MSN); BSN with a 3.25 GPA, or conditional admission at 2.75 (MSN) or 3.0 (DNP).
- Experience: 500 hours of direct patient care in the year before admission for master’s NP tracks.
- License: every nursing license held, active or inactive, must be unencumbered.
- Documents: three professional references for master’s tracks; resume and a two- to three-page narrative for the DNP.
- Screening: background check at the student’s expense, plus a second check and drug screen before practicum.
Tuition
IWU charges $675 per graduate credit, $859 per doctoral credit, and $455 per undergraduate bridge credit, regardless of state of residence. The rate is locked while students remain continuously enrolled in the same program.
| Pathway | Credits | FNP | PMHNP |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASN to MSN | 66 | $40,810 | $40,810 |
| MSN | 49 | $33,075 | $33,075 |
| BSN to DNP | 76 | $65,284 | $65,284 |
| Post-graduate certificate | 26 / 32 | $17,550 | $21,600 |
Totals are derived from published rates; IWU publishes no program totals. The ASN-to-MSN figure assumes 17 bridge credits at $455 and 49 graduate credits at $675. Resource and service fees, residency travel, and prerequisite courses are extra. DNP students who do not finish the project on schedule pay $859 plus a $500 advisor fee for each continuation course, up to seven.
Accreditation and certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredits IWU’s baccalaureate, master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs, so every NP track is covered. Indiana Wesleyan University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
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.
State authorization
IWU’s professional licensure disclosures vary by track. The BSN-to-DNP PMHNP disclosure lists all 50 states as meeting licensure requirements. The ASN-to-MSN FNP disclosure confirms only Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio and lists the remaining states as not yet determined. Nurses outside those five states should check the disclosure for their exact track before applying.
Who is IWU best for?
May be a strong fit for
- Associate-degree nurses who want to reach NP preparation without a separate BSN
- Out-of-state nurses who want one price regardless of residency
- FNP students who want required clinical breadth through an encounter quota
- Nurses who want a Christian, faith-integrated program
- Nurses who can commit to continuous, one-course-at-a-time study
Compare other options if
- You want the school to arrange clinical placements
- You are an Indiana resident looking for the lowest-cost doctorate
- You cannot travel to Marion for residencies
- You expect to pause your studies
- You need acute care, adult-gerontology, or pediatric preparation
Compare more NP programs in Indiana
- Indiana State University - Terre Haute
- Indiana University - Indianapolis
- Purdue University - West Lafayette
- University of Indianapolis - Indianapolis
- University of Southern Indiana - Evansville