The University of Florida (UF) College of Nursing offers five nurse practitioner population focuses: family (FNP), psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP), adult-gerontology acute care (AGACNP), pediatric primary care (PNP-PC), and pediatric acute care (PNP-AC). It also offers a dual pediatric acute and primary care track. Every NP specialty runs through one BSN to DNP program in Gainesville. An MSN to DNP completes the doctorate for nurses who are already APRNs.
All six tracks share the same DNP core, per-credit rate, placement model, and admissions cycle. Three policies shape the decision more than any single specialty detail:
- The doctorate is the only NP route. UF lists no NP master’s and no post-graduate APRN certificate. Every new NP student enters the BSN to DNP.
- Clinicals stay in Florida. UF places students at Florida sites matched to their area when possible, but students must be able to travel within the state.
- Only acute care requires RN experience. AGACNP and PNP-AC require a year of qualifying acute care practice at application. UF publishes no experience requirement for FNP, PMHNP, or PNP-PC.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | UF College of Nursing |
| Location | Gainesville, FL |
| NP Specialties | FNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, PNP-PC, PNP-AC, plus a dual pediatric acute and primary care track |
| Degree Options | BSN to DNP in every specialty; MSN to DNP for practicing APRNs (no new specialty) |
| Format | Mostly Online: online coursework with a one-day orientation and periodic Gainesville visits |
| Clinical Placement | Placed by UF at Florida sites, matched to the student’s area when possible |
| Entry Points | RN with a BSN (BSN to DNP); APRN with an MSN (MSN to DNP) |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| RN License | Florida or multistate RN license, or eligibility for one |
| Tuition (2026-27) | $532.52 per credit for Florida residents; $1,449.28 for nonresidents |
| Accreditation | CCNE |
Comparing UF’s NP programs
Every track starts with the same three-semester core in theory, pathophysiology, health promotion, statistics, pharmacotherapeutics, research, assessment, leadership, and informatics. Specialty coursework begins in the fourth semester. Because UF charges one per-credit rate, cost differences come only from credit totals.
| Pathway | Credits | Clinical hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 75 | 1,260 | BSN; no experience requirement published |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 76 | 1,260 | BSN; no experience requirement published |
| Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 76 | 1,260 | BSN and 1 year of ICU or ED experience |
| Pediatric Primary Care (PNP-PC) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 78 | 1,260 | BSN; no experience requirement published |
| Pediatric Acute Care (PNP-AC) | |||
| BSN to DNP | 78 | 1,260 | BSN and 1 year of pediatric acute care |
| Dual PNP-AC/PC | 93 | 1,740 | Apply after admission to the DNP |
Credits and clinical hours come from UF’s 2024 full-time curriculum plans. Clinical totals include residency, DNP project, and practicum hours, not only specialty patient care.
What stands out about UF’s NP programs
- Florida’s widest NP lineup. Five population focuses at one school, more than any other Florida university, including both of the state’s only pediatric acute care tracks.
- Public doctoral pricing. Florida residents pay about $40,000 to $42,000 for a single-focus DNP, all fees included in the per-credit rate.
- School-placed clinicals. UF assigns sites across rural, community, and urban Florida settings, and pediatric acute care students train at UF Health Shands Hospital for Children.
- Unit-level experience rules. UF names which units count for acute care admission. Step-down, intermediate care, and PACU do not count for AGACNP, and mother-baby does not count for pediatric acute care.
- A steep nonresident premium. Nonresidents pay about 2.7 times the resident rate, which pushes a single-focus DNP past $108,000.
Which UF NP program fits your goal?
- FNP: Primary care across the lifespan; the shortest track at 75 credits
- PMHNP: Psychiatric evaluation, prescribing, and psychotherapy across the lifespan
- AGACNP: Acute and critical care of hospitalized adults, for experienced ICU and ED nurses
- PNP-PC: Well-child, preventive, and chronic care from birth through young adulthood
- PNP-AC: Acute, complex, and critical pediatric illness in hospital settings
- Dual PNP-AC/PC: Both pediatric certifications in one doctorate, at the cost of 15 more credits
Family Nurse Practitioner
Credits 75 · Clinical hours 1,260 · BSN to DNP
The FNP track prepares students for primary care of individuals and families across the lifespan, from health promotion to managing acute and chronic conditions. The full-time plan runs eight semesters, with specialty clinical courses beginning in the fifth.
UF publishes no RN experience requirement for FNP. It offers FNP only as a doctorate, so nurses who want an FNP master’s or certificate need another school. Graduates are eligible for certification through the ANCC or AANP.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Credits 76 · Clinical hours 1,260 · BSN to DNP
The PMHNP track covers psychiatric evaluation, psychotropic prescribing, and individual, family, and group therapy. Clinical sites span rural, community, and urban mental health settings across Florida.
No prior RN experience requirement is published. Graduates are eligible for ANCC PMHNP certification.
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
Credits 76 · Clinical hours 1,260 · BSN to DNP
The AGACNP track prepares students to manage adults with acute, critical, and complex chronic illness, mostly in high-acuity inpatient settings. Coursework includes diagnostics and procedures for the critically ill.
Applicants need at least one year of ICU or emergency department experience by the application deadline. Intermediate care, step-down, and PACU do not count, and CCRN certification is strongly recommended. Graduates are eligible for certification through the ANCC or AACN.
Pediatric Primary Care
Credits 78 · Clinical hours 1,260 · BSN to DNP
The PNP-PC track covers well-child care and the prevention and management of common acute and chronic conditions from birth through young adulthood. Specialty clinicals run through three levels of advanced child health nursing.
No RN experience requirement is published. Graduates are eligible for PNCB certification (CPNP-PC).
Pediatric Acute Care
Credits 78 (93 dual) · Clinical hours 1,260 (1,740 dual) · BSN to DNP
The PNP-AC track prepares students to care for children with acute, complex, critical, and chronic illness, from ICUs and emergency departments to specialty clinics. Clinical experiences draw on UF Health Shands Hospital for Children.
Applicants need at least one year of pediatric acute care experience, with ICU or ED preferred. Qualifying units include pediatric med-surg, PICU, pediatric cardiac ICU, hematology-oncology, pediatric ED, transplant, and NICU; mother-baby does not count. Graduates are eligible for PNCB certification (CPNP-AC).
The dual pediatric track combines the primary care and acute care sequences in one doctorate, for 93 credits and 1,740 clinical hours. Its full-time plan runs 11 semesters. Students apply to the dual track after admission to the DNP, in the spring before clinical courses begin, and graduates are eligible for both PNCB exams.
MSN to DNP for practicing APRNs
UF’s MSN to DNP completes the doctorate for nurses who already hold an APRN master’s. It does not add a new NP population.
- Eligibility: an APRN master’s in nursing and an active Florida or multistate APRN license
- Length: 35 credits over five part-time semesters
- Format: online with minimal campus attendance; students must practice as NPs during the program
- Starts: fall (February 1 deadline) and spring (November 1 deadline)
- Estimated tuition: about $18,600 for Florida residents at the 2026-27 rate
UF lists no post-graduate APRN certificate, so APRNs who want to add a new population focus need another school.
Clinical placement
UF places BSN to DNP students at Florida clinical sites and tailors them to each student’s geographic area when it can. Students do not search for their own preceptors.
- Geography: every placement is in Florida. A student unable to travel to an assigned site may be delayed in the curriculum.
- Timing: clinical hours begin in the fourth semester and build to the final-semester practicum and residency.
- Costs: UF budgets $300 to $500 for travel to clinical sites and campus visits across the program.
The practical trade-off: students give up control over location in exchange for not finding preceptors, and anyone who cannot complete rotations inside Florida has no workable path.
Format and campus requirements
| Program | Format | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| BSN to DNP (all tracks) | Mostly Online | One-day new student orientation plus periodic Gainesville visits for health assessment, simulation, and skills |
| MSN to DNP | Mostly Online | Online coursework with minimal campus attendance |
UF does not publish a count of the periodic campus visits. The BSN to DNP runs in eight full-time semesters (11 for the dual track), and part-time plans are available for every track.
Admissions
All BSN to DNP tracks use one application through NursingCAS plus UF’s Professional Program Application. Applicants choose a specialty at application, except for the dual pediatric track.
- Degree: a BSN from an ACEN-, CNEA-, or CCNE-accredited program
- GPA: 3.0 minimum
- Licensure: a current, unencumbered Florida or multistate RN license, or eligibility for one
- Experience: required only for AGACNP (ICU or ED) and PNP-AC (pediatric acute care), one year each at application
- Materials: three letters of reference, a CV or résumé, and transcripts sent to NursingCAS
- Testing: no GRE
- Visa: F-1 and J-1 sponsorship is not available
The BSN to DNP admits once a year for fall, with a February 1 deadline. Applications for fall 2027 opened in September 2026. Admitted students complete a background check, fingerprinting, drug screening, immunizations, and proof of health insurance.
Tuition
UF charges graduate students one per-credit rate that already includes tuition and university fees. Nursing has no differential rate, so every NP track pays the same amount per credit.
| Florida resident, per credit (2026-27) | $532.52 |
| Nonresident, per credit (2026-27) | $1,449.28 |
| Course services and simulation (base, plus $150–$365 by track) | $504 |
| Equipment kit (select tracks) | $400 |
| Textbooks, across the program | $3,800–$4,400 |
| Student health insurance, per year (waivable) | $3,039 |
Per-credit rates are from the UF 2026-27 tuition and fees schedule. The College of Nursing’s expense page still lists 2025-26 rates ($530.69 and $1,327.88).
| Track | Credits | Florida Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|---|
| FNP | 75 | $39,939 | $108,696 |
| PMHNP | 76 | $40,472 | $110,145 |
| AGACNP | 76 | $40,472 | $110,145 |
| PNP-PC | 78 | $41,537 | $113,044 |
| PNP-AC | 78 | $41,537 | $113,044 |
| Dual PNP-AC/PC | 93 | $49,524 | $134,783 |
- Specialty barely changes the price: the five single-focus tracks fall within about $1,600 of each other for residents.
- Residency changes it a lot: nonresidents pay roughly $69,000 to $85,000 more for the same degree.
- The dual track costs extra: about $8,000 more than a single pediatric focus at the resident rate.
These are NPPrograms.com estimates, not UF-published program costs. They apply 2026-27 rates to every credit and exclude living costs and future increases. Aid is listed on the College of Nursing costs and financial aid page.
Accreditation and certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits UF’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program. The University of Florida is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Certification follows the population focus: ANCC or AANP for FNP, ANCC for PMHNP, ANCC or AACN for AGACNP, and PNCB for both pediatric tracks. Dual track graduates are eligible for both the CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC exams.
State authorization
UF accepts a Florida or multistate RN license, but every BSN to DNP clinical placement is in Florida, so enrollment is practical only for nurses living in or able to travel within the state. Graduates planning to practice outside Florida should confirm with UF that the program meets that state’s APRN education requirements.
Who is UF best for?
May be a strong fit for
- Florida residents who want a DNP at public-university pricing
- BSN nurses comparing several NP specialties at one school
- Newer nurses aiming for FNP, PMHNP, or PNP-PC without an experience requirement
- ICU, ED, and pediatric acute care nurses seeking acute care preparation
- Nurses who want both pediatric certifications in one program
- Students who want clinical placements arranged for them
Compare other options if
- You want an NP master’s or a faster route to certification
- You are an APRN adding a new population through a certificate
- You want adult-gerontology primary care preparation
- You live outside Florida or cannot travel within it for rotations
- You would pay nonresident tuition
- You come from step-down, PACU, or mother-baby units and want acute care
Compare more NP programs in Florida
- Florida Atlantic University - Boca Raton
- Florida Southern College - Lakeland
- University of Central Florida - Orlando
- University of Miami - Coral Gables
- University of South Florida - Tampa