The University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies offers four nurse practitioner population focuses: family (FNP), adult-gerontology primary care (AGPCNP), adult-gerontology acute care (AGACNP), and psychiatric-mental health (PMHNP). FNP, AGPCNP, and AGACNP run as an MSN, a BSN to DNP, and a post-master’s certificate. PMHNP is offered only as a hybrid post-master’s certificate for board-certified nurse practitioners.
Degree programs are taught on the Coral Gables campus and priced as block tuition per semester. Three policies shape the decision more than any single specialty detail:
- A one-year MSN. Full-time master’s students finish in three consecutive semesters, the fastest NP master’s in Florida.
- The school finds the preceptors. Miami identifies sites and preceptors through more than 200 clinical partners, including the University of Miami Health System.
- Private pricing with no residency discount. Every MSN costs $46,647 and every BSN to DNP $94,000 in tuition, regardless of specialty or state.
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Nursing School | School of Nursing and Health Studies |
| Location | Coral Gables, FL |
| NP Specialties | FNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, PMHNP |
| Degree Options | MSN, BSN to DNP, and post-master’s certificate (FNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP); post-master’s certificate only (PMHNP); MSN to DNP for APRNs |
| Format | Campus for degree programs; PMHNP certificate is hybrid |
| Clinical Placement | Program identifies preceptors and sites; faculty coordinate rotations |
| Entry Points | RN with a BSN (MSN, BSN to DNP); board-certified APRN with an NP-track master’s (certificates) |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| RN License | Florida or compact RN license (FNP); Florida or state of current practice (AGPCNP, AGACNP degrees) |
| Tuition (2026-27) | $46,647 per MSN; $94,000 per BSN to DNP; $1,500 per credit for certificates |
| Accreditation | CCNE through 2031 (MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate) |
Comparing Miami’s NP programs
Every MSN carries 616 clinical hours, and every BSN to DNP adds 560 practice immersion and project hours for 1,176. Because tuition is billed by the semester, the three degree specialties cost the same despite small differences in credits.
| Pathway | Credits | Clinical hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | |||
| MSN | 38 | 616 | BSN; no experience required |
| BSN to DNP | 71 | 1,176 | BSN; no experience required |
| Post-master’s certificate | 18–21 | Not published | Board-certified NP |
| Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPCNP) | |||
| MSN | 35 | 616 | BSN; no experience required |
| BSN to DNP | 68 | 1,176 | BSN; no experience required |
| Post-master’s certificate | 16–19 | Not published | Board-certified NP |
| Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) | |||
| MSN | 37 | 616 | BSN and 1 year of critical care |
| BSN to DNP | 70 | 1,176 | BSN and 1 year of critical care |
| Post-master’s certificate | 20 | 616 | Board-certified NP and 1 year of critical care |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) | |||
| Post-master’s certificate | 18 | Not published | Board-certified NP with a Florida APRN license |
Credits and hours are from Miami’s plans of study and program pages. FNP and AGPCNP certificate credits vary because one adult-gerontology course runs 4 to 7 credits depending on prior preparation. Miami counts 28 health assessment lab hours separately from clinical hours.
What stands out about Miami’s NP programs
- Speed. A full-time MSN starting in August reaches certification eligibility the following summer, about a year ahead of most Florida master’s programs.
- Arranged placements at an academic health system. Miami identifies preceptors and sites through partners including UHealth and Jackson Health System, with no preceptorship fees.
- Room for new graduates. FNP and AGPCNP require no RN work experience, so recent BSN and accelerated BSN graduates can apply.
- Accredited simulation. Students train in S.H.A.R.E., a 41,000-square-foot simulation hospital accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.
- A costly repeat policy. A failed or dropped course waits until it is next offered, usually a year later, and is billed again per credit on top of block tuition.
Which Miami NP program fits your goal?
- FNP: Primary care across the lifespan, with pediatric and maternal-women’s health clinicals
- AGPCNP: Primary care from young adulthood through older age, with the shortest MSN at 35 credits
- AGACNP: Acute and critical care of adults, for nurses with a year of critical care experience
- PMHNP: A hybrid psychiatric certificate for nurse practitioners adding a second certification
Family Nurse Practitioner
Credits 38–71 · Clinical hours 616–1,176 · MSN · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The FNP MSN runs 38 credits in three full-time semesters or five part-time. Clinical work starts in the first semester with a 168-hour adult-gerontology course. It continues through pediatric and maternal-women’s health clinicals to a 224-hour integration practicum. The BSN to DNP adds a doctoral core and two practice immersions for 71 credits.
No RN experience is required, and applicants need a Florida or compact RN license. The 18- to 21-credit certificate is the MSN’s clinical core for board-certified NPs, with all clinicals in Florida. Graduates are eligible for AANP or ANCC certification.
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
Credits 35–68 · Clinical hours 616–1,176 · MSN · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The AGPCNP MSN is Miami’s shortest NP degree at 35 credits. All 616 clinical hours sit in a three-course adult-gerontology sequence across primary care and specialty settings. The BSN to DNP runs 68 credits, and full-time students reach their first AGPCNP clinical in the fourth semester.
No RN experience is required. The 16- to 19-credit certificate is open to board-certified NPs whose master’s included an NP track, with clinicals in Florida. Graduates are eligible for ANCC or AANP certification.
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
Credits 20–70 · Clinical hours 616–1,176 · MSN · BSN to DNP · Certificate
The AGACNP MSN runs 37 credits. Its 616 specialty hours cover ICUs, CCUs, emergency departments, transplant units, trauma centers, and rapid response teams in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The BSN to DNP runs 70 credits. The 20-credit certificate covers the same four specialty courses and 616 hours.
Applicants need a year of critical care experience; step-down, intermediate care, ER, urgent care, and flight nursing count, and other units are reviewed individually. BLS and ACLS are required. Graduates are eligible for ANCC or AACN certification.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Credits 18 · Clinical hours Not published · Post-master’s certificate
Miami’s PMHNP certificate is a hybrid, lock-step program for board-certified nurse practitioners, including FNPs, AGNPs, and PNPs, seeking a second certification. It requires a Florida APRN license and prior graduate pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment.
The 18 credits cover psychopharmacology, theory, therapeutic interventions, and two preceptorships spanning individual, group, and family therapy. Miami is accepting applications for spring 2027. It does not publish clinical hours or a certificate-specific cost. Graduates are eligible for ANCC PMHNP certification. Miami offers no PMHNP master’s or doctorate.
MSN to DNP for practicing APRNs
Miami’s MSN to DNP completes the doctorate for nurses who already hold a master’s. It does not add a population focus. APRNs who want a new specialty use the post-master’s certificates instead.
Clinical placement
Miami’s program identifies preceptors and sites, and clinical faculty coordinate each student’s rotations. Students may suggest new sites and preceptors if they are approved well in advance.
- Network: more than 200 clinical partners, including the University of Miami Health System and Jackson Health System.
- Geography: AGACNP clinicals are in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, and all certificate clinicals must be completed in Florida.
- Clearance: any infraction on the FBI background report rescinds the admission offer, however it was resolved.
The practical trade-off: students skip the preceptor search but must live within reach of South Florida sites.
Format and campus requirements
| Program | Format | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| MSN, full-time | Campus | Two full class days a week, which may run into evenings, plus one to two clinical days |
| MSN, part-time | Campus | Two half-days or two evenings of class a week plus one to two clinical days |
| BSN to DNP | Campus | Coral Gables coursework; part-time students take classes on a reduced schedule |
| PMHNP certificate | Hybrid | Online and on-campus coursework with Florida clinicals |
All students complete a zero-credit online Advanced Practice Preparation course before matriculation. Full-time students are strongly discouraged from working.
Admissions
Applications go through NursingCAS, and applicants may apply to only one School of Nursing and Health Studies program per cycle. Review is rolling.
- Degree: a BSN from a regionally accredited institution; direct-entry master’s holders are ineligible
- GPA: 3.0 minimum cumulative undergraduate
- Prerequisite: an introductory statistics course
- Materials: three recommendations (at least one academic), a statement of purpose, and a CV; interviews at faculty discretion
- MSN entry: full-time starts in fall (June 1 deadline); part-time starts in spring (October 1 deadline)
- BSN to DNP entry: fall only for both paces, with a June 1 deadline
- Deposit: $1,500 non-refundable within two weeks of admission, applied to first-semester tuition
Tuition
Miami bills the MSN and BSN to DNP as block tuition per semester, so part-time students pay the same total as full-time students over more terms. Certificates are billed at $1,500 per credit. Residency does not change the price.
| MSN, per semester (full-time / part-time) | $15,549 / $9,329 |
| BSN to DNP, per semester (full-time / part-time) | $15,666 / $7,833 |
| Post-master’s certificates, per credit | $1,500 |
| MSN nursing and preparation fees | $1,770 |
| DNP orientation fee | $600 |
Rates are from Miami’s 2026-27 cost of study pages. MSN and DNP totals are published by Miami; certificate totals are calculated.
| Pathway | Credits | Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| MSN (FNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP) | 35–38 | $46,647 |
| BSN to DNP (FNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP) | 68–71 | $94,000 |
| AGACNP certificate | 20 | $30,000 |
| FNP certificate | 18–21 | $27,000–$31,500 |
| AGPCNP certificate | 16–19 | $24,000–$28,500 |
| PMHNP certificate | 18 | Not published |
- The doctorate doubles the cost: about $47,000 more than the MSN, for the same 616 specialty clinical hours.
- No residency premium: out-of-state nurses pay the same rate, which narrows the gap with public schools for nonresidents.
- Certificates cost more per credit: $1,500 a credit, against roughly $1,230 to $1,380 implied by the degree block rates.
Certificate totals are NPPrograms.com estimates at the published per-credit rate and exclude courses a gap analysis may add. Aid is handled by Miami’s Office of Financial Assistance; certificate students should confirm federal aid eligibility.
Accreditation and certification
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits Miami’s MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs through 2031. The University of Miami is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Certification follows the population focus: AANP or ANCC for FNP and AGPCNP, ANCC or AACN for AGACNP, and ANCC for PMHNP.
State authorization
Degree coursework is on the Coral Gables campus and clinicals are in South Florida, so enrollment is practical only for nurses who live in or move to the region. Certificate students need Florida licensure and must complete every clinical in Florida. Graduates planning to practice elsewhere should confirm with Miami that the program meets that state’s APRN education requirements.
Who is Miami best for?
May be a strong fit for
- South Florida nurses who want an NP master’s in one year
- New BSN graduates heading into FNP or AGPCNP
- Critical care nurses seeking AGACNP at any degree level
- Students who want preceptors arranged through an academic health system
- Board-certified NPs adding PMHNP through a hybrid certificate
- Out-of-state nurses relocating, since there is no residency premium
Compare other options if
- You want the lowest cost as a Florida resident
- You need an online or hybrid degree program
- You want to keep working full-time through the program
- You want a PMHNP master’s or doctorate
- You want pediatric preparation
Compare more NP programs in Florida
- Florida Atlantic University - Boca Raton
- Florida Southern College - Lakeland
- University of Central Florida - Orlando
- University of Florida - Gainesville
- University of South Florida - Tampa