Online MSN
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) — Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Practitioner Concentrations:
Building the Future of Healthcare, One Nurse at a Time
At Wilkes University, we’re dedicated to your growth as a nurse leader. In as little as two years, our online MSN-NP program will prepare you to expand your scope of practice as a nurse practitioner. Tailor your education to your career goals by specializing in one of three high-demand concentrations:
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)
Our program is designed with your future in mind, investing in the development of advanced clinical skills and evidence-based practices that empower you to deliver improved patient outcomes.
With 100% online, asynchronous coursework, you can balance your studies with your professional and personal life. Clinical rotations provide the practical experience you need to excel, honing your skills with real-world patient care.
To support your success, our integrated exam prep courses offer dedicated resources that contribute to consistently high pass rates on board-certification exams—well above the national average.
Once you enroll, you’ll be paired with a dedicated Student Success Counselor who will guide you from day one through graduation, ensuring you have all the support and resources you need to excel.
Admission Requirements
Applicants will be evaluated on an individual basis based on the following criteria.
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing (3.0 GPA) with official transcripts from an institution with programmatic (ACEN, NLNAC, CCNE) and regional accreditation*
- A current unencumbered RN license; APRN license if appropriate**
- Current resume or curriculum vitae
- One year of RN clinical experience (by the start of NP clinical courses).
- Check state authorization
These admissions standards represent the minimum eligibility requirements for programs. Admission committee members reserve the right to request additional information from candidates as needed for a more in-depth review of qualifications.
Transfer Credits: All graduate programs will allow 9 total transfer credits (must be a 3.0 or higher).
* Students who graduated from a non-programmatically accredited institution and meet all other admission requirements will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Admission is not guaranteed.
** Applications presenting a history of disciplinary action on professional licenses will be subject to an additional review process by the Special Licensure Discrepancy Committee of the University.
Please note that prior to beginning and continuing in any of the nursing programs with Wilkes University, you must be located in an authorized state and be licensed in the state where you intend to complete your clinical activities, per that state’s clinical requirements. Your location (which may be your state of residency) and clinical activity do not need to be in the same state, as long as Wilkes is authorized in both states.
Save Time & Money
Wilkes University offers one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to become a nurse practitioner, especially in contrast to national competitors. Our tuition is only $729 per credit hour. Depending on which MSN-NP concentration you choose, the maximum total tuition cost (without fees) ranges from $29,160 to $31,347. Moreover, we offer several forms of financial aid to qualifying nursing students. Additionally, we offer various types of financial aid to qualifying students, including veteran financial relief and benefits through our participation in the Yellow Ribbon program. To learn more about financial aid options, access your free program guide.
See how Wilkes compares to other online MSN-NP degrees in the table below.
| Compare Programs | Wilkes University |
Walden University |
Chamberlain University |
Duquesne University |
Drexel University |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Tuition | $29,160 - $31,347 |
$43,500 - $47,250 |
$44,010 - $45,915* |
$68,670 - $71,940 |
$55,588 - $59,864 |
| Months to Complete | 24 - 28 | 24 - 36 | 30 - 36 | 36 | 33 - 36 |
| Number of Credits | 40 - 43 | 58 - 63 | 45 - 47 | 42 - 44 | 52 - 56 |
| Clinical Hours | 500 - 584 | 640 | 650 - 750 | 550 - 700 | 640 - 720 |
Source: Proprietary research
*Tuition totals presented are maximum amounts not including fees.
Clinical Placement And Support
If you’re ready to advance your career as a nurse practitioner, we’re here to help. Clinical placement support is built into the program's cost so you can focus on your coursework and the core competencies you need to succeed. Our dedicated clinical placement team assists with the time-consuming logistics of identifying and securing quality placement sites and preceptors and ensures the rotations meet University and national guidelines. While we work diligently to place all our students, circumstances beyond our control do not guarantee placement.
* The baccalaureate degree in nursing/master's degree in nursing/ Doctor of Nursing Practice and post graduate APRN certificate programs at Wilkes University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org)
More About Clinical Placement Support
The Wilkes Clinical Placement team works with you to offer a high-quality placement experience that is compliant, meets the University and national guidance for clinical requirements and prepares you for success in your future nursing career.
How Does the Clinical Placement Process Work?
The Placement Team will collaborate with you to help you secure quality placement sites and preceptors. In addition to completing a Placement Intake Form, you will be responsible for completing all of your clinical clearance requirements prior to the start of the clinical placement process.
What Value Will the Placement Team Provide?
The Placement Team will help you identify and potentially secure quality placement sites. This process allows you to focus on the online coursework and the core competencies that will direct your placement experience. As an active participant in the placement process, providing referrals from your community increases your chances of securing quality sites and preceptors.
When Will I Receive My Placement Details?
You will receive a notification from your dedicated Placement Coordinator prior to each clinical start date. Once the placement has been confirmed and communicated, you are encouraged to begin working with your preceptor directly to establish a schedule for the semester.
How Should I Prepare for Clinicals?
You are not alone in preparing for clinicals! Your Placement Coordinator will be with you through the entire process by answering your questions, providing a clinical orientation, verifying your clinical clearances and walking you through the clinical checklist. The checklist details the dress code, clinical tools and professional expectations to ensure your success throughout each rotation.
Curriculum Sample
Below is a sample list of courses you will take as part of the online MSN program. All courses are 12 weeks long. To see the full program curriculum, access your free program guide.
This course builds on knowledge and skills developed in undergraduate research and statistics courses. Skills in the analysis and evaluation of nursing research are further developed. Students analyze the contributions of the empirical approach to the development of nursing science. Selected research designs and methodologies which are used to advance nursing knowledge are examined. Students are given the opportunity to critique and synthesize current research for its application to an identified problem in nursing practice (Credits: 3).
This course examines the development of roles for advancing nursing practice. The historical development of these roles alongside the current scope of practice in a variety of clinical settings will be explored. Key focus will be placed on the legal, historical, political, social and ethical aspects of advanced practice nursing (Credits: 3).
Complex and continuous changes in healthcare environments require that nursing professionals contribute to care delivery systems for improving population health outcomes. This course focuses on the role of the nurse advancing nursing practice through developing health policy, politics and advocacy systems. Approaches to health issues for shaping policy on a local, state and federal level are analyzed in accordance with policy making processes, politics in healthcare and government, healthcare economics and ethical frameworks (Credits: 3).
The nurse practitioner will develop processes for formulating differential diagnoses of acute and chronic physical and mental illnesses in the primary care setting across the lifespan. A case-study approach is integrated to prepare students for management of health status of patients through the implementation of strategies specific to the synthesis of data from multiple sources that promote quality of care outcomes for patients (Prerequisites: NSG 530, NSG 533; Credits: 2).
Get More Program Details
- Applications are currently being accepted for next intake
What really drew me to Wilkes was the fact that they had a dedicated clinical placement team. It was a game-changer. Having to find my own preceptor and clinical placement site was an immense stressor, so knowing they would take care of that was one of the biggest perks that attracted me to Wilkes.
Craig Patton, Master of Science in Nursing
MSN Program Outcomes
Becoming a nurse practitioner is a smart move for career advancement. NPs enjoy more autonomy and earn an average salary of $111,680. NPs are in demand in hospital settings, outpatient care centers and private practice, and the need will increase as our nation’s population ages. Projected job growth for NPs is expected to increase 52% by 2029.
The Master of Science in Nursing program at Wilkes University prepares students to:
- Engage in lifelong learning in a constantly evolving and multicultural world.
- Demonstrate competence in the development of scientific inquiry relevant to clinical practice, administration, or education.
- Utilize leadership strategies that foster improvement of patient and population health.
- Advance nursing practice by translating evidence in a variety of roles and areas of practice.
- Improve healthcare outcomes through interprofessional collaboration.
- Participate in lifelong learning as a part of advancing nursing practice.
What Will You Learn in the MSN Program?
Wilkes online MSN nursing programs are helping to fill the need for more skilled practitioners. Our MSN program curriculum develops you in the following areas so you can:
- Prepare for advanced practice from clinical, theoretical, analytical and professional perspectives to assume leadership roles.
- Develop research, critical thinking and diagnostic skills to understand the relationship between theory and practice.
- Strengthen knowledge of advanced professional nursing roles from a historical, socioeconomic, political and ethical perspective to develop healthcare policies and advocacy systems.
- Deliver evidence-based care that demonstrates an understanding of issues of culturally diverse, rural and underserved populations.
How do Wilkes nurses demonstrate excellence?
By translating their knowledge into success on certification exams—proving they are confident and competent when it matters most. The table below highlights certification pass rates for Wilkes nurses across NP tracks, consistently exceeding national averages in recent years.
| YEAR 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Program | Certification Pass Rate: All Takers | National Pass Rate |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) | 95.4% | 90% |
| Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) | 84% | *74% |
| Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) | 91.6% | 80% |
*AANP National Pass Rate 2022, most recent data available
Read More About Wilkes Online MSN
What Can You Do With an MSN?
Explore what you can do with an MSN degree, and find out how advanced practice nurses and managers can impact patient care delivery in different ways. Read More
How to Become a Nurse Practitioner in Pennsylvania
Discover the pathway to becoming a Nurse Practitioner in Pennsylvania, explore NP schools in PA, and grasp the Family Nurse Practitioner programs PA offers. Uncover the promising NP job outlook in… Read More
Cultural Competence in Nursing
What is cultural competence in nursing, and how does it benefit clinicians and their patients? Learn about the importance of cultural competence in nursing. Read More
FAQs
Admissions
Information can be found on our Get Started page, and by completing the form at the top of the page. Or, you can contact an admissions counselor by emailing us at admissions@onlinenursingdegrees.wilkes.edu, calling us at 888-413-5633 , or scheduling a time to chat. .
We do the heavy lifting for you. For more information on the nursing clinical placement process, visit our Clinical Placement Services page, access your free program guide , or email us at admissions@onlinenursingdegrees.wilkes.edu. You can also call us directly at 888-413-5633 or schedule a time to speak with us.
No, there are no GRE or GMAT requirements to enroll.
Yes, they're accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)*.
*The baccalaureate degree in nursing/master’s degree in nursing/doctor of nursing practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Wilkes University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Note: The length of time listed is based on the total amount of required courses for each program. An analysis of previous coursework may shorten total length of time to complete.
Course length is 15 weeks, and each program varies:
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) — Nurse Practitioner (NP) program:
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentration: 16 courses / 7 terms / 2.3 years
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) concentration: 14 courses / 6 terms / 2 years
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) concentration: 15 courses / 7 terms / 2.3 years
Financial Aid
Yes, financial aid is available to qualifying nursing students. Please fill out a form or schedule an appointment with an admissions counselor to learn if you qualify for financial assistance. You can also give us a call at 888-413-5633 . We're happy to help!
Tuition
Note: Tuition listed is based on the number of required courses for each program. An analysis of previous coursework may allow for fewer courses and a lower net cost, when applicable.
Each program is different but highly competitive. A review of official transcripts will determine a student’s course of study.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) — Nurse Practitioner (NP) program
Tuition totals presented are maximum amounts not including fees.
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentration: $31,347
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) concentration: $29,160
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) concentration: $30,618
Other
Yes. They’re accredited by the CCNE*.
*The baccalaureate degree in nursing/master’s degree in nursing/doctor of nursing practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Wilkes University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Excluding nursing clinicals, all coursework is 100% online. Each course experience is primarily asynchronous.
Focus Your Practice
Our three MSN concentrations give you the opportunity to align your advanced degree with your career goals in the nursing field. Choose the track you’re most passionate about and explore curriculum, tuition, admission requirements and more.
Family Nurse Practitioner
The online courses in our Family Nurse Practitioner track will teach you to analyze evidence-based practice to facilitate patient care for the health promotion, protection and disease prevention for patients of all ages in a variety of settings.
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
Our Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner track promotes quality outcomes to facilitate patient care for the health promotion, protection and disease prevention for adolescents, adults and older adults in a variety of settings.
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Our Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track prepares you to complete comprehensive mental health assessments and perform individual, family and group psychotherapy. You will develop competence in prescribing and monitoring medications used in the treatment of disorders across the lifespan.
