Duquesne University Online NP Programs
Duquesne University offers two online nurse practitioner programs: a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree with Family (FNP), Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP), and Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP) specializations, as well as a Post-Master’s Certificate in the same three specializations. Coursework is 100% online with practicums at approved facilities local to the student and two or three required campus visits, depending on the program.
These programs are based on the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) criteria. Additionally, Duquesne subscribes to the Synergy Model for Patient Care which was developed by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). According to this model, patient needs and characteristics influence the characteristics and learning outcomes for nurses. This lends to the idea of not only carrying out nursing duties but doing so with the understanding of the why involved.
Learning outcomes of the NP programs include building clinical judgment skills to improve patient quality of care, becoming a patient advocate and working with a team of health care providers, evaluating implementation of change in organizational systems, and sensitivity to cultural differences and patient diversity.
Family nurse practitioners manage patient care across the lifespan including prescribing medication and therapy, diagnosing and treating illnesses and chronic diseases, ordering lab tests, assisting with minor surgical procedures, and promoting disease prevention. FNPs may work in primary care clinics, government health centers, outpatient care facilities, hospice organizations, hospitals, urgent care, private practice, and long-term care facilities. Graduates of the Duquesne FNP programs will be prepared for the AANPCP or ANCC national certification exams.
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (AGACNPs) treat patients with chronic illnesses throughout their adult years from young adults to geriatric patients. Care may include preventive medicine and improving the quality of life of patients with acute, complex, and chronic health issues. AGACNPs create treatment plans for their patients to manage their illness and restore their health. This is a cohort-based program of 12 to 15 students who collaborate and learn together throughout the program, developing relationships with each other and faculty. Graduates will be eligible to take the AGACNP certification exam through the ANCC.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) focus on treating mental illness, those with addictions to substances such as alcohol, drugs, and prescription medications, as well as behavioral addictions and other mental health issues. PMHNPs may work with individuals, groups, and families. This program is also cohort-based with 12 to 15 students per cohort. PMHNPs work with patients of all ages, developing treatment plans appropriate for the disorders, including psychotherapy, medications, and working with other health care professionals. Graduates will be eligible to take the PMHNP certification exam through the ANCC.
Duquesne University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Duquesne University is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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What to Expect from the Duquesne University Online NP Programs
Admission Requirements: Applicants to the School of Nursing at Duquesne University must submit official transcripts, a professional resume or CV, professional goals statement, and two letters of reference submitted electronically. No GRE or application fee is required. FNP students must have completed an undergraduate or graduate-level course in statistics with a grade of “C” or higher.
- Program Specific Admission Requirements
- MSN: Have a BSN degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum 3.0 GPA; 1 year of full-time RN work experience by the time clinicals and specialty courses begin; have a current RN license
- Post-Master’s FNP Certificate: Have both a BSN and MSN degree from an accredited institution; have a current RN license
State Restrictions: While Duquesne University accepts students from most states for the NP programs, applicants outside of Pennsylvania should check with the admissions department to make sure they are eligible for the online programs. Students from the following states are not accepted at this time into the nursing programs through Duquesne University: Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington. Interested students should also contact the licensing board of their state of residence to determine if the program meets state requirements for NP licensure.
Study Plan: Duquesne University admits nursing students in the Fall, Spring, and Summer. Courses are 100% online with two to three campus visits and local practicums. Both full-time and part-time study plans are available for the MSN – FNP. Degree completion times vary from 2 to 3 years depending on the pace chosen. PMHNP and AGACNP tracks for the MSN are cohort-based and are completed in three years. The Post-Master’s FNP Certificate program can be completed in 2.5 years. Students must be committed to participation and engagement as the program is highly interactive and collaborative.
MSN Core Curriculum: Core courses for all MSN tracks include Historical and Contemporary Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice; Healthcare Ethics in Practice and Policy Development; Clinical Prevention and Population-Based Health Promotion; Transitioning to Advanced Practice Nursing; and three courses in Advanced Practice Nursing: Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology.
MSN – FNP Curriculum: The MSN-FNP program comprises 42 credits and includes 750 clinical hours. FNP courses include Foundations of Family Care courses covering women and infants, children, and adolescents; and Foundations of Family and Individual Care I-II.
MSN – AGACNP Curriculum: The MSN – AGACNP program comprises 42 credits and includes 700 clinical hours. AGACNP courses include Foundations of Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practice, and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care I-III.
MSN – PMHNP Curriculum: The MSN – PMHNP program comprises 44 credits and includes 550 clinical hours. PMHNP courses include Psychopharmacology/Biologic Therapies for Neuropsychiatric Dysregulations; Psychiatric/Mental Health Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Practice Nursing; Individual, Group, and Family Therapies Across the Lifespan; Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical I-III for Advanced Practice Nursing; and Serious Mental Illness/Substance Use Disorders Across the Lifespan.
Post-Master’s FNP Certificate Curriculum: The Post-Master’s FNP Certificate comprises 33 credits and includes the following courses: Clinical Prevention and Population-Based Health Promotion; three courses in Advanced Practice Nursing: Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology; Foundations of Family and Individual Care I-II; Transitioning to Advanced Practice Nursing; Foundations of Family Care: Women; and Foundations of Family Care: Infants, Children & Adolescents.
Post-Master’s AGACNP Certificate Curriculum: The Post-Master’s AGACNP Certificate comprises 33 credits and courses include: Foundations of Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practice, and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care I – III.
Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate Curriculum: The Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate comprises 35 credits and includes the following courses: Psychopharmacology/Biologic Therapies for Neuropsychiatric Dysregulations; Psych/MH Clinical I for Advance Practice Nursing I – III; and Serious Mental Illness/Substance Use Disorders Across the Lifespan.
Online Experience: Duquesne University follows the teacher-scholar model for online courses which combines varied instructional strategies with engaging online technology while providing a foundation of faculty research, real-world experience, and scholarship. Duquesne uses Blackboard as its online Learning Management System (LMS). Courses are not self-paced and are highly interactive. Discussions are both synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous, and assignments may be individual or collaborative with peers. Synchronous activity times will be posted in advance. Faculty work to develop personal relationships with online students individually and as a class body.
Students have access to an online writing center, 24/7 technical support, a learning support center, online library services, disability services, and career services. In addition, students always have access to admissions counselors and academic advisors.
On-Site Requirements: FNP and PMHNP students are required to attend two on-campus labs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania while AGACNP students attend three on-campus labs. Clinical preceptorships are completed at approved facilities local to the student. All other coursework is completed online.
Paying for the Duquesne University Online NP Programs
Each Duquesne University online nurse practitioner program’s tuition is listed in its respective table below. Travel costs for the on-campus visits are not included, and there may be other fees associated with the nursing degrees. Prospective students should check with the graduate admissions department of Duquesne University for cost clarifications and updates.
Duquesne University may offer scholarships, assistantships, and graduate student loans to help finance a graduate degree. Students should check with the Financial Aid office through graduate admissions. Nursing students are encouraged to check with their employer to investigate the possibility of a tuition reimbursement program or tuition discount. Duquesne students may also seek outside support such as community and organizational scholarships.
Duquesne University NP programs subscribe to the Synergy Model for Patient Care developed by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) which delves deeply into the why behind the what of nursing, focusing on how patient needs and characteristics influence nursing practice.
MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
Post-MSN Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
Post-MSN Certificate – Family NP
Post-MSN Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
600 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15282
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
AGNP – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
No
3
42
750
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AL, AZ, LA, NY, OR, TN, WA
Program Tuition
42
$1,765.00
$74,130.00
$1,765.00
$74,130.00
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
No
2
42
700
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AL, AR, LA, NY, OR, TN, WA
Program Tuition
42
$1,765.00
$74,130.00
$1,765.00
$74,130.00
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
No
2
44
550
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AL, AZ, LA, NY, OR, TN, WA
Program Tuition
44
$1,765.00
$77,660.00
$1,765.00
$77,660.00
Program Essentials
Post-Master Certificate – Post-Graduate (Post-MSN) Nursing Certificate
AGNP – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
No – three campus visits required
3
33
750
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
None
AL, AR, LA, NY, OR, TN, WA
Program Tuition
33
$1,765.00
$58,245.00
$1,765.00
$58,245.00
Program Essentials
Post-Master Certificate – Post-Graduate (Post-MSN) Nursing Certificate
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
No
2
33
700
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
None
AL, AR, LA, NY, OR, TN, WA
Program Tuition
33
$1,765.00
$58,245.00
$1,765.00
$58,245.00
Program Essentials
Post-Master Certificate – Post-Graduate (Post-MSN) Nursing Certificate
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
No, two campus visits required
2
35
550
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
None
AL, AR, LA, NY, OR, TN, WA
Program Tuition
35
$1,765.00
$61,775.00
$1,765.00
$61,775.00
Tuition is calculated based on credits, at the published tuition rate. Rates may change, so please check here for the latest tuition information. For programs with variable tuition rates, we use the rates for part-time students. “Resident” and “non-resident” refer to the student’s school-recognized state residency status. Tuition number represents the cost of tuition for the entire program, not per semester or year. Estimated total tuition does not include additional fees.
Sara Navratil
WriterSara Navratil is a freelance writer and a Certified Canfield Success Principles Trainer. She’s the owner of Sara Liza Life, a company dedicated to helping people rewrite their lives. She enjoys researching and writing about healthcare-related topics, including information on online NP programs. When not working she likes to read, bake, and spend time with her family.