Nicholls State University Online NP Programs
#15 Most Affordable NP School
#22 Most Flexible NP School
Nicholls State University offers an online Master of Science in Nursing with Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specializations. This affordable program has no campus visits and students must complete clinical preceptorships at approved sites in the state of Louisiana (LA). As such, applicants must hold an unencumbered RN license in the state, and have at least one year of nursing work experience. As preceptorship slots are limited, preference is given to full-time students.
The MSN degrees are offered through an Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing (ICMSN) that includes Nicholls State University, McNeese State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Students may apply through any of these institutions and take the same online courses throughout the program using the Moodle online learning management system (LMS). The core values of the ICMSN include diversity, lifelong learning, caring, collaboration, leadership, practice, and accountability.
Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) serve populations across the lifespan in the areas of disease management, preventive health care, and healthcare education. Graduates of the Nicholls MSN – FNP program are eligible to take the FNP certification exam through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Family nurse practitioners may work in a variety of healthcare and research settings including primary care, emergency care, government institutions, long-term and home health care situations, and research facilities.
Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) are trained to provide mental health care to patients across the lifespan. PMHNPs may work individually with patients, as well as with their families or in group settings. Graduates of the MSN may go on to positions in psychiatric hospitals and clinics, counseling centers, schools, treatment centers, rehabilitation centers, and correctional facilities. Upon graduation, students will be eligible to take the Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner certification exam through the ANCC.
Nicholls University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The MSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Nicholls State University is located in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 140 NP schools in our database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
Purdue Global
St. Thomas University
Saint John Fisher University
What to Expect
Admission Requirements: Interested parties must apply for admission to the Nicholls State University Graduate School, submit official transcripts, an application fee, an MSN Nursing Application, a current resume, two statements of recommendation through the online forms, a statement of purpose, and proof of an unencumbered RN license in Louisiana. Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 2.7. No GRE is required, however, at least one year of nursing experience is required. Candidates must also have completed an introductory statistics course with a grade of “C” or higher.
Once accepted students must submit a complete history and physical form, verification of current CPR certification, immunizations, a negative drug screen, proof of health insurance, a background check, and proof of liability insurance.
State Restrictions: Applicants to the Nicholls State University MSN must hold an unencumbered RN license in the state of Louisiana and all clinicals must be completed in Louisiana. Students in all states outside of Louisiana are encouraged to contact the Nicholls State University College of Nursing to verify enrollment eligibility.
Study Plan: The MSN degree can be completed in two years taking two to three courses per semester including summers. It is offered both part-time and full-time. Students may begin the program in January, March, June, August, and October. In order to progress through the program, students must earn a grade of “B” or higher in each course.
MSN Core Curriculum: Core courses for the MSN program include Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Practice Nursing; Generating Evidence for Nursing Practice; Applied Statistics for Health Sciences; Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning for Advanced Practice Nursing; Population-Based Primary Care; Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice; Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing; Business, Leadership and Health Policy for Nurse Practitioners; and a Focused Scholarly Project course or Thesis.
- FNP Specialty Curriculum: The FNP specialization comprises 42 to 45 credits depending on the student’s choice of a focused scholarly project or a thesis. Completion of 600 clinical practicum hours is required. Specialty courses include Advanced Practice Nursing: Family Health I-III.
- PMHNP Specialty Curriculum: The PMHNP specialization comprises 48 to 51 credits depending on the student’s choice of a focused scholarly project or a thesis. Completion of 600 clinical practicum hours is required. Courses include Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric/Mental Health I-III and Diagnostic Considerations and Psychopharmacology for Psychiatric Disorders.
Online Experience: All of the institutions participating in the MSN consortium (ICMSN) utilize Moodle as their online learning management system (LMS). All online students must complete an eLearning Orientation course at the beginning of the program by the posted deadlines. Assignments must be submitted through the LMS and not through email. Courses are asynchronous for maximum flexibility.
Students use the Typhon Nurse Practitioner Student Tracking System (Typhon NPST) to log clinical hours. Online students have access to the usual services such as financial aid, disability services, an online library and bookstore services, testing services, health services, counseling, technical support, faculty advising, and career counseling.
On-Site Requirements: There are no on-site requirements for the MSN program. All coursework can be completed online and clinicals are fulfilled at an approved location near the student. Of course, students are welcome to visit campus at any time and participate in campus graduation ceremonies.
Paying for Nicholls State University Online NP Programs
Nicholls State University online NP program tuition numbers are listed in the tables below. Interested students should contact the College of Nursing through Nicholls State for cost clarifications and updates.
Nicholls State graduate students may be eligible for unsubsidized federal Stafford Loans and Graduate PLUS loans by applying through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In addition, some employers may offer tuition reimbursement programs or tuition discounts to students. Other options for funding a graduate education may be community or organizational scholarships and grants.
Nicholls State University offers MSN FNP and PMHNP degrees through a Consortium of four schools to students in Louisiana with core values of lifelong learning, caring, collaboration, diversity, leadership, and accountability.
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
161 Betsy Cheramie Ayo Hall
Thibodaux, Louisiana 70310
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
January, March, June, August, October
Yes
0
45
600
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Yes, GRE Required
2.7 or Higher
CA, DC
Program Tuition
45
$412.13
$18,545.85
N/A
N/A
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
January, March, June, August, October
Yes
0
51
600
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Yes, GRE Required
2.7 or Higher
CA, DC
Program Tuition
51
$412.13
$21,018.63
N/A
N/A
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.