Program Overview

---

University of Cincinnati College of Nursing Programs

The University of Cincinnati College of Nursing offers a variety of programs for nursing professionals, including:

• RN-BSN Online
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Post-Bachelor's Certificate
• Accelerated Direct-Entry MSN
• Micro-Credentials
• Master of Science in Nursing
• Post-Master's Certificate
• Doctor of Nursing Practice
• PhD

Program Details

RN-BSN Online

The RN-BSN Online program is designed for registered nurses who want to advance their education and career. The program includes:

• Meet our Graduates
• Courses
• Completion Options
• RN to BSN Online Program Articulation Agreements
• Technology Recommendations
• Tuition & Fees
• FAQ
• Admissions
• Faculty

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is designed for students who want to become registered nurses. The program includes:

• Admissions
• Tuition & Fees
• Clinical Partners
• Experiential Learning
• Simulation
• Student Support
• The Student Experience

Post-Bachelor's Certificate

The Post-Bachelor's Certificate program is designed for nursing professionals who want to specialize in a specific area. The program includes:

• Caring for the Underserved
• Nurse-Led Innovation
• Nursing Education
• Public Health Nursing
• FAQ

Accelerated Direct-Entry MSN

The Accelerated Direct-Entry MSN program is designed for students who want to become advanced practice registered nurses. The program includes:

• Admissions
• Tuition & Fees
• Clinical Partners
• Simulation
• Prerequisite Course Equivalents
• Pre-Accelerated Direct-Entry MSN
• FAQ

Micro-Credentials

The Micro-Credentials program is designed for nursing professionals who want to specialize in a specific area. The program includes:

• Nursing Education
• Systems Leadership
• FAQ

Master of Science in Nursing

The Master of Science in Nursing program is designed for nursing professionals who want to advance their education and career. The program includes:

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Midwifery
• Nursing Education
• Systems Leadership
• Women's Health NP
• MSN Specialty Quiz
• FAQ
• Program Directors

Post-Master's Certificate

The Post-Master's Certificate program is designed for nursing professionals who want to specialize in a specific area. The program includes:

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Pediatric Acute Care NP
• Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
• FAQ

Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program is designed for nursing professionals who want to advance their education and career. The program includes:

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Anesthesia
• Occupational Health Nursing
• Pediatric Acute Care NP
• Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
• Public Health Nursing
• Systems Leadership
• Post-MSN DNP
• DNP Specialty Quiz
• FAQ
• Program Directors

PhD

The PhD program is designed for nursing professionals who want to advance their education and career. The program includes:

• PhD Admissions
• Tuition & Fees
• Faculty Researchers
• PhD in Nursing Program Alumni
• FAQ

Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner DNP

The Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at UC College of Nursing prepares nurses to manage infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with complex acute, critical, and life-threatening illnesses across a continuum of healthcare settings.

The DNP curriculum includes evidence-based practice, quality improvement, policy, informatics, and leadership.

Program delivery combines flexible online coursework with in-person precepted clinical practice and on-campus immersions.

This program prepares graduates for the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) certification exam.

Admission Requirements

• A current, active, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) licensure with no disciplinary action
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an ACEN- (formerly NLNAC) or CCNE-accredited nursing institution
• Minimum overall BSN GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale (recommended)
• Minimum science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Minimum undergraduate Statistics GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale
• A minimum of one year of RN experience in the United States at the time of application

Application Deadline

All BSN to DNP programs, except Nurse Anesthesia, admit for the fall semester start only. The application window for programs could close early, if maximum capacity is reached.

Pediatric Acute Care NP DNP Semester Start | Application Deadline | Class Start ---|---|--- Fall 2026 | July 1, 2026 | Aug. 24, 2026

Tuition & Fees

Table A | Tuition & Fees Enrollment | Ohio Resident | Non-Resident | Online Learning Fee ---|---|---|--- Part Time (9 credits or fewer) | $836 per credit | $851 per credit | $57 per credit Full Time (10 credits or more) | $8,359 per semester | $8,509 per semester | $563 per semester

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Important Information about Tuition and Fees

The rates provided are based on totals set by the university and could change in future academic years. Estimates also could change based on the following:

• Change of state of residence
• Change in enrollment status (i.e., full time or part time)
• Other unforeseen circumstances

Application Process

All information required to apply to our Doctor of Nursing Practice programs should be submitted through NursingCAS.

• Transcripts
  • Official transcripts from all schools previously attended, including community colleges and two- and four-year colleges and universities should be sent directly to NursingCAS.
  • Transcripts must verify a Bachelor of Science in Nursing conferred from a regionally and ACEN (formerly NLNAC) or CCNE accredited institution.
  • International transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES) (preferred), or another NACES member.
• Resume
  • Provide your CV or resume in PDF format.
  • Make sure that your CV or resume provides relevant work history and reflects any contributions beyond normal job expectations. Include military service, community service, membership in professional associations, and any certifications that you currently hold. Please also include any scholarship, such as publications or presentations.
• References
  • Three letters of reference from individuals who can attest to your academic and professional skills.
• Goal Statement
  • Your goal statement should:
    • Demonstrate a clear understanding of the specialty area you are applying for;
    • Explain your interest in the specialty;
    • Highlight your preparedness and reasons for pursuing the program;
    • Describe your goals after graduation.
  • This statement, which should be between 500-700 words in length, will also serve as an academic writing sample.
• Fees
  • NursingCAS application fee: $85
  • UC Graduate School application fee (non-refundable): $65 ($70 for international students)
  • Matriculation fee upon acceptance (non-refundable): $300, applied toward your first-semester tuition

State Restrictions and State-Specific Requirements for Online Programs

State Restrictions:

As a result of state boards of nursing and the U.S. Department of Education's higher education regulation changes, UC College of Nursing cannot accept applications for our online programs — Adult-Gerontology Primary Care, Family Nurse Practitioner, Systems Leadership, Nurse Midwifery, Nursing Education, Occupational Health Nursing, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Public Health Nursing, and Women's Health — from students who live in the following states:

• Arizona
• Louisiana
• Massachusetts
• New York
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee

We cannot admit students from any U.S. territory: America Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

State-Specific Requirements:

Kansas: Effective March 1, 2025, the Kansas State Board of Nursing made a change to their licensure education requirements for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). Additional information can be found on the organization's website.

• Applicants who are admitted to an APRN program that leads to licensure will be provided a revised plan to include an additional variable credit course (NURS8098: Clinical Elective) to complete the difference in clinical hours required by the University of Cincinnati and the Kansas State Board of Nursing (if applicable). The number of credit hours for this course will vary based on the number of clinical hours needed to meet licensure education requirements. Further guidance, including an individualized plan of study, will be provided for admitted students.
• This change doesn't apply to non-APRN specialties: Systems Leadership, Public Health Nursing, Occupational Health Nursing, and Nursing Education.

Washington: The University of Cincinnati is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission to provide practice experiences in the state of Washington for the following programs:

• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Midwifery
• Systems Leadership
• Women's Health Nurse Practitioner

For more information, visit the state's Department of Health site.

International Student Restrictions

An international student is defined as someone who holds citizenship in another country and is not a permanent resident of the United States.

International students are admissible to our online programs, providing they meet the above prerequisites and commit to doing their clinical requirements in the United States.

Due to the clinical requirements in our graduate online programs, international students must already have a visa that gives them legal status to work within the United States or must be able to obtain the legal status that will allow them to come to the U.S. and engage in clinical activities.

International students are not eligible for student visas for online programs, including clinical requirements.

It is the responsibility of the international student to have the appropriate work authorization documents or be able to obtain the appropriate work authorization before applying to online programs in the College of Nursing at the University of Cincinnati.

Clinical Restrictions

We cannot admit residents of U.S. Territories or in a country outside of the U.S. Only persons serving in the military who reside on a military base and can complete clinical requirements on the military base should apply to our College of Nursing graduate online programs. Prior to application to our program, the prospective student should confirm that they will have the ability to complete clinical requirements on the military base.

Students cannot complete clinicals at a U.S. Embassy.

Federal Regulations

Federal regulations require the University of Cincinnati to publicly disclose whether completion of certain programs that lead or may lead to professional licensure or certification would meet a given state’s educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation (regardless of whether the program is on-ground, online, or hybrid). To learn whether a University program meets a given state’s educational requirements, please visit the University of Cincinnati State Authorization webpage.