Ohio State University College of Nursing offers the Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty through four pathways:
- Traditional MSN – PNP-PC
- BSN to DNP – PNP-PC
- Graduate Entry MSN – PNP-PC
- Post-Master’s Study Option – PNP-PC
All pathways share the same PNP-PC specialty curriculum and lead to eligibility for the PNCB Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CPNP-PC) certification examination.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (OH Resident) | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional MSN – PNP-PC | $53,742–$74,022 | 2 years FT |
| BSN to DNP – PNP-PC | $80,106–$93,288 | 3 years FT |
| Graduate Entry MSN – PNP-PC | $97,344–$117,624 | 3 years FT |
| Post-Master’s Study Option – PNP-PC | Individualized — specialty courses only | Varies by plan |
Core nursing coursework is available online across most pathways; however, the PNP-PC specialty is an on-campus specialty requiring regular in-person attendance in Columbus.
Students completing clinical courses should expect 16 to 20 hours per week of precepted clinical practice. The program is aligned with AACN Essentials and NONPF NP Role Core Competencies.
Program Tracks Overview
Traditional MSN – Pediatric Primary Care NP
The estimated tuition for the Traditional MSN PNP-PC at Ohio State is approximately $53,742–$74,022 for Ohio residents.
Estimate based on 53–73 credits × ~$1,014/credit plus fees.
Non-residents add $1,874.50 per credit for on-campus attendance, raising estimated tuition to approximately $152,927–$210,848 before semester fees.
The program takes approximately 2 years full-time or 3 years part-time.
MSN Curriculum
The Traditional MSN totals 53 to 73 credit hours depending on specialty and delivery format.
Core coursework covers pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacology, evidence-based nursing scholarship, leadership, nursing policy, health promotion, quality improvement and informatics, and clinical and diagnostic reasoning.
The PNP-PC specialty sequence includes dedicated pediatric coursework in advanced physical assessment, child and adolescent mental health, advanced pediatric pharmacology, and three levels of clinical practicum, concluding with a Final Professional Seminar.
Core courses are available online; specialty courses require on-campus attendance in Columbus.
Year 1 — Core Coursework:
Autumn (sample):
- Leadership (3 cr.)
- Pathophysiology (5 cr.)
- Nursing Policy (2 cr.)
- Evidence-Based Nursing Scholarship (3 cr.)
Spring (sample):
- Advanced Health Assessment (3–4 cr.)
- Advanced Pharmacology (4 cr.)
- Quality Improvement and Informatics (3 cr.)
- Health Promotion, Theory and Population Health (2 cr.)
- Specialty Coursework (2–9 cr.)
Summer (sample):
- Clinical and Diagnostic Reasoning (2 cr.)
- Clinical Practicum (5–11.5 cr.)
Year 2 — Clinical Practicum:
Autumn:
- Clinical Practicum (7–11.5 cr.)
Spring:
- Professional Role Seminar (1 cr.)
- Clinical Practicum (8–11.5 cr.)
PNP-PC Specialty Courses:
Nursing 7330 Pediatric Advanced Physical Assessment
Advanced pediatric assessment across infancy through young adulthood, emphasizing complex clinical reasoning and diagnostic decision-making.
Nursing 7331 Assessment and Management of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Issues
Evidence-based approaches to screening, early intervention, and management of mental health conditions in children and adolescents.
Nursing 7333 Advanced Pediatric Pharmacology
In-depth study of pediatric pharmacology focused on safe, evidence-based prescribing and medication management across care settings.
Nursing 7338.01 Advanced Nursing Practice in Pediatric Primary Care Practicum I
Supervised clinical practice applying advanced skills in pediatric health promotion, prevention, and pharmacologic care.
Nursing 7338.02 Advanced Nursing Practice in Pediatric Primary Care Practicum II
Continued clinical application of advanced pediatric care strategies, emphasizing prevention, health promotion, and treatment planning.
Nursing 7338.03 Advanced Nursing Practice in Pediatric Primary Care Practicum III
Advanced practicum focused on managing common chronic pediatric conditions using evidence-based interventions.
Nursing 7415 Clinical Reasoning with Diagnostic Methods for Advanced Nursing Practice
Development of clinical reasoning through diagnostic test selection, interpretation, and differential diagnosis across diverse populations.
Nursing 8895 Advanced Practice Nursing: Final Professional Seminar
Capstone seminar focused on role transition, professional development, and integration of advanced practice competencies.
See the official curriculum page for more details.
MSN Clinicals
Students complete three to four semesters of clinical coursework with 16 to 20 hours per week of precepted clinical practice during clinical semesters.
The College of Nursing’s placement office assists in locating clinical sites and preceptors. Clinical experiences are completed near the student’s home when possible, with preceptors across Ohio and authorized states.
All clinical sites must be approved and are completed in Ohio for on-campus students.
- Nursing 7338.01 – Pediatric Primary Care Practicum I
- Nursing 7338.02 – Pediatric Primary Care Practicum II
- Nursing 7338.03 – Pediatric Primary Care Practicum III
- 16–20 supervised clinical hours per week during clinical semesters
- Settings include community-based primary care agencies, OSU Wexner Medical Center, school-based health centers, public health clinics, and specialty clinics
- Placement office assists with site and preceptor identification
MSN Admissions
Admission is holistic and competitive, incorporating a recorded online video interview through HireVue required before the application deadline. Two rounds of applications are offered each year for autumn enrollment.
- BSN or MSN from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in last relevant degree (below 3.0 considered holistically)
- Active, unencumbered RN license in state of practice by August 1
- On-campus specialty: proof of Ohio RN licensure required by August 1
- Purpose and goals statement (max 3 pages, single-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins)
- Current resume/CV
- Three letters of recommendation (at least two from academic sources) submitted electronically
- Recorded online video interview through HireVue (required before application deadline)
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- $60 application fee
- International applicants: course-by-course credential evaluation from approved agency (TruMerit preferred)
- ⚠️ PNP-PC is an on-campus specialty — regular in-person attendance in Columbus required for specialty courses
- Round 1 deadline (autumn): confirm at nursing.osu.edu | Decisions: late December (R1) / late April (R2)
BSN to DNP – Pediatric Primary Care NP
The estimated tuition for the BSN-to-DNP PNP-PC at Ohio State is approximately $80,106–$93,288 for Ohio residents (79–92 credits × ~$1,014/credit), plus approximately $2,239 per semester in program and technology fees.
Non-residents on-campus add $1,874.50 per credit. The program takes approximately 3 years full-time or 4 years part-time including summers.
Students earn a Master of Science in Nursing partway through the program and become eligible to sit for APRN board certification at that point, before completing the final DNP phase.
DNP Curriculum
The BSN-to-DNP totals 79 to 92 credit hours depending on specialty. The program is structured in two phases: the first phase completes core and specialty courses required for APRN certification (including the full PNP-PC specialty sequence) and awards the MSN; the second phase completes the DNP immersion experiences and scholarly project.
Core doctoral coursework adds evidence-based practice, quality improvement methods and measurements, implementation science, health informatics, healthcare economics and finance, systems application courses (I–IV), scholarly writing, and a final DNP project.
Year 1 Sample Schedule:
Autumn:
- Pathophysiology (5 cr.)
- Evidence-Based Practice (2 cr.)
- Quality Improvement (2 cr.)
- Methods and Measurements (2 cr.)
- Professional Seminar (1 cr.)
- Health Promotion, Theory and Population Health (2 cr.)
- MINDSTRONG (1 cr.)
Spring:
- Health Assessment (4 cr.)
- Pharmacology (4 cr.)
- Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice (2 cr.)
- Health Informatics (2 cr.)
- Leadership (3 cr.)
Summer:
- Clinical (5–9 cr.)
- Clinical Reasoning and Diagnostic Methods (2 cr.)
- Policy (2 cr.)
Year 2:
- Autumn: Clinical (9–11 cr.), Healthcare Economics and Finance (2 cr.)
- Spring: Clinical (9–10.5 cr.), Systems Application I (2 cr.), Final Seminar (1 cr.)
- Summer: Scholarly Writing (1 cr.), Systems Application II (3 cr.)
Year 3:
- Autumn: Systems Application III (4 cr.), Final Project (1 cr.)
- Spring: Systems Application IV (4 cr.), Final Project (1 cr.)
PNP-PC Specialty Courses (same as MSN):
- Nursing 7330–7333, 7338.01–7338.03, 7415, 8895 (see MSN specialty list above)
See the official curriculum page for more details.
DNP Clinicals
Students complete two to six semesters of clinical coursework depending on specialty, with 16 to 20 hours per week of precepted practice during clinical semesters. Clinical experiences are arranged near the student’s home when possible. The placement office assists with site and preceptor identification across Ohio and authorized states.
- Nursing 7338.01–7338.03 – PNP-PC Practicums I–III (embedded in MSN phase)
- Additional DNP immersion clinical hours in Systems Application courses (Years 2–3)
- 16–20 supervised clinical hours per week during clinical semesters
- Clinical experiences arranged near student’s home when possible
- ⚠️ PNP-PC is on-campus; clinical placements in Ohio for on-campus specialty students
DNP Admissions
Admission requirements mirror the Traditional MSN, with the addition of a statistics prerequisite. A recorded online HireVue video interview is required before the application deadline.
- BSN or MSN from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited institution; degree conferred by August 1
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in most recent relevant degree
- Active, unencumbered RN license by August 1
- Completed statistics prerequisite course (grade of B- or higher)
- Purpose and goals statement (max 3 pages, double-spaced)
- Current resume/CV
- Three letters of recommendation submitted electronically
- Recorded online video interview through HireVue (required before deadline)
- Official transcripts from all institutions
- $60 application fee
- ⚠️ PNP-PC is on-campus — regular in-person attendance in Columbus required
- Round 1 decision: early December | Round 2 decision: late April
Graduate Entry MSN – Pediatric Primary Care NP
The estimated tuition for the Graduate Entry MSN PNP-PC at Ohio State is approximately $97,344–$117,624 for Ohio residents .
Estimate based on 96–116 credits × ~$1,014/credit), plus fees.
The program would take approximately 3 years of full-time study including summers.
This pathway is designed for individuals with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree who want to become both a registered nurse and a pediatric nurse practitioner.
No nursing degree is required at entry — only a completed bachelor’s degree in another field.
Graduate Entry Curriculum
The Graduate Entry MSN totals 96 to 116 credit hours across 3 years of full-time study.
The first two years consist of the pre-licensure nursing curriculum — covering adult and older adult nursing care, psychiatric/mental health, child health, women’s nursing care, community health, health promotion, quality and safety, and evidence-based scholarship — plus core specialty preparation. Upon completing required pre-licensure courses, students sit for the NCLEX.
The third year focuses on the specialty clinical practicum sequence. Students do not earn a BSN — only a Master of Science in Nursing is conferred at graduation.
Year 1 Sample Schedule:
Summer:
- Introduction to Professional Nursing Practice (2 cr.)
- Health Assessment (3 cr.)
- Lifespan Development (3 cr.)
Autumn:
- Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults (7 cr.)
- Cultural Competence in Healthcare (3 cr.)
- Pathophysiology (5 cr.)
Spring:
- Nursing Care of Children and their Families (4 cr.)
- Nursing Care of Women (4 cr.)
- Leadership (3 cr.)
- Nursing Policy (2 cr.)
Year 2 Sample Schedule:
- Summer: Community Health (4 cr.), Psychiatric and Mental Health (4 cr.), Health Promotion (2 cr.)
- Autumn: Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults II (8 cr.), Quality and Safety (1 cr.), Evidence-Based Nursing Scholarship (3 cr.), Specialty Coursework (2–9 cr.)
- Spring: Advanced Health Assessment (3–4 cr.), Advanced Pharmacology (4 cr.), Quality Improvement and Informatics (3 cr.)
Year 3 Sample Schedule (Clinical):
- Summer: Clinical Practicum (5–11.5 cr.)
- Autumn: Clinical Practicum (7–11.5 cr.)
- Spring: Clinical Practicum (8–11.5 cr.)
PNP-PC Specialty Courses (same sequence as MSN):
- Nursing 7330–7333, 7338.01–7338.03, 7415, 8895
⚠️ Most pre-licensure courses are on-campus with lab and clinical components. Specialty (post-licensure) courses follow the same on-campus requirement as the Traditional MSN PNP-PC track. Plan to live in the Columbus area throughout the program.
See the official curriculum page for more details.
Graduate Entry Clinicals
Clinical hours occur in two phases: pre-licensure clinical components embedded in nursing care courses throughout Years 1 and 2, and post-licensure specialty practicums (three to four semesters) in Year 3.
All clinical experiences are completed in approved Ohio sites. 16 to 20 hours per week of precepted practice are required during specialty clinical semesters.
Graduate Entry Admissions
- Non-nursing bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (degree conferred before program start)
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
- All prerequisite courses completed with B- or higher before application deadline (no AP credits accepted): Human Anatomy with lab, Human Physiology, Human Nutrition, Microbiology with lab, Pharmacology
- No RN license required at application; must be obtained during program
- Purpose and goals statement (max 3 pages, single-spaced)
- Current resume/CV
- Three letters of recommendation
- Recorded online video interview through HireVue
- Official transcripts from all institutions
- $60 application fee
- International applicants: course-by-course credential evaluation from approved agency
- ⚠️ Must plan to live in the Columbus, Ohio area for the entire 3-year program
- ⚠️ No BSN degree is awarded — only the MSN
- Autumn 2027 application opens August 3, 2026 — confirm summer 2027 entry deadlines at nursing.osu.edu
Post-Master’s Study Option – Pediatric Primary Care NP
The Post-Master’s Study Option PNP-PC at Ohio State is designed for currently certified APRNs holding an MSN who wish to add the PNP-PC specialty or pursue a second specialty.
This option does not lead to an additional degree from Ohio State — it provides the coursework and clinical experiences necessary for national certification eligibility. Final credit hours and cost are individualized based on prior graduate coursework. Contact the College of Nursing for a personalized estimate.
Post-Master’s Curriculum
Upon admission, the specialty director and academic dean review prior master’s degree coursework. Students submit all relevant syllabi for evaluation. Some core and specialty course requirements may be waived based on equivalent prior work. Students complete only the remaining required Ohio State specialty courses and precepted clinical experiences.
The PNP-PC specialty course list (Nursing 7330, 7331, 7333, 7338.01–7338.03, 7415, 8895) is the baseline; waivers reduce the required credit load. Prior coursework in pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, and clinical reasoning may reduce total credits significantly.
Post-Master’s Clinicals
Clinical experiences are arranged near the student’s home when possible, with the placement office assisting in site and preceptor identification across Ohio and authorized states. Students complete whichever practicum courses are not waived based on prior graduate clinical hours.
Post-Master’s Admissions
- MSN from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or CNEA-accredited institution and current APRN certification required
- Applicants completing MSN/APRN certification may apply; both must be finalized by August 1
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in last relevant degree
- Active, unencumbered RN license in state of practice by August 1
- All standard application materials: purpose and goals statement, CV, three letters of recommendation, HireVue video interview, official transcripts, $60 fee
- Submit all relevant graduate course syllabi promptly after admission for waiver evaluation
- ⚠️ If your MSN did not lead to APRN certification, the Traditional MSN or BSN-DNP pathways are more appropriate
- Round 1 decision: late December | Round 2 decision: late April
Tuition
Graduate nursing tuition at Ohio State consists of several components.
The per-credit instructional fee for MSN and DNP programs is $972.50, plus a general fee of $32.63/credit and a student union fee of $9.30/credit (on-campus), bringing the effective on-campus Ohio resident rate to approximately $1,014 per credit.
Two additional per-semester charges apply to all nursing students:
- a Learning Technology Fee capped at $239.04 per semester (at 6+ credits)
- a Program Fee capped at $2,000 per semester (at 8+ credits)
For a typical full-time semester at 9–12 credits, this adds approximately $2,239 in fees on top of tuition.
Non-Ohio residents attending on-campus programs pay an additional $1,874.50 per credit in non-resident surcharge.
Online nursing students pay the same per-credit tuition but substitute a $228 Nursing Distance Learning Fee and $100 Distance Learning Fee per semester for the on-site fees, with non-residents paying only $200 per term instead of the per-credit surcharge.
See the official tuition page for more details.
More PNP Programs in Ohio
- Case Western Reserve University - Cleveland
- Wright State University - Dayton