The University of Minnesota School of Nursing in Minneapolis offers 2 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner pathways, both preparing graduates for primary care:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (Post-Baccalaureate)
- Post-Graduate Certificate
Both pathways are hybrid. The DNP adds a weekly campus cadence from year two, and clinicals are arranged by the school with Twin Cities preceptors. There is no master’s-level PNP option.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNP – PC | $94K | 3 yrs | 78 |
| Cert – PC | $33K | About 2 yrs | 27 |
Tuition estimates multiply the university’s 2026-2027 School of Nursing DNP and post-graduate certificate rate ($1,207/credit, same for residents and non-residents) by credit totals from the school’s most recent published plans of study. Terms of 9+ credits are billed at a flat $10,863, which can lower the total.
- Why choose it: It is one of few PNP programs with a dedicated course on children with special health care needs and a stackable Disability Policy & Services Certificate, backed by school-arranged placements.
- Trade-off: From year two, DNP students are on campus 1–2 days a week and must be free Monday–Friday for preceptors. Full-time work is not realistic.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | Post-baccalaureate DNP; post-graduate certificate |
| Population Focus | DNP: Primary Care (CPNP-PC) | Certificate: Primary Care (CPNP-PC) |
| Format | Hybrid: one campus week per semester, plus 1–2 campus days weekly from DNP year two |
| Clinical Hours | About 1,000 (DNP); 840 practicum hours across three pediatric courses |
| Clinical Placement | School-arranged (DNP); students outside the Twin Cities may help find sites |
| Distinctive Coursework | Children with special health care needs; optional Disability Policy & Services Certificate |
| RN Experience Required | Not stated for the DNP |
| Tuition | $1,207/credit, resident and non-resident (2026-2027) |
| Accreditation | CCNE (DNP and post-graduate certificates) |
About the acute care certificate. The School of Nursing also lists a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Acute Care certificate for certified PNP-PCs with a DNP, with rotations at Children’s Minnesota, Gillette Children’s, and M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. Its last published start was June 2023, and the certificate overview marks it as not accepting applications. It is not profiled here as an open pathway.
DNP – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care
The estimated tuition for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care DNP is approximately $94,146 (78 credits at $1,207/credit). The program follows a 3-year full-time plan; the school has also published a 4-year plan. It prepares BSN-entry nurses for CPNP-PC certification, and an RN license is required by the program start rather than at application.
DNP Curriculum
Year one covers the advanced practice core and diagnostic reasoning. Year two starts the pediatric sequence: well-child care, then common conditions, each paired with a 240-hour practicum. Year three moves to complex pediatric practice and children with special health care needs (CSHCN), alongside the three-semester DNP project.
The CSHCN thread is the curriculum’s distinguishing feature. Adding EPSY 5666 (Disability Policy and Services) qualifies students for the Institute on Community Integration’s Disability Policy & Services Certificate. Students also take a required Center for Spirituality and Healing elective.
- NURS 6111: Introduction to Diagnostic Reasoning
- NURS 6519: Advanced Pediatric Assessment
- NURS 6920: Primary Care: Assessment of Health and Care of Well Children
- NURS 6922: Primary Care: Common Conditions Affecting Children
- NURS 6924: Assessment and Interventions for Children with Special Health Care Needs
- NURS 7926: Advanced Practice Care and Leadership for Complex Pediatric Practice
- NURS 7230: Advanced Nursing for Public, Population, and Planetary Health
- NURS 7110 / 7111 / 7112: DNP Project Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation/Dissemination
- EPSY 5666: Disability Policy and Services (optional)
More curriculum details are available in the University of Minnesota catalog and the school’s program plans.
DNP Clinical Requirements
- About 1,000 clinical hours total (university figure)
- Pediatric practicums: NURS 6921 Well Children (240 hrs), NURS 6923 Common Conditions (240 hrs), NURS 7925 Complex Pediatric Practice (360 hrs)
- Placement: arranged by the school with established preceptors, matched to student interests
- Students living outside Minneapolis/St. Paul may be asked to help identify sites
- Students must be available Monday–Friday for preceptor time
- Final semester: 3 clinical days and 1 class day per week
The 840 pediatric practicum hours alone sit above the typical 600–750 range for a single population. The remaining hours toward 1,000 go to DNP-level practice. School-arranged placement is a real advantage, but it assumes you live near the Twin Cities. The school recommends working less than half time.
DNP Admissions
Admission is rolling after a December priority date, and programs can close once capacity is reached.
- Entry-level nursing degree (BSN, BAN, post-baccalaureate nursing certificate, or entry-level MN)
- RN license by the program start
- Three references, at least one evaluating professional or academic performance
- Personal statement (three prompts, max four pages) and a diversity, equity, and inclusion essay (500 words max); generative AI prohibited
- Resume or CV and official transcripts through NursingCAS
- English proficiency testing only for non-native speakers
- Priority deadline: December 1, 2026 (decisions by early February); rolling review afterward
The How to Apply page does not publish a minimum GPA, an RN experience requirement, or interview details. Applying by the priority date matters more here than at most schools, since specialties can move to waitlist-only once full.
Post-Graduate Certificate – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care
The estimated tuition for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Post-Graduate Certificate is approximately $32,589 (27 credits at $1,207/credit). The program generally takes about 2 years. It adds CPNP-PC preparation for advanced practice nurses who already hold a clinical DNP, so it is closed to RNs without APRN preparation.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is the DNP’s pediatric specialty sequence without the doctoral core or project. Prior coursework is reviewed at admission and can change the plan of study.
- NURS 6518: Introduction to APRN Pediatric Specialties and Professional Topics
- NURS 6519: Pediatric Health Assessment
- NURS 6920 / 6921: Well Children Primary Care and Practicum
- NURS 6922 / 6923: Common Conditions Affecting Children and Practicum
- NURS 6924: Assessment and Interventions for Children with Special Health Care Needs
- NURS 7925 / 7926: Complex Pediatric Practice Practicum and Leadership
- EPSY 5666: Disability Policy and Services (optional)
Curriculum details are in the certificate catalog listing.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 840 practicum hours across the same three pediatric courses as the DNP
- Placement model for certificate students: not clearly published
Certificate students complete the full pediatric practicum load rather than a reduced set. That is well above the 500-hour certification floor and gives a career-changing APRN the same pediatric exposure as a DNP student.
Certificate Admissions
The DNP requirement is the gate most applicants miss. An MSN-prepared APRN qualifies only by enrolling concurrently in the university’s Post-Master’s DNP.
- Entry-level nursing degree, plus a DNP in a clinical specialty (CNS, NP, nurse-midwife, or nurse anesthetist)
- Alternative: clinical MSN with concurrent Post-Master’s DNP enrollment
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher from the most recent degree
- Unencumbered U.S. RN license and U.S. APRN license
- F-1 visa holders not eligible because of the hybrid format
- Enrollment limited; the school advises contacting the specialty coordinator before applying
- Apply through NursingCAS; review begins December 2 and continues on a rolling basis
Tuition
Estimated tuition runs from about $33,000 for the certificate to about $94,000 for the DNP. Residency does not change the price.
| Pathway | Resident | Non-Resident |
|---|---|---|
| DNP – PC | $94,146 | $94,146 |
| Cert – PC | $32,589 | $32,589 |
Calculated estimates, not university-published totals. Based on the 2026-2027 rate of $1,207/credit.
The rate rose from $1,172 in 2025-2026. At the old rate the DNP came to $91,416, so older estimates understate cost by about $2,700.
Key Cost Takeaways
- Flat-rate terms: 9 or more credits in a semester cost a flat $10,863. Heavier terms in the full-time plan can bring the total below the per-credit estimate.
- School of Nursing fees: a $288.50 collegiate fee each fall and spring, plus a $700 clinical fee for DNP students. Over six fall/spring terms that adds about $5,900.
- University fees: the $532.50 Student Services Fee applies to students with 6+ credits regardless of course modality.
- Teaching assistantships: DNP students can earn tuition remission from about 30% (15% appointment) to 100% (50% appointment).
- Campus travel: the one-week session each semester and weekly campus days are unbudgeted costs for anyone outside the Twin Cities.
- Scholarships: one post-admission application; many awards require the FAFSA by February 1.
The single rate removes the out-of-state penalty common at public universities, which makes Minnesota competitive for non-residents willing to relocate. Assistantship remission is the biggest lever on real cost and is worth pursuing early.
Official University of Minnesota tuition rates | Fees
Why Choose This PNP Program?
Best suited for: BSN-prepared nurses near the Twin Cities who want a doctoral PNP-PC with structured placements, especially those drawn to children with disabilities or complex needs.
Built-In Focus on Children with Special Health Care Needs
Most PNP-PC programs touch on chronic and complex conditions inside general coursework. Minnesota gives CSHCN its own course and a full complex-practice practicum. The optional EPSY 5666 course adds a separate Disability Policy & Services Certificate, a credential few PNP graduates carry.
School-Arranged Placements, High Practicum Volume
The school places DNP students with established preceptors, so you are not cold-calling clinics. The 840 pediatric practicum hours exceed most single-population programs, with 360 in the final complex-practice rotation.
One Price for Every State
At $1,207 per credit for everyone, the DNP costs the same for a Wisconsin or Iowa nurse as a Minnesotan. Assistantships can cut tuition substantially.
Potential Drawbacks
- Weekly campus days from year two make this effectively a commuter program.
- Weekday availability for clinicals rules out most full-time jobs.
- No MSN option; BSN nurses commit to a 3-year doctorate.
- The certificate requires a DNP (or concurrent Post-Master’s DNP), excluding most MSN-prepared NPs.
- The acute care certificate is not currently accepting applications.
The Verdict
Minnesota is a strong choice for a nurse who can live near Minneapolis, cut work hours, and wants a primary care doctorate with real depth in complex and disability-related pediatrics. School-arranged placements and a flat rate for all states add to the case. Nurses who need to keep working full time, or who want an MSN, should compare St. Catherine University, which holds classes one day a week, or an online MSN program.
Accreditation
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) re-accredited the School of Nursing’s DNP and post-graduate certificate programs in December 2021 for 10 years, the maximum term. The university states that graduates are eligible for the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board’s primary care exam (CPNP-PC).
Other PNP Programs in Minnesota
- St. Catherine University (St. Paul)
- Rasmussen University (Bloomington)