Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing offers four Pediatric Nurse Practitioner pathways:
Primary Care (CPNP-PC)
- MSN
- Dual PC/AC MSN
- Post-MSN Certificate
Acute Care (CPNP-AC)
- MSN
- Dual PC/AC MSN
- Post-MSN Certificate
All pathways require a current Ohio RN license and 3–4 trips per term to the Cleveland campus for intensive courses. Named clinical partners are in the Cleveland–Akron area.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN – PC | $100K | 18 mo FT; 3 yrs PT | 41 |
| MSN – AC | $110K | 2 yrs FT; 3–5 yrs PT | 45 |
| MSN – Dual | $122K | 2 yrs FT; 3–5 yrs PT | 50 |
| Cert – PC/AC | Varies (AC from $12K) | Varies | Gap analysis |
Tuition estimates multiply CWRU’s 2026–2027 MSN rate ($2,449 per credit, all terms) by catalog credit totals. Mandatory fees are listed in the Tuition section.
- Why choose it: One extra course (NUNP 403) and about 200 more clinical hours turn the Acute Care MSN into dual PC/AC preparation in the same five semesters, with acute rotations at Cleveland–Akron children’s hospitals.
- Trade-off: This is a Northeast Ohio program with distance-friendly courses, not a remote one. It requires an Ohio RN license and regular campus trips, and at $2,449 per credit with no full-time cap it costs roughly three times Wright State’s PNP estimates.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN (Primary Care, Acute Care, Dual PC/AC); Post-Graduate Certificate (PC or AC) |
| Population Focus | MSN – PC: CPNP-PC | MSN – AC: CPNP-AC | Dual: both | Certificate: PC or AC |
| Format | Mostly Online: 3–4 campus trips per term for 3–6 day intensives |
| Clinical Hours | PC: 600 | AC: over 600 | Dual: 960 |
| Clinical Sites | Named partners: Rainbow Babies & Children’s, Cleveland Clinic Children’s, Akron Children’s, MetroHealth |
| RN License | Current Ohio RN license |
| RN Experience | AC and Dual: 1 year recent hospital-based acute pediatric nursing; PC: not clearly published |
| Interview | Required for all APRN specialties starting Fall 2026 |
| Start Terms | Core courses any term; clinical sequence begins each fall |
| Tuition | $2,449 per credit (2026–2027); no full-time flat rate for the MSN |
| Accreditation | CCNE (MSN and Post-Graduate APRN Certificate) through June 30, 2031 |
Clinical Education at Case Western
These rules apply to every PNP pathway. Track sections below cover only hours, settings, and track-specific gates.
- Clinical courses run in a fixed semester sequence that starts each fall. Seats depend on enrollment.
- Advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment (NURS 453, 430, 459) must be completed before or alongside clinical courses.
- Who arranges preceptors is not clearly published. CWRU charges a one-time $175 Clinical Placement Fee and a $55 ACEMAPP fee.
- Named clinical partners: Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, Akron Children’s Hospital, and MetroHealth.
- CWRU budgets $640–$1,200 per semester for clinical travel, based on two clinical days per week (travel estimates).
- Intensive courses meet on campus 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for three to six consecutive days. Students pay their own travel, lodging, and meals (intensive schedule).
CWRU does not say where clinicals may be completed. Our reading of the published policy: the Ohio license requirement, Cleveland–Akron partners, and travel budgets built around two clinical days per week all point to placements in Northeast Ohio. Applicants outside the region should plan to relocate rather than expect clinicals at home.
The upside is access. Four major pediatric systems sit within driving distance of campus, which matters most for acute care students who need PICU and subspecialty inpatient time.
General Admissions
Requirements are shared across the MSN pathways. The new interview requirement is the main change for 2026 applicants.
- BSN or other accredited first professional nursing degree
- Current Ohio RN license
- Statistics course equivalent to STAT 201, completed within five years of admission or before NURS 425
- Personal statement, three professional recommendations, transcripts, and resume/CV
- Interview required for all APRN specialties starting Fall 2026
- GRE and MAT not required, though CWRU may request scores
- English language test for international applicants
- Minimum admission GPA not clearly published; students must keep a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 2.5 APRN GPA to progress
- Deadlines: March 15 (summer and fall starts), October 1 (spring start)
Core courses can start in any term, but clinical courses begin each fall. More details are on the MSN admission requirements and deadlines pages.
Pathway Details
MSN – Pediatric Primary Care
The estimated tuition for the Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner MSN is about $100,409 (41 credits at $2,449 per credit). It can be completed in about 18 months full-time (four semesters) or three years part-time. The pathway prepares nurses for pediatric primary care, the population behind the PNCB CPNP-PC credential.
A published conflict worth knowing about. CWRU lists three credit totals for this major. The program page states 40 credits, the 2026–2027 bulletin plan totals 41, and the 2025 brochure says 42. The program page’s own sample plan also sums to 42 because it lists NUNP 401 at 4 credits instead of the bulletin’s 3. This page uses the bulletin’s 41 credits, which reconcile course by course. The full range is $97,960–$102,858.
MSN – PC Curriculum
The plan runs four semesters. Each fall and spring pairs one pediatric clinical course with MSN core work. The summer term carries no clinical course and consists entirely of campus intensives.
The MSN core is heavier than at many PNP programs: a three-course inquiry sequence (NURS 405, 425, 502), leadership, and three one-credit professional courses (NURS 444A–C). Most of these run as campus intensives, which is where the 3–4 trips per term come from.
- NUNP 401 – Pediatric Growth, Development, and Health Supervision (3, clinical)
- NUNP 402 – Common and Acute Health Problems of Pediatric Patients (6, clinical)
- NUNP 403 – Advanced Management in Pediatric Primary Care (5, clinical)
- NUNP 410 – Health Promotion Across the Life Span (2)
- NURS 453 – Advanced Pathophysiology (4)
- NURS 430 – Advanced Pharmacology (3)
- NURS 459 – Advanced Physical Assessment (3)
- NURS 431 – Psychosocial and Spiritual Dimensions of Advanced Nursing Practice (2)
- NURS 405, 425, 502 – Inquiry I–III (7 total)
More curriculum details are available in the CWRU bulletin.
MSN – PC Clinical Requirements
- 600 clinical hours; the published plan does not assign hours to individual courses
- Three clinical courses: NUNP 401 (Fall I), NUNP 402 (Spring I), NUNP 403 (Fall II)
- Settings: pediatric primary care with NPs and physicians in private and hospital-affiliated practices and specialty clinics
At 600 hours, the PC track sits at the low end of the typical 600–750 range for a single population and clears the 500-hour floor. Spread across three semesters, that averages about 200 hours per clinical course.
MSN – PC Admissions
- All General Admissions requirements above
- CWRU lists this major among those requiring specific work experience but does not publish what that experience is
MSN – Pediatric Acute Care
The estimated tuition for the Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner MSN is about $110,205 (45 credits at $2,449 per credit). It can be completed in about two years full-time (five semesters) or three to five years part-time. CWRU states graduates are eligible for the PNCB certification exam; the population is pediatric acute care (CPNP-AC). Admission requires one year of recent hospital-based acute care pediatric nursing experience, and PALS before clinical rotations begin.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The bulletin’s Acute Care plan totals 50 credits because its Fall II term includes NUNP 403, which the program page labels as Dual Program only. The program page states 45 credits: 40 MSN credits plus the 5-credit NUNP 456. This page uses 45 for Acute Care alone and 50 for the Dual track.
MSN – AC Curriculum
The first three semesters match the Primary Care track exactly, including NUNP 401 and 402. Acute care content starts in Fall II with NUNP 455 and finishes the following spring with NUNP 456.
CWRU labels NUNP 456 a post-MSN component. In practice, the acute care plan is not complete until that fifth semester is done, so budget the full two years before sitting for CPNP-AC.
- NUNP 455 – Management of Complex Acute Problems in Children and Adolescents I (4, clinical)
- NUNP 456 – Management of Complex Acute Problems in Children and Adolescents II (5, clinical, post-MSN)
- NUNP 401 and 402 – shared pediatric clinical courses (9 total)
- NURS 453, 430, 459 – APRN core (10 total)
- Remaining MSN core and intensives as in the Primary Care plan
More curriculum details are available in the CWRU bulletin.
MSN – AC Clinical Requirements
- Over 600 clinical hours; CWRU does not publish an exact total or per-course hours
- Four clinical courses: NUNP 401, 402, 455, and 456
- Settings include pediatric intensive care units and subspecialty inpatient and outpatient services
- PALS certification required before clinical rotations
“Over 600” places the AC track in the typical single-population range. The brochure’s 960-hour dual total, minus the 200 hours CWRU attributes to the primary care add-on, implies roughly 760 hours for acute care alone. That figure is our derivation, not a published number.
MSN – AC Admissions
- All General Admissions requirements above
- At least one year of recent acute care (hospital-based) pediatric nursing experience
- PALS certification before clinical rotations
The experience gate rules out nurses whose pediatric background is outpatient or school-based. Applicants without it should consider the Primary Care track, then return for the acute care certificate once PC-certified.
MSN – Dual Pediatric Primary Care and Acute Care
The estimated tuition for the Dual Primary Care and Acute Care PNP MSN is about $122,450 (50 credits at $2,449 per credit). It takes the same five semesters as the Acute Care track: about two years full-time or three to five years part-time. It prepares graduates for both pediatric populations (CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC), and carries the same one-year acute pediatric experience requirement.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The 2025 brochure lists 51 credits for the dual program; the bulletin plan totals 50. This page uses the bulletin. At 51 credits, tuition would be $124,899.
Dual Curriculum
The dual track is the Acute Care plan plus NUNP 403, Advanced Management in Pediatric Primary Care (5 credits, clinical). It is added in Fall II, raising that term to 12 credits. No semester is added.
- NUNP 403 – Advanced Management in Pediatric Primary Care (5, clinical)
- NUNP 455 and 456 – acute care clinical sequence (9 total)
- NUNP 401 and 402 – shared pediatric clinical courses (9 total)
Dual Clinical Requirements
- 960 clinical hours (2025 brochure); the program page describes the dual as Acute Care plus 200 hours
- Five clinical courses: NUNP 401, 402, 403, 455, and 456
- Fall II combines primary care (NUNP 403) and acute care (NUNP 455) clinicals in one term
At 960 hours, the dual track falls in the lower half of the typical 900–1,200 dual range. Fall II is the pressure point: two clinical courses at once on top of two intensives.
Dual Admissions
Same as the Acute Care track, including one year of recent hospital-based acute pediatric experience and PALS.
Post-Graduate Certificate – Pediatric Primary Care or Acute Care
The Post-Graduate Certificate lists both the Primary Care and Acute Care PNP majors. CWRU builds each plan from a gap analysis of prior education, so credits, cost, and length vary. The clearest published entry point is for certified primary care PNPs, who can add acute care through NUNP 456 (5 credits, about $12,245 at $2,449 per credit).
- Plans are individualized after a gap analysis; no standard credit total is published
- Acute care entry: open to certified primary care PNPs; graduates of other programs may need additional acute care courses and clinical hours
- Primary care certificate: credits and clinical hours not clearly published
- Format: online content plus short weeklong or weekend campus sessions
- Deadlines: March 15 (summer and fall), October 1 (spring)
The certificate is the most cost-efficient way to add acute care at CWRU for a PNP already certified in primary care. Eligibility rules beyond the PC-PNP requirement for the acute care entry are not clearly published.
Tuition
Estimated tuition ranges from about $100,409 for Primary Care to $122,450 for the Dual track, before fees.
| Program | Est. Tuition |
|---|---|
| MSN – PC (41 cr) | $100,409 |
| MSN – AC (45 cr) | $110,205 |
| MSN – Dual (50 cr) | $122,450 |
| AC Certificate, NUNP 456 only (5 cr) | $12,245 |
Calculated estimates at CWRU’s 2026–2027 MSN rate of $2,449 per credit for summer, fall, and spring. Not university-published totals.
Key Cost Takeaways
- No full-time flat rate for the MSN. Every credit is billed at $2,449, including summer. Earlier versions of this profile applied a per-term cap that CWRU’s MSN rate table does not include.
- Recurring fees add about $210 per year (Graduate Student Council, RTA transportation, Nursing Activity), plus a one-time $175 Clinical Placement Fee and $55 ACEMAPP fee.
- The Student Medical Plan adds $2,110 per fall and spring term unless waived.
- Campus intensives: 3–4 trips per term, with travel, lodging, and meals paid by the student.
- Clinical travel: CWRU budgets $640–$1,200 per semester.
- The second credential costs $12,245 more (Dual vs. Acute Care alone) and no additional semester.
CWRU is the most expensive PNP option among the Ohio programs we profile, at roughly three times Wright State’s published estimates. The pricing case rests on the dual structure: a second population for about 11% more tuition and no added time. See the official fee schedule for current rates.
Why Choose This PNP Program?
Best suited for: Northeast Ohio pediatric hospital nurses who want both PNP credentials in two years and can afford private tuition.
Dual Certification Without Extra Time
The dual track adds one 5-credit clinical course to the Acute Care plan and finishes in the same five semesters. The second population costs a heavier Fall II and $12,245 in tuition, not a longer program.
Access to Four Pediatric Health Systems
Rainbow Babies & Children’s, Cleveland Clinic Children’s, Akron Children’s, and MetroHealth are named clinical partners. For acute care students, that means realistic access to PICU and subspecialty inpatient rotations, which are the hardest placements to find independently.
Regional, Not Remote
“Distance-friendly” at CWRU means fewer weekly classes, not a home-based program. The Ohio license requirement, 3–4 campus trips per term, and Northeast Ohio clinical partners make it practical mainly for nurses who live in the region or will relocate.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
- Nurses outside Ohio who need to complete clinicals near home
- Acute care applicants without a year of hospital-based pediatric experience
- Cost-sensitive applicants: Ohio public options cost a fraction of this
- Nurses who cannot travel to Cleveland several times each term
The Verdict
CWRU makes the strongest case for experienced pediatric hospital nurses in Northeast Ohio who want CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC eligibility together. The dual plan adds no time, and the named partner hospitals cover the acute care rotations that are hardest to arrange. Primary-care-only applicants get a solid but conventional 600-hour program at a premium price, and should compare it against Wright State and other Ohio options before committing.
Accreditation
Case Western Reserve University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. CCNE accredits the MSN and Post-Graduate APRN Certificate programs through June 30, 2031, with the next on-site evaluation in fall 2030 (CCNE accreditation actions).
CWRU states Acute Care graduates are eligible for the PNCB exam (CPNP-AC); dual graduates prepare for both CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC. The Primary Care program page does not include a certification statement, but the track’s population maps to PNCB’s CPNP-PC exam.
Other PNP Programs in Ohio
- Ohio State University - Columbus
- Wright State University - Dayton