Rush University College of Nursing offers 7 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner pathways across a primary care DNP, an acute care DNP, and an acute care certificate:
- BSN to DNP – Primary Care, CPNP-PC
- BSN to DNP – Acute Care, CPNP-AC
- MSN to DNP for non-APRNs – Primary Care, CPNP-PC
- MSN to DNP for APRNs – Primary Care, CPNP-PC
- MSN to DNP for non-APRNs – Acute Care, CPNP-AC
- MSN to DNP for APRNs – Acute Care, CPNP-AC
- Postgraduate Certificate Acute Care, CPNP-AC
Coursework is online with a small number of required campus visits in Chicago. Rush cannot enroll residents of Louisiana, Tennessee, or Canada in online programs, or New York residents in APRN specialty programs, and the acute care DNP and certificate are not available in every state or locale.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNP – PC (BSN) | $102K | 2.5–3.5 yrs | 68 |
| DNP – PC (MSN) | $84K | 2.5 yrs | 56 |
| DNP – PC (APRN) | $57K | 2.5 yrs | 38 |
| DNP – AC (BSN) | $102K | 3⅔ yrs (part-time) | 68 |
| DNP – AC (MSN) | $84K | 3 yrs (part-time) | 56 |
| DNP – AC (APRN) | $43K | 2 yrs (part-time) | 29 |
| Cert – AC | $17K–$18K | 8+ mos (part-time) | 12 |
Tuition estimates multiply Rush’s 2026–2027 post-licensure graduate nursing rate ($1,493 per credit, all students) by each track’s itemized credit total; the certificate range also reflects the $1,436 rate on its program page.
- Why choose it: Four online routes to CPNP-AC, from BSN entry to a 12-credit certificate, with DNP students on campus in Chicago only two or three times.
- Trade-off: Placement is collaborative with no guarantee, several states are excluded, and the BSN-entry DNP runs about $102,000 before fees.
Quick Facts
| Population Focus | DNP – PC: Primary Care (CPNP-PC) | DNP – AC and Cert: Acute Care (CPNP-AC) |
| Format | Mostly Online: asynchronous online coursework plus a few campus visits |
| Campus Attendance | PC: two skills days | AC DNP: two 2–3 day visits | Cert: two one-week visits |
| Clinical Hours | 756 practicum and residency hours (DNP); 504 (certificate and AC APRN plan); plus 252 DNP project hours |
| Clinical Placement | Students and faculty identify sites together; not guaranteed |
| RN Experience Required | PC: none | AC DNP: 6 months acute pediatric | Cert: 2 years acute pediatric |
| Distinctive Coursework | Pediatric palliative care training required before acute care coursework; standalone Diagnostics for the APRN |
| State Restrictions | No LA, TN, or Canada residents; no NY residents in APRN tracks; AC availability varies by state |
| Start Terms | PC: fall | AC DNP: fall (BSN), summer (MSN) | Cert: fall, spring, summer |
| Tuition | $1,493 per credit (2026–2027), plus $429 DNP fee per term |
| Accreditation | CCNE (DNP and post-graduate APRN certificate) |
Clinical Education
Rush uses a shared placement model: local and distance students work with faculty and a clinical site project coordinator to identify practicum sites, and Rush negotiates the contracts. Rush says it has negotiated most distance contracts successfully but that success is not guaranteed. This is more support than a self-placement program provides, but students should expect to help find their own preceptors.
Chicago-area primary care students can draw on Rush and other sites across the metro area, from pediatric primary care clinics to outpatient subspecialty practices. Acute care placements are arranged among the faculty, the student, and the clinical site depending on availability, and the certificate program coordinates rotations across ICU and pediatric subspecialty settings.
- Rush does not enroll Louisiana, Tennessee, or Canadian residents in online programs, or New York residents in APRN specialty programs
- Acute care DNP and certificate applicants outside the Chicago area must confirm with the program director that the program is available in their state and locale before applying
- Students who move after matriculating must clear the move with the program director, because state regulations can affect clinical placement
General Admissions
All tracks apply through NursingCAS with a Rush supplemental application. Shared requirements:
- BSN from a regionally accredited institution (a qualifying graduate nursing degree for the certificate)
- 3.0 cumulative GPA and 3.0 prelicensure nursing GPA
- Three professional recommendations from people in leadership positions; a current manager is strongly preferred, and one academic reference is allowed if coursework was within two years
- Personal essays, a resume or CV, and a faculty interview
- No GRE; TOEFL where required
- $80 NursingCAS fee plus a $40 Rush supplemental fee
- One Rush program and one admission term per application
The one-program rule means an applicant torn between primary and acute care has to choose before applying. MSN-entry applicants also need graduate biostatistics or epidemiology and research coursework, completed before admission or added to the plan of study.
Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner DNP
The Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner DNP costs an estimated $101,524 from a BSN (68 credits), $83,608 from a non-APRN master’s (56 credits), and $56,734 for master’s-prepared APRNs (38 credits). BSN entrants finish in about 2.5 years full time or 3.5 years part time; Rush lists 2.5 years for MSN entry. It prepares graduates for primary care certification (CPNP-PC) through PNCB, and no pediatric RN experience is required.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The primary care curriculum page states minimums of 62 term hours for BSN entrants and 30 for master’s-prepared students, but the course-by-course curricula on the same page total 68, 56, and 38. The acute care page’s minimums match its curricula exactly. This page uses the itemized totals because they add up course by course; budgeting on 62 credits would understate BSN-entry tuition by about $8,958.
Primary Care DNP Curriculum
The BSN plan has five blocks: a 12-credit graduate nursing core, an 18-credit advanced practice core, a 14-credit DNP core, 12 credits of pediatric cognates, and 12 credits of practica and project work. Non-APRN master’s students skip the graduate core (56 credits). APRNs skip both the graduate and advanced practice cores (38 credits) but still take the full pediatric sequence and practica, which makes this route a fit for FNPs and other APRNs adding pediatric primary care.
- NSG 551A, 551B, 551C – Advanced Primary Care of the Child I, II, III (9)
- NSG 556 – Applied Pharmacology: Pediatric (3)
- NSG 535 – Diagnostics for the APRN (3)
- NSG 625 and 625L – Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span and Lab (3)
- NSG 521 – Antiracism in Organizational Leadership (3)
- NSG 606 – DNP Specialty Practicum (6) and NSG 607 – DNP Immersion Residency (3)
- NSG 610, 615, and 609A–C – DNP project courses (8)
Primary care management runs across three terms rather than one or two, and diagnostics is a standalone 3-credit course rather than part of health assessment. View the primary care curriculum.
Primary Care DNP Clinical Requirements
- 504 clock hours in the DNP Specialty Practicum (NSG 606)
- 252 clock hours in the DNP Immersion Residency (NSG 607)
- 252 clock hours across three DNP project practicum courses (NSG 609A–C)
- The same practicum hours apply at all three entry points
- Two on-campus skills days, one in each of the fall and spring clinical terms, covering suturing, newborn and ear assessment, emergency medications, and a competency check; the health assessment campus visit is optional
- Clinical rotations run two to three days a week in the last three terms
Rush’s curriculum lists 1,008 clock hours in total, of which 756 are specialty practicum and residency and 252 are DNP project practicum. The 756 pediatric hours sit just above the usual 600 to 750 range for a single-population track. Rush notes that many students cut work to 20 to 32 hours a week during the final three clinical terms.
Primary Care DNP Admissions
- No required pediatric RN experience
- Fall 2027 cycle: applications open August 6, 2026; deadline February 1, 2027; term starts September 7, 2027
- MSN entrants need biostatistics or epidemiology and research, before admission or added to the plan
With a single fall intake and a February 1 deadline, an applicant who misses the date waits a full year. The lack of an experience gate makes this the more accessible of Rush’s two population tracks for a newer BSN nurse.
Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner DNP
The Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner DNP costs an estimated $101,524 from a BSN (68 credits), $83,608 from a non-APRN master’s (56 credits), and $43,297 for master’s-prepared APRNs (29 credits). It is part-time and cohort-based: about 3⅔ years from a BSN, 3 years for non-APRNs, and 2 years for APRNs. Graduates are eligible for PNCB’s acute care exam (CPNP-AC). Applicants need at least six months of recent acute care pediatric nursing experience by the application deadline.
Acute Care DNP Curriculum
The BSN and non-APRN plans share their cores with the primary care track; the difference is the 12-credit specialty block. Acute care students take one primary care course (NSG 551A) and pediatric pharmacology, then two acute care management courses covering episodic, critical, and complex chronic illness. The APRN plan drops to the DNP core, the two acute care courses, and practica, after a gap analysis that sets an individualized plan.
- NSG 557A and 557B – Pediatric Acute Care I and II (6)
- NSG 551A – Advanced Primary Care of the Child I (3; not in the APRN plan)
- NSG 556 – Applied Pharmacology: Pediatric (3; not in the APRN plan)
- NSG 606 – DNP Specialty Practicum, Acute Care Pediatric (6; 3 in the APRN plan)
- NSG 607 – DNP Immersion Residency (3)
- Pediatric palliative care training (ELNEC Pediatric, a palliative care certification, or palliative coursework) completed before NSG 557A
The palliative care requirement applies at every entry point and must be done before acute care coursework begins, so applicants without it should plan for it early. View the acute care curriculum.
Acute Care DNP Clinical Requirements
- BSN and non-APRN MSN: 756 hours (504 specialty practicum, 252 immersion residency)
- APRN MSN: 500 to 756 hours set by gap analysis (the published plan lists 504); prior clinical hours plus new hours are expected to total at least 1,000
- Plus 252 DNP project practicum hours
- Campus visits: an optional one-day orientation, then two- to three-day visits for the DNP proposal and the final presentation
Acute care students complete the same 756 hours as primary care students, just above the usual single-population range, but spread across a longer part-time schedule. Rush does not publish which settings each student rotates through; practice settings named for graduates include critical care, emergency care, inpatient units, transport teams, and acute care home services.
Acute Care DNP Admissions
- Six months of recent acute care pediatric experience by the application deadline
- BSN entry, Fall 2027: early decision February 1, 2027; final deadline May 3, 2027; starts September 7, 2027
- MSN entry, Summer 2027: deadline March 1, 2027; starts May 10, 2027
- APRN applicants need current APRN certification, active practice within two years, and prerequisite coursework including advanced primary care of the child, completed before admission or added to the plan
- Applicants outside the Chicago area must confirm state and locale availability with the program director before applying
Six months is a low bar for acute care PNP programs, many of which ask for a year or more of PICU or pediatric ED experience. It makes Rush a realistic option for a pediatric nurse less than a year into acute care practice.
Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Postgraduate Certificate
The Acute Care Pediatric NP Postgraduate Certificate costs an estimated $17,232 to $17,916 for 12 credits and takes a minimum of eight months part time for students with pediatric or family NP degrees. It prepares graduates for CPNP-AC certification and is open to certified nurse practitioners with pediatric experience; a DNP is not required. Applicants need two years of recent acute care pediatric nursing experience.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The certificate page lists tuition at $1,436 per credit, while Rush’s 2026–2027 tuition schedule charges $1,493 for post-licensure MSN, DNP, and PhD programs and does not list certificates separately. The difference is $684 over 12 credits. This page shows both and treats $1,493 as the likelier current rate, since the program page appears not to have been updated for 2026–2027.
Certificate Curriculum
The certificate is two acute care management courses and two practica. Rush assumes the advanced practice core is already done and checks it through a required gap analysis; missing prerequisites are added to the plan, which is what extends some students past eight months. NPs from populations other than pediatrics or family practice should expect additional coursework.
- NSG 557A and 557B – Pediatric Acute Care I and II (6)
- NRS 541P – Specialty Practicum (3; 252 clock hours)
- NRS 600P – Specialty Residency (3; 252 clock hours)
- Prerequisites if not already completed: advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, physiology, health assessment and diagnostics, advanced primary care of the child, transition to the APRN role, and pediatric palliative care training
View the certificate curriculum.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 504 clock hours: 252 specialty practicum and 252 specialty residency
- Rotations coordinated across ICU and pediatric subspecialty settings
- Two years of full-time pediatric experience required before clinicals begin
- Two campus visits of one week each, one with each acute care management course
At 504 hours the certificate sits at the 500-hour certification floor, which is typical for a post-graduate certificate that builds on prior APRN clinical training. The two campus weeks are the heaviest in-person commitment of any Rush PNP pathway, so certificate students should plan for two weeks away from work plus travel to Chicago.
Certificate Admissions
- Graduate nursing degree that qualified the applicant for APRN certification
- Two years of recent acute care pediatric nursing experience before the application deadline
- Recommendations from friends, relatives, or co-workers are not accepted
- Applicants must contact the program director before applying to confirm availability in their state
- Spring, summer, and fall starts with rolling deadlines
The certificate trades a much higher experience requirement (two years against the DNP’s six months) for a shorter program and three start dates a year.
Tuition
Rush charges $1,493 per credit for post-licensure MSN, DNP, and PhD programs in 2026–2027, with no residency distinction. Rush states that students should expect annual increases, so a multi-year DNP will not finish at the rate it started. The certificate program page lists $1,436 per credit, which conflicts with the university schedule as described in the certificate section.
| Pathway | Credits | Est. Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| DNP – PC or AC (BSN) | 68 | $101,524 |
| DNP – PC or AC (MSN, non-APRN) | 56 | $83,608 |
| DNP – PC (MSN, APRN) | 38 | $56,734 |
| DNP – AC (MSN, APRN) | 29 | $43,297 |
| Certificate – AC | 12 | $17,232–$17,916 |
Totals are calculated from Rush’s published per-credit rates and itemized curricula; Rush does not publish program totals.
Fees Beyond Tuition
- DNP administrative fee: $429 each fall, spring, and summer term, roughly $2,600 over a two-year plan and $4,700 over the 3⅔-year acute care BSN plan
- Application: $80 NursingCAS plus $40 Rush supplemental
- Campus travel: two skills days (primary care), two 2–3 day visits (acute care DNP), or two one-week visits (certificate)
- Palliative care training: ELNEC Pediatric or equivalent is required before acute care coursework; Rush does not publish its cost
Key Cost Takeaways
- APRNs pay far less for the same credential: about $43,000 for the acute care DNP and $57,000 for the primary care DNP, against $101,524 from a BSN
- The certificate is the cheapest route to CPNP-AC for an NP who does not need a doctorate
- Rush charges per credit, so a repeated course or a prerequisite added by gap analysis adds about $1,500 per credit hour of coursework, not per course
See Rush’s 2026–2027 tuition rates.
Why Choose This PNP Program?
Best suited for: pediatric nurses and NPs in states Rush serves who want CPNP-AC through a mostly online program, whatever degree they start from.
Acute Care at Every Entry Point
Most schools offer acute care pediatrics through one pathway. Rush offers four: BSN entry, non-APRN master’s entry, a 29-credit DNP for APRNs, and a 12-credit certificate. A nurse’s current credential rarely rules Rush out.
Online With Few Campus Days
Unlike programs that require students to live near a campus, Rush enrolls distance students in most states, and DNP students come to Chicago only two or three times. That matters for pediatric nurses outside Illinois who want a doctorate without relocating.
Palliative Care as a Prerequisite
Rush requires pediatric palliative care training before any acute care management coursework, treating end-of-life and goals-of-care conversations as core acute care skills. Few PNP programs make this a hard requirement.
Drawbacks
- Placement is collaborative and not guaranteed; students help find their own sites
- Several states are excluded, and acute care availability varies by state and hospital
- About $102,000 in tuition from a BSN, with annual rate increases expected
- No dual PC/AC track; a second population means a second program
- The acute care DNP is part-time only, 3⅔ years from a BSN
- Published credit minimums and certificate tuition conflict with other Rush figures
The Verdict
Rush is the stronger choice for pediatric nurses who want acute care certification through an online program, and especially for APRNs, who can add CPNP-AC through a 29-credit DNP or a 12-credit certificate. Nurses near a campus-based program that arranges placements for them, or those focused on cost, should compare in-state public options; in Illinois, UIC offers both population tracks from the BSN for roughly $17,000 less in tuition, with faculty-arranged clinicals but a commuting-distance requirement.
Accreditation
The MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Rush University College of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Rush states that primary care graduates are eligible for Pediatric Nursing Certification Board certification (CPNP-PC) and that acute care DNP and certificate graduates are eligible for the CPNP-AC exam.
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