The University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) College of Nursing offers the most complete pediatric nurse practitioner menu of the Missouri campuses — acute care, primary care, or both — entirely online:
- BSN-DNP, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care (PNP-AC)
- BSN-DNP, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care (PNP-PC, 70 credits)
- BSN-DNP, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Dual Acute & Primary Care
- MSN-DNP, in any pediatric emphasis (for master’s-prepared nurses)
- Post-Graduate Certificate, PNP Acute Care or Primary Care
Unlike MU Columbia, which offers primary care only, UMSL adds an acute care track and a dual acute/primary track.
The DNP is delivered online with a small number of required on-campus intensives, and all domestic online students pay the in-state tuition rate regardless of residency. The program carries an explicit underserved-population focus and is CCNE-accredited.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP PNP (Acute Care) | ~$63K (all-in) | 3 yr full-time / 4 yr part-time |
| BSN-DNP PNP (Primary Care) | ~$63K (all-in) | 3 yr full-time / 4 yr part-time |
| BSN-DNP PNP (Dual Acute & Primary Care) | Higher (more credits) | ~4 years |
| MSN-DNP PNP (Acute, Primary, or Dual) | Varies (credits apply) | ~2–3 years |
| Post-Graduate Certificate PNP (Acute or Primary) | Varies (min 12 credits) | 3–6 semesters |
“UMSL is the rare program offering pediatric primary care, acute care, and a dual acute/primary track — all online, all at the in-state rate.”
BSN-DNP: Admissions & Clinical Requirements
The admissions and clinical requirements below are shared across all three BSN-DNP pediatric tracks (Primary Care, Acute Care, and Dual). The track-specific curricula follow in their own sections.
Admissions
Applicants apply through NursingCAS and are reviewed holistically. The priority deadline is January 15 for fall start (the only start), with rolling admission afterward until the class fills or July 31.
- BSN from a nationally accredited program; 3.0 GPA on the last 60 hours of BSN coursework
- Current RN licensure; completion of an undergraduate or graduate general statistics course
- Essay, CV, and two professional letters of recommendation from master’s- or doctorally-prepared nurses
- Acute Care and Dual tracks require at least one year of inpatient pediatric nursing experience
- A selective Direct Admit option (for UMSL BSN graduates or CON externship completers) requires a 3.75 GPA on the last 60 hours and is not available for the Acute Care or Dual tracks; once admitted, all students maintain a 3.0 GPA
Clinicals
Coursework is online; clinical practice is completed in the field, and the program includes a residency (one credit equals 75 residency hours, with an 8-credit minimum).
- Minimum 1,000 post-baccalaureate practice hours, including at least 600 direct patient-care hours
- Residency: minimum 8 credit hours (600 hours); practicum credits scale up for the dual track’s two populations
- BSN-DNP includes four required on-campus 2–3 day intensives (the MSN-DNP includes six three-day intensives)
BSN-DNP PNP – Primary Care Curriculum
The Primary Care track totals 70 credit hours: the shared DNP core plus an 11-credit pediatric primary care emphasis. Estimated cost is about $63,000 all-in.
Shared DNP core (all pediatric BSN-DNP tracks):
- Foundational Concepts (30 credits):
- Healthcare Systems;
- Research, Interventions and Evidence-Based Practice;
- Social Determinants of Health for Underserved Populations;
- Biostatistics I;
- Evidence-Based Practice for the DNP;
- Leadership in Practice;
- Epidemiology;
- Health Informatics;
- Program Evaluation and Quality Management;
- Healthcare Policy and Economics
- Clinical Expertise / the “3 P’s” (12 credits):
- Pathophysiology;
- Pharmacology;
- Health Assessment;
- Introduction to Diagnostic Reasoning
- Integration of Practice (up to 17 credits):
- Advanced Practice Nursing Practicum I–III;
- DNP Clinical Scholarship Project I–III (defended as the comprehensive exam)
Primary care emphasis (11 credits):
- NURSE 6723 Foundations of Pediatric Health (3)
- NURSE 6743 Pediatric Health I: Acute and Chronic Care (4)
- NURSE 6744 Pediatric Health II: Comprehensive Primary Care (4)
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN-DNP PNP – Acute Care Curriculum
The Acute Care track also totals 70 credit hours: the same shared DNP core (30 Foundational + 12 Clinical Expertise + up to 17 Integration of Practice credits, listed in the Primary Care section above) plus an 11-credit acute care emphasis.
The only curricular difference from the primary care track is the second diagnosis-and-management course. Estimated cost is about $63,000 all-in.
Acute care emphasis (11 credits):
- NURSE 6723 Foundations of Pediatric Health (3)
- NURSE 6743 Pediatric Health I: Acute and Chronic Care (4)
- NURSE 6745 Pediatric Health II: Complex Acute Care (4)
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN-DNP PNP – Dual Acute & Primary Care Curriculum
The Dual track prepares graduates for both pediatric certifications by combining the primary care and acute care specialty courses into a 15-credit emphasis on top of the shared DNP core.
Estimated cost is about $66,000 all-in.
Dual emphasis (15 credits):
- NURSE 6723 Foundations of Pediatric Health (3)
- NURSE 6743 Pediatric Health I: Acute and Chronic Care (4)
- NURSE 6744 Pediatric Health II: Comprehensive Primary Care (4)
- NURSE 6745 Pediatric Health II: Complex Acute Care (4)
With the shared core, this brings the program to approximately 74 credits. ⚠ The dual-track bulletin page lists the 15-credit emphasis but does not state a single total program credit figure, and practicum hours scale up to cover both populations, so the total is approximate. More curriculum details are available here.
MSN-DNP (Post-Master’s Completion) Curriculum
The MSN-DNP is a 33-credit doctoral-completion path for nurses who already hold a master’s in nursing and typically already practice as APRNs.
It builds doctoral-level leadership and scholarship competencies rather than adding a new clinical population.
Admission requires an MSN from a nationally accredited program, a 3.0 graduate GPA, current licensure, and a statistics course.
Estimated cost is about $30,000 all-in.
- Social Determinants of Health for Underserved Populations (3)
- Biostatistics I (3); Epidemiology (3); Health Informatics (3)
- Evidence-Based Practice for the DNP (3); Leadership in Practice (3)
- Program Evaluation and Quality Management in Healthcare (3); Healthcare Policy and Economics (3)
- DNP Clinical Scholarship Project I–III (6); nursing elective (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
Post-Graduate Certificate – PNP Curriculum
For nurses who already hold a graduate nursing degree and want to add a pediatric population, UMSL offers a part-time Post-Graduate APRN Certificate in PNP Acute Care or Primary Care.
Requirements are tailored to the individual based on prior coursework and goals; current APRNs can finish in as few as three semesters, non-APRNs in as few as six.
Students complete a minimum of 12 credit hours from the College of Nursing, drawn from the list below, including a required 8 practicum credits (600 clinical hours):
- Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Health Assessment, and Introduction to Diagnostic Reasoning (the “3 P’s” plus diagnostics), as needed
- NURSE 6723 Foundations of Pediatric Health (3)
- NURSE 6743 Pediatric Health I: Acute and Chronic Care (4)
- NURSE 6744 Pediatric Health II: Comprehensive Primary Care (4) — primary care; the acute care certificate substitutes NURSE 6745 Complex Acute Care
- Advanced Practice Nursing Practicum I–III (8 credits minimum; one credit = 75 clinical hours)
Admission requires an MSN or DNP from a nationally accredited program, a 3.0 GPA, and current licensure; the acute care certificate requires at least one year of inpatient pediatric nursing experience. Practicum hours may be partly awarded to practicing APRNs based on prior precepted patient-care hours.
More details are available here.
Tuition
The University of Missouri–St. Louis bills its online DNP by the credit hour, and all domestic online students pay the in-state rate regardless of residency.
The published estimate combines graduate resident tuition of $548.10 per credit hour, a nursing DNP fee of $278.40 per credit hour, and an online supplemental fee of $68.00 per credit hour — about $895 per credit all-in — with no separate activity or technology fee.
Across the 70-credit BSN-DNP, that totals roughly $63,000, not including application fee, books, or course fees.
These figures come from a recent academic-year estimate; current per-credit rates run somewhat higher (recent listings cite around $933 per credit), so confirm the latest figures on the official tuition page here.
Accreditation
The University of Missouri–St. Louis Doctor of Nursing Practice is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates of the pediatric tracks are eligible to sit for the corresponding Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) exam — CPNP-PC for primary care, CPNP-AC for acute care, and both for the dual track. Note that, due to state-authorization rules, UMSL cannot enroll online students from every state.
Additional Pediatric NP Programs in Missouri
- University of Missouri-Kansas City - Kansas City
- University of Missouri - Columbia