No Out-of-State Surcharge + Faculty-Arranged Clinicals
The University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing offers three Pediatric Nurse Practitioner tracks:
- Post-BSN DNP – PNP-PC
- Post-DNP Certificate – PNP-PC
- Post-DNP Certificate – PNP-AC
All programs are delivered in a hybrid format combining online, on-site, and blended courses. Clinical placements and qualified preceptors are arranged for all students by faculty.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Post-BSN DNP – PNP-PC | ~$82,417 | 4 years full-time |
| Post-DNP Certificate – PNP-PC | $1,129/credit — credits determined by gap analysis; | ~1 year (fall start only) |
| Post-DNP Certificate – PNP-AC | $1,129/credit — credits determined by gap analysis; contact program for estimate | Not clearly stated (fall start only) |
Programs are available at the Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, and Urbana campuses.
Post-BSN DNP – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care
The Post-BSN DNP PNP-PC at the University of Illinois Chicago is estimated at approximately $82,417 in tuition based on 73 credits at $1,129/credit — the same rate for all students regardless of state of residence.
Mandatory professional fees add approximately $16,500-$18,000 over 11 semesters depending on per-semester credit loads, bringing the estimated total to approximately $99,000-$100,000.
Full-time students complete the program in 4 years across 11 terms (including summers).
DNP Curriculum
The Post-BSN DNP PNP-PC totals 73 credit hours organized across 11 terms over 4 years. The curriculum is organized in three components:
- DNP core courses (~27 cr.): Biostatistics and epidemiology, health equity and social determinants, health policy and advocacy, population health, foundations for scholarship, quality and safety, informatics and healthcare technology, strategic business planning, and translating evidence to practice.
- APRN core courses (~13 cr.): Advanced physiological and pathophysiological principles, pharmacotherapeutics, comprehensive health assessment, applied pharmacotherapeutics in advanced practice, and APRN role transition and professional development.
- PNP-PC focus area and practicum/project courses (~33 cr.): Primary care of the infant, child, and adolescent; management of acute and chronic conditions; two progressive practicum courses; and a three-course DNP project sequence.
Year 1, Fall (7 cr.):
- NURS 514 – Applied Biostatistics & Epidemiology (3 cr.)
- NURS 521 – Advanced Physiological & Pathophysiological Principles Across the Lifespan (4 cr.)
Year 1, Spring (6 cr.):
- NURS 524 – Foundations for Scholarship (3 cr.)
- NURS 531 – Pharmacotherapeutics (3 cr.)
Year 1, Summer (6 cr.):
- NURS 520 – Health Equity & Social Determinants (3 cr.)
- NURS 522 – Health Policy & Advocacy (3 cr.)
Year 2, Fall (7 cr.):
- NURS 532 – Comprehensive Health Assessment for Advanced Nursing Practice (4 cr.) — blended format
- NURS 538 – Quality & Safety in Healthcare (3 cr.)
Year 2, Spring (5 cr.):
- NURS 523 – Population Health Across the Healthcare Continuum (3 cr.)
- NURS 544 – APRN Role Transition & Professional Development (2 cr.)
Year 2, Summer (6 cr.):
- NURS 539 – Informatics & Healthcare Technology (3 cr.)
- NURS 545 – Strategic Business Planning in Healthcare (3 cr.)
Year 3, Fall (7 cr.):
- NURS 546 – Translating Evidence to Practice (3 cr.)
- NUSP 553 – Primary Care of the Infant, Child & Adolescent (4 cr.) — blended format
Year 3, Spring (7 cr. / 45 DNP practicum hrs):
- NURS 533 – Applied Pharmacotherapeutics in Advanced Practice Nursing (1 cr.)
- NURS 547 – DNP Project Proposal Development (3 cr. / 45 practicum hrs) — blended format
- NUSP 554 – Management of Acute & Chronic Conditions in Infants, Children, Adolescents & Young Adults (3 cr.) — blended format
Year 3, Summer (6 cr. / 270 practicum hrs):
- NUPR 551 – Health Maintenance & Management of Common Acute Illness in the Infant, Child, and Adolescent (6 cr. / 270 practicum hrs) — practicum format
Year 4, Fall (8 cr. / 360 practicum hrs):
- NUPR 548 – DNP Project Planning & Implementation (3 cr. / 135 practicum hrs) — practicum format
- NUPR 551 – Health Maintenance & Management of Common Acute Illness in the Infant, Child, and Adolescent (5 cr. / 225 practicum hrs) — practicum format
Year 4, Spring (8 cr. / 360 practicum hrs):
- NUPR 549 – DNP Project Evaluation & Dissemination (2 cr. / 90 practicum hrs) — practicum format
- NUPR 552 – Management of Infant, Child, Adolescent & Young Adult with Chronic Illness (6 cr. / 270 practicum hrs) — practicum format
View more curriculum details in the course catalog.
DNP Clinicals
Post-BSN DNP students complete 1,035 total practicum hours distributed across five practicum courses in Years 3 and 4. Faculty arrange all clinical sites and preceptors — students are not responsible for finding their own placements.
- NURS 547 – DNP Project Proposal Development (45 practicum hrs — Year 3 Spring)
- NUPR 551 – Health Maintenance & Management of Common Acute Illness (270 hrs — Year 3 Summer)
- NUPR 548 – DNP Project Planning & Implementation (135 hrs — Year 4 Fall)
- NUPR 551 – Health Maintenance & Management of Common Acute Illness (225 hrs — Year 4 Fall)
- NUPR 549 – DNP Project Evaluation & Dissemination (90 hrs — Year 4 Spring)
- NUPR 552 – Management of Infant, Child, Adolescent & Young Adult with Chronic Illness (270 hrs — Year 4 Spring)
- Total: 1,035 practicum hours
- Faculty arrange all clinical sites and qualified preceptors
- Students are not responsible for finding their own clinical placements
- Clinical sites available across all four campuses: Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, and Urbana
Post-BSN DNP Admissions
No standardized test required. Interview is required for all applicants — applicants who do not schedule an interview will not be considered. No RN experience requirement for PNP-PC applicants.
- BSN with an upper-division nursing major from a CCNE or NLN accredited program, OR a BSN in a non-nursing field plus an RN license
- Minimum 3.0 GPA for all work beyond the baccalaureate level and for the final 60 semester hours of the first baccalaureate degree
- Valid RN license in at least one jurisdiction (may apply before passing NCLEX)
- Three letters of recommendation addressing academic skills and accomplishments
- Application essays (prompts available on the College of Nursing website)
- Resume or CV
- Interview required — all applicants with completed applications will be contacted for scheduling; failure to sign up results in non-consideration
- No standardized test required
- No specific RN experience requirement for PNP-PC applicants (unlike AGACNP, PNP-AC, and Nurse Anesthesia tracks which require 1+ year of specialty RN experience)
- No out-of-state tuition surcharge — all DNP students pay the same $1,129/credit rate
- Fall start — check nursing.uic.edu for current application deadlines
Post-DNP Certificate – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care
The Post-DNP Certificate PNP-PC at UIC College of Nursing is available to DNP-prepared nurses seeking to add the PNP-PC focus area to their scope of practice and become eligible for national PNP-PC certification. Tuition is $1,129/credit — the same rate for all students. Total credit hours are determined by an individualized gap analysis and will vary by student.
The program is designed to be completed in approximately 1 year. Fall start only.
Contact the program director before applying — intent to apply must be communicated prior to submission.
Certificate Curriculum
The Post-DNP Certificate PNP-PC curriculum is individualized through a gap analysis conducted for each applicant. The standard program includes:
- Pediatric primary care clinical content courses covering health promotion, management of acute and common health problems, and management of chronic illness in infants, children, adolescents, and young adults
- Two practicum courses covering the primary care clinical sequence
- Additional courses may be required for DNP-prepared nurses without prior NP or midwifery certification — contact the program director for details
All applicants must complete a gap analysis before course enrollment. The gap analysis determines which courses and how many clinical hours are required.
Email program director Tracey Curtner Ogdon at tcurtn2@uic.edu before applying.
View more program details on the official certificate page.
PNP-PC Certificate Clinicals
Certificate students complete a minimum of 500 clinical hours in a pediatric primary care setting. The exact hour requirement is determined by the gap analysis — students who have previously practiced out of scope in the new focus area may have applicable hours. No clinical credit is given for hours completed in the student’s current APRN certification area. Faculty arrange all clinical sites and preceptors.
- Minimum 500 clinical hours required
- Final hour requirement determined by individualized gap analysis
- Faculty arrange all clinical sites and qualified preceptors
- 100% pass rate on certification exam for certificate program graduates
- No clinical credit given for hours from current APRN certification area
PNP-PC Certificate Admissions
Admission requires a DNP degree. Fall start only. Applications accepted August through March.
- DNP degree required
- Active APRN licensure (NP or midwife certification; additional courses required for systems-focused DNP holders — contact program director)
- Valid RN license in at least one jurisdiction
- Must contact program director to communicate intent to apply before submitting application
- Gap analysis required for all applicants
- Federal financial aid not available — certificates are non-degree-seeking
- Chicago campus tuition rates apply; regional campus rates may vary — consult campus director
- Applications accepted August through March | Fall start only
Post-DNP Certificate – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care
The Post-DNP Certificate PNP-AC at UIC College of Nursing is available to DNP-prepared nurses seeking to add the PNP-AC focus area and qualify for national certification in pediatric acute care. Tuition is $1,129/credit. Total credit hours are determined by gap analysis. Fall start only.
Certificate Curriculum
The Post-DNP Certificate PNP-AC curriculum is individualized through a gap analysis. The standard program includes:
- Three pediatric acute care management courses covering complex, acute, and critical illness in infants, children, adolescents, and young adults
- Three practicum courses totaling 750 clinical hours in a pediatric acute care setting
- Additional courses may be required for DNP-prepared nurses without prior NP or midwifery certification
View more program details on the official certificate page.
PNP-AC Certificate Clinicals
Certificate students complete a minimum of 750 clinical hours in a pediatric acute care setting. The exact hour requirement is determined by the gap analysis. Faculty arrange all clinical sites and preceptors.
- Minimum 750 clinical hours required in pediatric acute care
- Final hour requirement determined by individualized gap analysis
- Faculty arrange all clinical sites and qualified preceptors
- 100% pass rate on certification exam for certificate program graduates
- No clinical credit given for hours from current APRN certification area
PNP-AC Certificate Admissions
Same requirements as PNP-PC certificate. Fall start only. Applications accepted August through March.
- Applications accepted August through March | Fall start only
Tuition
UIC charges all DNP students — regardless of state of residence — the same flat per-credit rate. There is no non-resident tuition surcharge for the DNP program at any UIC campus, including regional campuses.
- DNP tuition (all students): $1,129/credit
- Post-DNP certificates: $1,129/credit (same rate; credits determined by gap analysis)
Mandatory professional fees are assessed each semester in addition to tuition and vary by credit load:
- 12+ credits/semester: approximately $1,635 in mandatory fees
- 6–11 credits/semester: proportionally lower
- 1–5 credits/semester: lowest fee tier
Fee rates shown are for the Chicago campus only. Students at Peoria, Rockford, and Urbana campuses may have different fee structures — consult the campus director for details.
Post-DNP certificate programs are not eligible for federal financial aid.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates of the PNP-PC focus area are eligible for national certification through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB).
Post-DNP certificate graduates in both PNP-PC and PNP-AC have achieved a 100% pass rate on the certification exam. General information on PNP certification is available at the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) website and the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) website.