The University of Louisville School of Nursing prepares pediatric nurse practitioners for one population only, pediatric acute care, through four pathways:
- BSN to MSN – Acute Care, CPNP-AC
- BSN to DNP – Acute Care, CPNP-AC
- MSN to DNP – Acute Care, CPNP-AC
- Post-Graduate Certificate – Acute Care, CPNP-AC
There is no pediatric primary care (CPNP-PC) track. All four pathways are taught in a blended format that combines online coursework with on-campus instruction and simulation in Louisville, and every student needs a Kentucky or compact-state RN license before clinical courses begin.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN – AC | $38.8K | 2 yrs (full-time) | 51 |
| BSN-DNP – AC | $58.6K | 3 yrs (full-time only) | 77 |
| MSN-DNP – AC | $43.4K–$49.5K | 3 yrs (est.) | 57–65 (est.) |
| Cert – AC | $16.7K–$31.2K | 1.5–2 yrs (est.) | 22–41 (est.) |
Tuition estimates multiply the university’s 2026-2027 Graduate Nursing Program rate ($761/credit resident, $1,004/credit non-resident) by the 2026-2027 catalog credit total; MSN-DNP and certificate ranges are built from the catalog’s course-waiver rules, explained in each section.
Every pediatric pathway at Louisville leads to acute care preparation, and the School of Nursing states that it provides a clinical preceptor for all APRN students. Applicants do not have to recruit their own pediatric acute care preceptors, which is often the hardest part of an acute care program. The pediatric acute care curriculum also includes two pediatric primary care courses (well-child theory and pediatric primary care diagnosis and management), so graduates get outpatient grounding even though the credential is acute care only.
The blended format includes on-campus instruction and simulation in Louisville. Nurses outside commuting range should plan for recurring travel. Nurses who want pediatric primary care certification (CPNP-PC) need a different school.
Louisville suits nurses headed for hospital-based pediatric practice who can reach campus and want the school to supply their preceptors.
Quick Facts
| Population Focus | All pathways: Pediatric Acute Care (CPNP-AC). No primary care PNP track |
| Format | Hybrid: online coursework plus on-campus instruction and simulation |
| Campus Attendance | Required for on-campus instruction and simulation in Louisville |
| Clinical Hours | MSN: 672 direct care + 84 role. BSN-DNP: 1,086 including project hours |
| Clinical Placement | School provides a preceptor for all APRN students |
| RN License | Unencumbered US RN license; Kentucky or compact-state license before clinicals |
| RN Experience | One year of acute care RN experience before clinical courses begin |
| Start Terms | MSN: summer or fall. DNP: fall |
| Tuition | $761/credit resident, $1,004/credit non-resident (2026-2027) |
| Accreditation | CCNE (MSN, DNP, post-graduate certificate); next review 2031 |
Clinical Education
The same placement model covers all four pathways. The School of Nursing lists “clinical preceptor provided for all students” among the features of its APRN program, and in-person learning includes clinically interactive and simulation activities in addition to precepted hours. One clinical credit equals 84 clock hours.
The school requires 672 direct patient care hours for program completion. Students planning to seek initial APRN licensure in a state whose board requires 750 clinical hours can add one optional clinical credit (84 more hours) at standard tuition. The catalog also notes that some states limit how long completed graduate coursework remains valid for initial APRN licensure.
The university publishes the typical work settings for pediatric acute care NPs (hospital pediatric units, PICUs, pediatric cardiac ICUs, emergency departments, and specialty practices) but does not name specific clinical sites or a children’s hospital partner.
General Admissions
Admission requirements are largely shared across the four pathways and use a holistic review of career goals, academic record, GPA, work experience, leadership, and community engagement.
- Nursing degree from a CCNE-, ACEN-, or NLN-accredited program; recommended 3.0 GPA
- Two recommendations from a nursing supervisor, preceptor, clinical supervisor, or nursing faculty, completed within the last year
- Resume or CV
- Unencumbered US RN license; Kentucky or compact-state RN license before clinicals
- Criminal background check through Castlebranch, approved before enrollment
- Pediatric acute care experience rule: one year of RN experience in an acute care setting, or one year of RN experience in any area plus a commitment to complete one year in an acute care setting before clinical courses
- Deadlines: February 1 (MSN, summer entry) and April 1 (MSN and DNP, fall entry), verified in NursingCAS
The experience rule asks for acute care experience in general, not PICU or pediatric experience, and a new graduate who will have a year of acute care practice before clinical courses start satisfies it.
MSN – Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
The MSN in Nursing, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialty costs about $38,811 for Kentucky residents and $51,204 for non-residents (51 credits). It takes roughly two years full-time, with part-time progression available in certain terms. It prepares BSN-educated RNs for pediatric acute care (CPNP-AC) certification.
MSN Curriculum
The 51 credits split into a 34-credit APRN core shared with Louisville’s other NP specialties and a 17-credit pediatric acute care sequence. The core carries the advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology, and physical assessment courses, four 2-credit NP practicums, two clinical seminars, and a professional role practicum. The pediatric sequence covers chronic, acute, and critical illness in separate courses, plus a dedicated pediatric procedures course.
- NURS 761 Pediatric & Adolescent Well Child Theory (2)
- NURS 762 Diagnosis & Management of Pediatrics in Primary Care (2)
- NURS 800 Pathophysiology for Pediatric Acute Care (1)
- NURS 801 Pharmacology for Pediatric Acute Care (1)
- NURS 802 Procedures for Pediatric Acute Care (1)
- NURS 803 Diagnosis and Management for Pediatric Acute Care I: Special Needs in Chronic Illness (3)
- NURS 804 Diagnosis and Management for Pediatric Acute Care II: Acute Illness (2)
- NURS 805 Diagnosis and Management for Pediatric Acute Care III: Critical Illness (3)
- NURS 806 The Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Role (1)
- NURS 726-729 Clinical Practicum for the MSN NP I-IV (2 each, 168 hours each)
Graduates of UofL’s Accelerated BSN program can apply eight graduate credits earned during that program toward the MSN core. See the 2026-2027 graduate catalog for the full course list.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 672 direct patient care hours (minimum), across four 168-hour practicums
- 84 professional role hours in NURS 842 (not direct care)
- 756 hours total; optional extra 84-hour credit for states requiring 750 direct care hours
- Preceptor provided by the school
- $250 per credit clinical fee on practicum courses and the health assessment course
At 672 direct care hours, the MSN sits in the normal 600-750 range for a single-population track. Across four practicum terms that averages about 168 hours per term, or roughly 12 to 14 hours a week over a 12- to 14-week term (est., based on the catalog’s per-course hours).
BSN-DNP – Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
The BSN-DNP with the Pediatric Acute Care specialty costs about $58,597 for Kentucky residents and $77,308 for non-residents (77 credits). It requires a minimum of three years of full-time study and is offered only full-time. It prepares BSN-educated RNs for pediatric acute care (CPNP-AC) certification and adds the doctoral leadership and project coursework.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
The 77 credits combine a 61-credit DNP core with a 16-credit pediatric acute care specialty. The specialty is the same nine pediatric courses as the MSN; clinical reasoning (NURS 754) is not in the DNP specialty list. The core adds leadership and health policy, epidemiology, applied statistics, finance, program development and evaluation, legal and professional topics, and a three-course DNP project. Clinical practicums are front-loaded, with a 4-credit, 336-hour first practicum.
- NURS 725 Analysis of Leadership and Health Policy (3)
- NURS 743 Epidemiology (3)
- NURS 791 Applied Statistics for Evidence Based Practice (3)
- NURS 843 Legal and Professional Topics in the APRN Role (3)
- NURS 750-752 DNP Project I-III (8 total, 110 hours each)
- NURS 787-789 Clinical Practicum for the DNP NP I-III (4, 3, and 1 credits; 336, 252, and 84 hours)
- NURS 800-806 pediatric acute care sequence plus NURS 761 and 762 (16 total)
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 672 direct patient care hours (336 + 252 + 84)
- 84 professional role hours
- 330 DNP project hours
- 1,086 hours by course sum; the catalog states a 1,000-hour minimum, concentrated in the last two years
- Students who do not finish the DNP project on schedule enroll in a completion course until it is done
Direct pediatric acute care hours are identical to the MSN. The extra doctoral hours are project and role hours, not additional patient care.
MSN-DNP – Pediatric Acute Care
The MSN-DNP is a 30-credit leadership and population health completion for master’s-prepared nurses, with a published minimum of two years part-time. It becomes a pediatric acute care (CPNP-AC) pathway only for MSN holders who are not yet certified APRNs or for APRNs adding pediatric acute care as a new specialty. The catalog requires those students to also complete advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, physical assessment, clinical reasoning, and the NP specialty coursework, which puts the pediatric acute care version at about 57 to 65 credits (est.) and roughly $43,377-$49,465 resident or $57,228-$65,260 non-resident.
Estimate: 30 core credits + 10 credits of advanced sciences + 1 credit of clinical reasoning + the 16-credit pediatric specialty, plus 6 to 8 practicum credits for 504-672 population-specific hours. The university does not publish a combined plan of study, and a transcript review can waive courses already completed.
MSN-DNP Curriculum
- NURS 725 and 748 Leadership and Health Policy (3 and 1)
- NURS 743 Epidemiology (3) and NURS 791 Applied Statistics (3)
- NURS 744 Synthesis and Evaluation of Evidence in Practice (3)
- NURS 746 Program Development & Evaluation (3) and NURS 747 Finance Management (2)
- NURS 845 and NURS 750-752 DNP project sequence (9 total)
- One 3-credit elective
MSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
- 1,000 post-baccalaureate hours total, counting documented MSN clinical hours
- At least 330 project or professional hours in the DNP
- Students with fewer than 670 documented MSN clinical hours enroll in a clinical completion course
- APRNs adding a specialty complete at least 504 population-specific hours (catalog certificate rule)
A certified APRN who wants only the doctorate takes the 30-credit version with no pediatric content, so it is not a PNP route. The admissions requirement specific to this pathway is a graduate GPA recommendation of 3.0, with both the BSN and MSN from CCNE-, ACEN-, or NLN-accredited programs, and a $40 supplemental application fee applies to DNP applicants.
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate – Pediatric Acute Care
The Post-Graduate APRN Certificate, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner is open only to RNs holding an MSN or a terminal degree (PhD, EdD, DNP). It prepares for pediatric acute care (CPNP-AC) certification. The program of study comes from a gap analysis of transcripts and credentials, so cost runs from about $16,742 to $31,201 for residents and $22,088 to $41,164 for non-residents (22 to 41 credits, est.). Completion takes an estimated 1.5 to 2 years, based on the four sequential practicum courses.
Certificate Curriculum
The published pediatric acute care sequence is 31 credits, with a 10-credit prerequisite block (Advanced Pharmacology 3, Advanced Pathophysiology 4, Advanced Physical Assessment 3) for students who have not completed it. The catalog waives some courses by background:
- MSN holders without APRN preparation: up to 41 credits (31 + 10 prerequisites)
- APRNs adding a second specialty: clinical reasoning, the professional role course, and the role practicum are waived (26 credits, est.)
- APRNs with PNP or FNP certification and prior coursework: the two pediatric primary care courses are also waived (22 credits, est.)
Credit ranges subtract the courses the catalog footnotes as not required for each group from the 31-credit sequence; the gap analysis can change the final plan.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- Students without APRN preparation: 672 direct care hours plus 84 professional role hours
- APRNs adding a specialty: minimum 504 population-specific hours
- Pediatric acute care: minimum 588 hours if the applicant’s primary certification has no documented well-child care
The 588-hour rule matters for adult-gerontology and adult acute care NPs, whose prior certification carries no pediatric well-child hours. A certified PNP-PC or FNP adding acute care can finish with the 504-hour minimum. At 504 hours the certificate sits at the 500-hour certification floor.
The certificate application goes to the Graduate School with its application fee and requires a goal statement explaining the choice of specialty and the professional preparation behind it. The graduate admissions page does not list a separate certificate deadline.
Tuition
For 2026-2027 the bursar charges the Graduate Nursing Program $761 per credit for Kentucky residents and $1,004 per credit for non-residents when a student takes fewer than 9 credits. Full-time students (9 or more credits) pay a flat $6,847 per semester as residents or $9,032 as non-residents. At exactly 9 credits the flat rate and the per-credit rate come out nearly the same; every credit above 9 in a semester is effectively covered by the flat charge, so full-time students carrying 10 to 12 credits will pay less than the per-credit estimates below. The bursar lists a $250 per credit rate for active-duty military and qualifying Guard and Reserve members.
These rates are up from the 2025-2026 schedule ($750 resident, $989 non-resident), adding about $561 to a resident MSN and $765 to a non-resident MSN.
Estimated Total Tuition
| Pathway | Resident | Non-Resident |
|---|---|---|
| MSN (51 credits) | $38,811 | $51,204 |
| BSN-DNP (77 credits) | $58,597 | $77,308 |
| MSN-DNP, pediatric acute care (57–65 credits, est.) | $43,377–$49,465 | $57,228–$65,260 |
| Certificate (22–41 credits, est.) | $16,742–$31,201 | $22,088–$41,164 |
Calculated by this page from the 2026-2027 per-credit rates and catalog credit totals; the university does not publish program totals.
Fees Beyond Tuition
- Instructional fee: $50 per credit in all courses (about $2,550 for the MSN, $3,850 for the BSN-DNP)
- Clinical fee: $250 per credit in clinical courses, DNP project courses, and the health assessment course (about $3,000 for the MSN and $5,000 for the BSN-DNP, est.)
- One-time clinical costs: $250 clinical placement fee, $100 Typhon hour tracking, $350 liability insurance, $59 background check, $37 drug screen
- Certifications: $60 BLS and $150 PALS
- Each semester: $276 university bundled fee and $52.50 health fee; health insurance of $1,617 per semester unless waived
- Online course fee: $10 per credit for courses the university classifies as online
- DNP only: $90 project dissemination poster
The clinical fee is the largest add-on and applies to every pathway. Resident MSN students should budget roughly $6,000 in fees on top of the $38,811 tuition figure before insurance. Official figures: School of Nursing graduate tuition and fees and the bursar’s 2026-2027 tuition table.
Why Choose This PNP Program?
Best suited for: RNs with a year of acute care experience who want pediatric acute care certification and can travel to Louisville for on-campus sessions.
Acute care only, with some primary care grounding
Every pathway leads to CPNP-AC. The two pediatric primary care courses in the sequence add well-child content, but they do not make the program dual. Nurses aiming for outpatient pediatrics should look for a CPNP-PC program.
Preceptors supplied by the school
The school provides a preceptor for every APRN student. For pediatric acute care, where sites are concentrated in children’s hospitals, this removes a common reason students delay progression.
An accessible experience requirement
One year of general acute care RN experience, completed by the start of clinical courses, is enough. No PICU or pediatric-specific experience is required to apply.
Drawbacks to weigh
- Blended format with on-campus instruction and simulation in Louisville
- Kentucky or compact-state RN license required before clinicals
- BSN-DNP is full-time only
- No named children’s hospital partner or subspecialty rotations in published sources
The Verdict
Louisville is a strong fit for Kentucky and nearby compact-state nurses who want hospital-based pediatric practice, at an in-state MSN tuition of about $38,811 with preceptors arranged for them. Nurses who want primary care pediatrics, a fully online program, or a part-time doctorate should compare other options.
Accreditation
The MSN, DNP, and post-graduate certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), reaccredited in 2021 with the next review in 2031. The university is accredited by SACSCOC. See the School of Nursing accreditation page.
The catalog states that MSN graduates are prepared to apply for APRN certification in their population track. For pediatric acute care that is the PNCB Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care (CPNP-AC) exam. Clinical courses require a Kentucky or compact-state RN license; out-of-state students should check the university’s professional licensure disclosures for their home state.
More Pediatric Nursing Programs to Consider
- University of Kentucky - Lexington