The University of Maryland in Baltimore prepares pediatric nurse practitioners at the doctoral level, in both acute care and primary care:
- BSN-DNP – Acute Care
- BSN-DNP – Primary Care
- Postdoctoral Certificate – Acute Care or Primary Care
- Post-Master’s DNP Option (for master’s-prepared nurses completing the doctorate)
Maryland’s first DNP program is delivered in a blended format (face-to-face plus online) with flexible three-, four-, and five-year plans of study.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP PNP (Acute Care) | ~$92,858 (incl. fees) | 3–5 years |
| BSN-DNP PNP (Primary Care) | ~$92,858 (incl. fees) | 3–5 years |
| Postdoctoral Certificate PNP (Acute or Primary) | ~$40K (est., 43 credits) | Individualized |
| Post-Master’s DNP Option | ~$44,451 (incl. fees) | 4 years |
Maryland’s first DNP program pairs top-ranked pediatric acute and primary care training with tailored placements at leading children’s hospitals — and reclassifies out-of-state students as in-state after one year.
BSN-DNP: Admissions & Clinical Requirements
The admissions and clinical requirements below are shared by both BSN-DNP pediatric tracks (Acute Care and Primary Care). The track-specific curricula follow in their own sections.
Admissions
Applicants apply online ($75 fee) and complete an interview if selected. For Fall 2026, the priority deadline (also the merit-scholarship deadline) is November 3, 2025, with a final deadline of July 1, 2026; summer and fall starts are available.
- BSN from an ACEN-, CCNE-, or NLN CNEA-accredited program with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
- At least two years of RN experience, including a minimum of one year in pediatrics (NICU acceptable), before starting clinical courses
- Two recommendations, a concise essay (350 words max), and a current resume or CV
- Active, unrestricted U.S. RN license (Maryland or compact state)
- Placement into a 3-, 4-, or 5-year plan and start term is set by DNP leadership based on a review of prior coursework (gap analysis)
Clinicals
Practicum placements are individually tailored through UMSON’s partnerships with top-ranking children’s hospitals in Maryland, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, and Delaware. PNP and Neonatal NP students share several clinical courses.
- 855 hours in direct patient-care settings plus 225 hours in other required practicum coursework (1,080 clinical hours total)
- Hands-on work with high-fidelity neonatal and pediatric simulation, including a Gaumard Super Tory infant simulator
- Flexible plans: 3-year (full-time, summer start, ~5% of students), 4-year (summer start, ~50%), 5-year (fall start, working nurses, ~45%)
BSN-DNP PNP – Primary Care Curriculum
The Primary Care track totals 80 credits (56 didactic and 24 clinical credits, 1,080 clinical hours) over a three-year full-time plan, with four- and five-year options. Estimated resident tuition and fees are about $92,858.
Foundational and DNP core:
- Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology; Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics; Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span
- Methods for Research and Evidence-Based Practice; Biostatistics; Population Health and Promotion; Evidence-Based Health Policy
- Theory for Evidence-Based Practice; Health Systems & Health Policy: Leadership & Quality Improvement; Healthcare Informatics; Translating Evidence to Practice; Advanced Practice Leadership in Healthcare Systems
- DNP Project sequence: Readiness, Identification, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation/Dissemination
Pediatric primary care specialty (Diagnosis & Management sequence):
- Advanced Pediatric Pathophysiology, Developmental Assessment, and Health Promotion
- Diagnosis & Management 1: Introduction to Diagnostic Reasoning (plus clinical, 90 hours)
- Diagnosis & Management 2: Common Health Conditions, Episodic and Chronic (plus clinical, 135 hours)
- Diagnosis & Management 3: Acute and Chronic Complex Conditions (plus clinical, 135 hours)
- Diagnosis & Management 4: Integration of Multiple Health Problems (plus clinical, 90 hours)
- Diagnosis & Management 5: Professional Practice Immersion (clinical, 180 hours)
- Diagnosis & Management 6: Integration of Practice and Leadership (clinical, 225 hours)
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN-DNP PNP – Acute Care Curriculum
The Acute Care track shares the same foundational and DNP core, clinical-hour requirement (855 direct plus 225 other), and three-/four-/five-year plan structure as the primary care track (see above), at the same estimated resident tuition of about $92,858. The curricular difference is in the pediatric Diagnosis & Management sequence, which is tuned to acute, complex, and critical care.
Pediatric acute care specialty (Diagnosis & Management sequence):
- Advanced Pediatric Pathophysiology, Developmental Assessment, and Health Promotion
- Diagnosis & Management 1–2 shared with primary care (Introduction to Diagnostic Reasoning; Common Health Conditions)
- Diagnosis & Management 3: Acute and Chronic Complex Conditions (acute care section, plus clinical)
- Diagnosis & Management 4: Integration of Multiple Health Problems and Complex Clinical Syndromes (acute care section, plus clinical)
- Diagnosis & Management 5: Professional Practice Immersion (clinical, 180 hours)
- Diagnosis & Management 6: Integration of Practice and Leadership (clinical, 225 hours)
More curriculum details are available here.
Postdoctoral Certificate – PNP Curriculum
UMSON’s postdoctoral certificate lets a doctorally-prepared nurse add or change to a pediatric acute care or primary care specialty. Note this is a postdoctoral credential: applicants must already hold both a graduate degree in nursing and a doctorate (DNP, PhD, EdD, etc.) plus an active RN license. A pre-application assessment and gap analysis set the individualized plan, focused first on the “3 P’s.”
The full certificate is 43 credits and 990 clinical hours, reduced if prior coursework covers some requirements:
- Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology; Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics; Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span
- Advanced Pediatric Pathophysiology, Developmental Assessment, and Health Promotion
- Diagnosis & Management 1–6 with clinical practicum/seminars (the acute care and primary care certificates differ in the Diagnosis & Management 3–6 sequence)
Postdoctoral certificate deadlines are November 1 priority for fall and October 1 priority for spring. More details are available here. ⚠ UMSON does not publish a single tuition total for the pediatric postdoctoral certificate; the ~$40K estimate applies the in-state per-credit rate to 43 credits.
Post-Master’s DNP Option
Nurses who already hold a master’s in nursing (or are already nurse practitioners) can complete the doctorate through the Post-Master’s DNP Option without repeating master’s coursework.
Estimated resident tuition and fees are about $44,451 over four years. This option is one of four entry paths UMSON offers (post-BSN, post-master’s, already an NP, or changing specialty); a gap analysis tailors the plan to each student.
Tuition
The University of Maryland School of Nursing charges $926 per credit hour for in-state students and $1,643 per credit hour for out-of-state students, but all students are reclassified as in-state residents after one year of enrollment, which sharply limits the out-of-state premium.
For 2025–26, total estimated tuition and fees for a typical plan of study come to about $92,858 (resident) or $150,218 (non-resident) for either pediatric BSN-DNP track, and about $44,451 (resident) for the Post-Master’s DNP Option.
These totals exclude course materials, health insurance, and living expenses, and fees vary by program, semester, and course load.
See the official tuition page here.
Accreditation
The University of Maryland School of Nursing DNP program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates of the pediatric tracks are prepared to sit for the corresponding Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) exam — the Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care exam or the Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care exam.
The school’s 2024 pediatric acute care and primary care graduates each earned an 83% first-attempt pass rate on the PNCB exam.
Review More PNP Options In Maryland
- Johns Hopkins - Baltimore