The University of Missouri (Mizzou), through its Sinclair School of Nursing, offers primary care pediatric nurse practitioner preparation online, in three formats:
- MS(N), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Primary Care
- BSN-DNP, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Primary Care (72 credits)
- MSN-DNP, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Primary Care
Mizzou offers the primary care role only; there is no acute care pediatric track here.
The program is delivered in a blended format — coursework online, clinicals in person, with periodic required campus visits — and a notable cost advantage: because it is distance-mediated, online graduate students pay the in-state tuition rate regardless of where they live.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MS(N) – Pediatric NP-Primary Care | $27K (all-in) | 3 years part-time |
| BSN-DNP – Pediatric NP-Primary Care | $39K (all-in) | 5–6 years part-time |
| MSN-DNP – Pediatric NP-Primary Care | Varies (gap analysis) | ~3 years part-time |
“Mizzou’s pediatric primary care DNP runs online with in-state tuition for every student — built around a mission to close rural and underserved health gaps for children.”
DNP – Pediatric NP-Primary Care
The estimated cost for the DNP with a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Primary Care emphasis at the University of Missouri is about $39,000 all-in for the 72-credit BSN-DNP track at the in-state online rate.
Two formats are available:
- a BSN-DNP for bachelor’s-prepared nurses
- an MSN-DNP that shortens the path based on prior graduate coursework
Curriculum
The BSN-DNP is a minimum of 72 credit hours:
- a 27-credit DNP core,
- 9.5 credits of advanced clinical foundation courses (the “3 P’s” — advanced physiology/pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment, plus procedures and diagnostics),
- a 35.5–37 credit pediatric primary care emphasis, capped by a DNP residency project and clinical residency
The MSN-DNP pulls selected courses from each segment to build on prior graduate work.
- NURSE 8210 Special Health Care Needs of Children
- NURSE 8420 Newborn Through Adolescence Primary Care
- NURSE 8680 Pediatric Mental Health Assessment and Treatment
- NURSE 8310 Health Disparities of Rural and Other Underserved Populations
- NURSE 8720 Symptom Management in Acute and Chronic Illness
- NURSE 9070 DNP Clinical Residency and NURSE 9080 DNP Residency Project
Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA and complete in-person Graduate Student Success Seminar and competency assessments on campus.
More curriculum details are available here.
Clinicals
Clinical training is completed in person while coursework is online, with about 20 clinical credit hours across the pediatric emphasis plus a DNP clinical residency. Students attend a pre-program orientation and periodic on-campus visits.
- In-person clinical assignments arranged alongside online coursework
- DNP clinical residency strengthens advanced practice and leadership skills
- Note: The University does not publish a single total clinical-hour figure; the program is described in clinical credit hours and a residency rather than a fixed clock-hour count
Admissions
Applicants must hold a baccalaureate or master’s degree from a nationally accredited nursing program and an active RN license; the BSN-DNP requires a BSN, and the MSN-DNP requires an MSN.
- Minimum GPA of 3.5 for applicants entering with a master’s in nursing
- For applicants without a master’s, an average GPA of 3.3 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate nursing coursework
- Applicants below the GPA threshold may submit evidence of outstanding professional leadership, practice, or scholarship for special consideration
- Non-native English speakers must submit qualifying TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Cambridge C1 scores
- Online delivery means out-of-state tuition does not apply, though state-authorization rules limit enrollment from some states
MS(N) – Pediatric NP-Primary Care
For nurses who want a master’s-level entry to pediatric primary care practice, Mizzou also offers an online MS(N) in Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Primary Care, billed at the same in-state per-credit rate.
Graduates are prepared to deliver comprehensive primary care to children from birth through young adulthood, including well-child care, prevention, and management of common acute and chronic conditions.
Curriculum & Clinicals
The MS(N) is 51 credit hours, sharing the pediatric primary care content of the DNP emphasis in a shorter, master’s-level sequence. Coursework is online with in-person clinical assignments and one required on-campus visit per year; most part-time students finish in about three years.
At the in-state online rate, tuition runs roughly $24,000, or about $27,000 all-in with fees.
- 51 credit hours, blended online format with annual campus visit
- Online coursework paired with in-person pediatric clinical placements
- Designed as an on-ramp to the DNP — students can sit for APRN certification and begin earning while starting DNP coursework
Admissions
The MS(N) requires a BSN from a nationally accredited nursing program and an active RN license, with an average GPA of 3.3 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate nursing coursework.
Applicants below that threshold may submit evidence of professional leadership, practice, or scholarship for special consideration.
Tuition
The University of Missouri bills graduate nursing students by the credit hour, and because the program is distance-mediated, all online graduate students pay the in-state rate regardless of residency.
The published estimate uses Sinclair School of Nursing graduate tuition of $470.50 per credit hour, an information technology fee of $14.35 per credit hour across all credits, and a Sinclair graduate course fee of $218.10 per credit hour applied to roughly 20 clinical credit hours.
For the 72-credit BSN-DNP, that totals approximately $39,000, not including application fee, books, or course materials.
Military, veteran, and Missouri community-college transfer students may receive a 10% reduction off base tuition.
Rates are subject to change by the Board of Curators, so confirm current figures on the official tuition page here.
Accreditation
The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and the DNP at the Sinclair School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Graduates of the pediatric primary care emphasis are eligible to sit for the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Primary Care (CPNP-PC) exam, and the program also references American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification eligibility.
Compare More PNP Programs in Missouri
- University of Missouri-Kansas City - Kansas City
- University of Missouri-St. Louis - St. Louis