The University of Utah offers 5 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Tracks:
Primary Care (CPNP-PC)
- BSN-DNP
- BSN-DNP (Dual PC/AC)
- Post-Graduate Certificate
Acute Care (CPNP-AC)
- BSN-DNP
- BSN-DNP (Dual PC/AC)
- Post-Graduate Certificate
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNP – PC | $62.7K | 8 sem (full-time) | 74 |
| DNP – AC | $62.7K | 8 sem (full-time) | 74 |
| DNP – Dual | $71.8K | 9 sem (full-time) | 86 |
| Cert – AC | ~$35K | 2–4 sem | Up to 36 |
| Cert – PC | Not published | Not published | Gap analysis |
DNP figures are the College of Nursing’s own 2025–26 estimates (tuition plus mandatory fees, summers billed at resident rates). The acute care certificate figure applies the 2026–27 resident graduate nursing fee table to the university’s sample plan.
- Why choose it: One of few schools offering primary care, acute care, and a dual PC/AC track inside one BSN-DNP, with the college arranging all in-state clinical placements.
- Trade-off: Every DNP track is full-time only with one fall intake, a Utah RN license, and an in-person campus immersion each semester. The acute care and dual tracks launched in fall 2026 and have no graduate outcomes yet.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | BSN to DNP (three PNP emphases); Post-Graduate APRN Certificate (PC or AC) |
| Population Focus | DNP: Primary Care, Acute Care, or Dual PC/AC | Certificate: Primary Care or Acute Care |
| Format | Mostly Online. Online didactics plus a 1–3 day campus immersion each semester (Salt Lake City) |
| Clinical Hours | 780 (PC and AC DNP); 1,080 (Dual); 500 (AC certificate) |
| Clinical Placement | College guarantees and arranges placements in Utah |
| Distinctive Coursework | Child & Adolescent Mental Health; Embryology & Neonatal Transition; Critically Ill Child; Hospital Medicine (AC) |
| RN License | Active, unrestricted Utah RN license before starting |
| RN Experience | None published for any PNP track, including acute care |
| Start Term | DNP: fall only, one cohort per year. Certificate: summer or fall |
| Tuition | About $835–$847/credit resident (effective). WICHE WRGP rate for eligible western-state residents |
| Accreditation | CCNE (DNP and post-graduate APRN certificate) |
Clinical Education at Utah
- The College of Nursing guarantees clinical placement sites in Utah and arranges all in-state placements; students do not recruit their own preceptors.
- BSN-DNP students must log at least 750 direct patient care hours and at least 1,000 combined direct and indirect hours (catalog).
- Practicum credits are variable (1–7 per course), so per-term credit loads, and costs, can shift slightly from the sample plan.
- Simulation is a graded course, not a lab add-on: Diagnostic Procedures & Simulation for Primary Care (2 cr) or for Acute Care (3 cr).
The placement guarantee is the practical reason to pick Utah over a distance program that leaves preceptor hunting to you. Its limit is geographic. Placements are in-state, and the program requires a Utah RN license before day one, so this works for nurses living in or moving to Utah, not for someone hoping to train from another state.
General Admissions
- BSN or MSN from a regionally accredited school; nursing program accredited by CCNE, ACEN, or CNEA. The degree must post before the program starts
- Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (competency-based degrees are assigned a 3.0)
- Active, unrestricted Utah RN license before starting; applicants still awaiting the NCLEX may apply with their anticipated test date
- Resume, 1–2 pages of essay responses, three letters of recommendation plus the university recommendation form
- Applications open August 1 and close December 1 (11:59 p.m. MST). The next deadline is December 1, 2026, for fall 2027 entry
- Interviews in January; decisions in February; $500 non-refundable intent-to-enroll deposit, applied to first-term tuition
- Admission is by specific emphasis and limited by capacity in each track
Two rules stand out. Once you clear the 3.0 GPA floor, Utah stops weighing academic history, so the essays, references, and interview carry the decision. And with one fall intake per year, a missed December deadline costs a full year. No PNP track publishes an RN experience requirement; only the neonatal emphasis does.
BSN to DNP – Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner DNP at the University of Utah is approximately $62,700 resident, $126,500 non-resident, or $76,800 at the WRGP rate (74 credits, about $847/credit resident). The program can generally be completed in eight consecutive full-time semesters, about three years including summers. It prepares graduates for the PNCB primary care exam (CPNP-PC).
DNP – PC Curriculum
The first three semesters are the shared DNP and advanced practice core: research, biostatistics, population health, finance, informatics, and the advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment sequence. Pediatric content starts in the second semester with a one-credit diagnostic assessment of the child, then the specialty sequence runs from the fourth semester. Clinical practicum does not begin until summer of year two, and the final two terms are clinical-heavy alongside the DNP project.
Two pediatric-specific courses are less common elsewhere: a two-credit Embryology & Neonatal Transition course and a three-credit Child & Adolescent Mental Health course. The latter is substantive preparation for the behavioral health caseload that now fills pediatric primary care.
- NURS 7181 – Diagnostic Health Assessment of the Child (1 cr)
- NURS 7290 – Embryology & Neonatal Transition (2 cr)
- NURS 7291 – Advanced Pediatric Pharmacology (2 cr)
- NURS 7216 – Foundations of Pediatric Health Care (3 cr)
- NURS 7375 – Adolescent Health Care (2 cr)
- NURS 7292 – Child & Adolescent Mental Health (3 cr)
- NURS 7680 – Diagnostic Procedures & Simulation for Primary Care (2 cr)
- NURS 7835 / 7842 – Diagnosis & Management: Acute Episodic, and Chronic & Complex Care of the Child (3 cr each)
- NURS 7911–7913 – DNP Project Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation (2 cr each)
More curriculum details are available here.
DNP – PC Clinical Requirements
- 780 direct clinical care hours across three practicum courses
- PNP Practicum I: 120 hours (summer, year 2); Practicum II: 240 hours (fall, year 3); Practicum Immersion: 420 hours (final spring)
- Catalog minimums of 750 direct and 1,000 total direct plus indirect hours apply
At 780 direct hours, Utah sits slightly above the usual 600–750 range for a single-population PNP program. More than half of those hours fall in the final immersion term, so expect close to full-time clinical work that spring.
DNP – PC Admissions
No requirements beyond General Admissions are published for this track. Pediatric RN experience is not required.
BSN to DNP – Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner DNP at the University of Utah is approximately $62,700 resident, $124,900 non-resident, or $76,400 at the WRGP rate (74 credits, about $847/credit resident). The program can generally be completed in eight consecutive full-time semesters. It prepares graduates for the PNCB acute care exam (CPNP-AC). The track admitted its first cohort in fall 2026. The university describes itself as the only school in Utah and the surrounding region offering acute care PNP education.
A published conflict worth knowing about. The university catalog’s acute care course list omits Advanced Health Assessment, Hospital Medicine, and the new Critically Ill Child course, and does not add up to the 74-credit plan. This page follows the program page’s semester plan, which is newer and reconciles to 74 credits.
DNP – AC Curriculum
The first four semesters match the primary care track exactly, so the two tracks differ only in the final four terms. The tracks split in the fifth semester. Acute care students drop the primary care simulation and mental health courses and take three acute-specific courses instead:
- NURS 7684 – Diagnostic Procedures & Simulation for Acute Care (3 cr)
- Diagnosis & Management: Care of the Critically Ill Child (course number pending in the published plan)
- NURS 7466 – Hospital Medicine (2 cr)
- NURS 7835 – Diagnosis & Management: Acute Episodic Care of the Child (3 cr)
- Shared pediatric core: Diagnostic Assessment of the Child, Embryology & Neonatal Transition, Advanced Pediatric Pharmacology, Foundations of Pediatric Health Care, Adolescent Health Care
The acute content is compressed into the final year. Students who want deeper procedural or critical care coursework than one simulation course and one critically ill child course should ask how much of that load sits inside practicum.
DNP – AC Clinical Requirements
- 780 clinical hours (program page)
- Practicum I: 120 hours; Practicum II: 240 hours; Practicum Immersion: hours not listed in the plan, implied 420 from the 780 total
- Target settings named by the university: PICUs, pediatric emergency departments, and inpatient specialty services
Seven hundred eighty hours is solid for acute care, slightly above the typical single-population range. The bigger question for applicants is site access: placements are arranged in-state, so acute care rotations depend on Utah’s limited pool of pediatric hospital units.
DNP – AC Admissions
Utah publishes no PICU or acute pediatric RN experience requirement for this track, which is unusual. Many acute care PNP programs require one to two years of inpatient or critical care pediatric experience. Applicants without that background should still expect it to strengthen an application to a capacity-limited emphasis.
BSN to DNP – Dual Acute Care/Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Dual Acute Care/Primary Care PNP DNP at the University of Utah is approximately $71,800 resident, $137,200 non-resident, or $84,100 at the WRGP rate (86 credits, about $835/credit resident). The program can generally be completed in nine consecutive full-time semesters, one summer longer than either single track. Graduates are prepared for both PNCB exams (CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC). This track also launched in fall 2026.
DNP – Dual Curriculum
The dual plan adds 12 credits and one semester to the single-population tracks. It combines the primary care courses (Child & Adolescent Mental Health, Simulation for Primary Care, Chronic & Complex Care of the Child) with the acute care set (Critically Ill Child, Hospital Medicine, Simulation for Acute Care) and adds a three-credit Palliative Care course that neither single-population DNP track requires.
- NURS 7292 – Child & Adolescent Mental Health (3 cr)
- NURS 7680 – Diagnostic Procedures & Simulation for Primary Care (2 cr)
- NURS 7684 – Diagnostic Procedures & Simulation for Acute Care (3 cr)
- NURS 7843 – Diagnosis & Management: Care of the Critically Ill Child
- NURS 7466 – Hospital Medicine (2 cr)
- NURS 7842 – Diagnosis & Management: Chronic & Complex Care of the Child (3 cr)
- NURS 6440 – Interdisciplinary End-of-Life / Palliative Care (3 cr)
- NURS 7948 – PNP Practicum Immersion II (final summer)
DNP – Dual Clinical Requirements
- 1,080 clinical hours
- Practicum I: 120; Practicum II: 240; Immersion: implied 420; Immersion II: 300 (final summer)
At 1,080 hours, the dual track lands mid-range for dual PC/AC programs (typically 900–1,200). The added cost is modest: about $9,100 more than a single track for residents, for two board eligibilities. That is the strongest value case on this page for students who want both hospital and clinic options.
DNP – Dual Admissions
No requirements beyond General Admissions are published. As with the acute care track, no pediatric RN experience gate is stated.
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate – Acute Care PNP
The estimated resident tuition for the Acute Care PNP Post-Graduate Certificate is approximately $35,300 (up to 36 credits; our estimate from the 2026–27 resident fee table applied to the sample plan). The university states completion in two to four semesters, though its own sample plan runs five terms, fall through the following spring. It prepares graduates for the CPNP-AC exam and is open only to nurse practitioners who already hold national APRN certification in another population.
- 500 clinical hours, the certification minimum
- Credits set by gap analysis of prior coursework; sample plan totals 36
- Core courses: Critically Ill Child, Hospital Medicine, Palliative Care, Simulation for Acute Care, pediatric foundations and pharmacology
- Requirements: graduate nursing degree, current APRN license and national certification, resume, transcripts, two professional references
- Deadline December 1; summer or fall start
- Non-degree program: not eligible for federal financial aid
This is the natural route for a working CPNP-PC or FNP adding acute care. The 36-credit sample plan is long for a certificate because it assumes no pediatric coursework. A CPNP-PC with a strong gap analysis should expect a much shorter plan.
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate – Primary Care PNP
Utah lists Pediatric Primary Care among its Post-Graduate APRN Certificate specialties, preparing graduates for the CPNP-PC exam. The university publishes no sample plan, credit total, clinical hours, or cost for this option. Admission requirements, the December 1 deadline, the summer or fall start, and the federal aid restriction match the acute care certificate.
Tuition
Resident tuition runs about $62,700–$71,800 for the DNP tracks; non-residents pay $124,900–$137,200, and western-state residents eligible for WRGP pay $76,400–$84,100.
| Program | Resident | Non-Resident | WRGP |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNP – PC | $62,700 | $126,500 | $76,800 |
| DNP – AC | $62,700 | $124,900 | $76,400 |
| DNP – Dual | $71,800 | $137,200 | $84,100 |
| Cert – AC | ~$35,300 (est.) | Not published | Not published |
| Cert – PC | Not published | Not published | Not published |
DNP totals are university-published 2025–26 estimates covering tuition and mandatory student fees. The certificate figure is calculated, not published.
Key Cost Takeaways
- WRGP is the biggest lever for out-of-state applicants. Residents of participating WICHE states pay roughly $50,000 less than standard non-resident rates.
- Summers bill at resident rates for everyone. That is why the acute care track, with more summer credits, costs non-residents about $1,600 less than primary care at identical credits.
- Dual preparation costs little extra. About $9,100 more than a single track for residents.
- Program and course fees are excluded from the university’s estimates, as are travel costs for the per-semester campus immersions.
- Estimates use 2025–26 rates. The 2026–27 resident fee table puts the primary care plan about 2–3% higher.
- Certificates are not federal-aid eligible. Budget for private loans, employer support, or cash.
For a three-year DNP, Utah’s resident price is low, and the dual track is one of the cheaper routes to both PNP credentials. Non-residents without WRGP eligibility lose most of that advantage. Official tuition and funding information
Why Choose This PNP Program?
Best suited for: Utah-based or relocating nurses who want a DNP, value school-arranged placements, and want the option of acute care or dual preparation at public-university prices.
Best For
- BSN nurses in Utah who can study full-time for three years
- Nurses who want both CPNP-PC and CPNP-AC from one degree
- Applicants interested in acute care who lack PICU experience, since none is published as required
- Residents of WICHE states eligible for WRGP pricing who will relocate for clinicals
- Practicing CPNP-PCs or FNPs adding acute care through a certificate
Biggest Strengths
All three population options in one program. Primary care, acute care, and dual tracks share four semesters of identical coursework. You commit to a population at admission, but the content overlap means the dual track adds only one semester and 12 credits.
Placements handled by the school. The college guarantees Utah clinical sites. For acute care in particular, where finding a PICU preceptor alone is hard, this removes the most common reason students stall.
Pricing. About $63K for a resident DNP and $72K for dual preparation, with a WRGP rate that cuts out-of-state cost by roughly 40% for eligible western-state residents.
Potential Drawbacks
- Full-time only; no part-time plan for the BSN-DNP
- One fall intake per year with a December 1 deadline and January interviews
- Utah RN license required before starting; placements are in-state
- A 1–3 day campus immersion every semester means travel for anyone outside the Salt Lake area
- Acute care and dual tracks began in fall 2026, so there are no completion or board pass data specific to them; the 99.5% pass rate is a college-wide APRN figure
- No MSN exit: the only degree route is the DNP
The Verdict
The University of Utah is the only school in the state offering acute care or dual PNP preparation, and the college calls itself the only acute care PNP program in the surrounding region. The nearest rival worth comparing is the University of Nevada, Reno, which also lists acute care options. Utah’s case rests on its dual track and published price. The school arranges placements, publishes no acute care experience gate, and charges residents about $72K for both credentials. The trade-off is rigidity: full-time study, one intake, a Utah license, and in-state clinicals. Nurses who need to keep working full-time, live outside Utah, or want an MSN rather than a doctorate should compare online primary care programs. Applicants drawn to acute care should weigh the newness of the track against its few regional alternatives.
Accreditation
The University of Utah’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program and post-graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates of the primary care track are eligible for the PNCB Pediatric Primary Care NP exam (CPNP-PC), and the university states the acute care certificate prepares graduates for the CPNP-AC exam.