The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing offers two Pediatric Nurse Practitioner DNP tracks:
- DNP – PC PNP
- DNP – AC PNP
Both programs are hybrid format — primarily classroom and clinical with some online delivery — and require regular in-person attendance in Austin.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (TX Resident) | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| DNP PC PNP | $41,510 resident | 3 years full-time (8 semesters + 2 summers) |
| DNP AC PNP | $41,767 resident | 3 years full-time (8 semesters + 2 summers) |
Courses are scheduled on weekdays between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM. These are among the most selective PNP programs in Texas, admitting just 4 to 6 students per cohort annually.
DNP Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PC PNP)
The estimated cost for the DNP PC PNP at UT Austin is approximately $41,510 for Texas residents or ~$76,166 for non-residents (based on published 2026–2027 per-semester nursing tuition rates applied to the published full-time semester-by-semester credit load).
The program would take approximately 3 years full-time to complete, spanning 8 semesters and 2 summer sessions. The program totals 72 credit hours and 1,020 supervised program hours.
DNP PC PNP Curriculum
The 72-credit curriculum is organized across three components: 25 credits of DNP core courses, 25 credits of PC PNP concentration courses, and 22 credits of APRN-DNP core courses.
The concentration sequence builds progressively through three levels of pediatric primary care with concurrent clinical courses, plus a distinctive course in child and adolescent psychiatric mental health for primary care. The program culminates in an advanced practice nursing advanced practicum and a DNP scholarly project.
DNP Core Courses (25 cr.):
- NRP 395K – Leadership in Organizations & Systems
- NRP 398L – Epidemiology, Population Health, and Health Promotion
- NRP 395L – Quality Improvement and Safety Principles and Methods
- NRP 395E – Health Policy for Diverse Systems and Populations
- NRP 395S – Healthcare Information Systems
- NRP 398P – Research Designs & Evaluation Methods for Evidence-Based Practice
- NRP 398Q – Reviewing Evidence and Synthesizing Literature
- NRP 498M – Health Economics and Finance
PC PNP Concentration Courses (25 cr.):
- NRP 394V – Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Mental Health for Primary Care
- NRP 393E – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care I
- NRP 393K – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care I Clinical
- NRP 393G – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care II
- NRP 493H – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care II Clinical
- NRP 294J – Pediatric Primary Health Care III
- NRP 494K – Pediatric Primary Health Care III Clinical
- NRP 398N – Advanced Practice Nursing Advanced Practicum
APRN-DNP Core Courses (22 cr.):
- NRP 498R – Foundations in Theory and Advanced Practice Nursing Roles
- NRP 393C – Advanced Pediatric Health Assessment
- NRP 396C – Advanced Pathophysiology
- NRP 393D – Advanced Pediatric Pharmacology
- NRP 298G – Advanced Leadership Practicum I
- NRP 298H – Advanced Leadership Practicum II
- NRP 298J – Advanced Leadership Practicum III
- NRP 398K – Advanced Leadership Practicum IV
Full-Time Schedule Summary:
- Fall I (10 cr.): Advanced Pathophysiology, Foundations in Theory, Advanced Pediatric Health Assessment
- Spring I (9 cr.): EBP Research Designs, Advanced Pediatric Pharmacology, Epidemiology
- Summer I (6 cr.): Leadership in Organizations, Reviewing Evidence
- Fall II (11 cr.): PNP Primary Care I + Clinical, QI & Safety, Leadership Practicum I
- Spring II (9 cr.): PNP Primary Care II + Clinical, Leadership Practicum II
- Summer II (6 cr.): Health Policy, Healthcare Information Systems
- Fall III (11 cr.): Pediatric Primary Health Care III + Clinical, Child/Adolescent Psych/Mental Health, Leadership Practicum III
- Spring III (10 cr.): Advanced Practice Nursing Advanced Practicum, Leadership Practicum IV, Health Economics and Finance
View more curriculum details in the course catalog.
DNP PC PNP Clinicals
Students complete a total of 1,020 supervised program hours distributed across three levels of pediatric primary care clinical courses, advanced leadership practicums, and the advanced practice nursing practicum. Clinical placements occur within Texas. The program includes skills labs and simulation experiences alongside precepted clinical rotations.
- NRP 393K – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care I Clinical
- NRP 493H – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care II Clinical
- NRP 494K – Pediatric Primary Health Care III Clinical
- NRP 398N – Advanced Practice Nursing Advanced Practicum
- NRP 298G–298J, 398K – Advanced Leadership Practicum I–IV (sequential)
- Total supervised program hours: 1,020
- Clinical placements occur in Texas
DNP PC PNP Admissions
Admission is highly selective with only 4 to 6 students admitted per year; applications are reviewed holistically using a value-point system. The application window is September 1 through November 1 only, with admission decisions communicated by early March.
- BSN from an accredited institution required (ADN + non-nursing bachelor’s also accepted)
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in upper-division undergraduate and graduate coursework
- Current Texas RN license or Nurse Licensure Compact state license (required if admitted)
- One year of full-time RN experience with children/adolescents within the last five years — recommended (not required)
- Undergraduate statistics course (3 credits) — must be completed before first semester of enrollment
- Statement of Purpose (maximum 2 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins)
- Current curriculum vitae/resume
- Three recommendations submitted electronically via secure personalized form (written letters not accepted)
- Official transcripts dated within one year from all institutions attended (unofficial acceptable for review; official hard copies required if admitted)
- TOEFL or IELTS (within past 2 years) for international applicants
- GRE not required
- $50 application fee (online)
- Criminal background check required; must be cleared by Texas Board of Nursing before enrollment
- All degree requirements must be completed within six years
- Minimum B grade required in all APRN core courses; minimum 3.0 GPA required for retention and graduation
- Program is hybrid and in-person in Austin — not available as a fully online program
- Application window: September 1 – November 1 | Fall start only | Decisions by early March
DNP Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (AC PNP)
The estimated cost for the DNP AC PNP at UT Austin is approximately $41,767 for Texas residents or ~$76,740 for non-residents (based on published 2026–2027 per-semester nursing tuition rates applied to the published full-time semester-by-semester credit load).
The program would take approximately 3 years full-time to complete. The program totals 73 credit hours and 1,080 supervised program hours.
Two years of full-time RN experience is required by the first day of enrollment — the highest experience bar of any UT Austin PNP track.
DNP AC PNP Curriculum
The 73-credit curriculum mirrors the PC PNP structure but substitutes a pediatric acute care specialty sequence for the primary care sequence. Unique additions include Pediatric Diagnostic Reasoning & Advanced Invasive Skills and two levels of Pediatric Acute Care Management with concurrent clinical courses. The APRN-DNP core and DNP core components are identical to the PC PNP track. The program prepares students to manage pediatric patients with acute, complex, chronic, and critical health conditions from birth through age 21, with hands-on skills labs and simulation experiences supplementing clinical rotations.
DNP Core Courses (25 cr.) — identical to PC PNP:
- NRP 395K – Leadership in Organizations and Systems
Study leadership and systems theories shaping healthcare organizations. Topics include culture, structure, communication, information management, and decision-making. Emphasizes the DNP nurse’s leadership role within complex health systems. Three lecture hours per week. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; NRP 395G, 395O, 395Q, or consent of instructor. - NRP 398L – Epidemiology, Population Health, and Health Promotion
Examine principles of epidemiology and population health to guide evidence-based health promotion. Focus on data interpretation, risk assessment, and strategies to improve community and public health outcomes. Course details subject to source verification. - NRP 395L – Quality Improvement and Safety Principles and Methods
Apply quality improvement science to enhance healthcare outcomes and organizational performance. Learn to analyze systems, measure safety indicators, and implement cost-effective, evidence-based improvements. Three lecture hours per week. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; NRP 395G, 395O, 395Q, or consent of instructor. - NRP 395E – Health Policy for Diverse Systems and Populations
Investigate how clinical leaders influence health policy across organizational, state, national, and global settings. Explore the social, political, and economic factors shaping policy development, advocacy, and implementation. Three lecture hours per week. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; NRP 395G, 395O, 395Q, or consent of instructor. - NRP 395S – Healthcare Information Systems
Explore the integration of informatics, technology, and data management in healthcare delivery. Learn interdisciplinary strategies to apply information systems that improve communication, clinical decision-making, and patient safety. Three lecture hours per week. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; NRP 395G, 395O, 395Q, or consent of instructor. - NRP 398P – Research Designs & Evaluation Methods for Evidence-Based Practice
- NRP 398Q – Reviewing Evidence and Synthesizing Literature
- NRP 498M – Health Economics and Finance
AC PNP Concentration Courses (26 cr.):
- NRP 393N – Pediatric Diagnostic Reasoning & Advanced Invasive Skills
- NRP 393E – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care I
- NRP 393K – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care I Clinical
- NRP 394Q – Pediatric Acute Care Management I
- NRP 4XXX – Pediatric Acute Care Management I Clinical
- NRP 394S – Pediatric Acute Care Management II
- NRP 494T – Pediatric Acute Care Management II Clinical
- NRP 398N – Advanced Practice Nursing Advanced Practicum
APRN-DNP Core Courses (22 cr.) — identical to PC PNP:
- NRP 498R – Foundations in Theory and Advanced Practice Nursing Roles
- NRP 393C – Advanced Pediatric Health Assessment
- NRP 396C – Advanced Pathophysiology
- NRP 393D – Advanced Pediatric Pharmacology
- NRP 298G – Advanced Leadership Practicum I
- NRP 298H – Advanced Leadership Practicum II
- NRP 298J – Advanced Leadership Practicum III
- NRP 398K – Advanced Leadership Practicum IV
Full-Time Schedule Summary:
- Fall I (10 cr.): Advanced Pathophysiology, Foundations in Theory, Advanced Pediatric Health Assessment
- Spring I (12 cr.): EBP Research Designs, Advanced Pediatric Pharmacology, Pediatric Diagnostic Reasoning & Advanced Invasive Skills, Epidemiology
- Summer I (6 cr.): Leadership in Organizations, Reviewing Evidence
- Fall II (11 cr.): PNP Primary Care I + Clinical, QI & Safety, Leadership Practicum I
- Spring II (9 cr.): Pediatric Acute Care Management I + Clinical, Leadership Practicum II
- Summer II (6 cr.): Health Policy, Healthcare Information Systems
- Fall III (9 cr.): Pediatric Acute Care Management II + Clinical, Leadership Practicum III
- Spring III (10 cr.): Advanced Practice Nursing Advanced Practicum, Health Economics and Finance, Leadership Practicum IV
View more curriculum details in the course catalog.
DNP AC PNP Clinicals
Students complete a total of 1,080 supervised program hours distributed across primary care and acute care clinical courses, advanced leadership practicums, and the advanced practice nursing practicum. The program emphasizes hands-on skills labs and simulation experiences alongside precepted clinical rotations in acute care settings. Clinical placements occur in Texas.
- NRP 393K – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care I Clinical
- NRP 4XXX – Pediatric Acute Care Management I Clinical
- NRP 494T – Pediatric Acute Care Management II Clinical
- NRP 398N – Advanced Practice Nursing Advanced Practicum
- NRP 298G–298J, 398K – Advanced Leadership Practicums I–IV (sequential)
- Hands-on skills labs and simulation experiences included
- Total supervised program hours: 1,080
- Clinical placements occur in Texas
DNP AC PNP Admissions
Admission requirements are the same as the PC PNP track, with one critical distinction: two years of full-time RN experience is required — not recommended — by the first day of enrollment.
- BSN from an accredited institution required (ADN + non-nursing bachelor’s also accepted)
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in upper-division undergraduate and graduate coursework
- Current Texas RN license or Nurse Licensure Compact state license (required if admitted)
- Two years of full-time RN experience required by the first day of enrollment
- Undergraduate statistics course (3 credits) completed before first semester of enrollment
- Statement of Purpose (maximum 2 pages, double-spaced, 12-point, 1-inch margins)
- Current curriculum vitae/resume
- Three recommendations submitted electronically via secure personalized form (written letters not accepted)
- Official transcripts dated within one year from all institutions attended
- TOEFL or IELTS (within past 2 years) for international applicants
- GRE not required
- $50 application fee
- Criminal background check required; must be cleared by Texas Board of Nursing before enrollment
- Program is hybrid and in-person in Austin — not available as a fully online program
- Application window: September 1 – November 1 | Fall start only | Decisions by early March
Tuition
Graduate tuition at UT Austin is determined by the college and credit hours enrolled per semester.
For the School of Nursing, published 2026–2027 rates are $5,233 for 9 credit hours (Texas resident) and $9,670 for 9 credit hours (non-resident) per semester.
Tuition scales with credit load — for example, 10 credits per semester costs $5,697 (resident) and $10,438 (non-resident), while 11 credits costs $6,005 (resident) and $11,109 (non-resident), and 12 credits costs $6,262 (resident) and $11,683 (non-resident).
Applying published rates to each semester’s specific credit load, total estimated tuition over the full 3-year program is approximately $41,510 (PC PNP, resident) / $76,166 (PC PNP, non-resident) and approximately $41,767 (AC PNP, resident) / $76,740 (AC PNP, non-resident).
These are estimates based on current published rates and are subject to change annually.
Cost Per Credit
Note that UT Austin uses a tiered rate structure rather than a true flat per-credit rate, so the effective per-credit cost shifts slightly depending on how many credits are enrolled in a given semester. The figures below reflect the most common full-time load and are the most useful ballpark for a cost-per-credit reference on the page.
- $581 per credit (TX resident) — derived from $5,233 ÷ 9 credits at the standard full-time semester load.
- $1,074 per credit (non-resident) — derived from $9,670 ÷ 9 credits.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). UT Austin is ranked #16 among public nursing schools and #36 among all schools for DNP programs by U.S. News & World Report (2025), and is ranked #1 among Texas DNP programs.
Graduates of the PC PNP track are eligible to sit for the PNCB national certification examination for PC PNP and the PMHS mental health specialist certification through ANCC. Graduates of the AC PNP track are eligible for the PNCB ACPNP certification exam.
Check Out More PNP Programs in Texas
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center - Lubbock
- Texas Woman's University - Denton
- UT Health San Antonio - San Antonio
- University of Texas at Arlington - Arlington