Wright State University’s School of Nursing in Dayton offers 4 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner pathways, plus an option to combine both MSN concentrations into one dual degree:
Primary Care (CPNP-PC)
- MSN
- Dual MSN (PC + AC)
- Post-MSN Certificate
Acute Care (CPNP-AC)
- MSN
- Dual MSN (PC + AC)
- Post-MSN Certificate
Most coursework is online, with some synchronous class sessions at set times. All four pathways require a U.S. RN license, and certificate applicants must already hold an NP master’s degree.
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (Resident / Non-Resident) | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN – PC | $39K / $63K | Not published | 49 |
| MSN – AC | $43K / $70K | Not published | 54 |
| Cert – PC | $14K / $23K | 1–2 yrs | 18 (base) |
| Cert – AC | $8.8K / $14K | 1–2 yrs | 11 (base) |
Tuition estimates multiply Wright State’s 2026–2027 Nursing (M.S.) rate ($800/credit resident, $1,288/credit non-resident) by the published credit total. Certificate credits are baselines that a gap analysis can raise.
- Why choose it: Wright State offers both pediatric populations at both the MSN and certificate level, so a PNP-PC can add acute care with an 11-credit certificate.
- Trade-off: The acute care pages publish far less than the primary care pages. Format, MSN length, and placement responsibility are not stated, and the AC certification wording points to the wrong exam.
Quick Facts
| Program Types | MSN (PC or AC), dual PC/AC MSN, post-master’s certificates (PC or AC) |
| Population Focus | MSN and Certificate: Primary Care (CPNP-PC) or Acute Care (CPNP-AC), by concentration |
| Format | PC: Mostly Online (synchronous sessions). AC: not clearly stated |
| Clinical Hours | PC: 560. AC certificate: 336. AC MSN: about 672 (estimate) |
| Clinical Placement | Precepted by pediatricians or PNPs; who arranges sites is not published |
| RN License Required | Unencumbered U.S. RN license; certificates require it in the state where clinicals occur |
| RN Experience Required | MSN: 2 years full-time nursing. Certificates: none stated |
| Start Terms | MSN: Spring, Summer, Fall. Certificates: deadlines not published |
| Tuition | $800/credit resident, $1,288/credit non-resident (2026–2027 Nursing M.S. rate) |
| Certification Pass Rate | 100% first-time PNCB pass rate for the past two years (primary care page) |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s and post-graduate APRN certificate reviewed 2024) |
Clinical Education
All four pathways share the same pediatric specialty courses and the same clinical model:
- Preceptors are pediatricians or pediatric nurse practitioners.
- Primary care clinicals cover well and ill children in primary care and pediatric specialty clinics, such as cardiology, dermatology, and gastroenterology.
- Acute care clinicals take place in “a variety of acute care settings.” Specific units (PICU, NICU, pediatric ED) are not named.
- Certificate students need an RN license in the state where their clinicals will take place.
- Who finds clinical sites and preceptors is not published on any of the four program pages.
The licensure rule implies clinicals can happen outside Ohio, but Wright State does not publish a list of states where it can place students. If you live outside Ohio, ask admissions whether your state is open and whether you must recruit your own preceptor before you apply. That answer changes the workload of the program more than any course does.
General Admissions
Both MSN concentrations use the same application. Both certificates use a separate, shorter one.
MSN Applicants (PC and AC)
- BSN from an accredited institution, earned in the U.S.
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, including any graduate work
- Unencumbered U.S. RN license
- At least 2 years of full-time nursing experience
- Transcripts, resume or CV, clinical experience essay (2 pages max), professional goals statement (250 words max), two references
- Clear BCI and FBI background checks
- International applicants: TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.0, or PTE 57
- Deadlines: December 1 (Spring), April 1 (Summer), July 31 (Fall)
Certificate Applicants (PC and AC)
- Master’s degree as a nurse practitioner from a CCNE-accredited program
- Unencumbered RN license in the state where clinicals will take place
- Non-pediatric NPs may apply; a gap analysis sets the required courses
- Interview with the program director after materials are received
- Clear background check
- Apply through the Graduate School; processing takes 2–6 weeks
Three rules matter most. The two-year experience minimum rules out new graduates for the MSN. Certificate students can start with more than the baseline credits if their first NP degree lacks pediatric content. And if the gap analysis exceeds 22 credits, Wright State treats the plan as a second master’s degree rather than a certificate.
MSN PNP – Primary Care
The estimated tuition for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care, M.S. is approximately $39,200 for Ohio residents (49 credits at $800/credit) and $63,112 for non-residents. Program length is not published; the director sets an individualized full- or part-time plan at admission. It prepares graduates for PNCB’s CPNP-PC exam and is open to BSN-prepared RNs with two years of full-time experience.
MSN Primary Care Curriculum
The 49 credits split into a 31-credit graduate nursing core and an 18-credit pediatric sequence. Two core courses have pediatric versions: students may take pediatric pharmacology (NUR 7123) and pediatric health assessment (NUR 7124) instead of the lifespan versions. The pediatric sequence is three 6-credit courses, each carrying clinical hours, so clinical work starts with the first specialty course rather than waiting for a final practicum.
- NUR 7102 – Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan (3 cr)
- NUR 7103 or NUR 7123 – Pharmacology Across the Lifespan or Pediatric Pharmacology (3 cr)
- NUR 7104 or NUR 7124 – Advanced Health Assessment or Pediatric Health Assessment (3 cr)
- HLT 7121 – Human Genetics and Genomics (2 cr)
- NUR 7106 – Advanced Family Nursing (2 cr)
- NUR 7550 – Health Promotion and Management of Pediatric Minor Illnesses and Injuries (6 cr)
- NUR 7551 – Chronic Care for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (6 cr)
- NUR 7552 – Practicum for Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (6 cr)
The remaining core covers leadership, health policy, theory, research, statistics, and population health. More curriculum details are available in the Academic Catalog.
MSN Primary Care Clinical Requirements
- 560 total clinical hours across NUR 7550, 7551, and 7552
- Settings: pediatric primary care and pediatric specialty clinics
- Direct patient care hours are not separately stated
560 hours clears the 500-hour certification floor but sits below the 600–750 hours common in primary care PNP programs. That is roughly 14 forty-hour weeks of precepted practice. Nurses who want more supervised time before practicing alone should weigh this against programs in the 650–750 range.
MSN PNP – Acute Care
The estimated tuition for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care, M.S. is approximately $43,200 for Ohio residents (54 credits at $800/credit) and $69,552 for non-residents. Program length is not published and is set individually at admission. The concentration is built for the acute care role, and its experience requirement reads as two years in pediatrics or critical care.
A published conflict worth knowing about. Both acute care pages say graduates may sit for PNCB’s “Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care” exam. The wording matches the primary care pages word for word and conflicts with the acute care curriculum. PNCB’s CPNP-AC is the credential that matches this concentration, but Wright State does not state it. Confirm which exam you will be eligible for before enrolling.
MSN Acute Care Curriculum
The acute care MSN uses the same 31-credit core and keeps the two primary care specialty courses (NUR 7550 and 7551). It then replaces the primary care practicum with an 11-credit acute care sequence. The result is 5 more credits than the primary care MSN, with acute care content concentrated at the end of the program.
- Shared 31-credit core (see primary care MSN above)
- NUR 7550 – Health Promotion and Management of Pediatric Minor Illnesses and Injuries (6 cr)
- NUR 7551 – Chronic Care for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (6 cr)
- NUR 7512 – Acute Illness Management for Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (5 cr)
- NUR 7513 – Practicum for Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (6 cr)
Procedural skills training, simulation, and on-campus skills labs are not mentioned on the acute care pages. More curriculum details are available in the Academic Catalog.
MSN Acute Care Clinical Requirements
- About 672 total clinical hours (estimate; the program page does not state a total)
- 336 of those hours come from the acute care sequence: NUR 7512 and 7513
- The rest come from NUR 7550 and 7551, the same primary-care-focused courses the PC track uses
- Settings: “a variety of acute care settings”; specific units are not named
The total lands inside the 600–750 range for a single population, but only about half of it is acute care practice. Students preparing for inpatient, PICU, or ED roles get roughly 336 acute-specific hours, about 8.5 forty-hour weeks. Nurses without strong pediatric acute care experience should ask how those hours are distributed across settings.
Combining Both Concentrations
Wright State states that the primary care and acute care MSNs can be combined into a dual degree. It does not publish credits, hours, or length for the combination. Adding the 11-credit acute care sequence to the 49-credit primary care MSN would mean about 60 credits and 896 clinical hours, roughly $48,000 for Ohio residents. These are estimates built from the published course structure, not university figures.
Post-Master’s Certificate PNP – Primary Care
The estimated tuition for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care Graduate Certificate is approximately $14,400 for Ohio residents (18 credits at $800/credit) and $23,184 for non-residents. It can generally be completed in one to two years, depending on the gap analysis. It prepares practicing NPs, including non-pediatric NPs, for the CPNP-PC exam.
Certificate Primary Care Curriculum
The baseline certificate is the MSN’s pediatric sequence and nothing else. Wright State reviews your first master’s transcript and adds courses where it falls short, such as pediatric pharmacology or assessment for an FNP or adult-gero NP. All courses must be taken at Wright State. The page describes delivery as online with some synchronous sessions at set times.
- NUR 7550 – Health Promotion and Management of Pediatric Minor Illnesses and Injuries (6 cr)
- NUR 7551 – Chronic Care for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (6 cr)
- NUR 7552 – Practicum for Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (6 cr)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Primary Care Clinical Requirements
- 560 clinical hours, the same total as the primary care MSN
- Direct care clinical hours, precepted in primary care settings
Certificate students complete the same 560 pediatric hours as MSN students, so this is not a shortened clinical version of the credential. The same placement questions in the Clinical Education section apply.
Post-Master’s Certificate PNP – Acute Care
The estimated tuition for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care Graduate Certificate is approximately $8,800 for Ohio residents (11 credits at $800/credit) and $14,168 for non-residents. It can generally be completed in one to two years, depending on the gap analysis. The 11-credit baseline fits a practicing PNP-PC adding acute care; other NPs should expect added courses.
The certification statement on this page has the same primary care exam wording described in the acute care MSN section. Delivery format is not stated on this page.
Certificate Acute Care Curriculum
- NUR 7512 – Acute Illness Management for Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (5 cr)
- NUR 7513 – Practicum for Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (6 cr)
Non-pediatric NPs may apply, but the baseline assumes pediatric primary care preparation already exists. An FNP or adult-gero NP will likely need NUR 7550 and 7551 as well, which pushes the plan toward 23 credits. That crosses the 22-credit line where Wright State reclassifies the plan as a second master’s. More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Acute Care Clinical Requirements
- 336 clinical hours across NUR 7512 and 7513
- Settings: acute care settings, not further specified
336 hours is below the 500-hour floor on its own. It works as an add-on for a PNP-PC whose earlier pediatric hours already exist. For anyone else, the gap analysis will add hours, and the final total is what to compare against other acute care certificates.
Tuition
Estimated tuition runs from about $8,800 (acute care certificate, resident) to $69,552 (acute care MSN, non-resident).
| Program | Est. In-State | Est. Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| MSN – PC | $39,200 | $63,112 |
| MSN – AC | $43,200 | $69,552 |
| Cert – PC | $14,400 | $23,184 |
| Cert – AC | $8,800 | $14,168 |
Figures are calculated from the 2026–2027 Nursing (M.S.) per-credit rate ($800 resident, $1,288 non-resident), not published by the university.
Key Cost Takeaways
- Nursing pays a higher rate than standard graduate programs. The standard graduate rate ($700/credit resident) does not apply to the Nursing M.S. Using it understates a 49-credit MSN by $4,900.
- Full-time semesters cost less per credit. Loads of 11–18 credits bill at a flat $8,656 (resident) or $13,900 (non-resident). A heavy semester can cost far less than the per-credit estimate.
- Certificate billing is not stated. The tuition table names “Nursing (M.S.)” only. If certificates bill at the standard rate, the primary care certificate drops to $12,600 for residents.
- Gap analysis drives certificate cost. Each added 3-credit course adds $2,400 for residents.
- Rates rise yearly. The Nursing M.S. rate rose from $780 to $800 per credit between 2025–2026 and 2026–2027.
- No nursing fees are itemized. The bursar table lists none for graduate nursing.
For Ohio residents, a full PNP master’s for about $39,000 to $43,000 is moderate for a public university. The non-resident rate is 61% higher, so out-of-state applicants should compare it with their own state’s public programs before applying. See the official tuition and fees page.
Why Choose This PNP Program?
Best suited for: Ohio RNs with two years of pediatric or critical care experience who want either PNP credential, and PNP-PCs who want to add acute care for under $9,000.
Both Populations, Two Entry Points
Many PNP programs offer only primary care. Wright State offers primary care and acute care at the MSN and certificate level, plus a dual MSN. Because both concentrations share NUR 7550 and 7551, the second population costs only 11 credits. You can also choose the combination later through the certificate.
Three Start Terms a Year
The MSN admits in Spring, Summer, and Fall. Many programs admit once a year, so missing a deadline here costs about four months, not twelve.
Strong Primary Care Outcomes, Thin Acute Care Detail
The primary care page reports a 100% first-time certification pass rate for two years. The acute care pages publish no pass rate, no format, and an exam name that does not match the concentration. The acute care offering may be solid, but applicants have to verify more of it themselves.
Potential Drawbacks
- Two years of full-time RN experience is required for the MSN.
- Primary care clinical hours (560) are below the typical 600–750 range.
- Only about 336 acute care MSN hours are acute-specific.
- Clinical placement responsibility and eligible states are not published.
- MSN program length is not published.
- Non-PNPs seeking the acute care certificate may exceed 22 credits and be moved into a second master’s.
The Verdict
Wright State makes the most sense for a working pediatric RN in Ohio who wants a mostly online primary care MSN with a strong pass record, or for a certified PNP-PC who wants an inexpensive route to acute care. Its biggest structural advantage is the shared pediatric sequence, which keeps the second population to 11 credits. The biggest limitation is how little the university publishes about the acute care pathways: format, length, settings, and even the certification exam need confirming. Nurses set on an acute care career from the start, especially those wanting procedural training or named PICU rotations, should compare programs that publish those details.
Accreditation
Wright State’s master’s program in nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). CCNE reviewed the BSN, MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs in November 2024, and the university announced reaccreditation of four nursing programs in October 2025. An expiration date is not published.
Wright State states that primary care graduates are eligible for PNCB’s primary care PNP exam (CPNP-PC). For the acute care pathways, see the certification conflict noted in the acute care MSN section.
Other Pediatric Nursing NP Programs Based in Ohio
- Ohio State University - Columbus
- Case Western Reserve University - Cleveland