Texas Christian University (TCU) Online Nurse Practitioner Programs

Admission Requirements: The admission requirements for both programs are designed to ensure applicants are academically and professionally prepared for advanced nursing practice.

Applicants must submit a completed online application, including official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, with a preferred cumulative GPA of 3.0 from the baccalaureate nursing program. International transcripts require evaluation by a credentialing service. A current, unencumbered RN license is required in the state of Texas or the state where the clinical practicum will occur. Applicants should hold a BSN from an accredited program, and for the post-graduate certificate program, a PhD or DNP from an accredited program is required.

Additional materials include a resume or curriculum vitae, a personal statement, and three professional references from supervisors or faculty. For BSN-to-DNP applicants, preferred work history includes at least one year of full-time RN experience. Acute care experience is required for the AGACNP specialization. For the FNP and PMHNP tracks, one year of nursing experience is preferred. Applicants whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL or TSE scores. Completion of an interview, CPR certification, and immunizations are also required.

State Restrictions: Texas Christian University’s online NP programs have specific state restrictions. The programs are not accepted for admission or clinical practicum in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Conditional admission is available for students from Alaska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Wyoming. The state of Georgia is still under research for potential program admission. Students must verify state-specific licensure and clinical practicum eligibility before applying to ensure compliance with these restrictions.

Study Plan: Designed to accommodate both full-time and part-time students, TCU’s online NP programs offer flexible study plans. The BSN-to-DNP programs can be completed in approximately 36 or 48 months.

Each DNP program requires a total of 70 credits. The FNP and AGACNP tracks require 56 credits of didactic coursework and 14 credits of clinical practicum, while the PMHNP track requires 55 credits of coursework and 15 credits of clinical practicum. All programs include a minimum of 1,000 clinical practicum hours completed close to the student’s home for convenience. Students start in either the spring or fall terms.

The post-graduate APRN certificate in PMHNP consists of 25 credits spread over four semesters or 1.5 years. Admission to this certificate program is available for nurses holding a doctorate in nursing practice in a different specialty.

BSN-to-DNP Curriculum: The BSN-to-DNP core courses provide foundational advanced knowledge and skills common across all nurse practitioner concentrations. These core courses include advanced pathophysiology; advanced health assessment; advanced practice roles; advanced pharmacotherapeutics; business and legal aspects for the nurse practitioner; diagnostic methods & procedures for APRN; foundations of evidence-based practice and research; health innovation & complexity science; health care data management & analysis; population health & epidemiology; synthesis in evidence-based practice; translation in evidence-based practice; health policy, finance & economics; systems & organization leadership; and DNP scholarly project I-IV.

Each NP concentration then has specialty-specific courses tailored to the unique clinical focus.

• FNP Specialty Courses: promoting health and wellness in primary care; primary care adult-gerontology I and II; FNP practicum I, II, III, and IV; primary care of the young family; and health informatics & technology.
• AGPCNP Specialty Courses: promoting health and wellness in primary care; primary care adult-gerontology I; intro to acute care adult-gerontology practicum; acute care adult-gerontology I and II; acute care adult-gerontology I, II, and III practicum; and decision science and informatics.
• PMHNP Specialty Courses: psychotherapy concepts for the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner; neurobiology of mental illness: lifespan; psychopharmacology for the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner; psychiatric care of adult and geriatric populations; PMH practicum I, II, and III; psychiatric care of children and adolescents; and health information and technology.

Post-Graduate Certificate Curriculum: The post-graduate APRN certificate in PMHNP focuses on further specialized clinical and leadership training for doctoral-prepared nurses. The curriculum builds advanced competencies through clinical practicum experiences and coursework focused on psychiatric mental health nursing, preparing graduates for national certification.

Online Experience: Texas Christian University’s online nurse practitioner programs are delivered through TCU Online, the university’s dedicated learning management system. Coursework is 100 percent online and designed for flexibility, so students can study and complete assignments from anywhere. TCU Online uses the Brightspace by D2L platform, which gives students access to course content, discussion boards, and resources at any time.

On-Site Requirements: The online NP programs at TCU offer courses 100 percent online. Participation in on-campus intensives may be necessary to provide students with the skills development essential for clinical practice. Clinical practicum experiences are typically located near the student’s home, providing convenient access to local healthcare settings.