Hawaii Pacific University Online NP Programs
#17 Most Flexible NP School
- BSN to DNP – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
- BSN to DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
- BSN to DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
- MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
- MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
- MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
- Post-Master’s Nursing Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP (AGACNP)
- Post-Master’s Nursing Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Post-Master’s Nursing Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (PMHNP)
The School of Nursing at Hawaii Pacific University offers an online master of science in nursing (MSN), an online BSN to doctor of nursing practice (BSN-to-DNP), and an online post-master’s certificate degree with three specializations: family nurse practitioner (FNP), adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AGACNP), and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). The programs offer 100 percent online coursework with local clinical preceptorships in approved states and no campus visit requirements.
Hawaii Pacific University prides itself on being an international learning community, providing education to students around the United States and the world. The values of HPU include Pono, which means righteous, moral, and honest; Kuleana, which means responsibility and rights and the concern for all people, belongings, and interests; and Aloha, which means hello and goodbye, unity, humility, love and kindness, grace, and patience. These values are particularly relevant to nurse practitioner programs, where practitioners will encounter patients from diverse cultures, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.
HPU is committed to small class sizes with expert faculty who are focused on student success and well-being, dedicated student support services throughout the entire program, and 100 percent online, mobile-friendly course delivery.
Family nurse practitioners serve patients across the lifespan with primary care services, health education and prevention, and acute and chronic health issues. Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners serve patients 13 and older and typically work in acute care environments in clinics and hospitals, such as intensive care units, surgery units, and rehabilitative facilities. Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners serve patients of all ages with psychiatric-mental health conditions, prescribing medications and providing individual, family, and group counseling.
Graduates of the FNP specializations are eligible to take the FNP certification exam through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Graduates of the PMHNP specialization are eligible to take the PMHNP certification exam through the ANCC. Graduates of the AGACNP specialization are eligible to take the AGACNP certification exam through the ANCC or the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).
Hawaii Pacific University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The MSN, DNP, and post-master’s certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Hawaii Pacific University is located in Honolulu, HI.
For the latest academic year, we have over 180 NP schools in our database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
What to Expect from the Hawaii Pacific University Online NP Programs
Admission Requirements: Applicants to the nursing programs at Hawaii Pacific University must have an unrestricted RN license in their state of residence. MSN applicants must hold a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from a nationally accredited program with a minimum GPA of 3.0. BSN-to-DNP students must also hold a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from a nationally accredited program with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Post-master’s nursing certificate applicants must hold a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree from a nationally accredited program with a minimum 3.0 GPA. The GRE or GMAT is not required.
A prerequisite of undergraduate statistics is required. Application materials include an application and fee, official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, a resume or CV, and a statement of purpose.
State Restrictions: Hawaii Pacific University accepts students from most states and is an NC-SARA participant. However, students from Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New York, and Tennessee are not eligible to complete the HPU online nursing programs at this time. In addition to the states mentioned above, the BSN-to-DNPFNP program does not meet the educational requirements in Washington. As always, applicants outside of Hawaii should check with the HPU School of Nursing and their state licensing board to verify eligibility for the nursing programs.
Study Plan: The NP programs begin in the fall, spring, and summer. The MSN can be completed in as little as 28 months. The BSN-to-DNP can be completed in 34 months or a little less than three years on a full-time basis and 44 months or a little over 3.5 years on a part-time basis. The post-master’s certificate can be completed in just 14 months. Students complete online coursework and local clinical preceptorships in approved states of study.
MSN Core Curriculum: The core MSN curriculum comprises 18 credits. It includes the following core courses for all specializations: introduction to advanced practice roles; advanced pathophysiology; advanced pharmacology; advanced assessment and diagnostic reasoning; advanced nursing research; and development and implementation of healthcare policy.
- MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Curriculum: The FNP track comprises 45 credits plus 504 clinical hours. Specialization courses include advanced theory: primary care of children; advanced theory: primary care of women; episodic conditions in primary care; chronic conditions in primary care; project proposal paper; and practicum I-IV.
- MSN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) Curriculum: The AGACNP curriculum comprises 46 credits plus 630 clinical hours. Specialty courses include fundamentals of acute care I-III; AGACNP practicum I-III; project proposal paper; and advanced clinical decision-making.
- MSN Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Curriculum: The PMHNP program comprises 48 credits plus 630 clinical hours. Specialty courses include psychopharmacology across the lifespan; project proposal paper; advanced psychiatric/mental health nursing I-III; and advanced psychiatric/mental health nursing practicum I-III.
BSN to DNP Curriculum: BSN-to-DNP students complete at least 1,000 clinical hours, including time spent on the DNP project. Core courses for the BSN-to-DNP include introduction to advanced practice roles; advanced pathophysiology; advanced nursing research; advanced pharmacology; advanced assessment and diagnostic reasoning; and development and implementation of healthcare policy. NP specialty courses follow those listed for the MSN.
DNP courses for all specializations include evidence-based practice for advanced nursing; leadership and systems management; informatics and technology for advanced practice; optimizing quality in healthcare system; business and finance essentials for the DNP; development and implementation of healthcare policy; clinical scholarship and scholarly writing; analytical methods for evidence-based practice; doctoral project I: development; doctoral project II: implementation; and doctoral project III; data analysis and dissemination.
Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum: Each post-master’s nursing certificate program includes specialty-focused coursework and clinical experiences aligned with the latest national certification standards. The PMC-FNP program comprises 24 credits, the PMC-PMHNP program consists of 27 credits, while the PMC-AGACNP program is made up of 25 credits. Courses mirror the MSN FNP, MSN AGACNP, and MSN PMHNP curricula, except for the project proposal paper course. Through a combination of specialized coursework and more than 500 to 600 clinical hours, students will develop advanced competencies that can translate to a variety of mental health, primary care, and acute care settings.
Online Experience: Hawaii Pacific University delivers courses asynchronously for maximum flexibility, including mobile-friendly course delivery. Faculty are doctorally educated, active clinicians who lead at the local, national, and global levels. They are dedicated to student success, and along with dedicated student support services, students have a wealth of resources to succeed and fulfill their mission as nurse practitioners. The Center for Academic Success offers testing, tutoring, and accessibility services. Students also have access to counseling and behavioral health services, library and bookstore services, financial aid services, technical support, and career counseling.
On-Site Requirements: The NP programs do not require any campus visits, as coursework is 100 percent online and clinical preceptorships are completed locally to the student in approved states of study.
Paying for the Hawaii Pacific University Online NP Programs
Hawaii Pacific University’s online nurse practitioner program tuitions are listed in the tables below. HPU may charge some additional fees in addition to tuition. Interested nurses should contact the HPU School of Nursing for cost clarifications and updates.
HPU graduate students may be eligible for unsubsidized federal Stafford Loans and Graduate PLUS loans through the FAFSA application. Nursing students are also encouraged to check with their employers as to the possibility of a tuition reimbursement program or tuition discounts. Finally, nursing students may seek outside grants and scholarships for funding.
Hawaii Pacific University offers 100 percent online MSN and DNP nurse practitioner programs with FNP, PMHNP, and AGACNP specializations to residents of most states, including local clinicals, and requires no campus visits.
BSN to DNP – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
BSN to DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
BSN to DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
Post-Master’s Nursing Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP (AGACNP)
Post-Master’s Nursing Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Post-Master’s Nursing Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (PMHNP)
1 Aloha Tower Dr
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Program Essentials
DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice
AGNP – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
Yes, plus clinical practicums
0
76
1,000
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AZ, LA, MD, NY, TN
Program Tuition
76
$1,065.00
$80,940.00
$1,065.00
$80,940.00
Program Essentials
DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
Yes, plus clinical practicums
0
75
1,000
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AZ, LA, MD, NY, TN
Program Tuition
75
$1,065.00
$79,875.00
$1,065.00
$79,875.00
Program Essentials
DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
Yes, plus clinical practicums
0
78
1,000
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AZ, LA, MD, NY, TN
Program Tuition
78
$1,065.00
$83,070.00
$1,065.00
$83,070.00
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
AGNP – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
Yes, plus clinical practicums
0
46
630
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AZ, LA, MD, NY, TN, WA
Program Tuition
46
$1,065.00
$48,990.00
$1,065.00
$48,990.00
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
Yes, plus clinical practicums
0
45
504
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AZ, LA, MD, NY, TN, WA
Program Tuition
45
$1,065.00
$47,925.00
$1,065.00
$47,925.00
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
Yes, plus clinical practicums
0
48
630
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AZ, LA, MD, NY, TN, WA
Program Tuition
48
$1,065.00
$51,120.00
$1,065.00
$51,120.00
Program Essentials
Post-Master Certificate – Post-Graduate (Post-MSN) Nursing Certificate
AG-ACNP – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
3 Start Dates – Fall, Spring, Summer
Yes
0
25
$1,065.00
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AZ, LA, MD, TN, WA
Program Tuition
25
$1,065.00
$26,625.00
+ fees
630
Program Essentials
Post-Master Certificate – Post-Graduate (Post-MSN) Nursing Certificate
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
3 Start Dates – Fall, Spring, Summer
Yes
0
24
504
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AZ, LA, MD, TN, WA
Program Tuition
24
$1,065.00
$25,560.00
$1,065.00
$25,560.00
Program Essentials
Post-Master Certificate – Post-Graduate (Post-MSN) Nursing Certificate
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
3 Start Dates – Fall, Spring, Summer
Yes
0
27
630
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
AZ, LA, MD, TN, WA
Program Tuition
27
$1,065.00
$28,755.00
$1,065.00
$28,755.00
Tuition is calculated based on credits, at the published tuition rate. Rates may change, so please check here for the latest tuition information. For programs with variable tuition rates, we use the rates for part-time students. “Resident” and “non-resident” refer to the student’s school-recognized state residency status. Tuition number represents the cost of tuition for the entire program, not per semester or year. Estimated total tuition does not include additional fees.
Sara Navratil
WriterSara Navratil is a freelance writer and a Certified Canfield Success Principles Trainer. She’s the owner of Sara Liza Life, a company dedicated to helping people rewrite their lives. She enjoys researching and writing about healthcare-related topics, including information on online NP programs. When not working she likes to read, bake, and spend time with her family.