University of Alabama Online NP Programs

Admission Requirements: Applicants to the University of Alabama’s online NP programs must hold an unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license in a state approved for admission and must be residents of one of the eligible 30 states. For the BSN to DNP pathway, candidates need a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited school, and admission is competitive, requiring acceptable drug and background screenings. The MSN to DNP pathway admits applicants with a master’s degree in nursing from an accredited program or in a related field, with possible additional coursework required, alongside proof of licensure.

Applicants to MSN programs must possess a baccalaureate degree in nursing from a school of nursing that is both regionally and CCNE or CNEA accredited, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall or in the last 60 semester hours. Students will be required to submit a statement of purpose, resume, references, copies of all active RN licenses, official transcripts, and participate in an interview.

For post-graduate certificate programs, applicants must have a master’s degree in nursing or a health-related field with a nursing baccalaureate, along with a minimum 3.0 GPA and licensure in an approved state. Final admission for all programs depends on drug and background screen outcomes deemed acceptable by University officials.

State Restrictions: The University of Alabama’s online NP programs admit baccalaureate-prepared registered nurses residing in 30 specific states, which are authorized for admission. These include Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. 

Admission of out-of-state applicants to online degree programs or courses depends on the University’s ability to secure authorization from the applicant’s state of residence, if required. Students are advised to carefully review state-specific authorization before applying.

Study Plan: Designed to accommodate both full-time and part-time students, the University of Alabama’s online NP programs offer flexible study plans. Completion times vary by program. The MSN dual PMHNP and FNP program requires 79 credits and typically takes 11 to 12 semesters of full-time study, including a 1,560 clinical hour requirement. The MSN FNP and PMHNP programs each require 53 to 59 credits and 780 clinical hours, with options to study full-time (7 to 8 semesters) or part-time (8 to 9 semesters). The DNP programs are offered via BSN to DNP and MSN to DNP pathways with clinical hour requirements ranging from 540 to 2,100 hours, depending on the concentration.

Post-graduate certificates require completion of 29 credits, with clinical hours similar to the graduate programs. Admissions are offered for fall, spring, and summer semesters with deadlines typically in March, September, and December for MSN programs, and January and April for post-graduate certificates. All clinical hours are supervised by qualified advanced practice providers, with students responsible for securing appropriate clinical sites.

MSN Curriculum: The core MSN curriculum at the University of Alabama’s Capstone College of Nursing provides foundational knowledge for all NP concentrations. The core courses common to all MSN tracks include advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacology, advanced pathophysiology, clinical readiness, foundations of implementation science and evidence-based practice, informatics for advanced practice nursing, population health in advanced practice nursing, interdisciplinary leadership and role development for practice excellence, and health policy & politics: implications in health care.

• For the dual MSN PMHNP and FNP concentration, students take specialized courses including FNP role & issues; FNP I, II, and III; FNP clinical courses I, II, and III; FNP IV review and clinical immersion; PMHNP role & issues; leadership and advocacy in psychiatric mental health practice; mastering diagnosis & evidence-based treatment across age groups and psychiatric disorders; and related advanced clinical practice courses. This concentration totals 79 credits with 1,560 clinical hours.
• The PMHNP MSN concentration includes courses like PMHNP role & issues; PMHNP I, II, and III; PMHNP clinical courses I, II, and III; and PMHNP IV review and clinical immersion, alongside the core courses. This program totals 53 to 59 credits with 780 clinical hours.
• The FNP MSN concentration includes FNP role & issues; FNP I, II, and III; FNP clinical I, II, and III; FNP IV review and clinical immersion; and the core courses, also totaling 53 to 59 credits with 780 clinical hours.

DNP Curriculum: The BSN-to-DNP curriculum includes 25 credits of core courses. Core courses include clinical data management & analysis; writing for publication; introduction to writing; foundations of implementation; evidence-based project methods and evaluation; informatics for advanced practice nursing; population health in advanced practice nursing; interdisciplinary leadership and role development for practice excellence; and health policy & politics: implications in health care. Concentration-specific courses follow the MSN track’s specialty courses. The program culminates in 11 credits of DNP project courses covering introduction to the DNP scholarly project; DNP project seminar; and DNP project immersion I, II, and III. Clinical hours range from 1,320 to 2,100, depending on concentration.

The MSN-to-DNP curriculum mirrors the BSN-to-DNP core and project courses, totaling 36 credits across six semesters, focusing on advanced leadership, health policy, and evidence-based practice with clinical hours of 540.

Post-Master’s Curriculum: The post-master’s certificate curriculum builds on existing graduate education with specialty population-focused courses in either FNP or PMHNP. The 29-credit certificate involves clinical readiness, advanced clinical courses, and clinical immersion experiences aligned with the chosen focus area. Clinical hours are similarly supervised and structured.

Online Experience: The University of Alabama’s online NP programs deliver coursework through a secure, user-friendly Blackboard platform that fosters easy interaction between students and faculty. Designed for busy nurses, the programs combine flexible online learning with required supervised clinical experiences. Students benefit from personalized support while gaining the advanced skills necessary to excel in advanced nursing roles.

On-Site Requirements: The University of Alabama’s online NP programs include one on-campus intensive conference during the DNP project courses, providing essential hands-on experience and collaboration with faculty and peers. All clinical practicum hours are completed at approved healthcare sites under supervision, allowing students to gain real-world practice in their specialty area.