University of Nevada Reno Online NP Programs

#4 Best Overall NP School

#11 Most Affordable NP School

#9 Best Program Variety

• BSN to DNP – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• BSN to DNP – Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• BSN to DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
• BSN to DNP – Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• BSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• Post-Master's Certificate – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (for APRNs)
• Post-Master's Certificate – Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (For Non-APRNs)
• Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner (for APRNs)
• Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner (for Non-APRNs)
• Post-Master's Certificate – Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (for APRNs)
• Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (for APRNs)
• Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (for Non-APRNs)

The University of Nevada Reno (UNR) Orvis School of Nursing offers an online master of science in nursing (MSN) and BSN to doctor of nursing practice (BSN-to-DNP) with the following specializations: adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP); adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AGACNP); family nurse practitioner (FNP); pediatric acute care nurse practitioner (PNP-AC); and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). Post-master’s certificates are also offered to APRNs and non-APRNs in all specializations except AGPCNP. 

Coursework for these programs is online with local supervised practicums at approved facilities.  One three- to five-day campus visit to Reno, Nevada, during the first week that summer clinicals begin. The immersion allows students to interact with faculty and peers, practice procedures and skills, work with Standardized Patients, and attend live guest lectures. Immersion days are mandatory.

Adult-gerontology primary care NPs work with young adults, adults, and older adults, while FNPs work with individuals across the lifespan from infancy through geriatric patients. These nurse practitioners may work with acute or chronic illnesses in patients, preventive care, common illnesses that do not need specialty care, pregnancy and childbirth, and health education. 

Pediatric acute care NPs work with premature and full-term infants with health problems upon birth who need special care to survive. PNP-ACs may also work with children, adolescents, and young adults with acute, complex, chronic, and critical illnesses, including organ dysfunction and life-threatening health issues. Adult-gerontology acute care NPs work with adolescents through geriatric patients in critical care areas and other critical illnesses that are more common as people age.

Psychiatric-mental health NPs work with patients across the lifespan with mental health challenges and behavioral disorders. PMHNPs are trained to prescribe psychotropics and use counseling and therapy techniques in individual, family, and group settings to improve the patient’s quality of life. 

Depending on the specialty chosen, career settings may include primary care, urgent care, critical care, intensive care units (ICUs), neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), hospitals, long-term living facilities, home health care, OBGYN clinics, government facilities, correctional facilities, rehabilitation centers, counseling centers, and schools.

Upon graduation, students are eligible to take their respective nurse practitioner certification exams through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB), and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). 

The University of Nevada Reno is located in Reno, NV, and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The NP programs through UNR are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

What to Expect from the UNR Online NP Programs

Admission Requirements: MSN and BSN-to-DNP applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0  from a regionally accredited institution with an upper-division major in nursing from a CCNE or NLNAC-accredited nursing school. Post-Master’s Certificate applicants must hold an MSN with these same parameters. 

Those applying to the AGACNP, FNP, or PMHNP tracks of the MSN may also hold an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) from a CCNE, NLNAC, or ACEN-accredited program with two years of clinical nursing experience and a BS degree with courses in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, biology, and microbiology.

Prospective MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and post-master’s certificate students must have unencumbered RN licensure for practice in the United States and be eligible to practice in Nevada. The application materials include official transcripts, a letter of intent or personal statement, three letters of recommendation, a current resume, and successful completion of graduate-level applied statistics. An interview may be required. 

State Restrictions: The University of Nevada Reno, accepts students from most states; however, it has not been determined whether the program meets state requirements in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington DC, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, and West Virginia. Applicants must also be eligible to practice nursing in their state and in the state of Nevada. Prospective students should verify admissions eligibility with the UNR Orvis School of Nursing, and certification eligibility with their State Board of Nursing.

Study Plan: The MSN NP programs can be completed in five full-time or eight part-time semesters. The BSN-to-DNP can be completed in eight semesters full-time or 11 semesters part-time. Time to completion for Post-Master’s Certificate programs depends on prior education, APRN certification, and transferred courses. 

The MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and PMHNP certificate programs begin in the fall, while the other post-master’s certificates begin in the fall or spring. Most coursework is online and clinical practicums are completed at approved sites local to the student. Students also come to campus once during the first week of the summer when clinicals begin.

MSN Curriculum: The MSN program comprises 44 to 50 credits, depending on the specialization, plus the required clinical practice hours. Core courses for all specializations include advanced pathophysiology; advanced health assessment; introduction to knowledge development and scientific inquiry; populations and aggregate health issues; advanced ambulatory pharmacology; and health care policy and social justice. Also included is a graduate nursing scholarship capstone project or a thesis course.

• AGPCNP: Role in managing adult-gerontology acute illnesses in primary care; management of adult gerontology acute illness in primary care settings; role np health promotion management of men and women in primary healthcare; managing men’s and women’s health in primary care settings; considerations for management of the geriatric population; role managing chronic illness in primary care settings; the role of AGPCNP in managing complex illness in primary care; management of complex illnesses in adult-gerontology populations in primary care settings
• AGACNP: Diagnosis, symptom, and illness management; introduction to the management of acute care patients lecture; assessment and management for the AGACNP: clinical practicum; advanced prescribing pharmacology for the acutely ill patient; management of chronic illness and acute care lecture; management of chronic illness in the acute care patient practicum; management of comorbid conditions and acute care lecture; management of comorbid conditions in acute care setting practicum; advanced-practice introduction to critical care I lecture; advanced practice introduction to critical care practicum
• FNP: Assessment and management practica for the family nurse practitioner; role in managing pediatric acute illnesses in primary care; role in managing adult-gerontology acute illnesses in primary care; the FNP role in health promotion and management of family care; role in managing pediatric chronic illnesses in primary care; role in managing adult-gerontology chronic illnesses in primary care; the FNP role in disease prevention and managing complex illnesses
• PNP-AC: Role of the pediatric acute care NP; pediatric wellness, development, and primary care; introduction to the care of pediatric and adolescent populations; diagnosing symptoms and acute and chronic illness management in acute care pediatric and adolescent patients; management of chronic illnesses in pediatric and adult acute care settings practicum; advanced practice acute and critical care for pediatric and adolescent populations; advanced practice acute and critical care settings pediatric and adolescent practicum
• PMHNP: Mental health assessment across the lifespan; advanced pharmacology for mental health; advanced mental health therapies: individuals and groups; assessment and management in psychiatric mental health settings: clinical practicum; mental health diagnosis and management of children and adolescents; mental health diagnosis and management of the adult; mental health diagnosis and management of geriatric clients

BSN-to-DNP Curriculum: The BSN-to-DNP program comprises 68 to 72 credits depending on specialization and the required clinical practice hours. The nurse practitioner portion of the program follows the courses listed above for the MSN program and NP specializations. DNP courses include scientific underpinnings and translational evidence for the DNP; economics of healthcare delivery; executive/advanced practice DNP residency; DNP project; healthcare information systems and technology; and outcomes management and performance improvement in nursing.

Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum: The post-master’s certificates range in credit requirements from 15 to 33 depending on the specialization chosen, the course completed during the MSN, and whether the participant is an APRN or non-APRN. Courses included come mainly from the courses for each NP specialization. The PNP-PC certificate includes five courses and does not differ for APRNs and non-APRNs. If not completed in the MSN or if the length of time since the courses were taken exceeds requirements, students will need to complete advanced ambulatory pharmacology, advanced health assessment, and advanced pathophysiology.

Online Experience: The University of Nevada Reno utilizes Canvas as its online Learning Management System (LMS) to deliver asynchronous courses for nursing programs. One campus visit is required. Students may view syllabi, recorded lectures, and videos; complete assignments and assessments; and participate in email, discussion boards, and other forms of virtual communication. Online students have access to the Academic Success Center, online tutoring, admissions counseling, online library and bookstore services, technical support, faculty hours, and mental health services.
On-Site Requirements: Nurse practitioner students must come to the Reno, NV, campus once for a three to five-day immersion during the first week of the summer that clinicals begin. Clinicals are completed in approved states, and all other coursework is online.