Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner: Online (M.S.)

Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner: Online (M.S.)
patient scenario for adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner program

Cultivate your nursing expertise with the online Master of Science (MS) Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program at UNH, using evidence-based practice to develop your skills in diagnostic reasoning and management of the acutely ill patient. Prior work experience is optional and our graduates are prepared to sit for certification by AACN or ANCC. 

  Credit Hours: 46 |     Program Length: 24 months |    Tuition Cost
 


Why get a master's degree in Nursing: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner?

If you enjoy complex clinical patient management in a fast-paced environment, the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner role may be the right fit for you. Acute care nurse practitioners are respected members of the healthcare team and are recognized in the medical field for their contributions to improving patient care. The need for these providers continues to grow with changing national demographics and increasing acuity. Geared for the hospital and acute settings, Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioners use skills in diagnostic reasoning and management of the acutely ill patient using evidence-based practice. 

Why choose UNH's M.S. in Nursing: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program?

This master’s degree program prepares students to sit for certification as an Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with the AACN (American Association of Critical Care Nurses) or ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center). You will learn to stabilize acute and critically ill patients, formulate diagnoses and evidenced-based treatment plans, prescribe therapeutics, assess outcomes, prevent readmission and create safe discharge plans. At UNH you’ll be supported by a productive faculty and state-of-the-art facilities as you advance your nursing career. Our faculty has extensive experience in the field, and they coordinate with the student success coach team to support you from application through graduation.  

Potential Career Areas 

  • Cardiology and Cardio-Thoracic Surgery 
  • Critical Care and Trauma 
  • Healthcare Research 
  • Hospital administrator 
  • Hospitalist Medicine 
  • Orthopedic Surgery 
  • Transplant Medicine and Surgery 
  • Specialty Clinics 
  • Acute and Sub-acute Care Facilities 
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Accelerate your journey – prior work experience optional

"By completing an MSN when I first began nursing, I developed early in my career the tools to become an excellent nurse. The dual investment of hard work and education delivers top-notch skills and advanced career options."

Brittany Biega, RN, NP demonstrates the success of an accelerated nursing path. Within three months of earning a BSN from the University of South Florida, she enrolled in their AGACNP program to complete an MSN while simultaneously working as a clinical nurse at Tampa General Hospital.  An adjunct teacher for our AGACNP program, Biega served as an Acute Care Practitioner with NYU Langone Health for four years. She graduated from the online DNP program in 2024.

Brittany Biega's Headshot

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Curriculum & Requirements

The Master Entry Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program (MS-AGACNP) will prepare the baccalaureate prepared nurse (BSN, RN) to practice as an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) and increase access to acute care medical and surgical services. Building upon a background in nursing, graduates can apply newly learned knowledge and skills within the acute care setting, including and not limited to hospitals and ambulatory care centers. Successful completion of this program permits students to sit for national certification with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) or American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Admission Requirements

Applicants are required to have:  

  1. Unencumbered, active RN license in the United States
  2. Baccalaureate degree in nursing or another field 
  3. Cumulative GPA of 3.0 
  4. Minimum one year nursing experience preferred. 
  5. Successful completion of undergraduate statistics course and undergraduate research course 
  6. 3 letters of recommendation. References should be substantial with one academic, if available, and two current nursing professionals with graduate education background. 
  7. Personal Statement: Write an essay that addresses the following: 
    1. Your interest in the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program and AGACNP role. Include specific professional interests, experiences, or research in this area.  
    2. Immediate and long-range goals as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. 

Non-BSN Admission Requirements:  RNs whose baccalaureate degree is in a discipline other than nursing may apply to the Master of Science degree in Nursing (MS) program and will be considered for the track that is commensurate with their clinical experience based on faculty discretion. 

Degree Requirements

Clinical Hours: 500*

Required Courses
NURS 818Foundations of Evidence Based Practice3
NURS 816Health Promotion Theory and Population Health3
NURS 910Genomics & Ethics3
NURS 820Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan3
NURS 812Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics3
NURS 814Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan3
NURS 911Diagnosis & Management - Diagnostic Reasoning3
NURS 850Foundations in Acute Care3
NURS 851Foundations in Acute Care Clinical Practicum2
NURS 852Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner I3
NURS 853Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner I Clinical Practicum2
NURS 854Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner II3
NURS 855Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner II Clinical Practicum2
NURS 856Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner III3
NURS 857Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner III Clinical Practicum2
NURS 858Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner IV3
NURS 859Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner IV Clinical Practicum2
Total Credits46
*

Clinical hours are completed through the following required courses: NURS 851, NURS 853, NURS 855, NURS 857, NURS 859.

At the completion of the Master's nursing program, the graduate student is prepared to:

  • Serve in a healthcare leadership and change agent role as part of a diverse, complex, and patient-centered health care system.
  • Act as a practice scholar to design, direct and evaluate system changes to promote safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable and patient-centered care.
  • Use data analytic methods, information systems and technology to evaluate, integrate and apply knowledge that will improve programs of care, outcomes of care and care systems.
  • Use translational science and analytic methods to develop, identify, implement, and evaluate best practices to improve health care and health care systems.
  • Design and implement health promotion and clinical prevention strategies across the health/illness continuum to optimize health and disease management.
  • Systematically use improvement methods to monitor and evaluate care processes and outcomes and applies data for continuous improvement and safety
  • Advocate for social justice through policy, professional and political engagement.
  • Apply leadership principles that support inter-professional practice. 

Additionally, MS-AGACNP graduate will:

  • Meet eligibility requirements for certification as an AGACNP with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or as an ACNPC-AG with the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) 
  • Meet state requirements for certification, licensure, and prescriptive authority 
  • Obtain federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authorization to prescribe controlled substances (Schedules II through IV) for patients within the AGACNP’s practice area 
  • Participate in the education of future AGACNPs through preceptorship 
  • Be lifelong learners 

Apply now

Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

  • Fall: July 15
  • Spring: December 1
  • Summer: N/A
  • Special: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Online

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

  • Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
  • Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of Recommendation: 2 Required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

  1. Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
  2. Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

Licensing Requirements

Applicants who intend to pursue licensure after completing UNH's online Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, MSN should become familiar with their state's licensure requirements. To assess if UNH licensure programs meet the requirements in your location, visit the Professional Licensure Disclosure Information webpage.

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Explore Program Details

Tuition & Fees:

The University of New Hampshire’s online graduate tuition and fees information is available on the UNH Business Services Website. Program costs and technology fees are subject to change.

Course Fees: Specific courses may have additional course fees. Visit the course schedule for more information. 

TUITION & AND FEES INFORMATION

Financial Aid:

Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans are a form of federal financial aid available to Graduate Students. To apply, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION

Online Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, MSN courses are taught by faculty with excellent practical and pedagogical experience.

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