Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners (AGNPs) work with a wide range of patients, from teenagers to adults. Their training focuses on how aging affects the body. In Alabama, AGNPs must work under the direct supervision of a physician and can work in various settings, from clinicals to doctor’s offices to hospitals.
Nurses interested in enrolling in an AGNP program in Alabama have many options, whether they are interested in primary or acute care.
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RN to AGNP Programs
RN-to-AGNP programs are designed for registered nurses who do not have a BSN but wish to pursue a higher-level nursing degree. These programs are often more convenient and can be more affordable as they allow nurses to complete bridge courses for a BSN and master’ s-level courses in a single program. The University of Birmingham offers an RN-to-AGNP program for nurses who have a bachelor’s degree in an area other than nursing.
University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Online + In-person
Modality: Online with in-person clinicals
Credit Hours: 71
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $682 per credit hour + fees
Program Overview:
The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s RN to AGNP program allows RNs with a bachelor’s in another field to pursue an FNP without having to complete a BSN first. Upon completing the program, students will earn an MSN but are not awarded a BSN. This program is offered online with in-person clinicals. There are also four on-campus intensives during the last four semesters of the program. Depending on their previous education, some students may have to complete prerequisite courses before taking master’s level courses. There are multiple pathways for students who want to become AGNPs, including acute care, primary care, and AGNP with Registered Nurse First Assist.
BSN to AGNP Programs
The following programs are designed for nurses with BSN degrees who wish to advance their education and pursue careers as acute or primary care AGNPs. Some programs also offer a DNP path.
Jacksonville State University DNP
- Jacksonville, Alabama
- Hybrid + In-person
Modality: Hybrid with in-person clinical
Credit Hours: 69
Clinical Hours: 1330
Tuition: $520 per credit hour + fees
Program Overview:
Jackson State University’s AGNP track is a doctorate-level program that takes 12 semesters to complete full-time. At the end of the third year, students will complete their MSN coursework and continue to doctorate-level courses for the last year of study. Jackson State University offers some courses online, but to ensure students get the best experience, JSU requires some on-campus learning experiences, including orientation, simulated learning experiences, and scholarly projects.
University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Online + Campus + In-person
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives and in-person clinical hours
Credit Hours: 45
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $682 per credit hour + fees
Program Overview:
The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers MSN programs for those who wish to pursue a career as an AGNP in either acute or primary care. These programs are designed to be completed part-time, so they are as flexible as possible. All classes are online and synchronous, and students are required to attend on-campus intensives where they participate in planned laboratory and simulation experiences. Most full-time students complete the program in six or seven consecutive semesters. Students can also choose to add a registered nurse first assist, a certification that allows nurses to care for patients throughout the perioperative period under the supervision of a surgeon.
University of Alabama at Birmingham DNP
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Online + Campus + In-person
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives and in-person clinical hours
Credit Hours: 79
Clinical Hours: Unspecified
Tuition: $682 per credit hour for online courses; $595 per credit hour for residents and $1,461 for non-residents for in-person classes
Program Overview:
The University of Alabama at Birmingham also offers a DNP program for nurses with a BSN or those who want to complete another specialty. This program is offered part-time so that students can continue to work full-time while in school. Students can pursue either an acute or primary care AGNP, taking synchronous online classes and attending on-campus orientation and annual on-campus intensives.
University of South Alabama
- Mobile, Alabama
- Online + Campus + In-person
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives and in-person clinical hours
Credit Hours: 45 to 57
Clinical Hours: 600
Tuition: $594 per credit hour + fees
Program Overview:
The University of South Alabama offers two paths for nurses who want to pursue practice as an AGNP: adult and primary care. The primary care curriculum has a particular focus on older adults with multiple chronic illnesses and veterans with clinical sites at VA clinics, rural health clinics, palliative care, and long-term care facilities. The acute care option focuses on caring for older populations in hospitals and requires students to have at least two years of experience in an ICU, emergency room, or in-patient med-surg unit. Both tracks are primarily online with on-campus orientations and skills intensives.
University of South Alabama Dual Role
- Mobile, Alabama
- Online + Campus + In-person
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives and in-person clinicals
Credit Hours: 57
Clinical Hours: 1080
Tuition: $594 per credit hour + fees
Program Overview:
USA also offers a dual-role MSN program that prepares students for dual certification as an AGNP and FNP. To be considered for the program, students must have at least a year of experience in direct patient care in an ICU or emergency room. Most of the coursework is done online, and students can complete clinicals at sites in their communities. Students must also attend two on-campus orientations and skills intensives with simulation workshops before enrolling in the first clinical course.
Online AGNP Programs
There are a few options for nurses who wish to pursue an AGNP degree online, but it’s worth noting that, due to the nature of the nursing profession, every program has an in-person clinical requirement. Some programs may also require students to be on campus a few times throughout the program for skills tests and simulations.
Of the programs available from universities in Alabama, there are a few that have minimal in-person requirements. The most convenient online programs available are those from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of South Alabama.
Best AGNP Programs in Alabama
When it comes to the best AGNP programs in Alabama, it really depends on what you’re looking for. Nurses who want the most distance-friendly option might consider programs from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of South Alabama.
Jacksonville State University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham are the best choices for professionals who want to pursue a doctorate. The University of Alabama at Birmingham is also a good option because, like the University of South Alabama, it offers state-of-the-art simulation labs and experiences on campus.
MSN to AGNP Post-Graduate Certificate
Nurses who have an MSN in another area and are interested in becoming an AGNP can enroll in an MSH to AGNP post-graduate certificate program to get the education and training they need to sit for the AGNP exam.
University of South Alabama
- Mobile, Alabama
- Online + Campus + In-person
Modality: Online with on-campus intensives and in-person clinicals
Credit Hours: 57
Clinical Hours: 1080
Tuition: $594 per credit hour + fees
Program Overview:
At the University of South Alabama, there are two post-graduate AGNP certificate programs available to nurses with master’s degrees in other specialties. Students can also pursue a dual-role certificate that qualifies them to sit for both the FNP and AGNP exams in acute care. All coursework is presented online, and clinical hours can be completed at facilities near the student’s home. There are some on-campus requirements, including on-campus skills intensives.
Alabama’s Most Affordable AGNP Programs
Most of the AGNP programs in Alabama cost between $600 and $700 per credit hour. The one school that stands out is Jacksonville State University, which offers classes at $520 per credit hour. That said, this is a DNP program, so you will be paying for more credits than you would for an MSN.
Remember, too, that every university has its own set of fees that may increase the overall cost of its programs. The figures included here are for the credit hour cost only.