Nursing
nurse checking on child in hospital

Pediatric Acute Care NP Post-MSN Certificate

Our Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Post-MSN Certificate program prepares nurses to manage infants, children, adolescents and young adults with complex acute, critical and life-threatening illnesses across a continuum of health care settings.

Program delivery combines flexible online coursework with in-person precepted clinical practice and on-campus immersions.

This program prepares graduates for the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) certification exam. 

Headshot of Robyn Stamm, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC

Robyn Stamm, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC

Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing & Director, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Programs


Admission Requirements

  • A current, active, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) licensure with no disciplinary action
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an ACEN- (formerly NLNAC) or CCNE-accredited nursing institution
  • Master of Science in Nursing from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited nursing institution
  • Minimum overall BSN GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale (recommended)
  • Minimum science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale 
  • Minimum undergraduate Statistics GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • A minimum of one year of RN experience in the United States at the time of application

Applicants to the Pediatric Acute Care NP Post-MSN Certificate program must live in Ohio, Kentucky or Indiana.


Application Deadlines

The Pediatric Acute Care NP Post-MSN Certificate program admits for the fall semester start only.

The application window for programs could close early, if maximum capacity is reached. 

Pediatric Acute Care NP Post-MSN Certificate
Semester Start Application Deadline Class Start
Fall 2026 July 1, 2026  Aug. 24, 2026

Tuition & Fees

Table B | Tuition & Fees
Enrollment Ohio Resident
Metro Resident
(KY or IN)
Non-Resident
Program Fee
Part Time (9 credits or fewer)
$836 per credit
$861 per credit
$1,423 per credit
$34 per credit
Full Time (10 credits or more)
$8,359 per semester
$8,609 per semester
$14,228 per semester
$338 per semester

Metro and non-Ohio residents who move to Ohio pay in-state tuition rates once residency is officially established.

Important Information about Tuition and Fees

The rates provided are based on 2025-26 totals set by the university and could change in future academic years. Estimates also could change based on the following:

  • Change of state of residence
  • Change in enrollment status (i.e., full time or part time)
  • Other unforeseen circumstances

Application Process

All information required to apply to our Post-MSN Certificate programs should be submitted through NursingCAS.

  • Official transcripts from all schools previously attended, including community colleges and two- and four-year colleges and universities should be sent directly to NursingCAS.
  • Transcripts must verify a Bachelor of Science in Nursing conferred from a regionally and ACEN (formerly NLNAC) or CCNE accredited institution.
  • International transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES) (preferred), or another NACES member.

Provide your CV or resume in PDF format.

Make sure that your CV or resume provides relevant work history and reflects any contributions beyond normal job expectations. Include military service, community service, membership in professional associations and any certifications that you currently hold. Please also include any scholarship, such as publications or presentations.

Three letters of reference from individuals who can attest to your academic and professional skills.

Your goal statement should:

  • Demonstrate a clear understanding of the specialty area you are applying for;
  • Explain your interest in the specialty;
  • Highlight your preparedness and reasons for pursuing the program;
  • Describe your goals after graduation.

This statement, which should be between 500-700 words in length, will also serve as an academic writing sample.

  • NursingCAS application fee: $85 
  • UC Graduate School application fee (non-refundable): $65 ($70 for international students)
  • Matriculation fee upon acceptance (non-refundable): $300, applied toward your first-semester tuition 

State Restrictions:

As a result of state boards of nursing and the U.S. Department of Education's higher education regulation changes, UC College of Nursing cannot accept applications for our online programs — Adult-Gerontology Primary Care, Family Nurse Practitioner, Systems Leadership, Nurse Midwifery, Nursing Education, Occupational Health Nursing, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Public Health Nursing and Women's Health — from students who live in the following states:

  • Arizona
  • Louisiana
  • Massachusetts
  • New York
  • Oregon
  • Rhode Island
  • Tennessee

We cannot admit students from any U.S. territory: America Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.


State-Specific Requirements:

Kansas: Effective March 1, 2025, the Kansas State Board of Nursing made a change to their licensure education requirements for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). Additional information can be found on the organization's website

  • Applicants who are admitted to an APRN program that leads to licensure will be provided a revised plan to include an additional variable credit course (NURS8098: Clinical Elective) to complete the difference in clinical hours required by the University of Cincinnati and the Kansas State Board of Nursing (if applicable). The number of credit hours for this course will vary based on the number of clinical hours needed to meet licensure education requirements. Further guidance, including an individualized plan of study, will be provided for admitted students.

  • This change doesn't apply to non-APRN specialties: Systems Leadership, Public Health Nursing, Occupational Health Nursing and Nursing Education.

Washington: The University of Cincinnati is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission to provide practice experiences in the state of Washington for the following programs:

  • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Nurse Midwifery
  • Systems Leadership
  • Women's Health Nurse Practitioner

For more information, visit the state's Department of Health site.

Washington: The University of Cincinnati is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission to provide practice experiences in the state of Washington for the following programs

  • Nursing Education 

For more information, visit the state's Department of Health site.

An international student is defined as someone who holds citizenship in another country and is not a permanent resident of the United States.

International students are admissible to our online programs, providing they meet the above prerequisites and commit to doing their clinical requirements in the United States.

Due to the clinical requirements in our graduate online programs, international students must already have a visa that gives them legal status to work within the United States or must be able to obtain the legal status that will allow them to come to the U.S. and engage in clinical activities.

International students are not eligible for student visas for online programs, including clinical requirements.

It is the responsibility of the international student to have the appropriate work authorization documents or be able to obtain the appropriate work authorization before applying to online programs in the College of Nursing at the University of Cincinnati.

We cannot admit residents of U.S. Territories or in a country outside of the U.S. Only persons serving in the military who reside on a military base and can complete clinical requirements on the military base should apply to our College of Nursing graduate online programs. Prior to application to our program, the prospective student should confirm that they will have the ability to complete clinical requirements on the military base.

Students cannot complete clinicals at a U.S. Embassy.



Federal regulations require the University of Cincinnati to publicly disclose whether completion of certain programs that lead or may lead to professional licensure or certification would meet a given state’s educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation (regardless of whether the program is on-ground, online, or hybrid). To learn whether a University program meets a given state’s educational requirements, please visit the University of Cincinnati State Authorization webpage.