Grand Canyon University MSN Program: A Comprehensive Guide to Costs, Specializations, and Financing

Grand Canyon University (GCU) offers a variety of Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs designed to equip registered nurses with the knowledge and skills necessary for career advancement and leadership roles in today's evolving healthcare landscape. This article provides a detailed overview of GCU's MSN program options, including specializations, curriculum, admission requirements, and, most importantly, a breakdown of the costs associated with pursuing an MSN at GCU.

MSN Program Specializations at GCU

GCU offers several MSN specializations to cater to the diverse interests and career goals of nurses. Some of the popular MSN programs include:

Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Systems

Grand Canyon University’s Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Systems strives to prepare nurses for leadership in nursing roles in today’s rapidly changing healthcare delivery systems. This program is an avenue for current nurses who want to position themselves for possible career advancement toward leadership and potentially make a greater impact on the field at the management level. To meet expectations at this advanced level, nursing students will have the opportunity to learn to synthesize elements of caring into the nurse-patient relationship - based on advocacy, as well as ethical, social, legal, political and historical perspectives. This program further addresses the importance of client empowerment with unconditional regard for all. Graduates of this program may be well-prepared for a variety of influential roles in the healthcare sector. These professionals can pursue career paths in areas such as nurse management, leadership, administration or policy development and improvement. Additionally, these graduates can become equipped to take on roles in consulting, education and informatics, contributing to the advancement of healthcare practices and the improvement of patient outcomes. Leadership courses teach master’s nursing students to meet the requirements of leaders in contemporary healthcare, which include skills in quality and performance improvement, effective communication and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Nursing Education

The Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Education at Grand Canyon University is designed to prepare registered nurses (RNs) to address the ever-changing and expanding educational needs of the nursing profession. This MSN: Nursing Education emphasis is designed for BSN-prepared RNs interested in pursuing a career in nursing education. This nursing education emphasis at GCU can give you the opportunity to choose the focus of your practicum experience and provides direct clinical hours aimed at developing advanced skills in assessment. This degree also follows the National League for Nursing (NLN) competencies. This nurse educator program emphasizes clinical and organizational decision-making skills based on critical thinking, evidence-based research and diagnostic reasoning. Graduates may be prepared for a variety of roles in this subfield, either as a clinical educator or academic educator in both traditional and nontraditional settings in nursing education.

Nurse educators typically work in academia, although nontraditional teaching environments are also possible. Some of the likely settings in which a nurse educator may pursue employment include:

Teaching hospital
Nursing school
Administrative department at a healthcare organization
Continuing nursing education programs
NCLEX® preparatory programs

Health Care Quality and Patient Safety

Grand Canyon University’s College of Nursing and Health Care Professions is proud to offer this MSN degree for nurses who want to work to improve quality and patient safety within nursing. In this program, you’ll have the opportunity to gain advanced knowledge and skills to take on a wide range of roles within the health care field. From a clinician to a community advocate to a systems manager, you’ll wear many hats as you learn how to incorporate diverse concepts into cohesive solutions. Our MSN: Health Care Quality and Patient Safety emphasis program covers research, collaboration, communication, data analysis, project management and much more. Along with honing important nursing leadership skills - such as clinical and organizational decision-making - you will focus on critical thinking, evidence-based research. You will examine how to improve health care systems and patient outcomes from all aspects. Specializing in quality and safety in nursing can prepare you for roles such as:

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (Adult-Gerontology)

Grand Canyon University’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN): Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with an Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology can enable experienced nurses to provide advanced level care in complex, acute and critical settings for adult and geriatric patients. While completing your in-depth gerontology courses, you will be taught advanced competencies in areas such as pharmacology and pathophysiology. An MSN: AGACNP program can be a steppingstone toward pursuing board certification as an adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AGACNP) - a type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). In the acute care role, nurse practitioners’ scope of work includes providing assessments, diagnoses and care for adults and the geriatric population. Acute care nurse practitioners (ACNP) perform health assessments, prescribe medications and suggest quality health treatments to manage acute, subacute and complex patients, as well as those with chronic illness. As a future adult-gerontology nurse practitioner, the following tasks can fall into your scope of practice:

Family Nurse Practitioner

The MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program can prepare experienced professional nurses for advanced practice as primary care providers. The family nurse practitioner makes independent critical judgments in all levels of prevention, including health promotion, illness prevention, and diagnosis and management for individuals, families, communities and populations. The FNP performs comprehensive health assessments, diagnoses illnesses and prescribes pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments to manage acute and chronic health problems to achieve quality, cost-effective outcomes in a culturally sensitive context. Your MSN family nurse practitioner education can prepare you for professional roles including patient care, education, consulting and collaborating with other healthcare providers, and using research to make practice decisions and influencing professional and public policies. The clinical practicum experience at GCU’s nursing school allows you to collaborate with faculty members to select a local primary care or family care site. This portion of the family nurse practitioner program can provide you the opportunity to apply clinical decision-making skills and health management of primary problems for diverse clients across the human life span. In addition, you can interact with patients in the role of care provider and educator.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

Grand Canyon University also offers an online master of science in nursing (MSN) program with an emphasis in psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP).

Curriculum Overview

The MSN program curriculum at GCU is designed to provide a comprehensive and rigorous education in advanced nursing practice. The curriculum typically includes graduate nursing core courses and specialization-specific courses.

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Graduate Nursing Core Courses: These courses provide the foundational knowledge, values, and skills necessary for advanced generalist nursing practice in an evolving healthcare system.
Specialization Courses: These courses delve into the specific knowledge and skills required for the chosen specialization, such as leadership, education, quality and patient safety, or nurse practitioner roles.

Many MSN programs at GCU incorporate an evidence-based project and practicum, where students have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned to address a modern nursing issue and gain practical experience in a contemporary, nursing leadership-related setting. The MSN FNP program includes 675 hours of directly supervised clinical practice with qualified preceptors and two separate on-campus experiences. Students in the MSN FNP and MSN AG-ACNP programs will be required to complete 675 hours of supervised clinical practice. The MSN degree comprises 53 credits and 675 hours of clinicals for the FNP and AG-ACNP programs and 750 hours of clinicals for the PMHNP program. The total RN-to-MSN degree comprises 77 credits and includes 675 hours of clinicals. The Post-master’s FNP and AG-ACNP certificate program comprises 37 credits.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements may differ based on degree level, program, and modality or transfer status. Some programs of study may require a higher GPA and/or other qualifying criteria for admission. Applicants to the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions at Grand Canyon University must have a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA for all prior coursework. Those who do not meet this requirement may be eligible for admission through GMAT or GRE graduate test scores. Online applications must include an application fee, official transcripts, a current unencumbered RN license, and all other requirements listed below for each program. Post-Master’s Certificate FNP and AG-ACNP: Hold an MSN degree from an ACEN- or CCNE/NLNAC- accredited program; current CV with at least one year full-time work experience as a registered nurse; letter of intent. FNP students must currently have full-time employment in a healthcare role or provide documentation of such a role in the two years prior to application.

Online Learning at GCU

GCU offers the option to complete many of its MSN programs online, providing flexibility and convenience for busy adult learners. Online students can expect helpful online learning resources, support from their professors and peers, and an intuitive online learning platform. Grand Canyon University uses an innovative Learning Management System (LMS) for online learning. Students are able to watch videos, turn in assignments, view assignments and assessments, and communicate with faculty and peers. To create a collaborative environment, students complete projects and participate in discussion forums. Online courses are asynchronous and allow for greater flexibility.

Read also: Financial Aid at GCU

Understanding MSN Program Costs at GCU

Financing your education is one of the most critical components you need to consider as you start your educational journey here at Grand Canyon University. It is important for you to know the cost of your education and understand your financial responsibilities. GCU strives to keep tuition costs competitive so that a private, Christian education is within reach for all students.

While specific tuition rates can vary depending on the program, modality (online or campus), and any applicable scholarships or discounts, it's essential to understand the different components that contribute to the overall cost of an MSN program at GCU.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition per Credit Hour: GCU charges tuition on a per-credit-hour basis for online and evening programs.
Program Fees: Some programs may have additional fees associated with them.
Technology Fee: This fee covers access to GCU's online learning platform and other technology resources.
Course Materials Fee: Some courses may require digital course materials, which incur a separate fee.

Additional Expenses

Beyond tuition and fees, students should also budget for additional expenses such as:

Books and Supplies: The cost of textbooks and other required materials can vary depending on the courses taken.
On-Campus Visit Costs: Some online programs may require on-campus visits, which can incur travel and accommodation expenses. Travel costs for the on-campus visits are not included in tuition, and there may be other fees associated with GCU nursing degrees.
Living Expenses: If attending on-campus programs, students need to factor in the cost of housing, food, and transportation.
Credentialing Fees: Students seeking licensure, certification, or accreditation should budget for credentialing fees.

Cost of Attendance (COA)

The cost of attendance (COA) takes into account expenses beyond tuition and fees. It provides an average of estimated expenses a student could incur during an academic year. Your academic year is determined by your modality (campus or online) and your program of study. Your costs will include "direct" educational expenses that are paid to the university - those related directly to your program of study - such as tuition and fees. Students who live on campus will also pay for food, housing and other on-campus related expenses directly to the university. Students who live off campus or live with their parents will incur similar living expenses; they are not paid to the university. Other costs are regular living expenses, not related directly to attending the university. Students should take into consideration all other discretionary costs not directly related to attending school, but incurred during the academic year, such as transportation costs, personal expenses and credentialing fees if you are seeking licensure, certification or accreditation. GCU's Office of Financial Aid uses the estimated costs below to determine the maximum amount of financial aid you are eligible for each academic year.

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Financial Aid and Scholarship Opportunities

GCU offers a variety of financial aid and scholarship opportunities to help students finance their education.

Scholarships

GCU offers generous scholarship opportunities to help you finance your education. Explore GCU campus and outside scholarships to find out what you may qualify for. GCU also offers a variety of scholarship options for all students to reduce the cost of furthering your education if certain criteria are met. In addition, we offer members of the military reduced tuition amounts for online programs. On average, traditional campus students in 2024-25 qualified for approximately $7,300 in GCU-funded scholarships for the academic year, which reduced tuition by almost half to approximately $9,100. If you are interested in attending GCU and would like to know more about institutional scholarships you may qualify for, please review our scholarship opportunities for both traditional campus students and non-traditional students. GCU has kept its campus tuition at the same rate for 16 years, holding rates steady since 2009. GCU cares about the financial wellness of our students and provides several resources, such as our no-cost Financial Literacy Program to prospective students and their families as well as to continuing students.

Some scholarships include:

National Center for Teacher Preparation’s Initial Teacher Licensure Scholarships
Evening-Campus New Student Scholarship
Education Master’s Degree Scholarship
Alumni Doctoral Degree Scholarship
New Undergraduate Psychology or Behavioral Health Student Scholarship

Grants

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) allows you to apply for government grants and loans. You may qualify for awards based on your family’s financial situation.

Student Loans

Student loans can help you supplement your scholarships and grants so you can pay for your college education. Learn more about types of loans and repayment expectations.

Military Benefits

If you are currently serving in the military, GCU offers a special military rate per credit hour to you and your eligible spouse for online and evening programs. GCU also offers a special online and evening program scholarship to all veterans and their spouses, and employees of the DOD, DPHS and NOAA. GCU is a proud participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Dual Enrollment

If you are a high school student, dual enrollment courses allow you the opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school. Dual enrollment courses are four credits.

Active Duty, Active Reserve, National Guard and Military Spouses Scholarships

Students who are Active Duty, Active Reserve, National Guard and Military Spouses (Online and Professional Studies) and sign a Memorandum of Understanding after providing supporting documentation demonstrating required qualifications, will have a scholarship applied to decrease the overall tuition to a specific tuition amount per credit. The amount of scholarship applied will vary based on the standard tuition cost per credit for each degree program per the Tuition and Fees table reduced to the applicable per credit cost depending on the degree level as follows:

Undergraduate: $250
Graduate: $400
Doctoral: $617.50

The following programs are exempt from this scholarship:

Master of Divinity
Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)

State Restrictions

The Grand Canyon University MSN PMHNP program is available in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. The MSN FNP program is available in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. The MSN AG-ACNP program is available in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. The post-master’s AG-ACNP certificate is offered in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. The post-master’s FNP certificate is available in Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, Nevada, and Colorado. Applicants outside of Arizona should check with the admissions department to make sure they are eligible for the nursing programs.

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