Updated for the 2026 academic year

Advance your nursing practice and build the expertise to provide compassionate, patient-centered primary care to patients ages 13 and older through the online Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) program from the Wegmans School of Nursing at St. John Fisher University. Combining flexible online coursework with hands-on clinical experiences, this program prepares registered nurses to seek board certification as an AGPCNP.

Through Fisher’s Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner online program, you’ll build the knowledge, clinical expertise, and confidence to provide comprehensive primary care and take the next step in your nursing career.

The upcoming cohort dates are:

Spring 2027 Cohort

Start Date: January 2027

Early Priority Deadline: August 24, 2026

Final Application Deadline: November 2, 2026

We offer our online Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) program on a part-time schedule. Designed for working registered nurses, this part-time only program offers the flexibility to balance graduate education with your professional and personal commitments while earning your degree in as few as 28 months.

Earn your degree from an institution committed to high academic standards and clinical excellence.

CCNE Accredited — The master’s degree program in nursing at St. John Fisher University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

MSCHE Accredited — St. John Fisher University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

This 46-credit program combines academic coursework and clinical rotations to prepare you to provide age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, patient-centered primary care.

All students must complete:

Scholarship core and direct core coursework will help you master the key skills needed by all nurse practitioners. Specialized coursework will equip you with the training to:

You’ll also explore topics such as:

Explore our complete online AGPCNP curriculum framework.

To reinforce your online studies, you’ll complete 600 hours of hands-on clinical rotations in your own community. Under the supervision of an experienced mentor, you’ll learn how to take health histories, create treatment plans for chronic illness, and more.

These rotations may take place in settings such as hospitals, private clinics, and community health centers. They must occur outside of your current place of employment.

Securing your local rotations is a collaborative process. St. John Fisher University provides a dedicated clinical placement support team that actively works with you to identify and secure qualifying rotation sites in or near your community.

Rather than leaving you to cold-call facilities or source preceptors completely on your own, our placement team manages the administrative outreach and compliance checks. This logistical support ensures your local training matches the high academic and professional standards maintained by the Wegmans School of Nursing.

Learn directly from the Wegmans School of Nursing at St. John Fisher University faculty who bring active clinical experience in adult/gerontology primary care, chronic disease management, and advanced health assessment. Our educators provide direct academic instruction and clinical mentoring to prepare you to pursue board certification and equip you for leadership in primary care settings.

Faculty Spotlight

Susan Frederick, Ed.D., MSN, FNP-C

Susan Frederick has experience in adult and pediatric trauma, disaster response and management, acute and critical care medicine, education and curriculum design and simulation. She holds an Ed.D. from the University of Rochester, an MSN/FNP from St. John Fisher College and a BSN from the State University of New York at Brockport.

We strive to make a high-quality nursing education accessible and affordable to aspiring advanced practice nurses.

Note: Students can expect a modest increase in tuition each academic year. Visit the Tuition and Financial Aid page to learn more about tuition, financial aid, and available funding options.

Graduates of our online program are prepared to pursue national board certification. The curriculum fulfills the educational prerequisites required to sit for the primary national credentialing exams:

St. John Fisher University’s nurse practitioner certification exam pass rates are consistently above the national average.

State authorization and licensure disclosure: Scope of practice, exam eligibility, background checks, and coursework requirements outside the scope of the program may vary by state. Prospective and current students are encouraged to research the licensure or certification requirements for their current or intended state of practice to ensure this program meets applicable state requirements.

Driven by an expanding aging population and an increasing demand for primary care providers, employment for nurse practitioners is projected to grow significantly over the next decade. Earning your degree through St. John Fisher’s online AGPCNP program prepares you to diagnose acute and chronic health conditions, manage complex illness, and improve long-term outcomes for adult and geriatric patients.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for nurse practitioners is projected to grow 36% from 2025 to 2035. In 2025, the national median annual wage for nurse practitioners was $132,300.²

• What is the difference between an AGPCNP and an FNP?

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  The main difference comes down to the age of the patients you treat. As a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), you are certified to care for individuals across their entire lifespan, from infants to older adults. In contrast, an Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) focuses exclusively on adolescents (ages 13 and older), adults, and elderly patients, specializing deeply in the unique healthcare needs of aging populations.

• Are online NP programs respected by employers?

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  Employers evaluate candidates based on national board certification, state licensure, and clinical readiness. Taught by dedicated faculty who are experienced online educators, the CCNE-accredited online AGPCNP program at Wegmans School of Nursing prepares graduates to sit for national board certification through the ANCC or AANPCB upon meeting all degree and clinical requirements.

• How long does it take to become an AGPCNP?

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  For working registered nurses, the AGPCNP part-time track is structured so you can complete your master’s degree in as few as 28 months.

• Will the program help me find clinical placements?

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  Yes, which means you won’t have to navigate clinical placements on your own. The Wegmans School of Nursing provides a dedicated placement team to guide you through securing your local rotations. They will work with you to coordinate your required 600 clinical hours and pair you with qualified preceptors in or near your home community — one of the biggest advantages for students in St. John Fisher’s online AGPCNP program.

• Can an AGPCNP prescribe medication?

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  Yes, as an advanced practice registered nurse, AGPCNPs may have prescriptive authority, including the ability to prescribe medications, depending on state law. Whether AGPCNPs may prescribe controlled substances and the extent of their prescriptive authority vary by state.

• Where can an AGPCNP work, and what is a typical day like?

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  Adult/gerontology primary care nurse practitioners enjoy a wide variety of career settings, working in outpatient clinics, private practices, long-term care facilities, and community health centers. A typical day is fast-paced and rewarding, filled with routine wellness checks, diagnosing acute conditions, and managing chronic diseases for aging populations.

• What is the job outlook and hireability for AGPCNP?

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  Demand for advanced practice nurses across primary care settings continues to surge. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for nurse practitioners is projected to grow 36% from 2025 to 2035, significantly faster than the national average for all occupations.³ Driven by an aging population and an increasing focus on preventive care across the adult lifespan, graduates of St. John Fisher’s online AGPCNP program enter a high-demand job market across outpatient clinics, private practices, and health systems nationwide.

• Is the St. John Fisher adult-gerontology nurse practitioner online track accredited?

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  Yes. The M.S. in Nursing at St. John Fisher University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). This accreditation helps ensure graduates of the Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner online program meet the educational requirements to pursue national board certification.

• Are the GRE or GMAT required for admission to the AGPCNP online program?

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  No. GRE and GMAT scores are not required for admission to the online AGPCNP program. Application requirements include: an active RN license, official transcripts from an accredited BSN program, a qualifying undergraduate GPA, and relevant clinical nursing experience. For a complete list of eligibility, deadlines, and required materials, view the Application Requirements.

• Where can I find information on applying to St. John Fisher’s online AGPCNP program?

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  You can find comprehensive details regarding admission requirements, application deadlines, tuition, and financial aid through the Admissions page. Connecting with an enrollment specialist can also help clarify application steps and determine whether our online AGPCNP program aligns with your career goals.

Serve Your Community as a Primary Care NP

Request information today to learn how you can prepare to play an integral role in patients’ lives through St. John Fisher University’s online AGPCNP program.

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1. Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. (2026). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved August 31, 2026. ↩︎
2. Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. (2026). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved August 31, 2026. ↩︎
3. Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. (2026). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved August 31, 2026. ↩︎