EKU nursing programs and the clinicals each one needs

Updated September 25, 2026 · Reviewed by the EKU Preceptor placement team

Eastern Kentucky University's School of Nursing runs two online nurse practitioner concentrations (Family and Psychiatric Mental Health) as an MSN and as post-MSN certificates, a post-master's DNP, an online RN to BSN, and on-campus BSN and associate degree programs. Each guide below covers the courses, the clinical hours EKU publishes and the preceptors each clinical course needs.

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Bar chart of clinical hours EKU publishes: DNP at least 1,000 beyond the BSN; MSN FNP 750 direct patient care hours, the last 300 for synthesis; RN to BSN 60 clock hours (archived handbook). EKU publishes no PMHNP total. — Clinical hours EKU publishes: DNP at least 1,000 beyond the BSN; MSN FNP 750 direct patient care hours, the last 300 for synthesis; RN to BSN 60 clock hours (archived handbook). EKU publishes no PMHNP total.

What EKU offers now

EKU's 2026-27 catalog lists the MSN with FNP and PMHNP concentrations, the matching post-MSN certificates, the Doctor of Nursing Practice for nurses who already hold a master's, the online RN to BSN, the Pre-RN and Second Degree BSN on campus, and the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing. There is no BSN to DNP route and no MSN nursing administration concentration in the current catalog.

The online graduate programs share one clinical backbone: NSC 800 Advanced Practice Role, taken alongside the three concentration courses, then an internship, NSC 876 for FNP or NSC 886 for PMHNP. The clinical hours guide sets the published figures side by side.

MSN

MSN Family Nurse PractitionerEKU's online MSN FNP as a clinical plan: 47 credits, NSC 800 with FNP I to III, the NSC 876 internship, 750 patient care hours and when to plan your input.MSN Psychiatric Mental Health NPEKU's online MSN PMHNP: 49 credits, NSC 800 beside PMHNP I to III, the NSC 886 internship, psychiatric clinical settings and what EKU says about hours.

Post-MSN certificates

Post-MSN FNP certificateEKU's post-MSN FNP certificate: 32 credits with 9 prerequisite credits, NSC 800 beside FNP I to III, the NSC 876 internship, and what EKU decides case by case.Post-MSN PMHNP certificateEKU's post-MSN PMHNP certificate: 34 credits with prerequisites, an October to March 15 application window, NSC 800 with PMHNP I to III and NSC 886.

Doctoral

Post-master's DNPEKU's post-master's DNP in Organizational Leadership: 30 to 34 catalog credits, 7-week terms, four starts, the 1,000-hour rule, site approval and state limits.

Bachelor's

Online RN to BSNEKU's online RN to BSN: 25 EKU nursing credits inside a 120-credit BSN, 7-week terms, a 12-month accelerated path, one clinical course and state limits.On-campus BSN and AAS clinicalsClinicals in EKU's on-campus Pre-RN BSN, Second Degree BSN and AAS: each clinical course, how EKU places groups, Complio and CastleBranch, what to plan for.

Questions EKU students ask

Is EKU's FNP program online?

Yes. EKU's MSN FNP page describes an online program with no campus visits required and 7-week terms for core courses, with spring, summer and fall starts. Clinicals happen in your own community. See the MSN FNP guide.

Does EKU have a BSN to DNP?

Not in the 2026-27 catalog. EKU's DNP is a post-master's program in organizational leadership, for nurses who already hold a master's degree. See the DNP guide.

How many clinical hours does EKU's PMHNP require?

EKU does not publish a PMHNP clinical-hour total on its current pages. The PMHNP uses the same NSC 800 clinical course as the FNP plus the NSC 886 internship. Ask your faculty for the figure in your plan of study; see PMHNP clinical hours.

Can I start EKU's online NP program from any state?

No. EKU's state authorization page lists states it does not enroll online MSN students from, including Colorado, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington. See state authorization and your state guide.

Last checked 2026-09-25

We check these pages against EKU's own catalog, program pages and handbooks, and Kentucky's regulations. The current MSN Student Handbook, your course and your faculty have the final word.

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Preceptors matched to the course: family primary care for NSC 800 and NSC 876, psychiatric care for NSC 886
Preceptor, license and site details organized for EKU's preceptor information form
In your own community, wherever EKU enrolls students and you hold your RN license

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