The Manhattanville FNP program isn’t a person, despite what some searches suggest. It’s the Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner, offered by Manhattanville University in Purchase, New York. It’s a newer program, it’s accredited, and it’s built for working RNs. The school’s own pages are spread across a program page, several catalog years and an admissions page that is partly out of date. This guide puts the useful parts in one place and tells you what to confirm before you commit roughly two years and a five-figure tuition bill.
What Is the Manhattanville FNP Program?
It’s a graduate program that prepares BSN-educated registered nurses to sit for national Family Nurse Practitioner certification and then practice as FNPs. FNPs provide primary care across the lifespan, from infants to older adults.
| Quick facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Degree | MS, Family Nurse Practitioner |
| Credits | 42 |
| Format | Mostly online, with live sessions and in-person clinical practicums |
| Typical length | About 7 semesters, part-time |
| Accreditation | CCNE (announced May 2023) |
| First graduating cohort | January 2024 |
| GRE | Not required |
| Application fee | $75, rolling admissions |
| Best fit | Working BSN-prepared RNs in the New York metro area |
Last reviewed October 2026 against Manhattanville’s published program, catalog and admissions pages. Tuition and requirements change, so confirm with admissions before you apply.
How Long Is the Manhattanville FNP Program? Format and Curriculum
Plan on about 7 semesters part-time, which is roughly 2 to 2.5 years if you take summers. That pace is meant for nurses who keep working, usually 2 courses a term in the early semesters.
The 42 credits follow the standard NP structure:
- Graduate core: theory, research and evidence-based practice, health policy, and the leadership content every MSN includes.
- The “3 Ps”: advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology and advanced health assessment. Certification boards and state licensing bodies require these.
- FNP clinical sequence: primary care of adults, women, children and families, each paired with supervised clinical hours.
- Final-semester board review: a capstone-style course focused on preparing for the certification exam.
One practical warning: search results still show older catalog years. Always use the current graduate catalog, because course sequences and grade requirements can change between years.
Is the Manhattanville FNP program online?
Mostly. The coursework is online and includes scheduled live sessions, so it isn’t fully self-paced. Clinical practicums take place in person at real care sites. If you need complete asynchronous flexibility, ask for the live-session schedule before you enroll.
Manhattanville FNP Program Cost and Financial Aid
Manhattanville’s program page doesn’t publish a total cost, so you’ll need to build the number yourself. Here’s how:
- Find the current graduate nursing per-credit rate on the university’s tuition and fees (bursar) page.
- Multiply it by 42. For illustration only: at $1,000 per credit, tuition alone is $42,000. At $1,200 it’s $50,400.
- Add per-semester university and technology fees across about 7 terms.
- Add costs specific to clinicals: background check, drug screen, immunization tracking, liability insurance, scrubs, a stethoscope, and any clinical-tracking software.
- Add the end-of-program costs: board review materials and the certification exam fee. At last check, exam fees ran about $240 to $395, depending on the board and whether you’re a member of the related association.
On funding, the biggest source for most of our readers is employer tuition assistance. Many New York hospital systems and unions offer it, often with a service commitment attached, so read the payback terms. Federal graduate loans are available through the FAFSA. Also look at the NURSE Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment programs, plus state and professional-association scholarships for nurses.
Admission Requirements and Application Deadlines
Based on Manhattanville’s graduate nursing admissions page and catalog, you’ll need:
- A bachelor’s degree in nursing (BS or BSN)
- An active, unencumbered RN license
- A completed statistics course (check the current catalog for the minimum grade)
- A minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA
- A personal essay of about 500 words
- A letter of recommendation
- No GRE
Manhattanville FNP program application deadline
Admissions are rolling, so there’s no single hard deadline. In practice, rolling admission rewards applying early. Aim to submit 3 to 4 months before your target start term. That leaves time for transcripts, a decision, financial aid and the onboarding paperwork that comes before clinicals. Keep in mind the admissions page has referenced past terms such as Spring 2024, so email admissions to confirm which start terms are open.
Common application mistakes
- A generic essay. Name the patient population you want to serve and explain why primary care is the right path for you.
- A recommender who has never seen your clinical judgment. A charge nurse or nurse manager carries more weight than a family friend.
- Waiting on old transcripts, especially from the school where you took statistics.
Clinical Placements and Hours
Clinical placement makes or breaks most FNP programs, and Manhattanville’s public pages say little about it. Here’s the context. National NP education standards historically required at least 500 supervised direct-care hours. The 2022 National Task Force standards raised that to 750, with programs phasing in the change. Ask Manhattanville for its exact current number.
Before you enroll, ask admissions these questions, in writing:
- Does the program secure preceptors and sites for you, or do you find your own?
- If you find your own, will the school help when a preceptor drops out mid-semester?
- Which sites does the program already have agreements with, and how far are they from where you live?
- How long do affiliation agreements take, and what compliance documents do you need, and by when?
- Can you do hours at your current employer, and in a different unit from the one where you work?
From experience: students who start contacting preceptors two semesters before their first clinical course rarely end up scrambling. Students who wait often delay graduation by a term.
Certification, Licensure and Outcomes
After graduating, you sit for one of two national FNP exams:
- ANCC (FNP-BC): includes more questions on professional issues and policy, and is often preferred in academic and Magnet hospital settings.
- AANPCB (FNP-C): concentrates on clinical assessment and management, and many test-takers describe it as more straightforward.
CCNE accreditation matters because certification boards and most state boards require graduation from an accredited program. Employers check for it too. Manhattanville’s FNP program announced CCNE accreditation in May 2023. After you’re certified, you apply to the New York State Education Department for NP certification in family health.
On outcomes, the honest answer is that there’s little public data yet. The first cohort graduated in January 2024. The university has celebrated individual graduates passing the ANCC exam but hasn’t published cohort pass rates. With cohorts this small, a single pass rate wouldn’t tell you much anyway. Ask admissions for first-attempt pass rates by year.
Manhattanville FNP Program Reviews: Is It Right for You?
Independent reviews are thin because the program is young. Here’s what the available information supports.
Pros
- A format built for nurses who keep working full time
- CCNE accreditation already in place
- Small cohorts, which usually means faculty know who you are
- No GRE, and admission requirements most experienced RNs can meet
Cons
- A short track record and no published outcomes data
- Total cost isn’t clearly published
- Clinical placement support needs to be confirmed directly with the school
It fits a Westchester, Bronx or Manhattan RN who wants a regional private university and structured live classes. If guaranteed placements or a long outcomes history matter most to you, compare it against other programs first.
Manhattanville FNP vs. Other FNP Programs
| Factor | Manhattanville | Large national online programs | Public (SUNY/CUNY) programs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Private per-credit rate | Varies widely; fees add up | Usually lowest for NY residents |
| Format | Mostly online with live sessions | Often fully asynchronous | Hybrid or in person |
| Cohort size | Small | Very large | Moderate |
| Admission rigor | 3.0 GPA, no GRE | Often lenient | Competitive; limited seats |
| Placement help | Confirm directly | Often student-sourced | Varies by campus |
What is the easiest FNP program?
We’d reframe that question. The programs that are easiest to get into are often the hardest to finish, because they admit large cohorts and then leave you to find your own preceptors. Look for an accredited program, a schedule you can keep while working, real placement support and published pass rates. For readers in Massachusetts, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Simmons University, Regis College and UMass Boston all offer FNP tracks. Apply the same checklist to them.
MS vs. Advanced Certificate for Existing NPs
If you already hold an MSN or are an NP in another specialty, Manhattanville’s post-master’s Advanced Certificate in FNP is the better route. It requires fewer credits because a gap analysis credits coursework you’ve already completed, such as the 3 Ps. You still complete the FNP-specific clinical hours. If you’re a BSN-prepared RN, the MS is your path.
How to Become an FNP: Step-by-Step Roadmap
- Earn a BSN.
- Pass the NCLEX-RN and get licensed.
- Build clinical experience. One to two years makes both the coursework and the job search easier.
- Complete an accredited FNP program, such as Manhattanville’s MS. This is where it fits.
- Finish your supervised clinical hours.
- Pass the ANCC or AANPCB exam.
- Apply for state NP certification and get prescribing authority.
The Harlem and Manhattanville Connection
The name has a real Harlem origin. Manhattanville is the West Harlem neighborhood around 125th to 135th Streets near Broadway. The school started there in 1841 as the Academy of the Sacred Heart and took the neighborhood’s name. It moved to Purchase in 1952, and its old campus became part of City College. Today the neighborhood is also home to Columbia University’s Manhattanville campus. The university and the neighborhood are 25 miles apart, so if you search for “Manhattanville” nursing classes, don’t head uptown.
The connection is still relevant for local readers. Harlem has long relied on community primary care, from Harlem Hospital, with its famous WPA-era murals, to the clinics along corridors like 145th and Lenox. Upper Manhattan needs more FNPs, especially ones who come from the neighborhood. If you’re a Harlem RN, or a student who came up through pipelines like Oliver Scholars, a part-time FNP program is one realistic way to come back to the community as a primary care provider.
FAQs
Is Manhattanville’s FNP program online?
Mostly. The coursework is online and includes scheduled live sessions. Clinical practicums are completed in person at approved care sites.
How long is the Manhattanville FNP program?
The 42-credit MS takes about 7 semesters on the part-time track, which is roughly 2 to 2.5 years for most working nurses.
How much does the Manhattanville FNP program cost?
Manhattanville doesn’t publish a single total. Multiply the current graduate nursing per-credit rate by 42 credits, then add university fees, clinical compliance costs, board review and the certification exam fee.
Is Manhattanville’s FNP program accredited?
Yes. The program announced CCNE accreditation in May 2023. Graduates are eligible for the ANCC and AANPCB national FNP certification exams.
Does Manhattanville require the GRE for its nursing program?
No. Applicants need a BSN, an active RN license, a statistics course, a 3.0 GPA, an essay and a letter of recommendation. The GRE isn’t required.
Does Manhattanville help students find clinical placements?
The public pages don’t spell this out. Before you enroll, ask admissions in writing whether they secure preceptors for you, what backup support they offer if a placement falls through, and which sites they already partner with.
