Samford nursing programs and the clinicals inside them

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

Every Samford pathway with clinical hours has its own guide here: the family nurse practitioner tracks from BSN, ADN or MSN entry, the psychiatric-mental health tracks, the post-graduate certificates and the MSN to DNP, plus nurse anesthesia, the online RN to BSN and the BSN. Each gives the plan of study, the clinical sequence and the kind of preceptor each stage needs.

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Bar chart of clinical hours in Samford's plans of study: FNP BSN to DNP 1,050; FNP MSN, certificate and MSN to DNP 750; PMHNP 750; the NURG 730 NP Practicum alone is 300. — Clinical hours in Samford's plans of study: FNP BSN to DNP 1,050; FNP MSN, certificate and MSN to DNP 750; PMHNP 750; the NURG 730 NP Practicum alone is 300.

One clinical spine, several doors in

Samford's FNP routes differ in where you start, not in the clinical core. A BSN, an ADN, an MSN or a finished master's in another specialty each leads to the same three FNP clinical courses, except the BSN to DNP, which spreads its hours over four courses and adds up to 1,050. PMHNP students follow their own four-course psychiatric sequence.

Side-by-side hours for every route are in the clinical hours planner.

Family nurse practitioner

FNP MSN (BSN to MSN)Samford's BSN to MSN FNP: 47 credits over six semesters, 750 clinical hours in NURG 723, 724 and 730, the intensives, and when to line up each preceptor.FNP BSN to DNPSamford's three-year FNP BSN to DNP: the full plan of study, 1,050 clinical hours in NURG 716, 717, 718 and 730, the 750-hour conflict and the DNP project.ADN to MSN (FNP and PMHNP)Samford's ADN to MSN for FNP and PMHNP: NURG 505 and 506 first, then the same 750 clinical hours as BSN entry, and when to line up each preceptor.

Psychiatric-mental health

PMHNP MSNSamford's online PMHNP MSN term by term: NURG 767 therapy hours, the NURG 788 to 790 psychiatric clinicals, intensives, conflicts and when to find preceptors.

Post-master's

MSN to DNP (FNP or PMHNP)Samford's post-master's DNP for FNP or PMHNP: 750 clinical hours, NURG 760 and 761, entry dates, conflicts, and when each track needs its first preceptor.FNP and PMHNP certificatesSamford's FNP and PMHNP post-graduate certificates: credits (and the PMHNP 26 vs 37 conflict), the gap analysis, the 750 clinical hours and preceptor timing.

Other programs

Nurse Anesthesia DNP (CRNA)Samford's CRNA DNP: 92 credits over 36 months, clinical sites assigned by the program, 2,000 hours and 650 cases, Typhon, and what students should plan for.Online RN to BSNSamford's online RN to BSN: 120 credits, 8-week terms, the four-semester ECRN plan, the practicum in your own health community, and the license-state conflict.BSN and second-degree BSN clinicalsSamford BSN and second-degree BSN clinicals: the school chooses every site, unit and preceptor in Birmingham; courses, hours, compliance and the senior request.

Questions Samford students ask

Which Samford programs need a preceptor?

Every FNP and PMHNP pathway, including the certificates and the MSN to DNP, and the practicum in the online RN to BSN. Nurse anesthesia and BSN students train at sites Samford assigns or chooses.

Are Samford's NP programs fully online?

The coursework is online, with required on-campus intensives in Birmingham: two to three for FNP pathways and one to two for PMHNP. Clinical hours happen near where you live.

Can I enter with an associate degree?

Yes. Samford offers ADN to MSN entry for both the FNP and the PMHNP, with bridge courses before the same clinical sequence as the BSN-entry MSN.

Do the certificates use the same clinicals as the MSN?

Yes. Samford's FNP and PMHNP post-graduate certificate plans list the same clinical courses and the same 750 hours as the matching MSN.

Last checked 2026-09-25

We check these pages against Samford's own program pages, plans of study, the 2026-27 Graduate Nursing Student Handbook and Alabama rules. Your course, your program coordinator and Graduate Student Services have the final word.

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Tell us your Samford track, where you live and when your next clinical course starts. We find preceptors near you who fit the course and prepare the details Samford needs to approve the rotation, including a new affiliation agreement where one is needed.

Preceptors matched to the course: adult primary care for NURG 723, family practice across the lifespan for NURG 724, psychiatric care for NURG 788
Preceptor, license and site details ready for your clinical rotation request
In your own community, anywhere Samford accepts you and your RN license is valid

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