Your Spring Arbor program, and the clinicals it needs
Spring Arbor's FNP needs 625 clinical hours, its other NP tracks 500 each, and its Nurse Educator and MSN/MBA tracks 125 in NUR 780B. Pick your program to see who can precept you, which course carries the hours, and when to start looking.
Get your placement plan
Tell us your Spring Arbor track and where you live. A placement advisor replies with what your preceptor and site need to look like for Spring Arbor to approve them.
01Hours at a glance
The RN-to-MSN versions of each MSN track carry the same clinical hours; one Spring Arbor page gives the RN-to-MSN Nurse Educator 225 hours while the tuition page gives 125, so confirm that one with your advisor. The full breakdown is on the clinical hours page.
| Program | Hours | Who can precept |
|---|---|---|
| MSN: FNP | 625 | Certified NP, physician or PA |
| MSN: AGPCNP | 500 | Certified NP, physician or PA |
| MSN: PMHNP | 500 | Psychiatric preceptors; several placements |
| MSN: PNP-PC | 500 | Preceptors within pediatric NP scope |
| MSN: Nurse Educator | 125 in NUR 780B, plus the NUR 660 internship | NP, physician, PA or master's-prepared specialty nurse |
| MSN/MBA | 125 in NUR 780B | NP, physician, PA or master's-prepared specialty nurse |
| Post-master's FNP | 250 to 625, by prior certification | Certified NP, physician or PA |
| DNP | 1,000 post-baccalaureate in total | Set with DNP faculty |
| RN-to-BSN | No external clinical hours | No external preceptor |
Programs
Questions Spring Arbor students ask
Which Spring Arbor program needs the most clinical hours?
Among the MSN tracks, the FNP, at 625 hours on SAU's program page. The AGPCNP, PMHNP and PNP-PC need 500 each. The DNP counts toward a 1,000-hour post-baccalaureate total that includes hours from your earlier degree.
Do RN-to-MSN students need the same hours?
Yes, the RN-to-MSN tracks lead to the same MSN and carry the same clinical hours; the clinicals simply come later, after the bachelor's-level courses. The one exception to check is the RN-to-MSN Nurse Educator, where two SAU pages disagree.
Does the RN-to-BSN need a preceptor?
No. Spring Arbor says clinical hours in the online RN-to-BSN are built into the classroom, and the program ends with the NUR 494 senior project rather than a practicum with an outside preceptor.
Last checked 2026-09-24
We check these pages against Spring Arbor's own published sources. SAU's nursing faculty and current catalog have the final word.
More preceptor leads, sooner, for your SAU clinicals.
Tell us your Spring Arbor track, where you live and when your clinical course starts. We look for a preceptor and site that fit SAU's rules for your track and help you get the paperwork in on time.
- Matched to your track: FNP, AGPCNP, PMHNP, PNP, Nurse Educator or DNP
- Clinical agreement, affiliation and preceptor verification forms ready early
- In your home state, near where you live
Start your placement plan
A placement advisor replies with what an SAU-ready preceptor and site look like for you.