Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner — Graduate Certificate
The Post-Graduate Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate is designed for nurses who already hold a graduate nursing degree and seek preparation for advanced practice in primary care. The program is offered primarily online and includes on-campus learning experiences each semester that support integration of theoretical and clinical concepts, student engagement, and professional role development. Completers are prepared to sit for the national Family Nurse Practitioner exam.
Admission Criteria
- Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Master's in Nursing (MN or MS) from an accredited nursing program
- Current unencumbered license as a registered nurse in the United States
- Nursing GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the master's Program
- Good academic standing from the last university attended
- Successful completion of Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, and Advanced Physical Assessment with 3.0 or higher within the last 5 years
- Minimum 1-year clinical experience
- Successful completion (C or better) of an undergraduate statistics course
- Three professional references for online recommendation form - References should be qualified to judge abilities to be successful in graduate studies
- 750-word Professional Goal Statement
- Submission of all official transcripts sent directly to Graduate School
- Current resume or curriculum vitae
- Applicants must complete an interview via telephone, on campus, or videoconference, if requested.
Applications must be submitted and complete no later than the following deadlines:
Fall Semester Admission: May 1 deadline - ***International applicants should submit all required materials by February 1***
Program Requirements
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| **NP Intensive I | **NP Intensive II | **NP Intensive III | |||
| NURS 7330 Primary Care Practicum I (240 clinical hours) | 7 | NURS 7440 Primary Care Women & Children (240 clinical hours) | 7 | NURS 7920 Primary Care Practicum II (300 clinical hours) | 8 |
| 7 | 7 | 8 | |||
| Total Hours: 22 | |||||
- **NP Intensives – May include, but not limited to: Patient based simulation labs with standardized patients; lab intensives; community practice opportunities
- Each intensive will include various requirements and may extend up to one week.
- Courses are taught only during the semester in which each is listed.
- Total credit hours = 22 - Total clinical hours = 780