Family Nurse Practitioner

Program Highlights

The FNP program awards a Master of Science degree and includes 45 semester credit hours over 60 weeks. It is delivered residentially and is designed to prepare graduates for national nurse practitioner certification and advanced practice licensure, in accordance with applicable state laws and regulatory requirements.

Students complete core nursing coursework and specialty coursework that emphasize evidence-based practice, leadership, informatics, health policy, research, pharmacology, health assessment, and advanced practice concepts. The program is structured to develop clinically competent, ethically grounded, and professionally prepared nurse practitioners.

Specialty Options

The program includes five concentration options: Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. Each concentration is designed to support eligibility for the appropriate national certification examination upon completion of all required coursework.

Family Practice graduates are prepared to provide comprehensive primary care across the lifespan, manage acute and chronic conditions, implement preventive screening and immunization protocols, promote health literacy, and demonstrate readiness for national FNP certification. Adult-Gerontology Primary Care graduates focus on complex chronic conditions, geriatric care planning, polypharmacy safety, interdisciplinary coordination, and quality of life for older adults.

Psychiatric-Mental Health graduates are prepared to conduct mental health assessments, diagnose common psychiatric disorders, develop treatment plans, collaborate with behavioral health resources, and apply trauma-informed, culturally responsive care. Pediatric Primary Care graduates focus on developmentally appropriate care for infants, children, and adolescents, along with screening, immunizations, family counseling, and early intervention. Women’s Health graduates are prepared to perform women’s health assessments, manage reproductive and prenatal care, provide contraceptive counseling, identify gynecologic conditions, and apply preventive screening guidelines.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Science degree from an approved nursing program, submit official undergraduate transcripts translated and evaluated if from outside the United States with a GPA of 2.5 or better, and hold a current unrestricted RN license from a state within the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

Curriculum Overview

The curriculum includes core courses and specialty courses designed to build advanced practice nursing knowledge and clinical skill. Core coursework includes theoretical foundations, role development, nursing informatics, healthcare policy, research methods, health promotion, evidence-based practice, pathophysiology, health assessment, and applied pharmacology.

Specialty coursework is aligned with the selected concentration and includes primary care practicum or advanced clinical courses, plus a capstone project. The semester credit ratio is 1 credit = 15 clock hours of theory instruction, 1 credit = 30 clock hours of skill lab, and 1 credit = 45 clock hours of clinical.

Next Step

If you are a registered nurse ready to move into advanced practice, the Family Nurse Practitioner program may be the right choice for you. Admissions representatives can answer your questions, explain the curriculum, and discuss how this program may fit your goals.