Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner
The Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate allows masters-prepared nurses to expand their scope of practice across the lifespan. This program option features an array of didactic and clinical experiences that focus on the primary care needs of patients, families and communities.
Who Should Apply
If you’re already working as a nurse, have a master’s degree in nursing and are interested in advancing your education to provide care for children and adults of all ages, you should consider our Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner program.
Application Deadlines
Summer 2025
Application Open: 09/01/24
–
Priority: 12/01/24
Final: 02/01/24
Fall 2025
Application Open: 09/01/24
–
Priority: 12/01/24
Final: 05/01/25
Requirements
Overview
The Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner program consists of 17 credit hours and 500 clinical hours. Questions about program requirements should be directed to the program director.
Program of Study
Courses
For full listing of courses and descriptions, please visit the University Bulletin.
On-Campus Requirements
Students in the Family Nurse Practitioner certificate program are required to attend two on-campus simulation-based learning events.
Campus Learning and Skills Intensive (CLASI)
- Students come to campus before they start their first clinical course to participate in CLASI. Students participate in simulation-based learning and workshops to progress toward clinical competency
Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs)
- While enrolled in NURS 6251 and NURS 6252 you are required to attend a series of simulation-based learning events designed to augment the FNP curriculum. These events also allow faculty the opportunity to objectively evaluate student clinical skills in taking patient history, physical examination, critical thinking, diagnostic reasoning, formulation of differential diagnoses, patient management and interpersonal communication while working with standardized patients (SPs). OSCEs also provide opportunities for professional development, networking, mentorship and one-on-one coaching from course faculty in preparation for program completion.
Technology Requirements
Each student admitted to the Certificate program is expected to own and have ready access to a laptop or tablet with basic productivity software for classroom use. View Policy.
Complete applications that are submitted by the priority deadline will be reviewed first. Applications do not have to be verified by the priority deadline, only completed and submitted. Questions? Contact the Office of Admissions at [email protected]
A completed application includes the following components:
- Master’s degree in nursing from a regionally accredited college or university
- Preferred scholastic GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from a regionally accredited college or university
- Official transcripts (from all post-secondary schools)
- Two letters of recommendation
- Current resume
- Statement of Purpose
- Evidence of current nursing licensure
- Those eligible for admission to the Post Graduate FNP Certificate Program include:
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners, Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioners
- The GRE is not required for this program
Note:
- GW Nursing is subject to state authorization requirements in order to offer an approved nursing curriculum. View available states.
- This is a graduate certificate requiring 17 credits for completion and is not eligible for Federal funding.
Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Pathophysiology and Advanced Health Assessment are prerequisites for this program.
These must be three separate courses, across the lifespan, and designed for advanced practice clinicians.
You must record a minimum of 500 hours of clinical experience with an approved preceptor. You are encouraged to find your own preceptor, but we can provide information on local clinical sites if needed. A clinical site visit will be conducted, usually during your second or final clinical course, by a faculty member.
Questions about clinical placement requirements should be directed to [email protected]
Complete applications that are submitted by the priority deadline will be reviewed first. Applications do not have to be verified by the priority deadline, only completed and submitted. Questions? Contact the Office of Admissions at [email protected]
A completed application includes the following components:
- Master’s degree in nursing from a regionally accredited college or university
- Preferred scholastic GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from a regionally accredited college or university
- Official transcripts (from all post-secondary schools)
- Two letters of recommendation
- Current resume
- Statement of Purpose
- Evidence of current nursing licensure
- Those eligible for admission to the Post Graduate FNP Certificate Program include:
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners, Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioners
- The GRE is not required for this program
Note:
- GW Nursing is subject to state authorization requirements in order to offer an approved nursing curriculum. View available states.
- This is a graduate certificate requiring 17 credits for completion and is not eligible for Federal funding.
Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Pathophysiology and Advanced Health Assessment are prerequisites for this program.
These must be three separate courses, across the lifespan, and designed for advanced practice clinicians.
You must record a minimum of 500 hours of clinical experience with an approved preceptor. You are encouraged to find your own preceptor, but we can provide information on local clinical sites if needed. A clinical site visit will be conducted, usually during your second or final clinical course, by a faculty member.
Questions about clinical placement requirements should be directed to [email protected].