Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Master’s Certificate, PCRT

Purpose

Graduate Coordinator:  Dr. Julie Smith Taylor

The purpose of the post-master’s family nurse practitioner certificate program is to prepare nurses who already possess an earned Master of Science degree in nursing for a career as a Family Nurse Practitioner. The program of study for each student will be determined following a review of prior graduate education. However, all students pursing the Post-Master’s FNP Certificate will complete 26 credit hours (based on individual assessment) with 600 clinical hours. Functional cognate hours must be taken sequentially. Additional coursework may be required if educational assessment reveals the applicant has not had recent coursework in health assessment, advanced pharmacotherapeutics, or advanced pathophysiology. The program of study will be tailored individually for current nurse practitioners who want the FNP certificate. Upon successful completion of the certificate program, graduates are eligible to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) certification exam for Family Nurse Practitioners and seek approval to practice as an FNP in North Carolina or other state of choice.

The post-master’s FNP certificate program is designed for:

• Nurses who already hold a master’s degree in nursing and wish to practice as a family nurse practitioner.
• Specialty nurse practitioners who wish to provide health promotion, disease prevention, and management of acute and chronic health conditions to individuals across the lifespan.

Admission Requirements

Students desiring admission into the Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program must seek admission to the UNCW Graduate School. Applicants interested in admission to the Post Master’s certificate program must hold a Master of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited university or college in the United States or its equivalent from a foreign institution. The applicant must have a strong overall academic record as evidenced on official transcripts, current unrestricted North Carolina registered nurse license or registered nurse license from one of the affiliated compact states, computer competency, and previous coursework at the graduate level in advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacotherapeutics, and advanced pharmacology (applicants without these required pre-requisite courses may complete these prior to beginning the clinical sequence of the Post Master’s certificate program). 

Applicants who want to be considered for the program must submit to the graduate school:

1. Online application
2. All official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate)
3. Graduate GPA 3.0 or greater
4. Three letters of recommendation (former nurse faculty member and current/former employer, preferred)
5. Writing sample
6. Resume or CV
7. Application fee
8. Application and supplemental documents must be submitted by the published deadline

The following items must be submitted to the School of Nursing:

1. Demographic data form
2. Comprehensive interview may be requested

Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate Option Full Time Course Sequence

Required Course Sequence 26 Hours

Part-time Study for MSN Programs

Students may enroll part-time. Each student will work with his/her advisor in designing his/her part-time program of study. Students who are enrolled full-time and find it necessary to change their status to part-time will develop a part-time program of study with their advisor and the graduate coordinator. The program must be completed in five years from initial enrollment into the graduate program.