Purpose
The distance learning Post-Graduate/APRN Certificate program is designed for registered nurses who have earned a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing and seek to expand their education in a new specialty area completing the required master’s degree courses as appropriate. Students meet the M.S.N. End of Program Outcomes. Certificate programs are offered in all NP concentrations available in the Master of Science in Nursing degree program. The Essentials (2021) are applied to the curriculum and students undergo behavioral assessments of competency outcomes in meeting needs for advanced entry level education. Student competency is validated in the courses. Graduates are eligible to sit for national board certification examination upon program completion of the respective concentration. A review of official transcripts and syllabi for the gap analysis will determine a student’s course of study. A certificate of program completion is awarded, not a degree.
Students admitted to the Post-Graduate/APRN Certificate Program who have previously taken an Advanced Pharmacology course are advised to contact their State Board of Nursing to determine if their Advanced Pharmacology course meets the criteria set for length of time allowed from taking the course to the date of applying for prescriptive privileges.
Admission Requirements
Applicants will be evaluated for admission based on the following criteria. These admissions standards represent the minimum eligibility requirements for the program. Admission committee members reserve the right to request additional information from candidates as needed for a more in-depth review of qualifications.
- A completed online application.
- Official transcripts showing appropriate degree completion (Associate degree for RN-MSN, BS in Nursing for MSN) from an institution with programmatic (ACEN, NLNAC, CCNE) and regional accreditation. Admission is not granted for students who graduated from a non-programmatically or regionally accredited institution and meet all other admission requirements.
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- A minimum grade of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Assessment and Advanced Pharmacology from previous graduate nursing work.
- A current unencumbered RN license and APRN license for nurse practitioners.
- Current resume or curriculum vitae
* Applications presenting a history of disciplinary action on professional licenses will be subject to an additional review process by the Special Licensure Discrepancy Committee of the university.
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