Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Master Certification
The post-master's certificate program in FNP prepares registered nurses for advance practice in primary health care. Students will become a specialist in advance practice for the family as a whole as well as for individualized care for each member of the family, and will be able to diagnose and treat illneses while their main focus is on health promotion, prevention, wellness and education.
A newly added advanced practice course in gerontologic nursing prepares graduates for the care of adults across their life span. The FNP curriculum meets new nurse practitioner competency requirements approved by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and endorsed by 45 national nursing organizations.
Admission Requirements
- Completed online application
- Current Illinois RN license
- Master of Science in Nursing from accredited program (NLN or CCNE)
- Official transcripts from a completed MS in Nursing demonstrating a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 out of 4.0
- Completion of statistics, nursing research and health assessment undergraduate courses
- Resume
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal statement (300-500 words; essay format) addressing the following:
- What your career goals are
- What experiences have you had that support those goals
- Why you have chosen North Park University to assist in meeting your goals
The University has certain medical requirements for students depending on the number of credit hours taken and the campus the student is attending. Upon initiating clinical courses, additional medical and related documentation is required. Proof of current liability insurance coverage will be required prior to beginning any clinical course.
Post-Master's FNP Program of Study
Students are required to take a total of 50 semester hours of coursework and 675 contact hours of supervised clinical practice beyond the master’s level.
Advanced Practice Core Courses
| Course Description |
Semester Hours |
| NURS 5020 Population Based Health Care |
4 |
| NURS 5503 Advanced Practice Nursing: Role Concepts and Transitions |
2
|
| NURS 5505 Advanced Pathophysiology |
3 |
| NURS 5510 Advanced Pharmacology |
3
|
| NURS 5515 Advanced Health Assessment |
4 |
| NURS 5520 Health and Wellness Promotion |
3 |
|
NURS 5610 Advanced Practice in Gerontologic Nursing I
|
2
|
|
Total core
|
21 semester hours
|
Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty Courses
| Course Description |
Semester Hours |
| NURS 5530 Adult Health Management I |
3 |
| NURS 5535 Practicum: Adult Health Management I |
5
+ 225 practicum hours |
| NURS 5540 Adult Health Management II |
3 |
| NURS 5620 Advanced Practice in Gerontologic Nursing II |
2 |
NURS 5546 Family Centered Care
|
2 |
NURS 5560 Pediatric Health Management
|
3 |
| NURS 5565 Practicum: Pediatric Health Management |
2
+ 90 practicum hours
|
| NURS 5570 Women's Health Management |
3 |
| NURS 5575 Practicum: Women's Health Management |
2
+ 90 practicum hours |
| NURS 5790 Family Practice Residency |
2
+ 270 residency hours
|
| NURS 5590 Capstone |
2 |
|
Total FNP specialty
|
29 semester hours
Plus 675 practicum hours |
Detailed course descriptions are available in the North Park University catalog.