Nurse Practitioner MSN

The Nurse Practitioner Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program prepares students to become advanced practice nurses (APNs) with advanced knowledge and clinical skills for diagnosing and managing common medical conditions in a population specialization.  As a Nurse Practitioner, graduates will be qualified to treat clients across a wide array of acute, chronic, and complex health problems, as well as provide guidance for health promotion and disease prevention. Our Nurse Practitioner MSN Program offers focused population curricula for:

• Adult Gerontology Primary Care
• Family Primary Care
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Care
• Women’s Health Care

Upon completion of the Nurse Practitioner MSN curriculum, the graduate is eligible to take the associated advanced practice nurse practitioner certification examination (i.e., ANCC, AANP, NCC). Individuals with a MSN degree in an advanced practice population focus may also go on to earn a Post-graduate Certificate in another area of population focus (see Advanced Practice Nursing Postgraduate Certificate). 

Application Requirements

• 2.8 GPA (inclusive of all college transcripts).
• Graduation from an accredited (i.e., ACEN, CCNE) entry-level nursing program.
• Bachelor of Science degree.
• Registered Nurse (RN) licensure from the state in which applicant will be conducting their 750 requisite clinical hours. (Applicants from New York need a New Jersey RN license or proof of application for a New Jersey RN license.)
• A course in health assessment (within 3 years) or intent to complete Basic Health Assessment Course (see FDU SNAH continuing education course offering).
• English-language proficiency (see https://www.fdu.edu/admissions/international/english-proficiency/).
• Substantive healthcare experience.

Optional/Preferred Requirements

• Letter(s) of recommendation.
• Substantive healthcare experience with population of interest.
• ANCC Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing board certification (PMH-BC) is strongly recommended for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner concentration applicants. 

Academic Program Plans

NURS didactic courses are routinely scheduled with weekly synchronous sessions. Because of the rigorous pace of these courses, asynchronous accessibility and/or class recording/posting is provided, where possible.  Use of asynchronous participation in lieu of synchronous attendance is not recommended. Rather, it is for students who have an occasional scheduling conflict or are ill, to minimize missed content. OPTIMAL SUCCESS IS ASSOCIATED WITH SYNCHRONOUS ATTENDANCE IN THE NURS DIDACTIC COURSES.

Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Curriculum for Fall Start Cohort

• NURS6500 Current Issues in Mental Health (Fall 1)
• NURS6600 Advanced Nursing Theories & Roles (Fall 1)
• NURS6615 Advanced Pharmacology (Spring 1)
• NURS7702 Advanced Pathophysiology (Spring 1)
• NURS7008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1)
• NURS6620 Advanced Health Assessment (Fall 2)
• NURS7701 Advanced Research and Evidence Based Practice (Fall 2)
• NURS6632 Adult Gerontology I (Spring 2)
• NURS6633 Adult Gerontology II (Summer 2)
• NURS6634 Adult Gerontology III (Fall 3)
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3)

Total credits: 43. Total clinical hours: 750.  

Curriculum for Spring Start Cohort

• NURS6615 Advanced Pharmacology (Spring 1)
• NURS7702 Advanced Pathophysiology (Spring 1)
• NURS6600 Advanced Nursing Theories & Roles (Summer 1)
• NURS7008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1)
• NURS6620 Advanced Health Assessment (Fall 2)
• NURS7701 Advanced Research and Evidence Based Practice (Fall 2)
• NURS6632 Adult Gerontology I (Spring 2)
• NURS6500 Current Issues in Mental Health (Spring 2)
• NURS6633 Adult Gerontology II (Summer 2)
• NURS6634 Adult Gerontology III (Fall 3)
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3)

Total credits: 43.  Total clinical hours: 750.  

Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Curriculum for Fall Start Cohort

• NURS6500 Current Issues in Mental Health (Fall 1)
• NURS6600 Advanced Nursing Theories & Roles (Fall 1)
• NURS6615 Advanced Pharmacology (Spring 1)
• NURS7702 Advanced Pathophysiology (Spring 1)
• NURS7008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1)
• NURS6620 Advanced Health Assessment (Fall 2)
• NURS7701 Advanced Research and Evidence Based Practice (Fall 2, or Summer)
• NURS6632 Adult Gerontology I (Spring 2)
• NURS6633 Adult Gerontology II (Summer 2)
• NURS7796 Family Primary Care: Women and Children (Fall 3)
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3)

Total credits: 43. Total clinical hours: 750.  

Curriculum for Spring Start Cohort

• NURS6615 Advanced Pharmacology (Spring 1)
• NURS7702 Advanced Pathophysiology (Spring 1)
• NURS6600 Advanced Nursing Theories & Roles (Summer 1)
• NURS7008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1)
• NURS6620 Advanced Health Assessment (Fall 2)
• NURS7701 Advanced Research and Evidence Based Practice (Fall 2, or Summer)
• NURS6632 Adult Gerontology I (Spring 2)
• NURS6500 Current Issues in Mental Health (Spring 2)
• NURS6633 Adult Gerontology II (Summer 2)
• NURS7796 Family Primary Care: Women and Children (Fall 3)
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3)

Total credits: 43. Total clinical hours: 750.  

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Curriculum for Fall Start Cohort

• NURS6600 Advanced Nursing Theories & Roles (Fall 1)
• NURS7701 Advanced Research and Evidence Based Practice (Fall 1)
• NURS7702 Advanced Pathophysiology (Spring 1)
• NURS6615 Advanced Pharmacology (Spring 1)
• NURS7008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1)
• NURS6620 Advanced Health Assessment (Fall 2)
• NURS6701 Psychopharmacology (Fall 2)
• NURS6501 Psych Mental Health I: Families and Children (Spring 2)
• NURS6503 Psych Mental Health II: Adults (Summer 2)
• NURS6505 Psych Mental Health III: Geriatrics (Fall 3)
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3)

*For students who enroll in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner concentration and do not have significant experience with this population, we also strongly recommended enrollment in NURS6500 (Current Issues in Mental Health, 1 credit) during the first semester of coursework. 

Total credits: 43. Total clinical hours: 750.

Curriculum for Spring Start Cohort

• NURS7702 Advanced Pathophysiology (Spring 1)
• NURS6615 Advanced Pharmacology (Spring 1)
• NURS6600 Advanced Nursing Theories & Roles (Summer 1)
• NURS7008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1)
• NURS6620 Advanced Health Assessment (Fall 2)
• NURS6701 Psychopharmacology (Fall 2)
• NURS6501 Psych Mental Health I: Families and Children (Spring 2)
• NURS6503 Psych Mental Health II: Adults (Summer 2)
• NURS7701 Advanced Research and Evidence Based Practice (Fall 3, or Summer)
• NURS6505 Psych Mental Health III: Geriatrics (Fall 3)
• NURS7755 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3)
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3)

*For students who enroll in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner concentration and do not have significant experience with this population, we also strongly recommended enrollment in NURS6500 (Current Issues in Mental Health, 1 credit) during the first semester of coursework. 

Total credits: 43. Total clinical hours: 750.

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Curriculum for Fall Start Cohort

• NURS6600 Advanced Nursing Theories & Roles (Fall 1)
• NURS6500 Current Issues in Mental Health (Fall 1)
• NURS7702 Advanced Pathophysiology (Spring 1)
• NURS6615 Advanced Pharmacology (Spring 1)
• NURS7008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1)
• NURS6620 Advanced Health Assessment (Fall 2)
• NURS7701 Advanced Research and Evidence Based Practice (Fall 2)
• NURS6632 Adult Gerontology I (Spring 2)
• NURS7797 Women’s Health GYN (Summer 2)
• NURS7798 Women’s Health OB (Fall 3)
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3)

Total credits: 43. Total clinical hours: 750.  

Curriculum for Spring Start Cohort

• NURS7702 Advanced Pathophysiology (Spring 1)
• NURS6615 Advanced Pharmacology (Spring 1)
• NURS6600 Advanced Nursing Theories & Roles (Summer 1)
• NURS7008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1)
• NURS6620 Advanced Health Assessment (Fall 1)
• NURS7701 Advanced Research and Evidence Based Practice (Fall 1, or Summer)
• NURS6632 Adult Gerontology I (Spring 2)
• NURS6500 Current Issues in Mental Health (Spring 2)
• NURS7797 Women’s Health GYN (Summer 2)
• NURS7798 Women’s Health OB (Fall 2)
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3)

Total credits: 43. Total clinical hours: 750.

To apply for this program

Apply for graduate nursing programs either online or by completing the graduate application document (with instructions).

Important Disclosures and Application Information for Out-of-State Students:

Out-of-state prospective students are welcome to apply. We will review applications on a case-by-case basis to assure that there are no federal, state, or regional restrictions for accepting the applicant into our FDU MSN Nurse Practitioner Program. FDU participates in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) allowing us to offer distance education programs to students in other SARA member states. Under this program, FDU does not meet the California requirements for licensure. Out-of-state students are expected to identify appropriate clinical sites and preceptors, which will be verified by FDU faculty. Please also review the following disclosure:

Graduate nursing programs at FDU are designed to prepare graduates with an active, unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license to qualify to sit for national nurse practitioner and nurse anesthesia certification exams, which are required for practice as a nurse practitioner and nurse anesthetist in most states. Because no graduate program can guarantee that graduates will be permitted to practice as an advanced practice nurse upon graduation, we encourage students to consult the appropriate Board of Nursing or state agency to determine specific certification requirements (e.g., number of clinical hours). It is each individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to national certification exams for the state in which he or she intends to practice as requirements vary widely.

FDU makes no representations or guarantee that completion of FDU coursework or programs will permit an individual to obtain national certification. For more information about nurse practitioner certification exams, students should visit the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners at www.aanpcertification.org, the American Nurses Credentialing Center at www.nursecredentialing.org, the National Certification Corporation at nccwebsite.org, the National Board of Certification for Nurse Anesthetist at www.nbcrna.com or other advanced practice nursing certification exam websites.