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.)
• English-language proficiency (see https://www.fdu.edu/admissions/international/english-proficiency/).
• Substantive healthcare experience.

Students need to have completed a substantive (i.e., 3+ academic credits, 25+ CEUs) health assessment course within 3.5 years of enrolling in NURS6620 Advanced Health Assessment (Fall, Year 2). Students who do not meet this requirement will need to complete a Basic Health Assessment Course. This course is offered at FDU in winter and summer (see FDU SNAH continuing education course offering), as well as at other regional universities.

Optional/Preferred Requirements

• Letter(s) of recommendation.
• Substantive healthcare experience with population of interest. 

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)  ~200 clinical hours
• NURS6633 Adult Gerontology II (Summer 2) ~150 clinical hours
• NURS6634 Adult Gerontology III (Fall 3) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3) ~200 clinical hours

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) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS6500 Current Issues in Mental Health (Spring 2)
• NURS6633 Adult Gerontology II (Summer 2)  ~150 clinical hours
• NURS6634 Adult Gerontology III (Fall 3) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3) ~200 clinical hours

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) – ~200 clinical hours
• NURS6633 Adult Gerontology II (Summer 2) ~150 clinical hours
• NURS7796 Family Primary Care: Women and Children (Fall 3) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3) ~200 clinical hours

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) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS6500 Current Issues in Mental Health (Spring 2)
• NURS6633 Adult Gerontology II (Summer 2) ~150 clinical hours
• NURS7796 Family Primary Care: Women and Children (Fall 3) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3) ~200 clinical hours

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 Theory & Practice I (Spring 2) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS6503 Psych Mental Health Theory & Practice II (Summer 2) ~150 clinical hours
• NURS6505 Psych Mental Health Theory & Practice III (Fall 3) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3) ~200 clinical hours

*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 Theory & Practice I (Spring 2) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS6503 Psych Mental Health Theory & Practice II (Summer 2) ~150 clinical hours
• NURS7701 Advanced Research and Evidence Based Practice (Fall 3, or Summer)
• NURS6505 Psych Mental Health Theory & Practice III (Fall 3) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3) ~200 clinical hours

*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) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS7797 Women’s Health GYN (Summer 2) ~150 clinical hours
• NURS7798 Women’s Health OB (Fall 3) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3) ~200 clinical hours

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) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS6500 Current Issues in Mental Health (Spring 2)
• NURS7797 Women’s Health GYN (Summer 2) ~150 clinical hours
• NURS7798 Women’s Health OB (Fall 2) ~200 clinical hours
• NURS7755/NURS7756 Advanced Practice Nursing Synthesis (Spring 3) ~200 clinical hours

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).