Program Overview

Family Nurse Practitioner, Graduate Certificate

The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Graduate Certificate is a post-graduate program designed to provide advanced practice nurses with preparation as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Upon completing the certificate requirements, students will be eligible to sit for national certification exams offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners National Certification Board (AANPCB). Once nationally certified, the FNP is eligible to apply for licensure in all fifty states.

Overview

This 18-credit post-graduate certificate is designed to provide advanced practice nurses with preparation as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Admission Requirements

• Application deadlines vary by program.
• Students wishing to obtain this certificate must declare their intention by applying to the program office or director.
• All graduate certificate applicants must apply to the Graduate School through the Panthera Admission Application.
• Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree and have a minimum 2.75 cumulative undergraduate grade point average to be admitted into a certificate program.
• Additional requirements for the College of Nursing include:
  • A master's or doctoral degree in Nursing from an accredited program providing preparation as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse midwife, or certified registered nurse anesthetist.
  • Certification in their current advanced practice registered nurse specialty as applicable.
  • Completion with a grade of B or better of a graduate-level course in physiology/pathophysiology, pharmacology, and comprehensive assessment.
  • Current registration as a professional nurse in the state of Wisconsin.
  • Three letters of recommendation, two of which are from persons most knowledgeable about the applicant's recent academic and work experiences.
  • Personal interviews with a faculty member may be requested.
  • Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV).
  • Personal statement that includes rationale for certificate study and career goals.
  • One year of clinical experience relevant to the chosen specialty.

Credits and Courses

The Post Graduate FNP certificate requires 18 credits, with six courses:

• Theory Courses:
  • NURS 767: Family Nurse Practitioner Theory I (3 credits)
  • NURS 768: Family Nurse Practitioner Theory II (3 credits)
  • NURS 769: Family Nurse Practitioner Theory III (3 credits)
• Practicum Courses:
  • NURS 757: Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum I (3 credits)
  • NURS 758: Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum II (3 credits)
  • NURS 759: Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum III (3 credits)

Additional Requirements

• Allowance for Transfer Credit: One 3-credit course from an accredited institution other than UWM may be transferred to meet requirements of the certificate program, if approved by the FNP Option Coordinator.
• Completion Requirements: Certificate program progression requirements will be consistent with the College of Nursing requirements for progression in graduate level programs. Students must complete all courses with at least a B- or better and a cumulative GPA of a 3.00 or greater.
• Time limit: It is expected that students will complete the certificate in one year from time of enrollment.
• Certificate Conferral: The certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of the requirements, once all grades for the certificate courses are officially recorded with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater.

Articulation with Degree Programs

• Credits and courses required for a certificate may double count toward meeting UWM graduate degree requirements, subject to certain restrictions.
• Courses completed for a degree may be counted toward a subsequent certificate, subject to all certificate policy requirements.
• A course may count toward no more than one certificate and one degree.
• Students may not earn a certificate subsequent to a concentration in the same area.