Program Overview

Introduction to the Family Nurse Practitioner Program

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) is designed to prepare graduates for the role of a Family Nurse Practitioner in primary care settings. Through a combination of clinical and course content, students will gain experience in Women's Health, Internal Medicine (adult/gero), and Pediatrics.

Program Overview

The MSN program is fully online, with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous courses. Synchronous courses are scheduled on Tuesdays to accommodate working professional nurses. The program consists of 46 credits, with up to 9 credits transferable from another institution with approval from the program director.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have:

• A 3.0 GPA in their baccalaureate nursing program and a total cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all post-high school education
• An active, unrestricted RN license at the time of application
• Completed a BSN by the end of the semester of the application cycle
• Two letters of reference (one academic and one professional preferred)
• An admission essay

Application Deadline

The application deadline is October 1st for spring semester admission and February 15th for fall semester admission. Incomplete applications after October 15th (for spring entry) or March 1st (for fall entry) will not be considered.

Plan of Study

The plan of study includes:

• Core Requirements (25 credits)
  • NUR 500 Nursing Theories and Conceptual Models 3 credits
  • NUR 514 Transforming Nursing Practice through Leadership, Policy, and Advocacy 3 credits
  • NUR 516 Healthcare Informatics for Nursing Practice 3 credits
  • NUR 519 Evidence-Based Nursing Practice 3 credits
  • NUR 526 Advanced Health Assessment with lab 3 credits
  • NUR 521 Advanced Pathophysiology 3 credits
  • NUR 524 Advanced Pharmacology 3 credits
  • NUR 533 Introduction to Diagnostic Testing for the Advanced Practice Nurse - 1 credit
  • NUR 540 Legal Issues in Healthcare 3 credits
• Clinical Component and Role Function (18 credits)
  • NUR 534 Role of Family Nurse Practitioner I 6 credits, including 220 clinical hours
  • NUR 535 Role of Family Nurse Practitioner II 6 credits, including 220 clinical hours
  • NUR 536 Role of Family Nurse Practitioner III 6 credits, including 220 clinical hours
• Special Project (3 credits)
  • NUR 592 Special Project in Nursing 3 credits

Clinical Placements

Students are encouraged to seek out their own clinical placements, but the SCSU School of Nursing has a robust clinical coordination department that provides extensive support throughout the process.

Graduation and Certification

Upon graduation, students will be eligible to sit for both the ANCC and AANP Family Nurse Practitioner board certification exams and become licensed Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs).