Program Overview

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Family Nurse Practitioner

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Family Nurse Practitioner track prepares students to provide holistic primary care to individuals and families of all ages, managing a wide variety of acute and chronic health problems. Family Nurse Practitioners work in independent and collaborative practice settings, including private practices, urgent care centers, health maintenance organizations, clinics, health departments, student health centers, and clinics for the homeless or uninsured.

Program Requirements

• Achievement of a grade of B or better is expected in graduate studies.
• Students who successfully complete the "bridge" courses with a minimum grade of "C" and achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 progress directly to the Nursing Leadership in Healthcare MSN-level courses.

Required Core Courses for All MSN NP Tracks

All core courses are offered online and must be completed for each of the specialty NP tracks. These courses provide the theoretical foundation for role development and expose students to concepts and issues that undergird all areas of advanced nursing practice. Courses include content in health policy analysis and development, information management, evidence-based practice, and leadership.

• NURS 561: Information Technology and Data Management (3 hours)
• NURS 562: Theory and Foundation of Healthcare Improvement (3 hours)
• NURS 563: Evidence-Based Practice for Quality and Safety (3 hours)
• NURS 564: Contemporary Healthcare Environment (3 hours)
• NURS 565: Clinical Prevention for Diverse Populations (3 hours) Total Hours: 15

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Track

The FNP track consists of 47 credits, including core courses. This track prepares students to provide a holistic approach to primary care for individuals and families of all ages and to manage a wide variety of acute and chronic health problems.

Family Nurse Practitioner Core Courses

• NURS 523: Advanced Pathophysiology (3 hours)
• NURS 524: Advanced Pharmacology (3 hours)
• NURS 600: Advanced Health Assessment (3 hours)
• NURS 601: Advanced Health Assessment Practicum I (1 hour)
• NURS 651P: Gender-Based (3 hours)
• NURS 652P: Infant, Child, Adolescence (3 hours)
• NURS 653P: Adult/Gerontology I (3 hours)
• NURS 654P: Adult/Gerontology II (3 hours)

Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum

• 600 hours of practicum are required.
• Select ten credits from the following practicum courses:
  • NURS 661P: Primary Care: Gender-Based Practicum
  • NURS 662P: Infant, Child, Adolescence Practicum
  • NURS 663P: Adult/Gerontology Practicum I
  • NURS 664P: Adult/Gerontology Practicum II
  • NURS 683P: Primary Care Practicum Extension (if needed) Total Hours for FNP Track: 32

Admission Criteria

Students may only be admitted if they reside in one of the ten western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming. Students residing in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana have at least one site visit from a clinical faculty during each practicum course. Students living outside of this four-state region are required to arrange for an additional on-campus day in conjunction with the immersion experience during each practicum course to complete the faculty site visit requirement.