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Family Nurse Practitioner (Graduate Certificate)

Family Nurse Practitioner (Graduate Certificate)

Academic programs / Graduate degrees / Family Nurse Practitioner (Graduate Certificate)

ADVANCED, Practitioner, family, nursing

Program description
Degree awarded: Certificate  Family Nurse Practitioner (certificate)

The certificate program for the family nurse practitioner specialty is an advanced nursing practice program. It prepares graduates to provide holistic, client-centered primary care to individuals of all ages within traditional, nontraditional and culturally diverse families. The program is designed for board-certified nurses in a different advanced practice registered nurse specialty area who seek additional certification as a family nurse practitioner and for doctorate-level nurses who seek to become a family health nurse practitioner. It prepares nurses to meet the physical, psychological and social needs of individuals and families across the life span.

This is a hybrid program, a blend of in-person and online learning. Students are required to travel to campus for orientation once and for immersions two or three times per semester.

Core courses include pharmacology, advanced pathophysiology and advanced health assessment. Any deficiency courses determined by the student's unique gap analysis must have been completed in the past five years to be eligible for credit.

Specialty courses focus on assessment, diagnosis and evidence-based management of common, chronic and complex health conditions in individuals, from infants to geriatrics, within traditional, nontraditional and culturally diverse families. Content that includes epidemiology, differential diagnosis, and sociocultural variations in evidence-based treatments, including health promotion, is emphasized.

Focused clinical experiences are arranged for students residing in Maricopa County, Arizona. Students should expect to travel throughout Maricopa County and, in some cases, surrounding counties to complete their assigned clinical placement.

Students residing outside of Maricopa County are responsible for identifying the required number of clinical sites in their area of residence and for identifying preceptors and sites willing to accommodate clinical rotations. Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation must approve these sites before students start any clinical experience; the doctoral program office does not guarantee a clinical placement site for any student outside Maricopa County. If, during the program, faculty determine that the student needs additional supervision for clinical progress in the program, the student must complete clinical experiences in the Phoenix area.

The program offers practicum experiences (clinical rotations) in health profession shortage areas throughout the state, in both urban underserved and rural areas, that provide students multicultural experiences to enhance professional development.

As a participating National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements member, Arizona State University is authorized to offer distance education to persons located in individual state authorization reciprocity agreement member states in accordance with the council's established policies and standards. California is not a state authorization reciprocity agreement member and the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education does not regulate out-of-state public institutions offering online and in-person education from Arizona. ASU may offer educational activities in California. There are some exceptions for specific programs at Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation; these exceptions are noted on the ASU state authorization website.

At a glance
Degree requirements

22 credit hours

Required Core (22 credit hours)
DNP 633 Family Health Promotion (3)
DNP 634 Family Health Promotion Practicum (3)
DNP 635 Management of Common Health Problems in Children, Adults and Families (3)
DNP 636 Management of Common Health Problems in Children, Adults and Families Practicum (5)
DNP 637 Management of Complex and Chronic Health Problems in Children, Adults and Families (3)
DNP 638 Management of Complex and Chronic Health Problems in Children, Adults and Families Practicum (5)

Admission requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's and master's degree in nursing from a nationally recognized, regionally accredited academic institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

  1. graduate admission application and application fee
  2. official transcripts
  3. proof of a current unencumbered RN license in the state in which the student plans to do clinical practicums
  4. three professional letters of recommendation
  5. resume
  6. goal statement
  7. admission essay
  8. health and safety requirements: passing disposition on a background clearance and satisfactory completion of a substance screen
  9. proof of English language proficiency

Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency, per the Graduate College requirement, and must meet all requirements for the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools.

International students who need an F-1 or J-1 visa need to apply to and be accepted into a graduate degree program prior to being considered for the certificate program. International students residing in the United States on other types of visas must adhere to all Graduate College policies and procedures regarding admission to be considered for admission to this certificate program.

All students are also required to have an unencumbered Arizona RN license or an unencumbered compact state RN license as mandated by the Arizona State Board of Nursing. The RN license must remain unencumbered throughout enrollment in any nursing program.

All applicants have an interview with program faculty prior to admission to the program.

It is preferred that applicants have at least one year of clinical experience working in the student's specialty population.

Admission examinations are not required.

Tuition information
When it comes to paying for higher education, everyone’s situation is different. Students can learn about ASU tuition and financial aid options to find out which will work best for them.
Application deadlines
SessionModalityDeadlineType
Session A/CIn Person 12/15Priority
Career opportunities

The Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation prepares graduates for excellence upon entering the workplace. Graduates of the family nurse practitioner certificate program have the knowledge and training to provide health care to patients across the life span in a wide variety of settings. The broad base of comprehension and clinical expertise enables graduates to effectively participate and lead within clinical, community and academic arenas.

Career examples include:

  • business owner
  • community advocate
  • nurse practitioner
  • professor
Professional licensure

ASU programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification are intended to prepare students for potential licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in another state. For more information, students should visit the ASU professional licensure webpage: https://admission.asu.edu/academics/licensure.

Contact information
What are accelerated programs?
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

3 year programs

These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.

Accelerated master's

These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).

Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
What are concurrent programs?
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
What are joint programs?
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

What constitutes a new program?
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.
What are online programs?
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
What is WRGP (Western Regional Graduate Program)?
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.

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