Mar 28, 2024  
Graduate Catalog | 2018-2019 
    
Graduate Catalog | 2018-2019 Previous Edition

Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner Across the Lifespan, Post-Master’s Certificate


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The certificate consists of specialty courses in advanced practice nursing (minimum 21 credit hours).  This certificate program prepares nurses holding master’s degrees in nursing to enter advanced practice nursing in primary care as a Family Nurse Practitioner.  Nurses already certified as Psych NPs, Women’s Health or Pediatric NPs will be evaluated for possible exclusion of respective specialty courses and practica from their program.  The recipients of this certificate will be eligible to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioner (AANP) examination for Family Nurse Practitioner Across the Lifespan certification.  Coursework must be completed within four years and a 3.0 (B) grade point average is required.  The Family Nurse Practitioner program is a full-time, campus-based program.

Admission Requirements


  1. A master’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program
  2. Unencumbered North Carolina License as a Registered Nurse
  3. Overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the MSN degree
  4. Statement of Purpose explaining the applicant’s career goal and preparation in relation to primary care and family practice, and qualities making them a strong applicant (See School of Nursing website for required elements of the Purpose Statement). (Note: Statement of Purpose should not exceed two double-spaced typed pages.)
  5. References should be from professional colleagues and should speak to clinical knowledge and expertise and one’s ability to function as a member of the healthcare team. At least one reference from a supervisory person is preferred.
  6. Applicants who meet admission requirements will be eligible to be invited for an interview with the nurse practitioner sub-committee.
  7. Graduate Health Assessment course equivalent within the last 5 years**
  8. Graduate Pharmacology course equivalent within the last 5 years**
  9. Graduate Pathophysiology within the last 5 years**

Application is competitive.  Students are admitted annually in the Fall semester.  See the School of Nursing website at nursing.uncc.edu for application deadline. 

**Nurses certified as adult nurse practitioners, women’s health nurse practitioners, or pediatric nurse practitioners may have these courses waived from the admission requirements after assessment of transcripts.  Nurses with other backgrounds will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Notes:


*Clinical Course that requires 60 hours practice for each 1 credit hour.  Clinical courses may require travel to clinical sites outside Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
**Nurses certified as Adult nurse practitioners will not be required to take these courses.
***Nurses certified as Women’s Health nurse practitioners will not be required to take these courses.
****Nurses certified as Pediatric nurse practitioners will not be required to take these courses.

Total = 21 Credit Hours


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