Become a Family Nurse Practitioner

You will complete 48 credits with 720 clinical hours in our MSN-FNP program.

Core MSN Curriculum – 18 credits

• NUR 500: Advanced Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Roles (3 credits)
• NUR 510: Advanced Pathophysiology for Advanced Nursing Roles (3 credits)
• NUR 530: Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Roles (3 credits)
• NUR 535: Leadership & Health Policy (3 credits)
• NUR 570: Advanced Assessment & Lab for Advanced Nursing Roles (3 credits)
• NUR 610: Nursing Research Methodology & EBP (3 cr)

MSN-FNP Curriculum – 30 credits

• NUR 630: Primary Care I – Intro (3 credits)
• NUR 631: Primary Care II – Newborn- (0-5-year-old) (3 credits)
• NUR 632: Primary Care III – Young Child (6-11) (3 credits)
• NUR 633: Primary Care IV – Adolescent (12-18) (3 credits)
• NUR 634: Primary Care V – Young Adult (19-29) (3 credits)
• NUR 635: Primary Care C VI – Middle Adult (30-55) (3 credits)
• NUR 636: Primary Care VII – Older Adult (56 +) (3 credits)
• NUR 637: Primary Care C VIII – Women’s Health & Pregnancy (3 credits)
• NUR 638: Primary Care Practicum (1 credits)
• NUR 572: Role Transition I (3 credits)
• NUR 573: Role Transition II (3 credits)

The MSN-FNP program enrolls new students throughout the year and encourage applications on a rolling basis.

Fall 2024 Start Date: August 26, 2024

Applicants to the Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing and Health Professions MSN-FNP program must meet the following requirements:

Master of Science in Nursing Admissions Requirements:

• Bachelor Science in Nursing from a college or university accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Higher Education (CCNE), or Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), (previously National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC), or Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA).
• GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale for highest earned degree.
• Practicing registered nurse with an RN license in Pennsylvania (or eligibility for licensure in Pennsylvania).
• Preferred equivalent of 12 months of RN/BSN clinical experience.
• Successful completion of a baccalaureate level statistics course.
• Successful completion of a baccalaureate level health assessment course.
• Interview with members of the Graduate Nursing faculty.

Post Master’s Nurse Practitioner Certificate Applicants:

• Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited college of nursing
• Graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale
• Two years of relevant clinical experience in nursing
• For those with an APRN license and National Board Certification applying to a post-graduate certificate, please submit National Board Certification and APRN licensure at time of admission.
• Interview with members of the Graduate Nursing faculty.

All Applicants Must Submit:

• Copy of professional license(s)
• One official sealed transcript from each college or university
• Current resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Completed application
• Two references from the following: A master’s or doctorly prepared registered nurse in a supervisory role, APRN or MD/DO with whom the candidate has spent a reasonable amount of clinical time with and/or a prior academician with whom the candidate was taught by.
• Personal Goal Statement which includes:
  • Purpose for attending graduate
  • Discuss the responsibilities of the role that you are
  • Why are you suited for the role that you are pursuing?
  • How will you incorporate adding graduate school into your current life?
  • What obstacles do you anticipate that you might need to address to be successful in this program?
  • 80% of your grade in this program is based on critical thinking and objective testing; what challenges do you anticipate in preparing for these assessments?
  • The personal statement should be in the most up-to-date APA format, minimum of 500 words, maximum of 1000 words with 12-point font and 1-inch margins.

Graduate Transfer Credit Policy: Graduate credits, not to exceed six, taken at other accredited institutions prior to matriculation may be applied toward the master’s degree, except in the case of Post-Graduate Certificate students. The credits. A maximum of 6 transferrable credits will be evaluated for transfer. The credits must have been taken within five years of admission and a grade of B or better must have been earned. The official transcript for transfer of credit must be on file prior to acceptance of credits for transfer. These credits are evaluated by the Program Director or the Dean of the School. Once the student is accepted no courses may be taken outside of Gwynedd Mercy University.

Post-Graduate Certificate Options: Certificate options are available for applicants who already have obtained an MSN degree.  A gap analysis will be completed at the time of admission to develop an individualized plan of study based on previous coursework and clinical experiences.

A gap analysis is a process that involves portfolio review at the time of admission and determination of appropriateness for waiver of didactic and practicum requirements, based on the previous coursework and clinical experiences. This process will be used for students who are MSN-prepared. The purpose of the gap analysis is to build on previously attained skills, to maximize the student’s academic experience, and to avoid unnecessary redundancy.

*We are currently unable to accept students from the following states: Alabama, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Utah, California, Washington.

Estimated 2024-2025 costs: $994 per credit hour

Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner ($47,712 for the complete 48-credit program)

Fees: The administrative costs of your education are covered through fees. Fees are not refundable. To learn more about tuition and fees, contact an enrollment representative today.

Financial Aid: To learn how to determine your Financial Aid eligibility, please contact the financial aid office at nontermaid@gmercyu.edu or 877-499-6333.