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Post Master's Certificate

Post Master's FNP
Online Certificate Program

Program Length

16-20 Mo.

Credits

33

Format

Online

Dual Credit

DNP
calendar

NEXT START March 3rd

Waived Enrollment Fee

Earn an FNP certificate and advance your career

AccreditationCCNE accredited,1 Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
Transfer creditUp to 12 approved credits
Format100% online classes with onsite clinicals (585 clinical hours)
Our pledgeHerzing pledges to help you secure clinical placement
CertificationsBecome eligible to take one of two FNP certification exams: the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination, and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination
Dual creditEarn dual credit towards a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
QuickPathsTransfer credit, stackable credentials, and adaptive learning technology build a faster pathway to a higher education with Herzing University

Learn More Today!

Classes start: March 3rd
Satisfaction rate

Over 90%

Satisfaction rate

Our overall student satisfaction rate, according to the 2023 Herzing Graduate Survey.

Overview: Online Post Master's FNP Program

The Post Master's Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner is a 33-credit post-graduate program which prepares you for a career as an FNP. The online certificate program provides students with fundamental knowledge and skills in health promotion across the life span, adult, geriatric, and pediatric healthcare, women's health, and much more.

  • Career-focused curriculum

    Discover the crucial knowledge and skills required to succeed in your work and build a foundation for continued career growth.

  • Flexible schedule

    We work hard to help you maintain school-life balance, striving to be as flexible as possible for busy non-traditional students.

  • Virtual services

    Access to extensive virtual services, including academic advising, tutoring, support services, technical support and library services.

  • Lifelong support

    We support your ongoing career advancement by providing comprehensive, personalized student services with lifelong career coaching.

  • Rolling admissions

    No application deadlines to worry about. Apply when you’re ready and prepare to get started soon.

Curriculum

Post Master's FNP program curriculum & classes

Designed for nurses who already hold an MSN degree, Herzing's PMC-FNP program provides nurses the opportunity to go from non-clinical to clinical-based advanced practice nursing. The population-based curriculum begins with three direct care courses followed by FNP certification concentration courses, focusing on the primary care needs of patients across the lifespan.

ProgramMonths iCredits
Post Master's Certificate Family Nurse Practitioner (PMCFNP)16-2033

i. Average number of months for students to complete the program attending full-time.

Required Direct Care Courses

All courses, 9.00 semester credit hours, are required.

This course is an examination of the process of holistic assessment (physical, psychosocial, and cultural) of individuals across the lifespan. Focus is critical thinking and decision-making related to the role of the advanced practice nurse in a primary care setting.

The course examines scientific concepts of pathophysiology essential to diagnostic reasoning and clinical management of common disease states. The dilemma of cost and need for laboratory and radiographic evidence to support diagnosis is examined.

This course is designed to advance the student's knowledge of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics in the management of health and disease states. Major categories of pharmacological agents are examined in the context of the life span, culture, and health and disease states. State and federal regulation related to purchase, possession, administration and patient education about controlled substances, pharmacologic agents and non-pharmacologic agents used as medications are examined.

Required Specialty Courses

All courses, 24.00 semester credit hours, are required.

This course is an examination of the processes applicable to clinical decision making. Models for clinical decision making will be presented.  An overview of key assessments and the wide range of clinical activity categories that impact clinical decision making will be provided. Application of course concepts will be accomplished through engagement with hypothetical clinical scenarios.

This course focuses on the provision of care to the adult patient, aged 18 to 64 years of age, by the family nurse practitioner. This clinical course continues to develop diagnostic and clinical reasoning skills in students. Students apply theoretical knowledge, evidence-based guidelines and contemporary practices in the assessment and management of health and disease states in the adult population.

As the population ages, care of the older adult becomes an increasing need in primary care. Family nurse practitioners in primary care focus on care of patients across the lifespan including this older adult population. This clinical course will explore the special needs of the older adult (65 and older) by synthesizing theoretical knowledge, evidence-based guidelines and contemporary practices in assessment and management of health and disease states in the geriatric population.  Since this course is reflective of the last course in the clinical sequence, APEA testing for board certification preparation will be incorporated to assist the student with preparation for the exam.

+ Chair approval is needed for PMC students to take NU 627 with another clinical course simultaneously.

The focus of this clinical course is on integrating theoretical knowledge, evidence-based guidelines and contemporary practice in the assessment and management of health and disease states specific to women across the lifespan. Personal, family, cultural, community, and societal influences are analyzed for their impact on the physical and emotional health of women. Health risk identification, health promotion, health maintenance, and treatment alternatives are examined.

The focus of this clinical course is on synthesizing theoretical knowledge, evidence-based guidelines and contemporary practices in assessment and management of health and disease states in the pediatric population from birth through adolescence. The context of family-centered care in relation to individual child growth and development, safety, and cultural practices is explored. Health risk identification, health promotion, health maintenance, and treatment alternatives are applied to individuals, families, and populations.

This course focuses on proficient multidimensional leadership for healthcare. Leadership theory, managing change in complex environments, mentoring, and creating a workplace environment that promotes social justice and equity, self‐care, personal health, and well‐being, and lifelong learning will be emphasized. Student will examine their personal, professional, and leadership development process, and create a three-dimensional advocacy-based approach to provide leadership in for the healthcare, professional, and community arenas.

This course examines the healthcare delivery continuum from public health prevention to disease management of populations and describes collaborative activities with both traditional and non‐traditional partnerships from affected communities, public health, industry, academia, health care, local government entities, and others for the improvement of equitable population health outcomes. For a selected population, students will analyze health priorities and the potential for collaboration and partnerships to provide a basis for interventions, policy, advocate strategy, and emergency preparedness.

Clinical Proficiency Exam and Policy Courses

The following courses are 0.00 semester credit hours associated with the policy outlined above. Students are required to take as co-requisite courses along with NU 611, NU 642, NU 664 or NU 671, depending on the program of study. NSG 0600 - Clinical Proficiency Course Semester Credit Hours: 0.00 NSG 0600R - Clinical Proficiency Remediation Course (if needed) Semester Credit Hours: 0.00

Tuition & Cost

Tuition & Cost

The cost of tuition for the Post Master's FNP program is $755 per credit.

You can potentially earn even greater savings by transferring credit from prior college coursework, applying for financial aid, or potential partnership opportunities through your employer.

Our goal is your career advancement. That’s why we are always working to improve our curriculum and processes to make our program as affordable as possible while preparing you best for success in your work.

  • Scholarships & Financial Aid

    You may be eligible for multiple scholarships and grants, both through Herzing University and several national scholarship websites.

    Find scholarships and grants  

  • Military/Veteran Discounts

    Veterans, Active Duty U.S. Servicemembers, and spouses may qualify for a 10% tuition discount or tuition reduction to $250 per credit.

    VA/Military benefits  

Requirements

Admission prerequisites

The post master’s family nurse practitioner certificate program is open to registered nurses who:

  • Hold a graduate degree in nursing from an accredited university or college (such as a master’s or doctoral degree) 
  • Hold a current, active and unrestricted license as a registered nurse in the state in which they live (Note: Holding a multi-state, compact state license and being a resident in a compact license state will be deemed to have met this requirement).

Eligible states for enrollment: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Your clinical placement is our pledge.

We understand securing clinical placement as part of a post master's certificate nursing program is one of the biggest concerns students face. At Herzing, we offer guidance and support through our step-by-step Clinical Guidance Process to ensure you can get the clinical practice experiences you need.

As a Herzing student, we’ll encourage you to find your own preceptor and clinical sites as there are many benefits to doing so. However, we provide extensive support should you find difficulty along the way. With Herzing, you are never on your own.

Because of our strong relationships with healthcare providers across the U.S. and our comprehensive Clinical Guidance Process, we are confident in our ability to help you find clinical placement. So much so that if you are unable to find a clinical site on your own, we pledge to step in and help you secure clinical placement.*

* Subject to terms and conditions outlined in the enrollment documents.

MSN Clinical Placement Pledge Herzing Badge

Classes Start: March 3rd

Waived Enrollment Fee

Discover the educational pathway designed to maximize your career potential. Reach for greater heights with Herzing University.

Why Herzing

Choose a nursing school who knows nursing

The post-graduate APRN certificate program in nursing at Herzing University - Madison is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin.

Herzing's post graduate FNP program provides busy professionals with the flexibility and convenience of completing coursework online. Choose to go full time and complete the program in 16 months or opt to go part-time and complete the program in 18 months.

We at Herzing are committed to helping you achieve academic success.

As a student in our post master's FNP online program, you will learn from dedicated Master- and Doctoral-prepared faculty, be teamed with clinical course faculty who are experienced in their field, and have Master-prepared academic coaches available to you who offer one-on-one assistance, training, and support.

Herzing also provides extensive suport to ensure our PMCFNP graduates are successful on the FNP Board examinations.

NursePractitionerOnline Best Online Post Master's FNP Badge 2023

Regarded Among the Best: #4 Ranked Online Post Master’s FNP Program in 2023 by NursePractitionerOnline.com

Faq

Frequently Asked Questions

Didn't find the answer to your question? Send us an inquiry and we will be happy to answer all your questions!

At Herzing University, we strive to provide an affordable, career-focused education for all students. Financial aid options include loans, scholarships & grants, VA / military benefits and more. You can find an estimate for tuition and expenses by using the Herzing University Tuition Wizard.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for nurse practitioners are expected to grow by 45% from 2022-2032.* Given the projected growth in the baby-boom population the need for advanced medical care is expected to rise, and nurse practitioners will continue to be leaned on as primary contributors in this level of healthcare.

A post master’s certificate (PMC), also referred to as a “post-graduate” certificate, is designed for nurses who hold a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and seek additional certification in a separate field.

Herzing University offers several post master’s certificates for MSN-prepared nurses looking to transition in or out of clinical-based practice:

  • AGACNP - Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (program length: 20 months)
  • AGPCNP - Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (program length: 20 months)
  • FNP - Family Nurse Practitioner certificate (program length: 16-20 months)
  • NE - Nursing Education certificate (program length: 8 months)
  • NLA - Nursing Leadership & Administration (program length: 8 months)
  • PMHNP: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate (program length: 20 months)

A post master’s certificate from Herzing University provides the education, training, and practical experience you need to take the next big step in your nursing career.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners earn an average salary of $128,490 per year ($61.78 per hour). Pay depends on many factors, including your location, what healthcare institution you work for and your level of experience.*

Discover the average nurse practitioner salary by state and find out what nurse practitioners make on average near you.

Depending on where you live, there are certain guidelines related to licensure. You will need to check with your state board of nursing.

At Herzing University, we assist you in identifying which certification exam meets your needs. We also encourage testing within the first 90 days of graduation to help you take the next step in your career. Once you have successfully become certified then it is important to connect with your state board to meet their requirements.

We offer multiple options for current nurses of all types, including pathways for ASN/ADN, BSN, and MSN degree holders.

View our available online Family Nurse Practitioner programs.

The time needed to become an NP varies depending on the type of certification you’re applying for. Different types of specialties such as pediatrics, acute care and women’s health have their own unique certification requirements.

Candidates for Herzing's online PMC - Family Nurse Practitioner certificate program must complete 9 courses consisting of 33 credits and 675 clinical hours.

The Student Experience at Herzing

The faculty here is outstanding. It's what I value the most about being at Herzing. Not only are they caring but they're good at what they do. 

Jessica Smith
Nursing Student

The faculty here make themselves available during their designated office hours, but if you need extra help, they will meet at times that will work for YOU.

Barbara Mulcahy
Nursing Student | Madison Campus

Balancing work, school and life was a challenge, but the faculty provided plenty of positive affirmations to get me through the program.

Winsome Witter
Nursing Student | Online Campus

I realized I could be more marketable in my position by earning an advanced practice degree. I ultimately decided to enter into the Post Master’s program as a way to accelerate my career plan. Most of my transfer credits were accepted as well, which was an incredible help at getting started.

Linda S. Davis
Nursing Student | Online Campus

What I liked most about my experience at Herzing University were the faculty members. They made it feel like it was family here.

Wanda Colon
Nursing Student | Orlando Campus
Disclosures

Accreditation & Disclosures

1. The master’s degree program in nursing and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Herzing University Madison are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin. ​

Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

View Herzing University Accreditation and Approvals

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin

* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.

Choose your NP pathway

Choose your NP pathway

Considering all of your options for nurse practitioner specialties?

Herzing University offers multiple nurse practitioner programs for current nurses holding an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree in nursing.

Our goal is to help you walk your career path no matter where you are, or where you want to go.

Explore Herzing NP programs

Classes Start: March 3rd

Waived Enrollment Fee

Discover the educational pathway designed to maximize your career potential. Reach for greater heights with Herzing University.