Question about MSN and post-msn certificates

[bsnwnab]

Hi,

If I complete an online MSN Education program from Western Governors University (see page 7 for curriculum) ... and in the future would like to take an fnp certificate program in a different school, do I apply directly for the Certificate program? My concern is, does the WGU core MSN curriculum has to be exactly the same classes as the MSN core classes in the MSN fnp program? Or it wouldn't matter because I already have the MSN from WGU and I can go straight to the FNP Certificate program?

[jelly221,RN, MSN]

It shouldn't matter what the core is, because you'll be taking all of the courses that are necessary/relevant to the NP program. There are just different requirements if they were going to be granting you a MSN along with the NP.

[bsnwnab]

It shouldn't matter what the core is, because you'll be taking all of the courses that are necessary/relevant to the NP program.

I understand that I'd still have to take all the necessary course for the NP program itself, but what I meant was, if I already have an online MSN Ed, I can apply directly to the Certificate program for NP regardless if the the core MSN subjects different?

[leenak]

From the programs I've looked at, there isn't a large difference from the number of classes in a MSN-FNP and a certificate-FNP. It doesn't save you a lot of classes but you'd have to ultimately ask the school that you are applying to.

For instance, University of Maryland FNP certificate requires 38 credits while the MSN-FNP is 48 credits which basically amounts to not having to take 2-3 classes if you already have a MSN.

[chris2732]

Go to the WGU threads. They discuss this transition. SJCME was mentioned as a place to go for the post-master's FNP certificate, which is also self paced. SJCME's post-master's FNP certificate includes the 3 P's, and then the NP I, II, and III courses and clinicals. There's no final project or capstone.

[nursjenn]

There's Post-Master's FNP certificate programs at: SJCME, Frontier Nursing University, Oakland University, Concordia University (WI), Purdue University-Calumet, St Louis University, Clarkson College, University of Colorado (Denver), University of Massachusetts (Boston), University of North Dakota, University of South Alabama, Ball State University, Grand Canyon University, University of Alabama (Birmingham).

University of Phoenix offers an on-site Post-Master's FNP certificate in AZ and CA. You'd have to ask them which cities in AZ and CA that they offer that certificate. If you want to know what states that they offer that certificate, you'd have to call them.

University of Mary offers a 15-18 month online MSN-FNP program, if you don't have an MSN.