Nurse Practitioner MSN

The Nurse Practitioner Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program prepares students to become advanced practice nurses (APNs) with advanced knowledge and clinical skills for diagnosing and managing common medical conditions in a population specialization. As a Nurse Practitioner, graduates will be qualified to treat clients across a wide array of acute, chronic, and complex health problems, as well as provide guidance for health promotion and disease prevention. Our Nurse Practitioner MSN Program offers focused population curricula for:

Adult Gerontology Primary Care
Family Primary Care
Psychiatric-Mental Health Care
Women’s Health Care

Upon completion of the Nurse Practitioner MSN curriculum, the graduate is eligible to take the associated advanced practice nurse practitioner certification examination (i.e., ANCC, AANP, NCC). Individuals with a MSN degree in an advanced practice population focus may also go on to earn a Post-graduate Certificate in another area of population focus (see Advanced Practice Nursing Postgraduate Certificate).

Application Requirements

2.8 GPA (inclusive of all college transcripts).
Graduation from an accredited (i.e., ACEN, CCNE) entry-level nursing program.
Bachelor of Science degree. (Prospective students with an alternate Bachelor degree will be considered. Please seek advisement prior to application to determine educational gap and develop individualized pre-requisite/co-requisite plan.)
Registered Nurse (RN) licensure from the state in which applicant will be conducting their 750 requisite clinical hours. (Applicants from New York will need to show New Jersey RN license or proof of application, concurrent with selecting first clinical placement, as students who need assistance with site selection will be placed in New Jersey.)
English-language proficiency (see https://www.fdu.edu/admissions/international/english-proficiency/).
Short resume (1-2 pages) summarizing education history/relevant activities, substantive healthcare experience, and license/certification information (i.e., RN license number with URL to state verification site).

Students need to have completed a substantive (i.e., 3+ academic credits, 25+ CEUs) health assessment course within 3.5 years of enrolling in NURS6620 Advanced Health Assessment (Fall, Year 2). Students who do not meet this requirement will need to complete a Basic Health Assessment Course. This course is offered at FDU in winter and summer (see FDU SNAH continuing education course offering), as well as at other regional universities.

Prospective students may be asked to participate in a virtual interview (i.e., via Zoom) as part of the application process.

Optional/Preferred Requirements

Letter(s) of recommendation.
Substantive healthcare experience with population of interest.

Academic Program Plans

NURS didactic courses are routinely scheduled with weekly synchronous sessions. Because of the rigorous pace of these courses, asynchronous accessibility and/or class recording/posting is provided, where possible. Use of asynchronous participation in lieu of synchronous attendance is not recommended. Rather, it is for students who have an occasional scheduling conflict or are ill, to minimize missed content. OPTIMAL SUCCESS IS ASSOCIATED WITH SYNCHRONOUS ATTENDANCE IN THE NURS DIDACTIC COURSES.