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Go Further With an A.P.R.N. Certificate
Take your nursing career to the next level with a Postgraduate Certificate from Nova Southeastern University's Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing. If you've already earned an accredited M.S.N. degree, apply to our postgraduate certification program to add more focus to your work. Our program offers the NSU edge that can transform your career.
Explore the Possibilities
As a nurse practitioner, your skills are highly respected in your field. Our program will prepare you for national certification in your chosen specialization, and you may even continue your education to the doctoral level. With your evidence-based perspective and expertise, you'll be able to lead other health care professionals and make a real impact in the industry.
Select Your Path
We offer a range of A.P.R.N. certifications to suit your interests and career goals, consisting of:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate
- Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate
Each specialization provides you with targeted expertise, preparing you for success in your chosen field.
Why Earn an Advanced Nursing Certificate at NSU?
Quick Facts
Admissions Information
Admission to the Postgraduate Certificate Advanced Practice Registered Nurse program requires the following:
- Overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the candidate’s Master of Science in Nursing program.
- M.S.N. degree from a regionally or internationally accredited university or college. (The M.S.N. degree nursing program must be accredited by the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission [NLNAC] or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education [CCNE]).
- Current active state of Florida professional nursing (R.N.) licensure. Licensure must remain current in the jurisdiction of the practicum throughout the program.
- A curriculum vitae.
- Residence within 150 miles of the program campus.
- 12 months of active independent clinical practice (not including position residencies or facility operations).
- For applicants interested in AGACNP current Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certificate is required.
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner -- Palm Beach campus
- Family Nurse Practitioner -- Palm Beach and Tampa Bay campuses
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner -- Miramar and Tampa Bay campuses
All our programs are presented in either an online format with courses offered totally online, or hybrid format, meaning that courses are presented as a mix of online and on campus.
The student must reside within a 150-mile radius from the program campus the student has selected to attend.
Curriculum
In order to meet graduation requirements applicants must have or obtain the three separate, comprehensive graduate-level course in:
- Advanced physiology/pathophysiology, including general principles that apply across the life span
- Advanced health assessment, which includes assessment of all human systems, advanced assessment techniques, concepts, and approaches
- Advanced pharmacology, which includes pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics of all broad categories of agents
Students with the three separate, comprehensive graduate-level courses
| SEMESTER | COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | COURSE CREDITS |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | *NSG 5620 | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care I | 6 |
| II | *NSG 5630 | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care II | 6 |
| III | *NSG 5650 | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care III | 6 |
| IV | **NSG 5660 | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Capstone | 6 |
| TOTAL CREDITS | 24 | ||
*Requires 170 Practicum Hours
**Requires 225 Clinical Hours
Students needing the three separate, comprehensive graduate-level courses will first need to submit a non degree seeking application to complete those courses.
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | COURSE CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| NSG 5531 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NSG 5510 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| NSG 5502 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| TOTAL CREDITS | 9 | |
To review course descriptions, please view the HPD Catalog.
In order to meet graduation requirements applicants must have or obtain the three separate, comprehensive graduate-level course in:
- Advanced physiology/pathophysiology, including general principles that apply across the life span
- Advanced health assessment, which includes assessment of all human systems, advanced assessment techniques, concepts, and approaches
- Advanced pharmacology, which includes pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics of all broad categories of agents
Students with the three separate, comprehensive graduate-level courses
| SEMESTER | COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | COURSE CREDITS |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | **NSG 5542 | Primary Care: Adult I | 6 |
| II | **NSG 5550 | Primary Care: Adult II | 6 |
| III | *NSG 5560 | Primary Care Women | 3 |
| III | *NSG 5580 | Primary Care Pediatrics | 3 |
| IV | ***NSG 5590 | Family Nurse Practitioner Capstone | 6 |
| TOTAL CREDITS | 24 | ||
*Requires 85 Clinical Hours
**Requires 170 Clinical Hours
***Requires 255 Clinical Hours
Students needing the three separate, comprehensive graduate-level courses will first need to submit a non degree seeking application to complete those courses.
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | COURSE CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| NSG 5531 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NSG 5510 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| NSG 5502 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| TOTAL CREDITS | 9 | |
To review course descriptions, please view the HPD Catalog.
In order to meet graduation requirements applicants must have or obtain the three separate, comprehensive graduate-level course in:
- Advanced physiology/pathophysiology, including general principles that apply across the life span
- Advanced health assessment, which includes assessment of all human systems, advanced assessment techniques, concepts, and approaches
- Advanced pharmacology, which includes pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics of all broad categories of agents
Students with the three separate, comprehensive graduate-level courses
| SEMESTER | COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | COURSE CREDITS |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | NSG 5532 | Neurobiology Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| II | *NSG 5710 | Psychiatric Management I: Psychopathology & the DSM V | 6 |
| III | *NSG 5720 | Psychiatric Management II: Developmental Theories for Child & Adolescent Mental Health | 6 |
| IV | *NSG 5730 | Psychiatric Management III: Modalities of Psychotherapy | 6 |
| V | **NSG 5790 | Psychiatric Care Management Integration Capstone | 6 |
| TOTAL CREDITS | 27 | ||
*Require 170 Clinical Hours
**Requires 255 Clinical Hours
Students needing the three separate, comprehensive graduate-level courses will first need to submit a non degree seeking application to complete those courses.
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | COURSE CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| NSG 5531 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NSG 5510 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| NSG 5502 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| TOTAL CREDITS | 9 | |
To review course descriptions, please view the HPD Catalog.
Ready for the Next Step?
The Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing participates in the centralized applications service called NursingCAS. NursingCAS is used for document verification but does not take part in the student selection.
Submit Transcripts & Additional Required Documents to NursingCAS
Request all official transcripts from all previously attended institutions to be sent directly to NursingCAS.
NursingCAS
P.O. Box 9201
Watertown, Massachusetts 02471
Coursework taken at foreign institutions must be evaluated for U.S. institutional equivalence by an approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization such as one of the services listed below.
Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
It is the applicant's responsibility to have this coursework evaluated. An official
course-by-course evaluation with a cumulative grade point average must be sent directly
from the evaluation service.
Once your application and all documents have been received, the application will be
processed and reviewed.
|
Professional Licensure Disclosure/Notification Statement Ron and Kathy Assaf College
of Nursing |
||
|---|---|---|
| Degree Title | Level | Degree |
| Master of Science in Nursing | Master | M.S.N. APRN |
At this time, we cannot confirm that the Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing (ACON) Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N. - A.P.R.N.) program meets the educational requirements for professional licensure in other states or territories outside of Florida. Students who plan to take the licensing exam outside of Florida must check with the state in which they are seeking licensure for any additional requirements.
ACON’s Nurse Practitioner graduates seek certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, or as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner upon completion of the APRN program. These exams are offered through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP.)
Family Nurse Practitioner Certification (F.N.P.-B.C.)
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (A.G.A.C.N.P.-B.C.)
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) Certification (P.M.H.N.P.)-B.C.)
Students may also apply for a multi-state license if their home state is part of the nurse licensure compact. The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) allows a nurse to have a multistate license to practice in their home state and other approved compact states https://aprncompact.com/index.page
Nova Southeastern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing, MSN Program is a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited program.
| Program meets Educational Requirements | Program does not meet educational requirements | cannot be confirmed if program meets educational requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | All States (Except Florida) the District of Columbia and the US protectorates, as defined in 34 CFR §600.2. |
For all students, applicants, or prospective students seeking licensure in any state listed in the “Program Does Not Meet Educational Requirements” or “Cannot Be Confirmed If Program Meets Educational Requirements” columns, please see the chart below detailing these states’ licensing boards and contact information.
To access nurse practice acts and administrative codes by state please visit the National of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website, https://www.ncsbn.org/
If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact Dr. Susan Holland at sholland1@nova.edu.