Duquesne University

For students interested in specializing as family nurse practitioners (FNPs), Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania offers two online graduate programs: a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a Post-Master’s Certificate. Their online MSN Family (Individual Across the Life Span) Nurse Practitioner program is designed for registered nurses (RNs) who possess a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and want to pursue both their MSN and APRN certification in the FNP specialty. The Post-Master’s Certificate is aimed at RNs who already hold an MSN, but want to gain APRN certification as an FNP. The Duquesne University School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and graduates are eligible to sit for certification exams offered by either the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Coursework in Duquesne University’s online FNP program is delivered entirely online using asynchronous instruction. Utilizing the Blackboard learning management system, students can access lectures and course materials online at any time, and interact with instructors and classmates via online discussion boards. Both the MSN and Post-Master’s Certificate program require students to visit the Duquesne campus for on-site clinical trainings. The MSN program has two required visits while the Post-Master’s Certificate program has one. These campus visits span three to four days each, and occur while students are enrolled in the following courses: Physical Assessment and Differential Diagnosis for APNS, and Foundations of Family and Individual Care II.

Duquesne University Online MSN Program – Family (Individual Across the Lifespan) Nurse Practitioner

The online MSN FNP program at Duquesne University is offered part-time, and consists of 45 credits spread out over nine semesters. Students can complete the program in three years of study, but can take up to five years to graduate, if needed. The school offers three start dates per year in the Fall, Spring, and Summer. A total of 670 supervised clinical hours are required for graduation, in addition to 80 lab hours completed during the on-campus training sessions. Upon being accepted to the MSN program, students are assigned a faculty advisor to help them put together a Program Plan, and further assist them throughout their studies.

The curriculum in Duquesne’s online MSN FNP program is comprised of MSN Core Courses (15 credits), Clinical Core Courses (9 credits), and Family Nurse Practitioner coursework (21 credits). MSN Core Courses include Historical and Contemporary Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice, Evidence Based Nursing Practice and Policy Development, Clinical Prevention and Population-Based Health Promotion, Health Care Ethics in Practice and Policy, and Organizational and Clinical Leadership in Nursing and Healthcare. The Clinical Core portion encompasses three courses: Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing, Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nursing, and Physical Assessment for Advanced Practice Nursing.

Finally, students will complete APRN specialty courses and practicums designed to prepare them as family nurse practitioners. These include Foundations of Family Care: Women; Foundations of Family Care: Infants, Children and Adolescents; and Foundations of Family and Individual Care I and II. The program concludes with a course entitled Transitioning to Advanced Practice Nursing, which covers how to prepare for national certification and apply for licensure at the state level, among other role-specific topics.

To qualify for admission to Duquesne’s online MSN program, applicants must possess a current unencumbered RN license, and a BSN degree from an accredited nursing program. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher is required, as is the completion of an undergraduate statistics course and undergraduate physical assessment course. Students must have at least one year of full-time work experience as an RN before enrolling in any clinical or FNP specialty courses. During the application process, prospective students must submit a current resume, transcripts from all previous postsecondary institutions, a copy of their RN license, two references (one academic, one professional), and a two-page professional goal statement, outlining their reasons for pursuing the MSN degree. A faculty interview may be required, either in person, online, or by phone. All new MSN students will need to attend a mandatory virtual orientation, which takes place prior to their first semester.

Duquesne University Online Post-Master’s Certificate – Family (Individual Across the Lifespan) Nurse Practitioner

Duquesne University’s online FNP Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) program entails 33 credits and requires 670 clinical hours to graduate. The program is offered part-time, and can be completed in two years (six semesters) of study. However, students are allowed to take up to five years to complete the program, if necessary. Duquesne’s online FNP PMC program requires one campus visit and has three start times throughout the year: Fall, Spring, and Summer.

Students must complete all 21 credits of the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner coursework (described above), as well as fulfill the necessary Core and Clinical curriculum requirements, in order to complete the program. Along with the APRN specialization courses and associated clinical practicums, FNP students can expect to take the following four courses as part of the online PMC program: Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing, Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nursing, Clinical Prevention and Population-Based Health Promotion, and Physical Assessment for Advanced Practice Nursing. In all, a total of 80 on-campus lab hours are required as part of the program.

Applicants to the FNP PMC program must hold a current RN license and a Master’s of Science in Nursing degree. The school also prefers candidates to have earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. A minimum of one year of full-time work experience as an RN is required before students can register for clinical or specialty courses, as is the completion of prerequisite courses in advanced pharmacology, advanced physical assessment, and advanced pathophysiology. Students must also have successfully passed an undergraduate statistics course in order to be considered for admission. Similar to the MSN application process, prospective students will need to submit their resume, proof of RN licensure, transcripts from their undergraduate and graduate programs, a two-page description of their professional goals, and two Graduate Reference Forms, one completed by an academic reference and one completed by a professional reference. A mandatory virtual orientation is also required for incoming PMC students.

Overview: Duquesne University: School of Nursing

Duquesne University Online FNP Programs