Online Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Master's Certificate

Provide quality care for all ages with your advanced expertise.

Prepare to advance your existing career as an advanced practice nurse with your online Post-Master’s Certificate in Family (Individual Across the Lifespan) Nurse Practitioner. Our coursework will teach you how to deliver primary care and provide diagnoses and treatment plans to individuals of all ages in a variety of settings, including independent practice. Work closely with faculty experts to complete your clinical hours and prepare for the national Family Nurse Practitioner licensure exam.

 

Program Information

The focus of your online FNP certificate is to help you provide comprehensive, attentive care to family members in varied life stages. This spans infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, older adulthood and families maturing together.

Degree

Certificate

School

School of Nursing

Duration

2.5 years

Required Credit Hours

35 Credit Hours | 775 Clinical Hours

Modality

Online

Student and Alumni Perspectives

Family Nurse Practitioner PMC Student

Reading Duquesne’s mission wasn’t just informative, it was confirmation. I knew I wanted to be educated in an environment that values service, holistic development, and a higher purpose. That was the moment I felt certain that Duquesne was the right place for me.

Dawn Family Nurse Practitioner PMC Student
jessica PMC Fnp alumni

While online learning platforms provide schedule flexibility, I most enjoyed the campus residency sessions as they were packed with essential content that has been vital for me to know in my first CRNP role.

Jessica Family Nurse Practitioner PMC Alumni, Class of 2025

Admissions

Admissions Requirements

To qualify for our online PMC programs, you must meet the following prerequisites:

  • Hold a BSN and MSN from an accredited college or university
  • Hold a current, unencumbered RN license
  • Complete an undergraduate or graduate-level statistics course with a “C” or higher


The faculty admissions committee may look more closely at nursing and science grades when making admissions decisions.

Admissions Process

  • Resume or curriculum vitae
  • Professional goal statement
  • Official transcript(s)

Transfer Credit Policy for PMC CRNP Students

  • A maximum of 9 graduate credits, completed within the past 5 years from a previously earned graduate degree, may be transferred.
  • A grade of “B” or higher is required.
  • The Advanced Standing Request form must be submitted during the admissions process for transfer credits to be considered.

Our Faculty Experts

Our FNP faculty are leaders in advanced practice nursing.

Dr. Laura Crimm

Dr. Laura Crimm

Director and Faculty

Dr. Denise Lucas

Dr. Denise Lucas

Faculty of Record for Advanced Pharmacology

Dr. Frank Kosnoksy

Dr. Frank Kosnoksy

Faculty of Record for Advanced Pathophysiology

Dr. Donna White

Dr. Donna White

Faculty of Record for Advanced Assessment

Dr. Christopher Baker

Dr. Christopher Baker

Faculty

Curriculum

View Course Descriptions
The focus of your online FNP certificate is to help you provide comprehensive, attentive care to family members in varied life stages. This spans infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, older adulthood and families maturing together. The curriculum builds upon each development stage, so from course to course, you can gain a holistic understanding of caring for entire families. Your online Post-Master’s Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner blends flexible coursework with immersive practical experiences. These include extensive clinical experiences and two on-campus labs. It’s how we support your success, helping you enhance your knowledge and practical skills to prepare for national certification exams and Certified Family Nurse Practitioner licensure.
Fall
  • GPNG 533 Advanced Pathophysiology Applications (3 credits)
  • GPNG 550 Clinical Prevention and Population Health Promotion for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)

Spring

  • GPNG 534 Advanced Pharmacology Applications (3 credits)

Summer

  • GPNG 535* Advanced Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning Applications (75 total clinical hours include 50 hours precepted and 25 campus residency hours) (3 credits)

*Students enrolled in GPNG 535 are required to come to campus for three days. In addition to the campus visit, precepted clinical hours are also required for GPNG 535.

Courses italicized are considered clinical courses. Students must refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for all clinical policies and procedures specific to their program.
Fall 
  • GNFN 542 Primary Care I (75 clinical hours) (3 credits)
Spring 
  • GNFN 543 Primary Care II (225 clinical hours) (5 credits)
Summer 
  • GNFN 544* Primary Care III (200 clinical hours; 25 residency hours) (6 credits)

 

*Students enrolled in GNFN 544 must also complete the three day on-campus requirement.

Courses italicized are considered clinical courses. Students must refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for all clinical policies and procedures specific to their program.

Fall
  • GNFN 545 Primary Care IV (225 clinical hours) (6 credit hours)
  • GPNG 546 Transitioning to Role of Advanced Practice Nursing (Comprehensive Exam) (3 credit hours)

Courses italicized are considered clinical courses. Students must refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for all clinical policies and procedures specific to their program.

Ask a Question

Do you have questions about the Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Master’s Certificate program?

Manny Bravo

Enrollment Counselor

School of Nursing

Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the discipline of nursing’s distinct perspective and where shared perspectives exist use an intradisciplinary approach applying clinical judgment founded on a broad knowledge base from theory, research, arts, humanities and other sciences.
  2. Distinguish and promote person-centered care that is holistic, compassionate, evidenced-based, and developmentally sound for individuals, families, communities, and populations in their cultural context for optimal healthcare outcomes.
  3. Develop implementation and dissemination strategies to address the social determinates of health including population health, health equity, and health policy through collaboration with community stakeholders.
  4. Identify, differentiate, and analyze evidence-based practice to improve health outcomes while embracing ethical concepts as a life-long learner.
  5. Transform health care delivery through the development and implementation of quality improvement initiatives to mitigate risk and promote safety of the patient and health professionals.
  6. Participate in the development of critical elements used in interprofessional, team based healthcare to address needs of a population with the purpose of increasing positive patient outcomes.
  7. Organize and execute safe, quality, and equitable care to diverse populations while maintaining cost-effective, just, and responsible stewardship of multiple system resources. 
  8. Embrace various technologies and informatics in safe care and communication to patients, interprofessional team members, and other stakeholders to deliver safe care to diverse populations.
  9. Demonstrate a professional approach in nursing through personal accountability to the individual, society, and the profession incorporating relevant laws, policies, and regulation while recognizing diversity, equity, and inclusion as core to one’s professional nursing identity.
  10. Participate in leadership development activities that foster professional growth and encourage lifelong learning that demonstrate selfcare and reflection by maintaining health and wellness.

Accreditation

The Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Master’s Certificate program at Duquesne University School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

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