Prepare for a fulfilling, autonomous family nurse practitioner (FNP) career through an online, faith-based program that aligns with your life and values.
Spring Arbor University's online Post-Master’s FNP Certificate program is recognized by Colleges of Distinction for its engaged students, great teaching, vibrant community and successful outcomes and prepares you to treat patients of all ages through learning experiences that center on compassionate care across each stage of the lifespan.
As a student in the online Family Nurse Practitioner certification program, you can:
- Continue working full-time as you earn your certificate on your own schedule.
- Enjoy a week off in between classes with our 7-1-7 model (7-week courses, 1-week breaks).
- Receive dedicated support from a Student Success Coach who will guide you through the program, helping you find a work-school-life balance.
- Join a close community of motivated students and caring faculty.
- Complete your certificate prepared to take the FNP-BC™ certification exam (FNP-C).
- Experience spiritual growth through a quality educational journey rooted in faith.
Two entryways:
- NP to FNP - Designed for APRNs who want to deepen knowledge and clinical expertise to provide care for patients of all ages.
- NON-NP to FNP - Designed for MSN degree holders who want to acquire the skills to treat patients of all ages.
For more information about our online PMC-FNP program, request a program guide.
Online Post-Master’s FNP Certificate Fast Facts
- 12 to 18 months (depending on prior NP certification)
- $767 per credit hour
- 250 to 625 clinical hours
Designed for Working Nurses
- Take one seven-week course at a time and enjoy a week off in between
- Begin your certificate at the right time for you — choose from six intake dates a year
- Flexible login times — complete your assignments on your own schedule
Inspiring Outcomes
- Become prepared for certification through a quality educational experience
- Ranked on a national and regional level for its academic quality and value
A Caring Community
- Small class sizes and caring, connected faculty provide a personal learning experience
- Dedicated student success advisor to support you from enrollment to completion, as well as career development support
- Faith-based educational philosophy that considers Christian perspectives in nursing practice and values spiritual growth
Admission Requirements
- MSN degree from an accredited program
- Official graduate transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended
- 3.0 GPA calculated from the most recent 60 academic credits
- A current nursing license from your state of employment
- Online application
- Short personal statement
Prerequisite Courses
- Advanced Pharmacology
- Advanced Pathophysiology
- Advanced Physical Assessment
- Health Promotion Across the Lifespan
- Some additional prerequisites may apply
Spring Arbor University is recognized as a “Best Value” school by U.S. News & World Report. The online PMC-FNP program provides academic quality with competitively priced tuition of $767 per credit hour.
You may also be eligible to receive financial aid. SAU will work with you to determine any benefits for which you qualify, including student aid, military discounts and tax benefits.
The post-graduate APRN certificate program at Spring Arbor University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
The online FNP certificate program will develop your advanced nursing knowledge and clinical reasoning while empowering your spiritual growth.
As a student in the program, you will:
- Understand Population-Specific Care: Gain the necessary knowledge to provide evidence-based primary healthcare to infants, children and antepartum women, considering factors such as epidemiology, socioeconomic background, age, cultural norms and level of disease risk.
- Grow a Spirit of Service: Address healthcare disparities by delivering compassionate care and advocating for underserved populations and their healthcare needs, as exemplified by the Christian worldview.
- Build a Leadership Mindset: Reach a new level of professionalism and intellectual development as you evolve into a nursing leader. Learn how to facilitate healthy behavioral changes through compassionate, family-focused care.
- Gain Advanced Nursing Competencies: Apply the knowledge, skills and competencies essential to the holistic health management of childbearing women and their families to promote well-being and resiliency among family units.
Contact us to discuss Spring Arbor University's online FNP certificate program.
This course prepares the family nurse practitioner-student to examine evidence-based principles of nursing care in the context of family and nursing theory, and to apply this knowledge to clinical practice within diverse family systems, all from a Christian perspective. Students will onsider and apply the knowledge, skills and competencies essential to the holistic management of child-bearing women and their families, both as independent providers and within a multidisciplinary team. Students will focus on the care of healthy ante-partum women and those with health pattern variations that may result in at-risk pregnancies. Emphasis is placed on collaborative management of women and families during pregnancy. Concepts focused on promoting well-being will be explored, with an emphasis on family interventions that promote resiliency as well as the health and well-being of the family.
This course will present critical concepts the advanced practice nurse can use in delivering evidence-based nursing for the adult population. Using a holistic approach, students will apply theory to practice.
This course prepares students with the skills to function as an advanced practice nurse in addressing chronic and complex alterations in health experienced by the older adult. Gerontology concepts will be applied in meeting the biological, psychosocial, mental, and spiritual needs of the older adult. Students will combine history taking, physical examination techniques, and diagnostic interpretation with problem-solving and clinical strategies.
This course prepares the family nurse practitioner to provide evidence-based, primary health care to infants and children, all from a Christian perspective. Using a holistic approach, students examine the scientific basis of common health problems and factors influencing nursing management of these problems. Relevant nursing interventions for common health problems of children in families are explored, as are the responses and adaptations of the child and family to common health problems. Students will consider and apply the knowledge, skills and competencies essential to the holistic management of children and families, both as independent providers and within a multidisciplinary team. Students will combine history taking, physical examination techniques and diagnostic interpretation with problem-solving and clinical strategies.
Gain access to full course descriptions, program details and tuition information.
For a complete listing of courses, download a program guide.
Featured courses:
Family nurse practitioners can provide the full spectrum of primary care services, just as primary care physicians do. They prescribe medication, perform examinations, diagnose illnesses and provide treatment for patients ranging from infants to older adults.
In some states, FNPs can practice independently. FNPs work in a variety of healthcare settings, including:
- Hospital outpatient clinics
- Private group practices
- Community health centers
- Schools
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) reports that there are more than 325,000 nurse practitioners in the country, and 7 out of 10 of them are certified as FNPs.
AANP estimates that NPs improved access to patient-centered care by providing more than 1.06 billion patient visits last year.
Benefits of Becoming an FNP
Becoming a family nurse practitioner can fulfill your passion for service and healthcare advocacy for patients across the life span. Other benefits include:
- Increased salary and career opportunities
- Better work-life balance with a more traditional work schedule
- New level of independence and leadership
- Versatility to work in a wide range of care environments
By earning your online FNP post-master’s certificate, you’ll be prepared to meet the surging demand for primary care providers.
Job Outlook
The job outlook for all types of NPs is exploding. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that projected employment for this profession is expected to grow 52% through the year 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. It notes the median annual wage of NPs is $115,000, which is 42% higher than that of RNs, according to the AANP.
*National Council for Mental Wellbeing
**American Association of Nurse Practitioners
***U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
