What Courses are Required for Nursing Certificates

The courses in a post-master’s nursing certificate program include core courses as well as courses specific to each program’s specialization. Maryville offers five nursing certificate specialization options:

• Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AGACNP)
• Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP)
• Family nurse practitioner (FNP)
• Pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP)
• Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP)

At Maryville, courses required for nursing certificates include six credit hours of graduate nursing core courses, 11 credit hours of nurse practitioner core courses, and between 12 and 21 credit hours of concentration-specific courses. Most courses count for three credits.

Students interested in earning a nurse practitioner certificate need to complete the following core nursing courses:

Professional Role Development (NURS 603)

This course offers a theoretical basis for examining, assessing, and appraising the roles of advanced practice nurses in the healthcare system. It covers the legal and ethical framework that governs the practice of advanced nursing.

Health Promotion/Disease Prevention (NURS 610)

Advanced practice RNs play a key role in influencing and shaping the health behaviors of individuals, groups, and communities. This course emphasizes the importance of health promotion, risk assessment, health screening, and target needs assessment for patients of various backgrounds.

Advanced Pathophysiology (NURS 611)

This course is designed to provide students with the foundational knowledge needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of diseases, recognize signs of illness, and link observable symptoms to formulate diagnoses.

Advanced Health Assessment (NURS 612)

This five-credit course provides information on how to integrate medical history, physical and psychological changes, and psychosocial differences to determine patients’ health status and risks, develop strategies for promoting health, and establish priorities for care.

Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics (NURS 615)

The primary responsibility of nurse practitioners is to identify and recommend suitable treatment plans for patients dealing with a variety of health issues. This course emphasizes how fundamental knowledge of medications is needed to safely prescribe medications for various illnesses.

The AGACNP concentration requires a total of 35 credit hours, including core and concentration nursing courses. Students interested in earning the AGACNP certificate need to complete the following courses in addition to the core courses:

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management I (NURS 640)

This didactic management course emphasizes the application of evidence-based theory and research to individuals dealing with commonly encountered acute illnesses. Students will also examine practice guidelines, learn how to develop differential diagnoses, and develop decision-making skills.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum I (NURS 641)

This initial practicum course involves applying and incorporating the principles covered in NURS 640. The primary emphasis is on using acquired knowledge and skills in acute care settings.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management II (NURS 642)

This second didactic management course focuses on decision-making in managing acute and emergent physiological changes in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary, endocrine, hematology-oncology, OB-GYN, and infectious disease disorders.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum II (NURS 643)

This second practicum course centers on the practical application and integration of concepts covered in NURS 642. The course emphasizes the delivery of comprehensive healthcare to patients with complex, acute, and critical conditions.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management III (NURS 644)

This final didactic management course focuses on further enhancing students’ knowledge and decision-making skills in managing acute and emergent physiological changes. Management of burns, toxicology/ingestions, trauma, neurological issues, sepsis, shock states, multisystem disorders, end-of-life care, and intensive life support are also covered.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum III (NURS 645)

This final practicum course involves the practical application and integration of concepts covered in NURS 644. The course places a strong emphasis on delivering comprehensive healthcare to patients with acute, complex, and critical conditions.

The AGPCNP concentration requires a total of 29 credit hours, including core and concentration nursing courses. Students interested in earning the AGPCNP certificate need to complete the following courses in addition to the core courses:

NURS 620 Adult-Gerontology Health Care I (NURS 620)

This course focuses on best practices in providing care for adults facing acute, chronic, or complex health issues. The course emphasizes the importance of taking thorough histories, making differential diagnoses, managing healthcare problems, and documenting findings in urban and rural primary care settings.

Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum I (NURS 621)

In this supervised clinical practicum, the theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are applied under the guidance of a board-certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. This practicum provides students with the opportunity to assess, manage, and evaluate individuals across different age groups.

Adult-Gerontology Health Care II (NURS 623)

This course focuses on how to address the needs of adults experiencing challenges ranging from common short- and long-term conditions to intricate and multiple health issues. The course emphasizes the significance of conducting comprehensive patient interviews, distinguishing between potential diagnoses, efficiently handling patients’ healthcare problems, and accurately recording observations.

Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum II (NURS 624)

This supervised clinical practicum focuses on various aspects of providing care including while under the guidance of a board-certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Similar to NURS 621, this practicum provides students with the opportunity to evaluate and assess patients across various age groups who are experiencing common and complex health problems.

The FNP concentration requires a total of 35 credit hours, including core and concentration nursing courses. The FNP concentration includes four of the above courses required for the AGPCNP concentration:

• Adult-Gerontology Health Care I (NURS 620)
• Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum I (NURS 621)
• Adult-Gerontology of Health Care II (NURS 623)
• Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum II (NURS 624)

In addition, students interested in earning the FNP certificate need to complete the following two courses:

Pediatric/Family Health Care (NURS 629)

This course focuses on providing care to childbearing women, children, and their families who are facing complex and multiple health problems. The course prepares family nurse practitioners with the specialized knowledge needed to promote, maintain, and manage the health of children and women during their reproductive years.

Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum (NURS 630)

This practicum course allows students to take responsibility for providing care to individuals and families while being supervised by an experienced nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Throughout the practicum, students will progressively assume more responsibility in planning and implementing therapeutic interventions and documenting and assessing the outcomes of care.

The PNP concentration requires a total of 32 credit hours, including core and concentration nursing courses. Students interested in earning the PNP certificate need to complete the following courses in addition to the core courses:

Health Promotion of the Pediatric Population (NURS 650)

This course emphasizes the various stages of pediatric development, employing both theoretical knowledge and evidence-based practices. The course emphasizes the importance of implementing appropriate health promotion and illness prevention strategies within the pediatric population.

Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis I (NURS 651)

In this course, students are introduced to the advanced nursing management of pediatric patients in a primary care setting. The course covers topics such as taking comprehensive histories, performing physical examinations, and using pediatric-focused diagnostic tests and screening tools.

Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis Practicum I (NURS 652)

In collaboration with clinical preceptors, students in this course gain practical experience working with pediatric patients in primary care and other settings to develop the competencies required to work as PNPs. This course teaches students about case management, provider collaboration, and specialist referrals.

Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis II (NURS 653)

This course aims to expand the primary care role of students and their involvement in interprofessional teams. The course content primarily focuses on advanced nursing management of pediatric patients who present with various diseases and ailments commonly encountered by PNPs in primary care settings.

Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis Practicum II (NURS 654)

Students in this practicum are supervised by clinical preceptors as they begin to take on more independent responsibilities in conducting physical assessments, identifying pathophysiological conditions, analyzing diagnostic results, starting pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies, providing patient education, and creating plans for disease management and health promotion for pediatric patients.

The PMHNP concentration requires a total of 38 credit hours, including core and concentration nursing courses. Students interested in earning the PMHNP certificate need to complete the following courses in addition to the core courses:

Psychopharmacology and Mental Health Assessment (NURS 660)

This course explores assessment, psychopathology, and differential diagnosis in advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nursing. It provides information about the use of psychotropic drugs for the holistic treatment of both acute and chronic psychiatric-mental health disorders.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management I (NURS 661)

This course concentrates on the comprehensive assessment and intervention processes for young, midlife, and geriatric adults. Various theories and models offer insight into the underlying causes of acute and chronic mental health disorders and appropriate treatment strategies for these populations.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum I (NURS 662)

This practicum course explores a range of psychotherapeutic treatment strategies. The course emphasizes evidence-based practice and research-based clinical decision-making in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of various DSM-5 disorders among adults and older adults.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management II (NURS 663)

This course offers students the chance to assess and implement evidence-based approaches to promote health and to diagnose and manage psychiatric illnesses in children, adolescents, and their families. This course is designed to help students expand their knowledge in diverse theories and models to comprehend the underlying causes of complex mental health disorders.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum II (NURS 664)

This practicum course aims to integrate advanced practice knowledge in the care of children, adolescents, and their families struggling with psychiatric illnesses. Throughout this course, students will apply relevant theories to effectively manage complex psychiatric symptoms and various DSM-5 disorders.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management III (NURS 665)

This course aims to further expand students’ knowledge of various theories and models to enhance their understanding of complex mental health disorders. Students will also develop advanced knowledge of diverse psychopharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions, including individual and group psychotherapies.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum III (NURS 667)

This practicum course aims to integrate advanced practice knowledge specific to psychiatric-mental health specialties. Through the utilization of advanced evidence-based practice knowledge and research-based clinical decision-making, students will evaluate, diagnose, treat, and assess a range of DSM-5 disorders across the life span while operating in a more advanced role.

The many benefits of earning a post-master’s nursing certificate include the following:

• Greater marketability: Employment of nurse practitioners is projected to grow by 46% between 2021 and 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which is much faster than the average growth projected for all occupations. Developing advanced knowledge and skills in a specific area demonstrates a nurse’s commitment to their professional growth.
• Enhanced career advancement opportunities: Many advanced positions and leadership roles, such as nurse manager, nurse educator, and chief nursing officer roles, require applicants to hold a master’s degree or higher.
• Improved earning potential: As of May 2021, the median annual salary for nurse practitioners was $120,680, according to the BLS. This is more than $43,000 higher than the median annual salary for registered nurses.

Are you ready to take the next brave step toward advancing your nursing career? Discover how earning a specialized online post-master’s nursing certificate from Maryville University can provide you with the unique skills you need to understand healthcare systems and deliver advanced care to patients as a nurse practitioner. Explore the nurse practitioner certificate curriculum and learn more about the required courses for nursing certification today.