Online Post-Master's AGACNP Certificate
Overview
Earn an online post-master’s NP certificate for your goals, on your schedule
Ready to take your next brave step as a nurse and move into adult-gerontology nursing? Start here. With Maryville University, you can build the skills and knowledge to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner taking care of adults across the lifespan in acute care settings.
- Access coursework 100% online with no campus visits required.
- Apply with no GMAT, GRE, or statistics needed.
- Complete clinicals locally in your preferred setting.
- Study adult-gerontology nursing with expert faculty.
- Get started quickly with no waiting list once you’re accepted.
What is the online AGACNP certificate program?
Do you thrive as a nurse in an acute care environment? The Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP certificate can help you build graduate-level nursing skills to work with patients across the adult lifespan.
This concentration equips you with the essential skills to evaluate, educate, diagnose, and treat adult patients across the lifespan in acute or urgent care environments. Learn to perform key NP duties, such as managing critical illnesses and injuries, addressing chronic conditions, and providing preventive care.
Do I need a post-master's NP certificate?
You’re already a master’s-prepared nurse. Now is the time to focus on your career in a specialization that urgently needs experienced nursing leaders.
Your post-master's NP certificate can help you specialize your skills to pursue work as a nurse practitioner, move into a new concentration area, or expand the scope of your nursing knowledge, skills, and practice. Your NP certificate can help you build toward the nursing career you want, and Maryville helps make it possible with convenient online flexibility.
Why choose Maryville for your post-master's AGACNP certificate online?
- Graduate from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
- Enjoy the convenience of a 24/7 online learning model that helps you work around your personal and professional obligations.
- Study important topics that help you work toward the future you want in nursing.
- Conduct research and prepare for practice via clinical inquiry courses and practical, real-world nursing experiences.
- Learn from expert faculty and nursing leaders who teach from their experience in the field.
Maryville University is also recognized as one of the best online nursing school master’s programs for 2023 by The Princeton Review and one of the best online master’s in nursing programs by U.S. News & World Report.
Program Details
Focus your nursing career on your terms
Our fully online Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP certificate program is designed to provide flexibility, support, and convenience as you prepare for certification. The comprehensive, hands-on curriculum helps you build practical nursing skills and gain experience, allowing you to apply what you learn to your practice right away.
Even better, you can complete the program on your own schedule through our user-friendly online platform.
Keep working as you continue learning
Our online nursing programs are structured so you can continue working while you complete your NP certificate. The AGACNP certificate program comprises a total of 35 credit hours, including 18 credit hours of concentration work.
Upon graduating, you can pursue the many career options available to you, including the opportunity to take the national nurse practitioner certification exam in your area of specialty.
Should I choose primary care or acute care?
Primary care nurses focus on providing long-term care, fostering strong relationships to help manage chronic conditions, encourage preventive healthcare, and promote overall well-being. This role is perfect for those who prioritize continuity and personalized care.
In contrast, acute care nurses excel in dynamic environments such as hospitals or emergency rooms, where they provide urgent care to patients facing critical or severe conditions.
Want to explore a different nursing specialization?
You can earn your AGACNP certificate online with Maryville, or you can explore four other concentration areas to expand your practice and pursue your goals.
Careers
Post-master's NP certification job outlook
Certified nurse practitioners are in high demand. According to U.S. News & World Report, NP ranks No. 1 on its "100 Best Jobs in America" list for 2025. It also tops the lists for “Best STEM Jobs” and “Best Health Care Jobs.”
This is exciting news for the 290,000+ nurse practitioners currently working in the U.S. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts strong career growth, with adult-gerontology nursing careers in particular driven by an aging population, evolving healthcare policies, and a greater emphasis on preventive care.
What can you do with your online post-master's NP certificate?
A post-master's AGACNP certificate is a great option for nurse practitioners wanting to expand their expertise or shift to a new specialty. Additionally, it can open doors to career growth and increased earnings.
Completing your post-master's NP certificate online allows you to qualify for national board certifications in your chosen specialty.
Post-master's AGACNP certificate work settings
Your Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP certificate can qualify you to practice across a diverse range of settings, including the following.
- Hospitals and clinics
- Community health centers
- In-home care
- Long-term care facilities
- Rehabilitation facilities
- Retirement homes
What is the typical salary for certified AGACNPs?
Data from career site Indeed shows that AGACNP ranks among the 11 highest-paying nursing specialties.
PayScale reports the median salary for AGACNP-certified nurses in 2025 is around $108,000, with top earners making over $128,000. Factors like location, education, and experience can influence salaries.
NP-prepared nurses also may choose to pursue careers outside of the standard practice environment, such as research, management, consultation, administration, and education.
Prepare for further NP certification
Once you finish the AGACNP certificate program, you’re equipped to pursue relevant certification in this area.
This program is designed to prepare you to sit for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP-BC®) certification exam administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
What is the career outlook for NPs?
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts NP job openings will grow by 46% from 2023 to 2033, far outpacing the average for all jobs.
- The median salary for NPs was $129,210 in 2024, per the BLS.
- Psychiatric, pediatric, family, and gerontological NPs rank among the top 11 highest-paying nursing roles, according to online career resource Indeed.
- A shortage of NPs and primary care doctors means new NPs have more chances to make a difference, especially in underserved areas.
If I’m already NP certified, should I pursue a second specialization?
Do you already own NP certification in a different field from a previous MSN or post-master's certificate program? You can expand your practice and open more opportunities by pursuing specialization in a second area.
At Maryville, we offer online NP certificates across five concentrations, so you can earn new credentials that may increase your value to employers and enable you to provide high-quality care for wider range of patients — or provide expanded services to existing patients.
Post-master's NP certificate careers
Want to explore NP opportunities beyond your current certification? In addition to AGACNP, Maryville offers four other online NP certificate options:
Testimonials
“With the price, program, and flexibility, Maryville really stood out — they had the exact program I wanted. After talking with enrollment advisors from each of the schools about how long it would take, how much it would cost, how much of my time is invested — Maryville came out on top.”
— Krystal D., Maryville NP Certificate Grad (PMHNP)
“Maryville offered a variety of learning methods ... I found it a much more interactive online experience. I worked full time the entire time. So even as a nurse practitioner student, I worked two jobs. Still, I work full time for the Department of Health and I work part time for the Joint Commission, and I was able to keep those up while still going to Maryville.”
— Kathryn F., Maryville NP Certificate Grad (AGACNP)
Move forward in your nursing career
Curriculum
Online Post-Master’s Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) Certificate Curriculum
If you’ve already earned a master’s degree in nursing and are looking to advance, specialize, or shift focus in your career, a post-master’s certificate could be the next step.
Maryville University recognizes the diversity and expertise required in the nursing field. That’s why we offer five post-master’s certificate options designed to help you grow your career and practice in your chosen area of focus.
Our programs are 100% online, providing a flexible option for working nurses who want to advance their careers and apply new skills directly to their practice.
Graduate Nursing and Nurse Practitioner Core Courses
Post-NP Certificate | Credits by Concentration
The total number of credits required for your online AGACNP certificate is 35 credit hours. This includes 6 credit hours of graduate-level nursing core courses, 11 credit hours of general NP courses, and 18 credit hours of concentration coursework.
Graduate Nursing Core Courses
Nurse Practitioner Core Courses (11 credit hours)
This course explores focused and comprehensive health assessments in a variety of settings and patients across the lifespan. This includes development of health promotion strategies and prioritization of care.
Prerequisite: Online - NURS 611, NURS 615
Corequisite: On Ground - NURS 615
This course focuses on the pharmacological foundation for safely prescribing medical regimens of illnesses for individuals across the lifespan. Also included are illness prevention, non-pharmacological and legal implications for prescriptive authority for the nurse practitioner.
Note: Selection of appropriate therapies, patient education and evaluation parameters are stressed.
AGACNP concentration curriculum (18 credit hours)
This is the first didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program. Focus is on individuals experiencing illness seen in the acute care setting. Students will analyze practice guidelines and develop differential diagnoses, implement clinical judgment and decision-making, as it relates to evidence based care management.
Prerequisite: NURS 611, NURS 612, and NURS 615
Corequisite: NURS 641 or NURS 641C
First practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Students will apply and integrate concepts presented in NURS-640 with focus on applying knowledge and skills in acute care practice settings.
Prerequisite: NURS 611, NURS 612, and NURS 615
Corequisite: NURS 640
This course is the second didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program. Students will continue to expand on knowledge, decision making and management of acute and emergent physiological alterations in health. Students will analyze practice guidelines and develop differential diagnoses, implement clinical judgment and decision-making, as it relates to evidence based care management.
Prerequisite: NURS 640 and NURS 641 or NURS 641C
Corequisite: NURS 643 or NURS 643C
This is the second practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Students will apply and integrate concepts presented in the NURS 642 with focus on comprehensive health care to complex, acute and critically ill patients in a clinical, preceptored practicum experience.
Prerequisite: NURS 640 and NURS 641
Corequisite: NURS 642
This is the final didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Students will continue to analyze practice guidelines and develop differential diagnoses, implement clinical judgment and decision-making, as it relates to evidence based care management in complex symptomology.
Prerequisite: NURS 640, NURS 641 or NURS 641C, NURS 642 and NURS 643 or NURS 643C
Corequisite: NURS 645 or NURS 645C
This is the final practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. The student will apply and integrate concepts presented in the NURS-644 with focus on comprehensive health care to complex, acute and critically ill patients in a clinical, preceptored practicum experience.
Prerequisite: NURS 642 and NURS 643
Corequisite: NURS 644
Admission Requirements
- MSN degree from a regionally accredited institution and CCNE/ACEN/CNEA accredited nursing program
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all college work
- At least one year of professional nursing experience
- Current, unencumbered licensure as an RN in the U.S.
- Official transcripts from every post-secondary school where you earned a degree or completed any graduate-level coursework
- Transfer credit request form
Admission notes
Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement will be required to submit a personal statement explaining the low grades and outlining plans for improvement.
The acceptance of transfer credit is at the discretion of Maryville University. View our transfer credit policy here.
Maryville’s online MSN and BSN-DNP programs require students with an international education background to have their BSN from a CCNE/ACEN accredited program. Please reach out to an enrollment advisor for more information.
Interested in earning your AGACNP certificate?
University details
Founded in 1872 — top ranked today
Maryville University is proud to be recognized as one of America’s best colleges by U.S. News & World Report and Forbes.
At Maryville, we invite future nursing leaders to be brave and expand their potential. Let’s be brave together.
Online NP Certificate Programs: Meet Our Faculty
In your opinion, what are the benefits of earning a post-master’s certificate online?
A post-master’s NP certificate allows for expansion of career opportunities and further training to better prepare students for areas they may already be practicing in that are outside of their original role.
Why should students choose to complete this program online at Maryville?
An online NP certificate program gives students more flexibility than in-person programs, which is especially beneficial to practicing nurses and NPs.
What can post-master's nursing students do to ensure that patient-centered care is at the forefront of their practice?
Students can continue to learn and educate themselves to stay up to date with the latest evidence-based practices, which will help ensure better patient outcomes.
In your opinion, what are some of the trending areas of focus in the nursing industry?
With COVID-19, we have a rising need for nurse practitioners in acute care and psychiatric mental health settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nurse practitioners who have earned an online post-master’s NP certification in adult-gerontology acute care may pursue roles in a variety of settings, serving a wide range of adult patients across the lifespan. While this program focuses partially on skills that can help you in a variety of nursing roles, the AGACNP certificate is designed to give you the skills to work in settings that call for acute or urgent care.
Find out more about career opportunities for post-master's NP graduates.
Our AGACNP concentration program is tailored for master's-prepared nurses looking to expand their expertise or make a transition into a new specialty.
The AGACNP concentration helps prepare nurses to care for adults and older patients in acute care settings. This includes managing complex, critical conditions, providing advanced treatments, and focusing on rapid decision-making in high-pressure environments.
Graduates of this program are eligible to sit for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP-BC®) certification exam administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Graduating classes from Maryville’s NP certificate programs consistently beat national pass rate averages for certification exams across disciplines.
In addition to the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP concentration, we offer four other online post-master’s nurse practitioner concentrations to give you the opportunity to specialize your education and practice:
Online Post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner (NP) Certification Careers
