Online Post-Master's FNP Certificate Program
Overview
Earn an online post-master’s NP certificate for your goals, on your schedule
Ready to take your next brave step as an NP and move into family nursing? Start here. With Maryville University, you can build the skills and knowledge to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner working with patients across the lifespan, from newborns and adolescents to adults and seniors.
- 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 family nursing with expert faculty.
- Get started quickly with no waiting list once you’re accepted.
What is the online FNP certificate program?
If you want to pursue further NP specialization or enhance your nursing practice with a broader knowledge base, the Family Nurse Practitioner certificate program can help you achieve your goals. FNPs work with patients and families across the lifespan, from infancy through adulthood.
This concentration focuses on building the skills needed to assess, educate, diagnose, and manage the care of individuals and families across the lifespan in a primary care setting. From managing chronic conditions to promoting preventive care and supporting overall health, you’ll be prepared to deliver comprehensive, family-focused care.
Do I need a post-master's NP certificate?
As a master’s-prepared nurse, now is the perfect time to advance your career in an area that aligns with your passions and interests.
A post-master's Family Nurse Practitioner certificate allows you to specialize in family care, pursue a role as an advanced practice nurse, transition into a new focus area, or broaden your expertise in patient care. This certificate equips you with the skills and knowledge to provide comprehensive care for individuals and families, no matter their stage of life.
Why choose Maryville for your post-master's FNP certificate online?
- Earn your certificate from a CCNE-accredited program, ensuring the quality and credibility of your education.
- Benefit from a 24/7 online learning model that fits seamlessly into your busy schedule.
- Explore topics critical to family-focused care and prepare for leadership roles in nursing.
- Engage in clinical inquiry and gain hands-on experience, preparing you to deliver exceptional care to families in real-world settings.
- Learn from experienced faculty and industry leaders who bring their real-world expertise into every course.
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 family nurse practitioner (FNP) certificate program offers the flexibility, support, and convenience you need to prepare for certification. With a comprehensive, hands-on curriculum, you’ll have the opportunity to develop practical skills in family care and apply them to your practice immediately.
Even better, the program allows you to study at your own pace through an easy-to-use online platform.
Keep working as you continue learning
Our online nursing programs are designed to fit into your busy schedule, so you can keep working while earning your FNP certificate. The program includes 35 credit hours, with 18 dedicated to advanced family care concentration courses.
After completing the program, you’ll be ready to pursue diverse career paths and to take the FNP national certification exam.
Want to explore a different nursing specialization?
Earn your FNP certificate online with Maryville and specialize in family-focused care, or choose from four other concentration areas to expand your expertise and meet your professional goals.
Careers
Post-master's NP certification job outlook
According to U.S. News & World Report, it’s a great time to pursue or expand in your nurse practitioner career, as NP ranks No. 1 on its "100 Best Jobs in America" list for 2025. It’s also recognized as the best career in STEM and healthcare.
This is great news for the 290,000+ NPs already practicing in the U.S. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects significant growth in the field, especially in family nursing, driven by an aging population, expanding healthcare needs, and a focus on preventive care.
What can you do with your online post-master's NP certificate?
A post-master's FNP 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 family care and pursue rewarding work serving families and patients of all ages.
Post-master's FNP certificate work settings
Your family NP certificate can qualify you to practice across a diverse range of settings, including the following.
- Hospitals and clinics
- Community care facilities
- In-home care
- Long-term care facilities
- Pediatric clinics
- Rehabilitation facilities
- Retirement homes
- Schools, colleges, and universities
- Telehealth clinics
What is the typical salary for certified FNPs?
According to data compiled by career resource website Indeed, family nurse practitioner is among the 11 highest-paid nursing specialties, with a reported average U.S. salary of around $115,000.
PayScale data shows slightly lower salary projections of around $105,000 but also indicates that the top 10% of earners report salaries of more than $131,000, with factors like location, education, and experience influencing pay.
Prepare for further NP certification
Finishing this program equips you to pursue certification relevant to FNP practice such as the Family Nurse Practitioner Board Certification (FNP-BC®) administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board’s Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification.
Graduating classes from Maryville’s MSN programs consistently beat national pass rate averages for certification exams across disciplines.
What is the career outlook for NPs?
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 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 hold 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 a 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 FNP, 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 Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate Curriculum
If you already hold a master’s degree in nursing and want to advance your career, specialize, or explore a new focus in family care, a post-master’s certificate might be the right choice.
Maryville University understands the growing need for skilled, specialized nurses. That’s why we offer five post-master’s certificate programs, including options for aspiring family nurse practitioners, to help you expand your expertise and provide comprehensive family care.
Our programs are entirely online, giving working nurses the flexibility to advance their skills and immediately apply them to their practice while balancing professional and personal commitments.
Graduate Nursing and Nurse Practitioner Core Courses
Post-NP Certificate | Credits by Concentration
The FNP certificate comprises a total of 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 (6 credit hours)
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.
FNP concentration curriculum (18 credit hours)
This course covers the care of adults experiencing acute, chronic and complex health problems of select body systems in this first of two sequential courses. Current research based interventions are analyzed. Individual, family, and group counseling/education for patients and families are incorporated. Included is primary, secondary and tertiary disease prevention and management of complex symptomatology.
Prerequisite: NURS 611, NURS 612, and NURS 615
Corequisite: NURS 621 or NURS 621C
This course will cover the theoretical, clinical and role components of care by an advanced practice nurse and are integrated in a supervised clinical practicum.
Prerequisite: NURS 611, NURS 612, and NURS 615
Corequisite: NURS 620
This course covers the care of adults experiencing acute, chronic and complex health problems of select body systems in this second of two sequential courses. Current research based interventions are analyzed. Individual, family, and group counseling/education for patients and families are incorporated. Included is primary, secondary and tertiary disease prevention and management of complex symptomatology.
Prerequisite: NURS 620 and NURS 621 or NURS 621C
Corequisite: NURS 624 or NURS 624C
This course will cover the theoretical, clinical and role components of care by an advanced practice provider and are integrated in a supervised clinical practicum. Opportunity is provided for the assessment, management, and evaluation of adults with chronic and acute health problems in a primary care setting.
Prerequisite: NURS 620 and NURS 621
Corequisite: NURS 623
This course prepares Family Nurse Practitioner students to develop expertise and assume responsibility for health promotion, maintenance, and management of chronic and acute illness of children and women’s health. Emphasis is placed on the child within the framework of the family.
Prerequisite: NURS 623 and NURS 624 or NURS 624C
Corequisite: NURS 630 or NURS 630C
This course provides the student with an opportunity to assume responsibility for the primary health care services of individuals and families under clinical supervision. The student is expected to assume increasing responsibility for planning and implementing therapeutic processes and for documenting and evaluating outcomes of care. The role of the FNP in health care promotion and management and collaboration with health professionals.
Prerequisite: NURS 623 and NURS 624
Corequisite: NURS 629
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 FNP certificate?
University details
Founded in 1872 — top-rated 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
Family nurse practitioners who have earned an online post-master’s FNP certification can pursue roles in diverse settings, providing comprehensive care to patients of all ages. This program emphasizes skills tailored to family care, equipping you to manage acute and chronic conditions, promote preventive care, and support the long-term health of individuals and families across the lifespan.
Find out more about career opportunities for post-master's NP graduates.
Our FNP concentration program is designed for master’s-prepared nurses seeking to broaden their expertise or make the transition into family-focused care.
This program helps equip nurses to provide comprehensive care for patients across the lifespan in a primary care setting, emphasizing patient relationships and areas like chronic condition management, health promotion, and preventive care.
Graduates of this program are eligible to pursue certifications related to FNP practice, including the FNP-BC® certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Family Nurse Practitioner certification offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board.
Learners who finish Maryville’s graduate nursing programs consistently surpass national pass rate averages for certification exams across all disciplines.
Maryville’s online post-master’s NP certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), an independent organization that evaluates and recognizes high-quality nursing programs.
Additionally, Maryville University has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1941.
Maryville’s online post-master’s nurse practitioner concentrations give you the opportunity to specialize your education in one of five areas. In addition to FNP, you can pursue certification in the following areas:
Online Post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner (NP) Certification Careers
