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Post-Master’s NP Certification Online Programs
Please see Tuition & Financial Aid for complete details.
Overview
It’s in your nature to care — and to lead.
You’re already a master’s-prepared nurse. Now is the time to focus your career in a specialization that urgently needs experienced nursing leaders.
Enroll in one of Maryville University’s online post-master’s nurse practitioner certificate programs and gain the clinical skills and knowledge you need to earn nurse practitioner (NP) certification in one of five critical areas: family practice, adult-gerontology primary care, adult-gerontology acute care, pediatric primary care, and psychiatric mental health.
Overview
Why choose Maryville for your post-master’s NP certification 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 allows you to plan time for work, life, and family.
- Study important topics that can pave the way to a better future.
- Conduct research via clinical inquiry courses that challenge assumptions.
- Learn from experienced faculty and nursing leaders who share their goals for public health and the nursing profession.
The RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Maryville University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
Program Details
Five Nurse Practitioner (NP) Post-Master's Certificate Online Programs
As the healthcare system evolves, new opportunities in holistic nursing leadership are steadily emerging. Now is the time to build on your current success and prepare for tomorrow with your choice of five post-master's NP certification programs.
Program Details
Why earn your post-master’s NP certification online?
Focus your nursing career on a high-demand specialization.
At Maryville, we’ve designed our 100% online NP certificate programs to offer you a flexible, supportive, and convenient way to pursue NP certification in family practice, adult-gerontology primary care, adult-gerontology acute care, pediatric primary care, or psychiatric mental health. You’ll never have to come to campus, although we’d love to see you walk at graduation.
Program Details
Keep working as you continue learning.
Our online nursing programs are structured so you can continue working while you complete your NP certificate. Upon graduating, you’ll have many career options available to you, including the opportunity to take the national nurse practitioner certification exam in your area of specialty.
Careers
What can you do with your post-master's online NP certificate?
A post-master’s NP certificate can be a valuable credential for nurse practitioners looking to change or add to their specializations with certification in another area. In addition, earning a post-master’s NP certificate frequently results in career advancement and higher pay. By earning your post-master’s NP certificate online, you’ll become eligible to apply for national board certifications in your specialty area of choice.
Careers
Why earn a second post-Master’s NP certification online?
Earning additional post-master’s NP certificates online is a cost-effective way to expand your knowledge into other clinical specialties, increasing your value to employers and enabling you to provide high-quality care for a wider range of patients — or provide expanded services to existing patients. Each post-master’s NP certificate you earn will broaden your knowledge base and afford you more opportunities for career growth.
Careers
Post-Master’s NP Certification Careers
Completing your post-master’s NP certificate online at Maryville can qualify you for roles such as:
- Family nurse practitioner (FNP)
- Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP)
- Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AGACNP)
- Pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP)
- Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP)
Careers
Post-Master’s NP Certification Careers
In settings such as:
- Educational institutions
- Hospitals and clinics
- Private practices
- Outpatient care centers
- Long-term care facilities
Careers
What is the typical salary for an online nurse practitioner post-master’s certificate recipient?
According to PayScale, your online post-master’s NP certificate can qualify you to pursue careers with median annual salaries such as these:
- Family nurse practitioner (FNP): $97,000
- Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP): $90,000
- Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AGACNP): $96,000
- Pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP): $92,000
- Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP): $112,000
Careers
Post-Master’s NP Certification Job Outlook
Certified nurse practitioners are in high-demand. U.S. News & World Report ranked “nurse practitioner” third on its 2021 list of the 100 best jobs in America. That’s great news for the more than 220,000 nurse practitioners practicing in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects career growth to remain strong due to aging baby boomers and an increased focus on preventive care.
With Maryville’s online post-master’s nurse practitioner certificate programs, you can gain the skills and experience to take full advantage of these opportunities.
Careers
What is the career outlook for NPs?
- The BLS projects job openings for nurse practitioners to increase by a massive 52% between 2020 and 2030.
- Psychiatric NP, general NP, and gerontological NP rank among the 15 highest-paying nursing careers, according to Nurseslabs.
- The Association of American Medical Colleges expects the need for nurse practitioners to increase steadily due to an anticipated shortage of between 54,000 and 139,000 primary and specialty care physicians by 2033.
- The median annual pay for nurse practitioners was $111,680 in 2020, according to the BLS.
Nurse Practitioner (NP) Post-Master’s Certificate Online Curriculum
If you’ve already earned your master’s degree in nursing and want to go further, specialize, or pivot in your nursing career, then a nurse practitioner post-master’s certificate online may be for you.
At Maryville University, we understand the breadth of the nursing profession and the specialization it takes to be a bold leader in the field. That’s why we designed our curriculum so you have five post-master’s certificate options to help you expand on your nursing career and practice where you want.
You can complete these certificate programs 100% online — the perfect format for working nurses who want to take their careers further and apply what they’ve learned on the job right away.
This 18-credit track features advanced courses in gerontology, pediatrics, and family health that can help you develop the skills necessary to become a family nurse practitioner and treat patients of all ages.
If you want to devote your practice as a nurse to working with children, you can earn your online PNP certificate. This 15-credit track features advanced courses in health promotion, assessment, and diagnosis of children.
If you want to be a primary care NP who focuses on patients 13 and older, this 12-credit concentration can help you build the skills necessary to provide the best care possible.
Study advanced concepts related to acute care diagnosis and management and learn the skills to become an AGACNP in this 18-credit concentration.
Want to use your nursing degree to help diagnose, treat, and improve mental health? This concentration features 21 credit hours of courses in mental health assessment, diagnosis, and management.
Post-NP Certificate | Credits by Concentration
AGPCNP 29 Credit Hours, AGACNP 35 Credit Hours, FNP 35 Credit Hours, PNP 32 Credit Hours, PMHNP 38 Credit Hours
Graduate Nursing Core Courses
This course provides a theoretical foundation for exploring, analyzing and evaluating advanced nursing practice roles within the health care system. Legal and ethical contexts are included.
This course focuses on health screening, health promotion and disease prevention at the individual, regional and national level. This includes the exploration at the advanced nursing practice role to direct program planning, development, implementation and evaluation to improve healthcare outcomes.
Nurse Practitioner Core Courses (11 credit hours)
Provides the basis for understanding the pathophysiology of diseases and the changes in normal function that result in manifestations indicative of illness across the lifespan.
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.
For the AGACNP concentration you will need:
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
AGPCNP Concentration Curriculum
For the AGPCNP concentration you will need:
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
FNP Concentration Curriculum
For the FNP concentration you will need:
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
PNP Concentration Curriculum
For the PNP concentration you will need:
This course focuses on growth and development and milestones of pediatric patients using theories and evidence based practice. Students will learn anticipatory guidance techniques, health promotion and illness prevention concepts within the pediatric population, incorporating individual, cultural, ethnic, and spiritual preferences.
Prerequisite: NURS 611, NURS 615 and NURS 612 (may also be taken concurrently)
Corequisite: NURS 655C
This course is the first in a two-part pediatric primary care didactic sequence. In this course students will focus on acute and chronic primary health care problems of children and adolescents.
Prerequisite: NURS 611, NURS 612, NURS 615 & NURS 650
Corequisite: NURS 652 or NURS 652C
This is the first practicum course in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) program. Students will apply and integrate concepts presented in the NURS-651 with focus on applying knowledge and skills in pediatric primary care practice settings.
Prerequisite: NURS 650
Corequisite: NURS 651
This course is second in a two-part pediatric primary care didactic sequence. In this course students will focus on acute and chronic primary health care problems of children and adolescents.
Prerequisite: NURS 651 and NURS 652 or NURS 652C
Corequisite: NURS 654 or NURS 654C
This is the second practicum course in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) program. Students will apply and integrate concepts presented in the NURS 653 with focus on applying knowledge and skills in pediatric primary care practice settings.
Prerequisite: NURS 651 and NURS 652
Corequisite: NURS 653
PMHNP Concentration Curriculum
For the PMHNP concentration you will need:*
This course will cover assessment and identification of discrete aspects of cognition, psychopathology, affect and behavior in the diagnosis and treatment planning of psychiatric illness across the life span. Also included is the appropriate use, monitoring and evaluation of prescribing psychotropic medication, including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
Prerequisite: NURS 611, NURS 612 and NURS 615
In this course theories and models will be used to develop an understanding of the etiologies of acute and chronic mental health disorders among adults and older adults. Selection of appropriate treatment strategies including individual and group psychotherapies will be discussed.
Prerequisite: NURS 660
Corequisite: NURS 662 or NURS 662C
This practicum course is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to adult and older adult patients with psychiatric illness. A variety of psychotherapeutic strategies will be explored.
Prerequisite: NURS 660
Corequisite: NURS 661
This is the first of two didactic courses designed to assist the student in development of the advanced practice nursing role with the care and management of individuals with a mental health disorder across the lifespan.
Prerequisite: NURS 661 and NURS 662 or NURS 662C
Corequisite: NURS 664 or NURS 664C
This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to patients with psychiatric illness across the lifespan.
Prerequisite: NURS 661 and NURS 662
Corequisite: NURS 663
This is the second of two didactic courses designed to assist the student in development of the advanced practice nursing role with the care and management of individuals with a mental health disorder across the lifespan.
Prerequisite: NURS 663 and NURS 664 or NURS 664C
Corequisite: NURS 667 or NURS 667C
This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to patients with psychiatric illness across the lifespan.
Prerequisite: NURS 663 and NURS 664
Corequisite: NURS 665
To ensure the best possible educational experience for our students, we may update our curriculum to reflect emerging and changing employer and industry trends. Professional licensure and certification regulations vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Students are encouraged to visit the National Council of State Boards of Nursing for the state in which they intend to practice to verify specific licensure requirements which includes ensuring the program of interest meets the licensure requirements prior to enrolling. Students may visit the professional licensure page or reach out to our team of enrollment advisors for guidance.
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
- Have at least one year of professional nursing experience
- Hold current, unencumbered licensure as an RN in the U.S.
- Official transcripts from every post-secondary school where a degree was earned and any graduate-level coursework
- Copy of curriculum vitae or resume
- Transfer credit request form
Admission Requirements
- 500-word essay, typed and double spaced, describing your interest in becoming a nurse practitioner, how you plan to use your education to affect patient outcomes, and your strategy for finding a preceptor
- Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement will be required to submit one letter of recommendation.
- The acceptance of transfer credit is at the discretion of Maryville University, click to view our transfer credit policy.
Admission Requirements
- Maryville’s online nursing programs require students with an international education background to have their BSN from a CCNE/ACEN accredited program for the MSN and BSN-DNP programs, and their MSN from a CCNE/ACEN accredited program for the Post-Master’s Certificate, DNP, and DNP-NP programs. Please reach out to an enrollment advisor for more information.
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. 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.
Online NP Certificate Programs: Meet Our Faculty
We asked Mykale Elbe, director of the MSN nurse practitioner program and assistant professor of nursing, for her thoughts on the post-master’s NP certificate programs. Read on to learn what she had to say.
Online NP Certificate Programs: Meet Our Faculty
In your opinion, what are the benefits of earning an NP 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.
Online NP Certificate Programs: Meet Our Faculty
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.
Nurse practitioners who have earned a post-master’s NP certification online may pursue roles in a variety of settings, serving a wide range of patients. Completing your online post-master’s certificate in nursing can prepare you for careers such as:
- Family nurse practitioner (FNP)
- Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP)
- Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AGACNP)
- Pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP)
- Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP)
Find out more about career opportunities for post-master's NP graduates.
The median annual salary for nursing professionals holding a post-master’s NP certificate from a U.S. higher education institution was about $104,000 as of September 2021, according to PayScale.
Yes, Maryville’s online post-master’s NP certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). In addition, Maryville University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and has maintained this distinction since 1941.
Most students complete one of our online post-master’s NP certificate programs in about two years of part-time study. Students with eligible transfer credits often complete their programs sooner.
Maryville’s online post-master’s nurse practitioner concentrations give you the opportunity to specialize your education in one of five areas: