Nurse Practitioner

Nurse Practitioner

With a nurse practitioner education, you will attain the advanced skills and knowledge you need to provide high-quality health care.

Program Details

Prepare yourself for the next step in your nursing career with our predominately online nurse practitioner programs, offering three specialty tracks to choose from:

  • Adult/Gerontology Acute Care
  • Family/Individual Across the Lifespan

All three speciality tracks include Post-Master’s Certificate options for those students who enter the program with an existing MSN degree.

The NP program requires a minimum of 720 clinical hours. Students work with faculty to arrange clinical placements and procure preceptors. State of the art simulation techniques and a rigorous curriculum ensure that our NP graduates are ready to provide high-quality care.

The Nurse Practitioner faculty are seasoned, graduate-level nursing faculty who maintain a clinical practice in the specialty areas they teach. The flexible online course schedules allow registered nurses to continue full or part-time employment while preparing for this degree.

At the successful completion of the MSN-NP program, students are eligible to take the certification exam that aligns to the program track completed.

Job Growth Rate
52%
New Jobs
(Per Year)
29.4k
Median Salary
$113,390

Applicants will be evaluated through a competitive admission process by the graduate nursing faculty, which will include NP prepared faculty.

PA College does not currently admit students who reside outside of Pennsylvania for the MSN-NP program. The program is in the process of determining if the NP curriculum meets requirements for licensure outside of Pennsylvania.

MSN-NP Admissions Requirements:

  • Hold an unencumbered RN licensure in the state where clinical practice will occur.
  • Hold a BSN degree from a regionally accredited institution. If student does not possess a BSN, refer to RN to MSN Bridge requirements.
  • Hold a preferred undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0-point scale.
  • Complete an undergraduate course in statistics from an accredited institution with a minimum passing grade of “C”.
  • Complete an undergraduate health assessment course from an accredited institution with a minimum passing grade of “C”.
  • Must have a minimum of two (2) years and 3,000 hours of clinical experience prior to starting clinical courses NUR 721, NUR 731, or NUR 741.
  • Submit a curriculum vitae or resume highlighting relevant nursing accomplishments and experience.
  • Provide a written statement clearly identifying the applicant’s career goals and how admission to the program will facilitate professional goals.
  • Provide two letters of recommendation: at least one from an NP/MD/DO/MSN/ doctorally-prepared nurse who can attest to the applicant’s clinical knowledge, and one from a nursing leader with an MSN or doctoral degree (nursing supervisor/manager/ nursing professor).
  • One official transcript from every college or university attended.

PA College cannot guarantee clinical rotations for students who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine.

RN to MSN Bridge Option

Nurse Practitioner Curriculum

The nurse practitioner course requirements include MSN core courses, nurse practitioner core courses and courses specific to the chosen track. The nurse practitioner curriculum is organized to continue the development of values, understandings, knowledge, and skills needed in all aspects of practice as an NP and emphasizes specialty areas. It is also consistent with State Board content requirements and all courses reflect each of those content elements. The following indicates the number of credits and the number of clinical hours for each track:

Students entering the NP program will choose one of the population-focused tracks and complete all nurse practitioner classes to meet eligibility requirements to become nationally certified and licensed as an NP.

Adult/Gerontology Acute Care:

Total Credits: 52
Total Clinical Hours: 720

Family/Individual Across the Lifespan:

Total Credits: 53
Total Clinical Hours: 720

Sample Plans of Study

Sample curriculum plans for each track are found below:

Master’s Degree NP Program

The hybrid NP Program offers some nurse practitioner courses exclusively online, and others through a blend of online and face-to-face meetings. NP specialty courses meet eight to sixteen hours per semester on campus for an On-Campus Intensive (OCI). NUR 642 may meet on campus for additional health assessment practice sessions, in the Center for Clinical Excellence in Practice.

The following tables list the format for course delivery, including the MSN Core courses (which are requirements for all tracks), the nurse practitioner core courses (also requirements for all tracks), and the program-specific courses for each NP track:

MSN Core Courses

NP Core Courses

Population-focused Courses: Adult/Gerontology Acute Care NP

Population-focused Courses: Family/Individual Across the Lifespan

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

All program applicants must meet general admission requirements.

View Requirements
Tuition

Tuition & Fees

Get information on per-credit and program-specific tuition rates.

More Information
Course Delivery

Course Delivery

This course is offered both
online and in-person.

View Delivery Chart

Accreditation

The Master’s degree program in nursing and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Interested in transferring to PA College?

See how PA College can fit into your health sciences education, and learn how to transfer your credits and financial aid.

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It's never too late to learn.

PA College is focused on preparing adult learners for continued success in health care.

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Meet the Faculty

Andrea Petrokonis

Andrea Petrokonis DNP, FNP-BC

Adjunct Faculty

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Cassandra Haddad

Cassandra Haddad

Graduate Adjunct Faculty

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Dolores Minchhoff

Dolores (Dee) Minchhoff, DNP, APRN-BC

Professor, Track Coordinator FNP

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Elise Hartranft

Elise Hartranft, DNP, CRNP, ACNP-BC

AGACNP Track Coordinator

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Justine Hudgins

Justine Hudgins MSN, CRNP, CNRN, AGACNP

Graduate Nursing Faculty

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Maria Leech

Maria E. B. Leech, MSN, AGACNP-BC, CRNP, RN, CCRN

Adjunct Faculty

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Maria Pfrommer

Maria Pfrommer, DNP, Ph.D.

Professor and Director of Nurse Practitioner Programs

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Mona Williams-Gregory, PhD, DNP, ACNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, RN

Professor

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Neil Mendonca

Neil Mendonca, PMHNP, MSN, RN

PMHNP Track Coordinator, Faculty - Graduate Education

View Bio
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