2014-2015

Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner, Master of Science

Nursing

College of Health and Human Services

Our family nurse practitioner plan prepares you to deliver primary care to underserved rural populations. You will also be eligible for state certification in Arizona, for application for prescribing and dispensing privileges in Arizona, and for application for national certification as a family nurse practitioner.

This program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

This plan will not be available to new students after Summer 2023

  • To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.

    You must additionally complete:

    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s). This may include a thesis.
    • All graduate work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
    • All work toward the master's degree must be completed within six consecutive years. The six years begins with the semester and year of admission to the program.

    Read the full policy here.

In addition to University Requirements:

Minimum Units for Completion 48
Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Fieldwork Experience/Internship Required
Arizona Certification/Endorsement

Prepares student for Arizona Certification and/or Endorsement.
Thesis Thesis may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option.
Research Individualized research may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option.
Additional Fees/Program Fees Required
Some online/blended coursework Required
Progression Plan Link View Program of Study
Student Learning Outcomes

Outcomes align with Standards from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
 
All Students in M. S. Nursing Degrees will be able to

  • Clinical Practice and Prevention:
Design patient-centered and culturally responsive strategies in the delivery of clinical prevention and health promotion interventions and/or services to individuals, families, communities, and aggregates/clinical populations.
  • Communication:
    • Develop and collaborate within interprofessional teams and partnerships by using effective communication strategies.
    • Advance patient education, enhance accessibility of care, analyze practice patterns, and improve health care and nurse sensitive outcomes by using information and communication technologies.
  • Critical reasoning:
Integrate theory, evidence, clinical judgment, research, and interprofessional
perspectives using translational processes to improve practice and associated
health outcomes for patient aggregates.
  • Leadership:
    • Analyze how policies influence the structure and financing of health care, practice, and health outcomes.
    • Examine the effect of legal and regulatory processes on nursing practice, healthcare delivery, and outcomes.
  • Professionalism and Professional Values:
    • Advocate for patients, families, caregivers, communities and members of the healthcare team.
    • Incorporate core scientific and ethical principles in identifying potential and actual ethical issues arising from practice, and assisting patients and other healthcare providers to address such issues.
  • Global Health:
Global Engagement: Transforms health care systems to address health equity and social justice thus reducing health disparities in vulnerable populations.

Diversity Education:
  • Assume leadership and/or research roles in developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally reinforcing nursing and other health care services from local to global perspectives.
  • Prioritize the social and cultural factors that affect health in designed and delivering care across multiple contexts.
Environmental Sustainability:
  • Create partnerships that promote sustainable environmental health policies and conditions.
  • Analyze and promote social, political, and economic policies that influence sustainable environments and reduce human health exposures in a global society.


M.S.- Generalist Track
This emphasis is designed for the registered nurse (RN) who desires to build a professional foundation of practice exploring a selected emphasis relevant to his or her advancement goals. While not a specialty focus, this plan allows the RN with a prior baccalaureate degree to continue to develop expertise within a desired emphasis. 
 
M.S.- Family Nurse Practitioner Track
This emphasis is designed for the registered nurse (RN) who has a broad base of experience who wants to expand his or her skills to provide family primary care in rural settings. The advanced practice nursing role as a primary care family nurse practitioner includes the components of knowledge and management of client and family care, professional relationships, and health care delivery systems. Upon completion of the MS-FNP track or the Post-Master’s FNP Certificate, the graduate qualifies for seeking both national and state certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Additional Admission Requirements

  • Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

  • The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.

    Admission requirements include the following:

    • Transcripts.
    • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.


    Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.

    Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

    International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

    • Bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited program or an associate’s degree in nursing from an accredited program with a bachelor’s degree in another field.
    • 3.0 GPA in all nursing coursework
    • Current RN license in good standing to practice as a registered nurse in Arizona, or eligibility to obtain an Arizona license, or meet the Arizona Board of Nursing regulations regarding multistate licensure.
    • Three Letters of Recommendation
    • Prerequisites (completed prior to enrolling in the program)
      • Completion of an undergraduate introduction to statistics course from a college or university with a grade of “C” or better, or a Pass. 
      • Another option is completion of a graduate course in statistics, passed with a “B” grade or higher, and completed prior to enrollment in NUR 530. 
      • Completion of undergraduate courses in nursing research (didactic) and public health nursing (didactic and clinical) with grades of “B” or better.
    • Responses to Specific Essay Questions
    • IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card
    • Clinical Health Requirements
Master's Requirements

  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

  • All students will complete clinical experiences in NUR 661, NUR 663, and NUR 665. Clinical experience in NUR 665: Family Primary Health Care Practicum III will include completion and dissemination of the student's Evidence-Based Practice Capstone. 

  • PROGRAM FEE INFORMATION

  • Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee of $40 per credit hour has been approved for this program.