The School of Nursing offers a family nurse practitioner (FNP) option to students who are interested in learning how to provide care to individuals and families across their entire lifespan. Students who already have a BSN degree can complete the FNP concentration in five semesters using a hybrid delivery (a combination of in-person and online classes).
program overview
Complete 44 credit hours in 5 semesters for Full-Time Plan of Study (Part-Time is available) in a hybrid learning format – typically 1 day required per week on campus and approximately 2 additional days for clinical rotations dependent on the availability of assigned preceptor.
Online classes will be asynchronous (at a time when students choose) and synchronous (at a specific time each week).
Learn from nationally recognized faculty members.
UNCG secures preceptors for students, and we welcome suggestions for future preceptors.
After graduating, students will take either the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) board certification exam for FNPs with the ability to apply for state licensure. Graduates will also have the option to apply to and seamlessly move into the School of Nursing’s post-master’s DNP concentration or the PhD program.
Supportive Community: Join a supportive and collaborative learning community at UNCG. From faculty to peers, you will find a network of individuals dedicated to helping you succeed. Our comprehensive support services, including academic advising and career counseling, ensure you have the resources you need to thrive.
Holistic Approach: Our program emphasizes a holistic approach to patient care, focusing on the physical, emotional, and social aspects of health. This comprehensive perspective equips you to provide compassionate and effective care to patients of all ages.
National Recognition: The UNCG School of Nursing is nationally recognized for its excellence in nursing education. Our master’s program is ranked among the top programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report, reflecting our commitment to high-quality education and student success.
State-of-the-Art Facilities: Study in state-of-the-art facilities equipped with the latest technology and resources. Our simulation labs provide a realistic and safe environment for you to hone your clinical skills before transitioning to real-world practice.
Pathway to Further Education: For those interested in furthering their education, our FNP program offers a strong foundation for pursuing doctoral studies. Graduates can seamlessly transition to our DNP Post-Master’s Concentrationor PhD Program, continuing their journey towards leadership and advanced clinical roles in nursing.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Applicants to the Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration program must have or provide the following:
To help ensure a diverse and equitable admission process UNCG school of nursing utilizes a “Holistic admission” process that considers a number of factors for admission that may not be captured in a traditional admission process (such as prior experience as a nurse and involvement with professional and community organizations).
Completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher in nursing science from a U.S. college or university accredited by an institutional accrediting association or completion of a bachelor’s that is equivalent to a U.S. degree from an international college or university recognized and approved by the Ministry of Education or Commission responsible for higher education in the country where the degree is earned.
Current unrestricted RN license. If not NC RN, license or compact state license, applicants would need to acquire NC RN license prior to start of the program.
Three professional recommendations that attest to applicant’s academic ability, readiness for graduate school, professional competency, and character with at least one reference from a healthcare provider (RN, DO, MD, NP, PA).
Official transcripts from each institution where applicant earned (or will earn) a degree, studied for 1 semester or more, earned 12 or more credit hours, or took classes related to graduate study interests
Current/Updated Resume/CV
Any applicant who has never studied at a U.S. institution must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Scores must not be more than 2 years old. UNCG SoN will consider IELTS score of 7.0 or a minimum TOEFL score of 100 (Internet-based test) with minimum sub-scores of 22 in Reading, 22 in Listening, 26 in Spelling and 24 in Writing.
Applicants must submit an application to the Graduate School online portal with the appropriate application fee prior to the admissions deadline.
Applications must include:
Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
Completion of the Community Standards and Campus Safety Questionnaire. The UNC System requires all applicants to answer questions regarding community standards.
A curriculum vitae or resume that contains your educational degrees and work, employment history, membership or offices in organizations, and community service activities.
A list of three academic and/or professional references (at least one reference from a healthcare provider (RN, DO, MD, NP, PA).
A personal statement addressing your career goals.
Complete applicant materials will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Acknowledgement of acceptance from applicants will be required within two weeks of receipt of acceptance.
All applicants must meet the technical standards required of all nursing students as stated in the University Catalog.
Students must have reliable internet access and other resources that support online learning, such as a laptop and basic computer literacy. Examples of software applications that will be used include Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Microsoft Teams. The courses will be delivered using a Learning Management System.
This intensive concentration has both full time and part time options. Flexibility is needed for clinical rotations which may be held during days, nights, and/or weekends.
To meet the University’s requirement for full-time status, students must enroll in a minimum of 9 graduate credit hours during fall and spring semesters and 6 graduate credit hours in summer semesters.
Students must have current American Heart Association Health Care Provider Basic Life Support (AHA BLS) certification, immunizations, and other clinical requirements by the deadlines provided in the admission documents.
A criminal background check is required; information for obtaining this will be provided in the admission documents.
Evidence of all immunizations identified on Parts A and B of the UNCG Health History and Immunization Form excluding the Meningococcal vaccine.
Health insurance is required for all students enrolling in 6 or more credit hours each semester.
Explore the specific degree requirements for the Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration in the UNCG Catalog.
PLAN OF STUDY
The FNP concentration offers both full-time and part-time plans of study, including the summer. There will be an orientation prior to the beginning of the classes that students will be required to attend.
FULL-TIME
Course Semester
Course Number – Course Title [Credits]
Clinical Hours
YEAR 1
Fall
NUR 708 – Advanced Pathophysiology [3 cr.] NUR 713 – Diagnostic Reasoning & Health Assessment [3 cr.] NUR 713L – Interventional Strategies of Diagnostic Reasoning & Health Assessment Lab [1 cr.] NUR 810 – Interventional Strategies to Promote Population Wellbeing [3 cr.]
Spring
NUR 709 – Pharmacologic Interventions in Advanced Practice [3 cr.] NUR 811 – Advanced Primary Care Management I [4 cr.] NUR 811L – Advanced Primary Care Management I Practicum [3 cr.]
180 hours – (NUR 811L)
Summer
NUR 705 – Scientific Approaches to Advance Healthcare [3 cr.] NUR 817 – Negotiating Role Functions in an Advanced Practice Role [2 cr.]
YEAR 2
Fall
NUR 718 – Complex Problems in Family Primary Care [2 cr.] NUR 812 – Advanced Primary Care Management II [4 cr.] NUR 812L – Advanced Primary Care Management II Practicum [3 cr.]
180 hours – (NUR 812L)
Spring
NUR 714 – Foundations of Informatics and Computational Systems [3 cr.] NUR 716 – Management of Child Health in Primary Care Setting [4 cr.] NUR 719L – Foundational Primary Care Management Practicum [3 cr.]
180 hours – (NUR 719L)
Total Credit Hours – 44
Total Clinical Hours – 540
PART-TIME
Course Semester
Course Number – Course Title [Credits]
CLINICAL HOURS
YEAR 1
Fall
NUR 708 – Advanced Pathophysiology [3 cr.] NUR 713 – Diagnostic Reasoning & Health Assessment [3 cr.] NUR 713L – Interventional Strategies of Diagnostic Reasoning & Health Assessment Lab [1 cr.]
Spring
NUR 709 – Pharmacologic Interventions in Advanced Practice [3 cr.] NUR 714 – Foundations of Informatics and Computational Systems [3 cr.]
Summer
NUR 705 – Scientific Approaches to Advance Healthcare [3 cr.] NUR 817 – Negotiating Role Functions in an Advanced Practice Role [2 cr.]
YEAR 2
Fall
NUR 810 – Interventional Strategies to Promote Population Wellbeing [3 cr.]
Spring
NUR 811 – Advanced Primary Care Management I [4 cr.] NUR 811L – Advanced Primary Care Management I Practicum [3 cr.]
180 hours – (NUR 811L)
YEAR 3
Fall
NUR 718 – Complex Problems in Family Primary Care [2 cr.] NUR 812 – Advanced Primary Care Management II [2 cr.] NUR 812L – Advanced Primary Care Management II Practicum [3 cr.]
180 hours – (NUR 812L)
Spring
NUR 716 – Management of Child Health in Primary Care [4 cr.] NUR 719L – Foundational Primary Care Management [3 cr.]
180 hours – (NUR 719L)
Total Credit Hours – 44
Total Clinical Hours – 540
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
The Master of Nursing Science Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentration is designed to produce an advance practice nursing professional able to provide primary health care across the lifespan for underserved rural or urban populations.
After graduating, students will take either the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification exam with the ability to apply for licensure as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). An FNP is an advanced practice nurse who provides primary care services including wellness/preventive, episodic and chronic care to individuals across the lifespan. They will have the option to apply to the current post-master DNP concentration with seamless academic progression if they so choose. Thus, they can practice as a certified and licensed FNP while continuing their doctoral education.
The FNP program at UNCG is a master level clinical practice degree for advanced practice nurses interested in providing primary care across the lifespan.
Complete in only 5 semesters with the Full-Time Plan of Study; but a part-time option is also available.
Nationally renowned faculty expertise in family and adult gerontology as well as rural healthcare
Hybrid Learning Format – typically 1 day required per week on campus, approximately 2 additional days for clinical rotations dependent on the availability of assigned preceptor.
UNCG secures preceptors for students, and we welcome suggestions for future preceptors.
Must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
For In-state students, we offer an affordable option to obtaining a graduate degree. The heaviest semester would be 10 credits for full-time students or about $4000 per semester.
UNC Greensboro student tuition and fees are billed each semester and based on several factors including:
Level: Undergraduate, Graduate, or Other
Program Campus Type: Main Campus or Online/Distance
Residency: North Carolina resident or non-resident
We also offer some great scholarships for our NP students.
Our amazing faculty have been NPs for many years in a variety of settings. Our supportive faculty are here for you. Our sincere wish is for you to excel in this program, to evolve as NPs, and to make significant contributions to delivering exceptional primary care.
A bachelor’s degree in nursing science, or higher in nursing. Students are more successful with at least 1-year of nursing work experience, but not required.
The admissions process happens once a year and generally opens around the middle of September and runs until May 1 for the Fall admission. We utilize a fair and equitable admissions process, meaning we look at many aspects of the student’s application and experience and background, not just grades or test scores.
Once you have submitted your application online, it undergoes a thorough review by the FNP concentration coordinator and other FNP faculty members. Following this review process, a recommendation is submitted to the graduate school. Upon the graduate school’s review of our recommendation, you will be notified of your admission status. The official letter of admission will be sent directly from the graduate school.
Each applicant must submit official transcripts and three letters of recommendations (previous nursing faculty/instructor, current nursing supervisor and/or peer/professional colleague) and your resume/CV. It is vital for applicants to address all the requirements on the application to reduce any delay in consideration of your application.
It is not within our purview to dictate or influence an individual’s employment status. However, it is crucial to note this is a rigorous program that requires significant time commitment to fully understand the course content and to meet the 16-24 hours per week of clinical training. We anticipate that students aspiring to pursue a graduate degree will prioritize their education and make necessary adjustments to guarantee success in the program.
Once clinical rotations commence, declining a clinical rotation opportunity due to work schedule conflicts is not permissible. Once in clinical, you are expected to adhere to your preceptor’s schedule and meet their expectations. It’s important to note that clinical hours amount to 16-24 hours per week, in addition to fulfilling your course requirements.
Your family and/or support system should play a crucial role in your decision to return to school, as you will require their assistance and support throughout your academic journey.
Master’s programs require a minimum of three-four hours per credit hour per week. For three courses, you should expect to spend around 27-36 hours per week on studying and doing coursework.
You may spend more depending on your methods of studying and your learning style.
It is important for your success in the program that you allow yourself time to prepare, complete assignments, etc. Once you start into clinical practicums your time commitment will increase. Please keep that in mind.
No, UNCG arranges preceptors for students. That said, we do take recommendations from students. Students have the option to use or contact a potential preceptor themselves, particularly if they desire a specialized experience.
Job opportunities for Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) are diverse and plentiful. The FNP-MSN program prepares graduates to be prepared to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner certification exam and can work in family or primary care areas. Because FNPs manage care across the lifespan, we are generalists. Some FNPs can go into specialty fields which may require additional education or training to be proficient in those specialties.
Connect with us
For general questions about the program, please reach out to:
