MS in Nursing Program (Family Nurse Practitioner Track)

  • Program Overview

  • Prerequisites

  • Curriculum
  • Tuition &
    Fees
  • Financial
    Aid

  • Admission

  • FAQs

Program Overview

Do you have a bachelor’s degree in nursing? Have you ever considered pursuing a career as a family nurse practitioner? If you have, the Master of Science in Nursing program at MCPHS Online might be a great fit for you.

Innovative Programs

The MS in Nursing (FNP) program allows students to complete coursework in a blended format—there are minimal visits to campus! Upon the completion of the MSN program students will be able to:

  • Provide safe, effective, culturally-competent, and advanced nursing care to individuals and families across the lifespan as a member of an interdisciplinary team and in the context of community
  • Integrate the core competencies of research, diversity, health care policy, ethics, health promotion and disease prevention, and theoretical foundation of nursing in the advanced nursing practice role
  • Demonstrate leadership role in the profession of nursing
  • Engage in ongoing nursing knowledge development to guide practice

Candidates will complete all FNP courses, including a required master’s thesis and a FNP clinical practicum of 630 hours, for a total of 42 credits.

The unpaid clinical hours (which are in addition to your work hours) can be earned at a location of your choice pending program director approval. All students are encouraged to find their own clinical sites. Students having difficulty finding a site may request assistance from the MCPHS School of Nursing. Proof of Massachusetts nursing licensure will be required of those students.

Graduates of the Family Nurse Practitioner program are eligible to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner Board Certification Exam. Please see important information regarding upcoming program changes and the DNP.

The Master of Science in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner track) prepares students to meet select competencies from the AACN 2011 approved master’s essentials.

This program is no longer accepting applications for 2012. Complete our Request Info Form  to receive an email alert when the application is live for Summer 2013.

Prerequisites

For admission to the FNP program, an applicant must have:

  • Earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from an accredited college or university
  • A current unencumbered license to practice nursing in the jurisdiction where experiential learning will occur
  • Practiced for one year as a nurse, preferably in an acute care setting
  • Achieved a minimum score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as detailed in the current MCPHS College Catalog

Please note that priority consideration is given to those applicants who have achieved an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher in their professional nursing coursework.

Curriculum

In addition to online coursework, the FNP program requires students to attend three residencies, generally 2-3 days in length, during their respective tenure in the program. These residencies include: new student orientation, second year August residency and final residency in May that coincides with graduation.

COURSE TITLE
SEMESTER HOURS
NUR701 Professional Role Development in Nursing
3
NUR702 Human Diversity, Ethics, and Social Policy Issues
3
NUR703 Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan
4
NUR706 Advanced Pathophysiology
3
NUR707 Advanced Pharmacology
3
NUR708 Research for the Advanced Practice Nurse
4
NUR709 Family Health Nursing I
6
NUR810 Family Health Nursing II
6
NUR811 Family Health Nursing III
6
NUR820 Translational Research Practicum
4
  Total Semester Credit Hours
42

Tuition & Fees

Students enrolled in all graduate degree programs at MCPHS Online during the 2012–2013 academic year will pay $850/credit hour.

There are no fees for MCPHS Online students in the 2012–2013 academic year.

Financial Aid

An education is an investment. And we don’t think you’ll find a better return on your investment than by earning your degree from MCPHS. Our Office of Student Financial Services (SFS) is available to guide students through the process of securing funding to cover education costs. A dedicated staff member will help you apply for financial aid, review all sources of funding available to you and assist you with completing the paperwork necessary for disbursement.

For more information, contact Student Financial Services at 603.314.1729.

Next Steps

If you are applying for admission to MCPHS Online for 2012, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The MCPHS college code for the FAFSA is 002165. You do not need to be accepted at the College in order to apply.

Admission

Once your application is received, the Admission Office will notify you of any missing items that we require for your application to be considered complete. We review all files on a "rolling basis" and will make a decision once all application materials are received.

Priority Filing Date

The priority filing date for this program is February 1 each year for a summer semester start. We continue to review applications until all available seats in the program have been filled.

This program is no longer accepting applications for 2012. Complete our Request Info Formto receive an email alert when the application is live for Summer 2013.

Additional Links

Completed applications will be reviewed by the Admission Committee; qualified candidates will be invited to interview with the School of Nursing.

Questions?

Feel free to call 617.879.5022 or e-mail us with any questions you have about the application process.

Technical, Non-Academic Standards

In conjunction with the applicable academic and accreditation standards, the faculty in each of the programs at MCPHS has established certain abilities and characteristics defined as technical standards. Candidates for enrollment in programs at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences must meet these technical standards, which may include but are not limited to observation, communication, sensory and motor coordination and function, intellectual, conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities, and behavioral and social attributes. These standards may be met with or without reasonable accommodations. Please carefully review the technical standards for the program to which you have applied. The standards can be found in the MCPHS College Catalog on the MCPHS website. If you have questions regarding technical standards, please contact the Office of Admission immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

   

How much of the program is offered online?

In addition to online coursework, the FNP program requires students to attend three residencies, generally 2-3 days in length, during their respective tenure in the program. These residencies include: new student orientation, second year August residency, and final residency in May that coincides with graduation.

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This program is part-time, so am I eligible for financial aid?

Yes. As long as you are taking at least five graduate-level credits each semester, you are eligible to apply for financial aid. All financial aid is awarded through the FAFSA.

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I am an RN with an associate’s degree in nursing, but I have a bachelor’s degree in another subject—can I apply for this program?

The MSN/FNP program requires a BSN prior to enrollment. You would be a great candidate for our ADN to MSN Bridge program which requires one additional year of part-time “bridge” coursework prior to entering the master’s level coursework.

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What are the prerequisite courses for the MSN/FNP program?

The only prerequisite is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). You can be completing your BSN when you apply, as long as you would earn it prior to enrollment at MCPHS. Proof of RN licensure is also required. Please see the Application Checklist in the Admission tab for application requirements.

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When are my required visits to campus?

There are a minimum of three required residencies that the student must complete in order to satisfy matriculation and graduate from the FNP program. These include:

  • On-site Orientation (2-days) prior to the start of classes that will include a program overview and select workshops
  • Pre-clinical residency prior to attending any clinical experience including Advanced Health Assessment
  • Thesis residency at the conclusion of the program in order to submit/present final thesis project to the faculty

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