Graduate Certificate

Nurse Practitioner Specialties

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We offer a post-Graduate certificate in four nurse practitioner specialty areas: family, adult-gerontology acute care, psychiatric mental health and pediatric. Each certificate is delivered via the web over four semesters. Our certificates are designed for individuals already holding Advanced Practice Nurse (APRN) licensure who are working in the clinical environment.  All specialties are not offered every year. Interested applicants should use the contact information below to verify that the certificate of interest will be offered at the time of application.

Specialty Options

AGACNP Teaser Image

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

As a graduate of the AGACNP specialty, you will be prepared as a beginning-level advanced practice provider of care for acutely ill adults with multiple and complex problems. Upon completion of the program you will be eligible to take an AGACNP national board certification examination. To qualify for entry into the AGACNP Graduate Certificate program, you must have a degree in nursing as an advanced practice nurse and experience in an acute care setting. The certificate requires a total of 720 hours of supervised clinical training.

AGACNP Certificate Specialty Guide

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Family Nurse Practitioner

As a graduate of the FNP specialty, you will be prepared as a beginning-level primary care provider for families. Upon completion of the program you will be eligible to take an FNP national board certification examination. To qualify for entry into the FNP Graduate Certificate program, you must have a degree in nursing as an advanced practice nurse. The certificate requires a total of 720 hours of supervised clinical training.

FNP Certificate Specialty Guide

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Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Graduates of the PNP specialty are registered nurses who have advanced education in pediatric nursing beyond the initial registered nurse preparation. As a PNP student, you will receive a broad foundation of educational preparation in advanced nursing practice with children by focusing on prevention, health maintenance and education, and diagnosis and management of common acute and chronic health conditions among well and ill children. To qualify for entry into the PNP Graduate Certificate program, you must have a degree in nursing as an advanced practice nurse. The certificate requires a total of 720 hours of supervised clinical training.

PNP Certificate Specialty Guide

PMHNP Teaser Image

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Graduates of the PMHNP specialty are prepared as psychiatric mental health-care providers to treat people across the lifespan with psychiatric disorders at a beginning level of practice. Graduates will receive a broad foundation of educational preparation in advanced psychiatric and mental health nursing practice across the lifespan, nursing theories and nursing research. Health assessment, primary prevention, health-care maintenance, clinical decision-making and illness management are emphasized in the classroom and clinical practica. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to take an PMHNP national board certification examination. To qualify for entry into the PMHNP Graduate Certificate program, you must have a degree in nursing as an advanced practice nurse. The certificate requires a total of 720 hours of supervised clinical training.

PMHNP Certificate Specialty Guide

Program Information

Eligibility:

To qualify for entry into a Certificate program, you must have a degree and active licensure as an advanced practice nurse (nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist or certified midwife). Additionally, applicants to the AGACNP specialty must have RN experience in an acute care setting. Certificate programs admit for a fall start only. 

  • Advanced practice nursing degree (MS or higher, focusing on APRN certification)
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Unrestricted RN licensure within the U.S. AND current APRN certification (NP, CRNA, CNS, CNM)  
  • Advanced practice national certification

International Applicants:

  • Submit the UA Graduate College application by the international deadline date
  • Submit a minimum TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 550 paper based (PB), 79 internet based (iBT) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) composite score of 7 (no subject area below a 6).
  • Transcripts and Degrees: Submit CGFNS documentation for nursing degrees earned outside of the United States. 

Once admitted to a Graduate Certificate program you must submit an Arizona Department of Public Safety Fingerprint Clearance Card. ARS § 15-1881 is a condition of final acceptance. Complete information about the statute can be found at the following web sites:

Graduate students enrolled only in a certificate program are not eligible to receive federal financial aid or College of Nursing scholarships. If the student is also enrolled in a DNP Nurse Practitioner specialty, the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid will determine financial aid eligibility based on the FAFSA on file.

Timeline

When Applications Open

  • August 15th, 2024

Deadlines

  • Priority Deadline: Applications submitted on or before November 1, 2024 (11:59 PM EST)
  • Final Deadline: March 1, 2025 (11:59 PM EST)

Notification of Admission

  • Priority Deadline: Applications submitted on or before November 1, 2024 (11:59 PM EST) will be notified of the admissions decision in mid-December.
  • Final Deadline: Applications submitted November 2, 2024 - March 1, 2025 (11:59 PM EST) will be notified of the admissions decision in mid-April.

Application Process

Applicants must submit both the NursingCAS and University of Arizona Graduate College online application.

Applicants must provide:

  • REFERENCES
    • Applicants must submit one reference from a professional colleague (supervisor, faculty, etc.)
  • TRANSCRIPTS
    • Applicants must submit transcripts from all post-secondary education institutions
    • All transcripts must be verified by NursingCAS within 2 weeks of the application deadline. No exceptions. 
  • CV

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NOTE: YOU MAY ONLY APPLY TO ONE SPECIALTY PER APPLICATION CYCLE; PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS.

For more information contact:

Office of Student & Academic Affairs
College of Nursing, Room 112
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(520) 626-3808 or 1-800-288-6158
CON-OSAA@arizona.edu