GRADUATE NURSING

22 | Graduate Nursing POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATES Nova Southeastern University offers postgraduate certificate studies for the advanced practice registered nurse (A.P.R.N.) in the concentration areas of adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AGACNP), family nurse practitioner (FNP), and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) to registered nurses who have completed an M.S.N. degree and have transcript evidence of having completed three separate, graduate- level courses in advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and advanced health assessment. Applicants with a previous M.S.N. degree who lack the three ad- vanced practice prerequisite courses, as described above, may enroll in these courses as nondegree-seeking prerequisites to the postgraduate certificate courses. Once completed, the student may continue into the population-specific didactic and clinical components of the postgraduate certificate program. Students enrolled in NSU’s postgraduate certificate program are comingled with students seeking the full M.S.N. degree. They follow the same content delivery format and class schedule, complete the same required didactic content and clinical hours, and achieve the same advanced practice registered nurse program outcomes as full degree-seeking students. Students completing the postgraduate certificate programs are eligible to apply for certification in the concentration area completed. The FNP postgraduate certificate program is available at NSU’s Palm Beach and Tampa Bay Regional campuses. The AGACNP postgraduate certificate program is available at the Palm Beach Campus. The FNP and AGACNP certificate programs admit once each year (in winter term) and require a total of 24 credits, which may be completed in four semesters. The PMHNP postgraduate certificate program is available at NSU’s Miramar and Tampa Bay Regional campuses, admits twice each year (in fall and winter terms), and requires 27 credits—including 3 credits of neurobiology psychopharmacology. It may be completed in five semesters. All postgraduate certificates require 520 hours of directed clinical practice performed in the clinical environment and appropriate to the concentration.