Post-Graduate Certificate Programs

Ways to Study

  • On-Campus
  •  | Online

Apply Now | Post-Graduate Certificate Programs

Application deadlines for Fall 2024:

  • August 10, 2023: NursingCAS Application Opens
  • March 1, 2024: NursingCAS Application Deadline (Only applicable to the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program)
  • March 8, 2024: Supplemental Application* Deadline
  • Program begins: August 2024

*A link to the UNC Supplemental Application will be sent to you by email within a few business days of submitting your completed NursingCAS application.

 

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Questions about the application process? Click here for details.


The Post-graduate Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Certificate Program is designed to provide the opportunity for MSN or DNP-prepared APRNs to pursue education and training in a new population area for career expansion or role change. Post-graduate certificate students must successfully complete all course requirements of the selected population area. Graduates of the program are eligible to take a national certification exam appropriate to their population area. Program completion and national certification qualify graduates to apply for approval to practice in North Carolina.

Online and Part-time Program

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner +

The Post-Graduate AG-ACNP Certificate Program provides master’s or doctorally-prepared NPs with the additional education and training needed to manage adolescent to geriatric patients who have complex, unstable conditions, including the need for critical care. This program focuses on preparing graduates who are advanced practice leaders and interprofessional team members who provide care to critically ill patients and their families. Clinical experiences are supported by faculty and occur across a variety of practice settings, including but not limited to Intensive Care Units (Medical, Cardiac, Cardiovascular/Thoracic, Neurological, etc), hospitalist services, inpatient oncology, and other inpatient specialty services. Intensive online engagement with faculty and peers, state-of-the-art simulation techniques, and on-campus immersions maximize the learning experience.

Graduates are eligible to take the American Nurses’ Association (ANCC) or the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) board certification examination for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.

On-campus and Part-time


Who May Apply?

Educational Background: An earned MSN or DNP from an AECN or CCNE accredited program conferred prior to matriculation.

National Certification: All applicants must hold current certification as an APRN and eligible for approval to practice in NC. AGACNP applicants must be prepared as an FNP or AGPCNP.

GPA Requirement: Applicants are expected to have earned a 3.0 or better in MSN or DNP coursework.

Readmissibility:

How Does the Program Work?

The Lead Faculty in a population area will review all prior graduate coursework completed by admitted applicants to develop an individualized plan of study. The education requirements for NP programs and national NP certification eligibility requirements have changed over time. An applicant’s national certification status does not provide sole evidence of meeting NP core courses and required supervised hours. All transcript(s) and associated course syllabi (source documents) for the 3 P’s will be reviewed upon matriculation. Each course must be comparable to what is currently offered in our existing advanced practice program. Additional coursework or alternative coursework may be required based on the gap analysis.

If admitted applicants have never practiced as an APRN, they will need to demonstrate successful completion of advanced pathophysiology (lifespan), advanced pharmacology (lifespan), and advanced health assessment courses in the past three years. If admitted applicants have not practiced as an APRN in greater than two years, they will be required at a minimum to retake advanced pharmacology.

All plans of study are also reviewed and approved by the Associate Dean of the MSN/DNP Programs.

How Long Does it Take to Complete the Program?

Students in the post-graduate primary care NP certificate programs are admitted in the fall semester each year; however, some students may not matriculate until spring depending on their individualized plan of study. The primary care NP options can be completed in two academic years including one summer.

Students in the post-graduate AGPCNP certificate program complete the program in twelve months or one academic year (fall, spring, summer).

How Much Does the Program Cost?

 Cost of Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Option

Cost of Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Options

When Should I Apply?

Admission to the Post-graduate Certificate Program is offered in the summer (AGACNP only) and fall (Primary Care certificate programs only) and requires submitting an application with NursingCAS and a supplemental application to UNC. Please see above for specific deadlines.

Apply Now | Post-Graduate Certificate Programs

Application deadlines for Fall 2024:

  • August 10, 2023: NursingCAS Application Opens
  • March 1, 2024: NursingCAS Application Deadline (Only applicable to the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program)
  • March 8, 2024: Supplemental Application* Deadline
  • Program begins: August 2024

*A link to the UNC Supplemental Application will be sent to you by email within a few business days of submitting your completed NursingCAS application.

 

Apply Now