An online post-master’s certificate nurse practitioner program curriculum is structured to provide nursing professionals with in-depth knowledge of their preferred nursing disciplines. Whether students hope to advance their careers as nurse practitioners for pediatric, mental health, or other patient populations, nurse practitioner certificate courses can help them gain the skills and competencies they will need to thrive professionally.
Maryville University Online Post-Master’s Certificate Nurse Practitioner Program Curriculum
Maryville’s online post-master’s certificate nurse practitioner program is designed to prepare experienced nurses for a more fulfilling career as a certified nurse practitioner.
Learn more about the program curriculum here*:
Graduate Nursing & Nurse Practitioner Core Courses
Post-NP Certificate | Credits by Concentration
AGPCNP 29 Credit Hours, AGACNP 35 Credit Hours, FNP 35 Credit Hours, PNP 32 Credit Hours, PMHNP 38 Credit Hours
Graduate Nursing Core Courses
| NURS 603 | Professional Role Development | 3 Credits |
Advanced Practice Nurse This course provides a theoretical foundation for exploring, analyzing, and evaluating the advance practice nursing roles within the health care system. The legal and ethical context in which the advanced nurse practices is addressed. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 610 | Health Promotion/Disease Prevention | 3 Credits |
The master's-prepared nurse is in a key position to influence the health practices of individuals, groups and communities. Health screening, risk assessment, targeted needs assessment, and health promotion are emphasized. Health care goals at the local, regional, and national levels are implemented to direct program planning, development, implementation, and evaluation. (3 credit hours) | ||
Nurse Practitioner Core Courses
| NURS 611 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 Credits |
Provides the basis for understanding the pathophysiology of diseases and the changes in normal function that result in manifestations indicative of illness. Emphasis is on correlating manifestations of illness with pathophysiological processes in order to formulate diagnoses and health care goals. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 612 | Advanced Health Assessment | 5 Credits |
Advanced practice nurses perform comprehensive health assessments in a variety of settings. Advanced health assessment integrates health history, physical and psychological changes and psychosocial variations. The assessment is used to determine health and risk status, develop health promotion strategies, and establish priorities of care. Differences between a complete health history and a history for an episodic event are examined. This course incorporates documented clinical experience with a preceptor focusing on health history and physical assessment. Students will apply concepts related to advanced health assessment and health promotion to problems of adults in rural and/or urban health settings and will begin their clinical logs. (5 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 615 | Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 Credits |
Nurse practitioners diagnose and prescribe treatment regimens for persons with common acute and/or chronic health problems. This course focuses on the pharmacological foundation for safely prescribing medical regimens for illnesses that affect individuals. Also included are illness prevention and non-pharmacological primary care for individuals and populations at risk. Selection of appropriate therapies, patient education and evaluation parameters are stressed. (3 credit hours) | ||
AGACNP
For the AGACNP certificate you will need:
| NURS 640 | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management I | 3 Credits |
First didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program. Focus is on evidence based theory and research in individuals experiencing acute illness with common problems seen in the acute care setting. Students will analyze practice guidelines and learn to develop differential diagnoses implementing clinical judgment and decision-making as it relates to pathophysiology, pharmacology and evidence based management. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 641 | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum I | 3 Credits |
First practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Application and integration of concepts presented in NURS 640 with focus on applying knowledge and skills in acute care practice settings. This course will examine common acute care presentations. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 642 | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management II | 3 Credits |
Second didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program. Students will continue to expand on knowledge, decision making and management of acute and emergent physiological alterations in cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, endocrine, infectious disease, OB-GYN and Hematology-Oncology disorders, while implementing critical thinking of pathophysiology, pharmacology and evidence-based management of complex symptomatology. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 643 | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum II | 3 Credits |
Second practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Application and integration of concepts presented in the NURS 642 with focus on comprehensive health care to complex, acute and critically ill patients in a clinical, preceptored practicum experience. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 644 | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management III | 3 Credits |
Final didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Students will continue to refine knowledge, decision making and management of acute and emergent physiological alterations in neurological, traumatic, toxicology/ingestions, psychiatric, burns, shock states, failures states, sepsis, and multisystem disorders, as well as intensive life support and end of life, while implementing critical thinking of pathophysiology, pharmacology and evidence based management of complex symptomatology. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 645 | Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum III | 3 Credits |
Final practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Application and integration of concepts presented in the NURS 644 with focus on comprehensive health care to complex, acute and critically ill patients in a clinical, preceptored practicum experience. (3 credit hours) | ||
AGPCNP Concentration Curriculum
For the AGPCNP certificate you will need:
| NURS 620 | Adult-Gerontology Health Care I | 3 Credits |
Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those experiencing complex and multiple health problems are studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive life-style behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 621 | Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum I | 3 Credits |
The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older aged adults with common and complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision-making within a multidisciplinary context. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 623 | Adult-Gerontology Health Care II | 3 Credits |
Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those experiencing complex and multiple health problems is studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive life-style behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 624 | Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum II | 3 Credits |
The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older-aged adults with common and complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision-making within a multidisciplinary context. (3 credit hours) | ||
FNP Concentration Curriculum
For the FNP certificate you will need:
| NURS 620 | Adult-Gerontology Health Care I | 3 Credits |
Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those experiencing complex and multiple health problems are studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive life-style behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 621 | Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum I | 3 Credits |
The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older aged adults with common and complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision-making within a multidisciplinary context. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 623 | Adult-Gerontology Health Care II | 3 Credits |
Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those experiencing complex and multiple health problems is studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive life-style behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 624 | Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum II | 3 Credits |
The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older-aged adults with common and complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision-making within a multidisciplinary context. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 629 | Pediatric/Family Health Care | 3 Credits |
Care of childbearing women, pediatric clients, and their families experiencing complex and multiple health problems is studied in this course. This course prepares Family Nurse Practitioners to develop expertise and assume responsibility for health promotion, maintenance, and management of children and women in their reproductive years. Emphasis is placed on the child within the framework of the family. Stages of development are explored from biophysiological, cognitive, emotional, and sociocultural perspectives. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 630 | Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum | 3 Credits |
The nurse practitioner practicum experience provides the student with an opportunity to assume responsibility for the primary health care services of individuals and families under the supervision of an established nurse practitioner and/or physician preceptor. The student is expected to assume increasing responsibility for planning and implementing therapeutic processes and for documenting and evaluating outcomes of care. The role of the FNP in health problem management, family involvement, health promotion and teaching, health maintenance, and continued collaboration with health professionals is emphasized. (3 credit hours) | ||
PNP Concentration Curriculum
For the PNP certificate you will need:
| NURS 650 | Health Promotion of the Pediatric Population | 3 Credits |
Focus on growth and development for stages of pediatric development using theory and evidence based practice; learn anticipatory guidance techniques. Understand appropriate health promotion and illness prevention within the pediatric population incorporating individual, cultural, ethnic, and spiritual preferences into health care. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 651 | Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis I | 3 Credits |
This course introduces pediatric nurse practitioner students to advanced nursing management of the pediatric population in a primary care setting. Content on how to perform comprehensive history and physical examination and use diagnostic testing and screening tools for the pediatric population in addition to interpretation of data and understanding differential diagnosis for common pediatric illnesses. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 652 | Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis Practicum I | 3 Credits |
Under the supervision of clinical preceptors, working with the pediatric population in primary care and other settings begin to develop the competences needed for a nurse practitioner. Develop an understanding of pathophysiology concepts in the pediatric population. Understand case management, collaboration and referral for specialist for evaluation and community resources. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 653 | Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis II | 3 Credits |
This course broadens the pediatric nurse practitioner student's primary care role and expands the interprofessional team involvement. Course content focuses on advanced nursing management of the pediatric population who present with disease processes seen in a primary care setting along with continued development of health promotion and disease prevention competencies. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 654 | Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis Practicum II | 3 Credits |
Under the supervision of clinical preceptors, students will work to assume a more autonomous role in initiating physical assessments, determining pathophysiological processes, interpreting diagnostic findings, initiating pharmacologic and non- pharmacologic therapies, providing patient education, and developing disease management and health promotion strategies for the pediatric population. (3 credit hours) | ||
PMHNP Concentration Curriculum
For the PMHNP certificate you will need:
| NURS 660 | Psychopharmacology and Mental Health Assessment | 3 Credits |
This course will examine the advanced concepts of assessment, psychopathology, and differential diagnosis in advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nursing, as well as the study and use of psychotropic drugs used in the holistic treatment of acute and chronic psychiatric-mental health disorders, including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. A strong emphasis is placed on proper assessment and identification of discrete aspects of cognition, affect and behavior in the diagnosis and treatment planning of psychiatric illness across the life span. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 661 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management I | 3 Credits |
This course will focus on synthesized advanced practice knowledge relevant to the multidimensional assessment and interventions processes of the adult and older adult and their family. A variety of theories and models will be used to develop an understanding of the etiologies of acute and chronic mental health disorders among adults and older adults. Neuroscience principles and family-centered theories will be addressed. Selection of appropriate treatment strategies including individual and group psychotherapies will be emphasized. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 662 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum I | 3 Credits |
This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to persons with psychiatric illness and their families. Students will integrate relevant theories into the clinical management of targeted acute and chronic psychiatric symptoms and disorders. A variety of psychotherapeutic strategies will be explored. Evidence-based practice and research-based clinical decision-making will be emphasized in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of DMS-5 diagnoses among adult and older adult clients. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 663 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management II | 3 Credits |
This course will provide the student with an opportunity to evaluate and apply evidenced-based approaches of health promotion, diagnosis and management of psychiatric illness in the care of children and adolescents and their families. An expansion of knowledge in a variety of theories and models will be used to develop an understanding of the etiologies of complex mental health disorders in order to diagnose, treat, and evaluate a variety of DSM-5 diagnoses among children and adolescent clients and their families. Students will continue to develop more in-depth knowledge of various psychopharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions including crisis intervention, as well as individual and group psychotherapies. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 664 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum II | 3 Credits |
This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to children and adolescents and their families with psychiatric illness. Students will integrate relevant theories into the clinical management of targeted across the life span with complex psychiatric symptoms and a variety of DSM-5 disorders. A variety of treatment and management strategies will be explored. Evidence-based practice and research-based clinical decision-making will be emphasized in order to evaluate, diagnosis, treat, and evaluate a variety of DSM-5 diagnoses across the life span. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 665 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management III | 3 Credits |
This course is designed to synthesize theoretical knowledge and evidenced based research for psychiatric-mental health specialty areas with a focus on life span issues. A continued expansion of knowledge in a variety of theories and models will be used to further enhance an understanding of complex mental health disorders in order to diagnose, treat, and evaluate a variety of specialty issues among patients across the life span. Students will develop an advanced knowledge of various psychopharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions including individual and group psychotherapies to treat various complex DSM-5 disorders across the life span. (3 credit hours) | ||
| NURS 667 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum III | 3 Credits |
This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to psychiatric-mental health specialty areas with a focus on life span issues. Students will show an advanced ability to integrate relevant theories into the clinical management of targeted across the life span with complex psychiatric symptoms and a variety of DSM-5 disorders. A variety of treatment and management strategies will be explored. Using advanced evidence-based practice knowledge and research-based clinical decision-making students will evaluate, diagnosis, treat, and evaluate a variety of DSM-5 diagnoses across the life span working within a more advanced role. (3 credit hours) | ||
To ensure the best possible educational experience for our students, we may update our curriculum to reflect emerging and changing employer and industry trends. Professional licensure and certification regulations vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Students are encouraged to visit the National Council of State Boards of Nursing for the state in which they intend to practice to verify specific licensure requirements which includes ensuring the program of interest meets the licensure requirements prior to enrolling. Students may visit the professional licensure page or reach out to our team of enrollment advisors for guidance.
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Skills, Concepts, or Opportunities Gained an NP Certificate Can Provide
Online post-master’s certificate nurse practitioner programs offer students the opportunity to develop a host of unique skills as well as explore a wide array of academic concepts and theories. Here are a few of the skills, opportunities, or concepts that students may encounter in a NP certificate program.
- Understanding of Health Systems. Health systems comprise all of the hospitals, private practices, and other medical institutions that work together to improve health outcomes for a target population. By comprehending the processes that allow these systems to function, certified nurses can expand their ability to positively influence the patients within them. Through NP certificate coursework, nursing professionals can learn more about the configuration of health systems and how the discipline of nursing fits into it.
- Preventive Care. Preventive care, which involves taking steps to help patients avoid contracting illnesses, is a primary component of an online post-master’s certification nurse practitioner program curriculum. By practicing illness prevention, certified nurse practitioners ease the overall strain being placed on the healthcare system. With less strain on the system, nurses can effectively offer a higher quality of care to patients, thereby promoting more positive health outcomes for those who do fall ill. Common examples of preventive care include advising patients on when to get vaccinated and educating patients about how to avoid certain diseases through proper hygiene and lifestyle choices.
- Patient Assessment. Before a medical professional can provide treatment to a patient, he or she must understand what the root of the patient’s complaint is. Once the cause of a health issue has been identified, the nurse can work with the patient to create a treatment strategy. Additionally, patient assessment skills continue being important throughout the entire treatment process, as nurse practitioners will also need to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment plans and modify them based on their observations.
- Empathy & Compassion. Nursing often involves a constant exchange of emotions between caregivers and their patients. By offering their patients real empathy and compassion, nurse practitioners can maximize a patient’s level of comfort during treatment. Therefore, nurse practitioner certificate courses make a point of guiding professionals toward developing a detailed perspective of the human aspect of nursing. In doing so, they help graduates improve patient satisfaction in their respective places of work.
- Learning Through Experience. In most healthcare professions, it is impossible to avoid making mistakes. But the defining factor of still achieving career success is overcoming those mistakes to improve one’s professional capacity. Through nurse practitioner certificate courses, educated nurses can build up the cognitive skills they will need to translate on-the-job experiences into actionable knowledge.
- Analytical Thinking/Problem-Solving. Most acute and chronic conditions present themselves to nurses as complex problems that must be broken down and analyzed before they can be solved. As such, nurse practitioners are taught how to use analytical thinking to systematically treat their patients. Beyond treating patients, nurse practitioners can also rely on their problem-solving skills to resolve workplace complaints and management issues.
- Ethics. Ethics are incredibly important for nurses at every level but much more so for leaders in the field, such as nurse practitioners. After becoming certified as a nurse practitioner, registered nurses and other lower-ranking nursing professionals will rely on their leaders to set a good example. Consequently, educated nurse practitioners must be taught during their nurse practitioner certificate courses how to strictly adhere to standard ethics laws and regulations.
Common Courses for an Online Post-Master’s Certificate Nurse Practitioner Program Curriculum
These are some of the common courses that prospective nurse practitioners can expect to find in these certification programs. Take note that actual course titles can vary depending on the institution that offers the certification program, but many online post master’s certificate nurse practitioner programs offer courses that explore the following concepts:
Professional Role Development. As nurses progress in their careers, they typically focus their professional development on a specific area of practice. In doing so, they can become experts in a particular field, potentially qualifying them for leadership-oriented roles. Through professional role development coursework, educated nurses can gain a better understanding of how they can advance in their careers. Core topics may include how to leverage mentors and continuing education to increase one’s professional qualifications.
Health Promotion/Disease Prevention. Health promotion and preventive care are critical to ensuring positive health outcomes in at-risk communities. Through this course, students can learn advanced methods of preventive care, such as screening for signs of chronic illness and performing wellness visits. With these skills on hand, nurse practitioners can better promote habits that keep families healthy on a community-wide scale.
Advanced Health Assessment. Nurse practitioners should have advanced knowledge of the latest trends and treatments in their respective fields. But this knowledge is not the only tool they will use to treat their patients. Building a comprehensive understanding of advanced health assessment techniques allows nurse practitioners to lead the charge toward solving patient health issues. This nurse practitioner course will teach aspiring nurses how to blend analytical thinking, patient assessment, and interpersonal skills to effectively identify why patients are sick and how to cure them.
Adult-Gerontology Healthcare. Nurses in the field of adult-gerontology focus their careers on treating only adult patients, from young adults to the elderly. In an adult-gerontology course, nurse practitioners will learn how to help their adult patients cope with common health issues for their age group. For younger adults, this may mean encouraging better nutritional habits and discouraging drug abuse. For older adults, this could involve providing patients with advice for preventing and managing chronic conditions.
Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis. Pediatric nurse practitioners deal specifically with infants, young children, and adolescents. In order to effectively assess and diagnose the causes of a child’s illness, a pediatric nurse practitioner will need to ascertain what symptoms are bothering the child. Doing so requires a high level of patience and tolerance for interacting with developing minds. Through this course, nurses are taught how to find a balance between their obligation to make a correct diagnosis and the child’s right to a comfortable treatment experience.
Psychopharmacology and Mental Health Assessment. Although some nurse practitioners choose to specialize in the mental health field, all nursing professionals must have at least a general understanding of how to perform a mental health assessment. This is due to many adverse health conditions being accompanied by additional strain on a person’s mental health. By taking this course, a nurse practitioner will learn how to identify mental issues in a patient. Nurses will also be taught when patients can benefit from a prescription medicine (i.e., a psychopharmaceutical) to treat a mental condition and how such a prescription can be obtained.
Sources:
Maryville University, Post-Master’s NP Certificates Online
The Guardian, How Has Nursing Changed and What Does the Future Hold