Family Nurse Practitioner

Established in 1973 as the first of its kind, our top-ranked Family Nurse Practitioner program is an innovative combination of diverse clinical experiences—from the inner city to the suburbs—and rigorous coursework, to prepare you to work with patients from all backgrounds and circumstances.

US News and World Report #5 ranking

About the Program

We emphasize hands-on, real life care in all aspects of the program. All of our faculty members are currently in practice, an important cornerstone of our program, giving you indispensable exposure to the kind of work you’ll step into after graduation. You’ll also have opportunities to do clinical work here and abroad, interacting with patients speaking languages other than English and gaining experience with culturally diverse populations.

All of Penn Nursing’s programs are accredited. To learn more about the accreditation and pass rates, please visit our Accreditation page.

Program Information

Full-Time

Program Length

16 months

Financial aid available?

Yes

Start Semester

Fall

Learning Format

In-person *

Although this program is in-person, to accommodate the busy schedules of our students some courses will be offered in an online or hybrid format. All clinical experiences for this program are in-person on Penn’s campus or at affiliated clinical sites.
Part-Time 2 years

Program Length

2 years

Financial aid available?

Yes

Start Semester

Year-round

Learning Format

In-person *

Although this program is in-person, to accommodate the busy schedules of our students some courses will be offered in an online or hybrid format. All clinical experiences for this program are in-person on Penn’s campus or at affiliated clinical sites.
Part-Time 3 years

Program Length

3 years

Financial aid available?

Yes

Start Semester

Year-round

Learning Format

In-person *

Although this program is in-person, to accommodate the busy schedules of our students some courses will be offered in an online or hybrid format. All clinical experiences for this program are in-person on Penn’s campus or at affiliated clinical sites.

Program Details

Curriculum

Your coursework will include four core courses (graduate research and sciences), one elective, and nine theory/clinical courses. The clinical courses include classroom work, lab sessions, and clinical preceptorships focused on physical assessment and pathophysiology, health maintenance, and the management of common acute and chronic health problems. Plus, we take the burden of finding a preceptor off of your shoulders.

There are several minors available to FNP students including the Global Health Minor. Please note that all minor-related coursework must be completed prior to entering the clinical portion of the program.

Our flexible FNP program offers full-time, part-time, and BSN/MSN study. The full-time program begins each August, is 16 months in length, and concludes the following December.

Click the link below to view the curriculum and plans of study for this program in the University catalog.

View curriculum and plans of study

Requirements

Minimum qualifications for the program

BSN degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher

Prerequisites

College level statistics course

Licensure

RN

Application Deadlines

Full-time Enrollment

Summer & Fall 2024 Start Deadline: November 1, 2023

Latest Decision Notification: late-February

Part-time Enrollment

Spring 2024 Start Deadline: October 16, 2023

Summer & Fall 2024 Start Deadline: March 15, 2024

Latest Decision Notification: late-April

*Dates subject to change without notice.

Costs & Tuition

Your program costs will depend on how many course units (CU) you take per semester.

Applicants to this program may be eligible for the Leonard A. Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Program Fellowship, which offers a free Penn education to budding NPs who are committed to working in underserved communities after graduation.

Discount available for employees of our Academic Practice Partners. Click here to learn more.

Program Outcomes

At the completion of this advanced level of nursing education, Penn Nursing MSN graduates will:

  • Use scientific inquiry to translate evidence into practice and promote clinical scholarship
  • Perform advanced nursing skills for specialty and subspecialty nursing practice
  • Lead quality improvement and manage care delivery models across settings
  • Leverage strong networks to advance in professional role

Certification

After graduation, you’ll be eligible to become certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a Family Health Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP). You’ll also be eligible for prescriptive authority. Successful completion of the program qualifies you to apply for national certification from either the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

Events

 

March 27 | 7:00pm

Spring 2024 Graduate Programs Info Session

 

April 10 | 6:00pm

Spring 2024 Graduate Programs Info Session

Penn Nursing is leading to healthier, more equitable future.

Ready to take the next step?