-
Marcy Ainslie
Assistant Professor -
Angela Braswell
CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR -
Joyce Cappiello
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR -
Elizabeth Evans
CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR -
Lauryn Frost
CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR -
Elizabeth Harrison
CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR -
Kathleen Higgs
CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR -
Eileen Hollis
CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR -
Pamela Kallmerten
CLINICAL ASSOCIATE PROFESSORDirect Entry Master's In Nursing (DEMN) Program Director -
Kerry Nolte
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR -
Patricia Puccilli
CLINICAL ASSOCIATE PROFESSORInterprofessional Practice FellowUndergraduate Program Director -
Margaret Shepard
CLINICAL ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR -
Deborah Simonton
CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Family Nurse Practitioner (Post Masters)
Family Nurse Practitioner (Post Masters)

Why get a graduate certificate as a family nurse practitioner?
The family nurse practitioner (FNP) graduate certificate is designed for you if you already have a nursing master's degree and wish to expand your practice, providing comprehensive care for children and adults of all ages. You’ll learn a family-oriented approach that emphasizes health promotion, maintenance and restoration. You’ll combine theory, research and evidence-based practice to develop skills in advanced health assessment, illness and disease management, pathophysiology, pharmacology, epidemiology, and population health and risk reduction. You’ll complete your certificate with a practicum in the primary care of families, and successful completion qualifies you to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination.
Why choose UNH’s Family Nurse Practitioner program?
At UNH you’ll be supported by a productive faculty and outstanding facilities as you advance your nursing career. Faculty members conduct research in family-based health issues such as women’s health, health promotion for children and adolescents, and nursing care for the elderly. Practica are available in local, regional and teaching hospitals, clinics, community health agencies, primary care and other urban and rural healthcare settings in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and additional sites by permission. Depending on educational background and previous coursework, students are required to take as few as three and as many as 12 courses.
Potential career areas
- Correctional facilities
- Government health services
- Home health agencies
- Hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Military
- Physicians’ offices
- Primary care clinics
- Schools
- Workplace clinics
Contact
Hewitt Hall, 4 Library Way
Durham, NH 03824 Phone: (603) 862-2271
Email: nursing.department@unh.edu
Curriculum & Requirements
The Department of Nursing offers the Post-Master's Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program for students who completed a master of science degree in nursing. The certificate of advanced practice is designed for those individuals with a master's degree in nursing who wish to expand their practice into the role of a primary care family nurse practitioner. The PM-PC-FNP specialty area prepares nurses to provide comprehensive care that includes health promotion, maintenance and restoration for persons across the life span.
Depending on educational background and previous coursework in master's program, students accepted into the PM-PC-FNP certificate program are required to take as few as three and as many as 12 courses or 12-39 credits. Successful completion of the required curriculum qualifies the RN to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination.
Certificate Requirements
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
NURS 810 | Families in Health and Illness | 3 |
NURS 907 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
NURS 908 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
NURS 909 | Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning | 3 |
NURS 925 | Health Care Systems and Leadership | 3 |
NURS 935 | Primary Care of Families I | 3 |
NURS 936 | Practicum in the Primary Care Families I | 3 |
NURS 937 | Primary Care of Families II | 3 |
NURS 938 | Practicum in the Primary Care of Families II | 3 |
NURS 939 | Seminar and Practicum in the Primary Care of Families III | 6 |
NURS 944 | Population Health Promotion and Risk Reduction | 3 |
NURS 963 | Advanced Clinical Epidemiology | 3 |
Applicant must submit course description for any course taken in previous graduate program they wish to have reviewed for equivalency. | ||
Total Credits | 39 |
Capstone Experience for All Master's and Post-Master's Nursing Tracks
For clinical nurse leader (CNL), the capstone course, NURS 958 Clinical Nurse Leader Capstone, requires students to complete 200 clinical hours plus a scholarly project, which synthesizes advanced practice knowledge and skills to address substantive nursing practice issues. For evidenced-based nursing (EBN), the capstone course, NURS 956 Capstone Project Seminar, requires students to complete a scholarly project.
CNL and FNP students may elect to complete NURS 899 Master's Thesis (6 credits). EBN students may elect to complete a thesis and register for 6 credits of NURS 899 Master's Thesis as the capstone in place of NURS 956 Capstone Project Seminar. If a student opts to do a thesis, the student should discuss this option with a faculty adviser early in the program of study.
For family nurse practitioner (FNP and PM-FNP), the capstone course, NURS 939 Seminar and Practicum in the Primary Care of Families III, is the final integrated clinical practicum.
For post-master's psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PM-PMHNP), the capstone course, NURS 985 Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Practicum II, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Practicum II, is the final integrated clinical practicum.
Deadlines
Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:
- Fall: April 1
- Spring: Nov. 1
- Summer: N/A
- Special: N/A
Application fee: $25
Campus: Durham
New England Regional: No
Accelerated Masters Eligible: No
New Hampshire Residents
Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.
Transcripts
If you attended UNH after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester and UNH Non-Degree work.
If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must request one official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. International transcripts must be translated into English. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:
- Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
- Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.
Transcripts are required for any school you earned a degree from, attended for at least one year, or attended for 2 or more semesters. Exceptions to this rule may be approved at the discretion of the program you are applying to and the UNH Graduate School Admission’s office.
References should be substantial with one academic referee (e.g., faculty) and one current nursing professional referee with graduate education background. If an academic reference is unavailable, then please submit two references from current nursing professionals with graduate education background.
Personal Statement/Essay Questions
Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:
- Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
- Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.
Resume
A current resume is required with your submitted application.
Additional Department Requirements
Additional requirements: 1) Student must hold an unencumbered active RN license in the United States and have a master's degree in nursing; 2) A course description should be submitted for any course you request waived.
Important Notes
All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program specific application questions.
International Applicants
The University of New Hampshire recommends that international applicants who are living outside of the United States, and are planning on pursuing a research based degree, submit a preapplication form before submitting a full application. Your preapplication request will be carefully reviewed and a decision usually provided within 3 weeks. If your preapplication is approved then it is recommended you then submit a full application. If you are currently living in the United States (on a H1B visa, etc.), or you plan on pursuing a professional master’s degree, then you do not need to submit a preapplication.
Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.