Online Family Nurse Practitioner Programs MSN Degree | WGU
Source: http://www.wgu.edu/online-nursing-health-degrees/family-nurse-practitioner-masters.html
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:21
Online Family Nurse Practitioner Programs MSN Degree | WGU
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Master of Science
Family Nurse Practitioner
(BSN to MSN)
Apply Now
OVERVIEW
Become a Family Nurse Practitioner—Online, On Your Schedule
A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is a registered nurse with specialized educational and clinical training in family practice. They evaluate patients, make diagnoses, write prescriptions, and bring a comprehensive element to healthcare. Nurse practitioners have a higher degree of classroom and clinical training than registered nurses or public health nurses, although becoming an RN is a prerequisite to becoming an FNP.
NOTE: Due to the clinical requirements of this degree program, the Family Nurse Practitioner master's degree is currently NOT available to students who have a permanent residence in the following states: California, District of Columbia, Louisiana, New York, North Dakota, Washington.
Students must have a permanent and active license from a state that is not listed above, must complete the internships in that state, and intend to obtain initial APRN licensure in that state. See more
state-specific information related to nursing licensure
. Compact licenses must be endorsed by your state of residence. More
about compact licenses
.
Is the FNP master's program not the right fit?
Compare our health leadership degrees
as well as
our MSN programs
, or explore these programs:
M.S. Nursing Education (BSN to MSN)
M.S. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (BSN to MSN)
, and
compare these two degrees
WGU’s Family Nurse Practitioner program requires you to travel to and attend one three-day FNP SageSkills Workshop located at a WGU Clinical Learning and Simulation Center (Sim Center). Please see map below to identify your travel-to Sim Center location.
Most graduates will earn this degree in
2½ years*
While you may move more quickly through core coursework, the duration of the clinical components of this program are set. As a result, the MSN FNP program may not be completed in fewer than 2 years.
*WGU Internal Data
Flexible Schedule
Tuition per six-month term is
$6,955
This includes tuition and all associated program fee costs. Tuition and fees charged per 6-month term—rather than pay per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their degree!
Cost & Time
This is a highly competitive program.
Currently, WGU's Family Nurse Practitioner degree program is accepting applications from a limited number of students. The required FNP SageSkills Workshop and Clinical Internship in this degree make it a highly practical and demanding program of study.
Admissions
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Next Start Date: January 1
Start Dates the 1st of Every Month
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COURSES
Family Nurse Practitioner Courses
Program consists of 16 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Program Guide
The WGU MSN-FNP curriculum is evidence-based. It's designed to make you an effective and caring nurse practitioner and healthcare provider. Courses in this online nursing degree are consistent with the NONPF (National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties) standards for nurse practitioners.
This is not an acute or emergency care practitioner program. WGU's mostly online program provides the knowledge and skills needed to sit for the national FNP certification exam and obtain state licensure.
Learn more about nurse licensure and certification.
This program consists of the courses listed below. You will typically complete them one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on.
You will complete your Family Nurse Practitioner master's degree mostly online. Your program will consist of six online core courses that are part of all WGU MSN programs. We call this our “MSN Core.”
The curriculum includes nurse practitioner core and family nurse practitioner specialty online courses. Next, you will complete specialty online courses comprised of different clinical requirements for the FNP degree program. Before you begin your clinical internship courses, you’ll complete the FNP SageSkills Workshop. This is a mandatory three-day immersive learning experience conducted in-person at one of the WGU Clinical Learning and Simulation Centers. Travel to a simulation center for the workshop is required. At the workshop you will be taught all your ambulatory skills, such as casting, splinting, suturing, and biopsies. Your program will culminate with the clinical internship courses involving 650 direct patient care clinical hours in your home community, as available.
Notice: Students in the state of Kansas who intend to seek licensure in Kansas and started on or after March 1st, 2025 will be required to complete 750 direct patient care hours.
DOWNLOAD PROGRAM DETAILS
MSN Core
Professional Presence and Influence
Professional Presence and Influence is a masters-level course designed to guide students towards an enhanced state of presence, where therapeutic relationships are built between nurse and patient. Students will learn techniques for self-care practices that result in enhanced mental and physical wellbeing and that ensure ethically-generated patient care. Presence is an intrapersonal and interpersonal quality that allows the nurse to relate to others and to be aware of the world around them. The characteristics of presence, which include holism, intimacy, sensitivity and adaptability, create a heightened sense of awareness that fosters therapeutic relationships between the nurse and patient. Developing a mindful, authentic presence is central to health and spiritual practices in several cultures and a major element of leadership. Students will intentionally develop a focused mindfulness practice that will influence patient outcomes and lead to conditions that create joy in the workplace.
Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Practice
Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Practice explores essential characteristics of the advanced professional nurse in the role of leader, educator, practitioner, or informatics specialist. In this course, students will apply evidence-based strategies to facilitate interprofessional collaboration on teams. Students will explore the role of nurses in advocating for change at the bedside, as well as leading teams to advocate for health policy reform. Students will gather and analyze data to identify patients and populations at risk and recommend policy change to improve health outcomes in the community.
Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care
Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care incorporates current standards of quality and safety within the context of value-based care. In a value-based healthcare system, the benefits are derived from measuring health outcomes against the cost of delivering the outcomes. These benefits are then extended to patients, providers, payers, suppliers, and society as a whole. This course introduces new healthcare delivery models, which stress a team-oriented approach to patient care and sharing of patient data so that care is coordinated, and outcomes can be measured easily. Emphasis is placed on performance and quality improvement methods that underlie value-based nursing care. The nurse in advanced practice today must exemplify the standards of quality and safety and be prepared to lead the delivery of value-based patient-centered care.
Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care
Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care integrates nursing science with multiple information and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. Students will acquire knowledge and skills to apply informatics concepts, communications, and data that are critical to facilitating interprofessional data-driven decision-making. It is designed to build competence in the use of patient- and population-based applications that inform and support the transformation of nursing care delivery toward a future of value-based quality nursing care that improves health outcomes. This course aligns theoretical concepts with practical applications of informatics and is consistent with the functional areas and responsibilities of informatics nurses as defined by the American Nurses Association Scope and Standards for nursing informatics.
Leadership and Management in Complex Healthcare Systems
Leadership and Management in Complex Healthcare Systems prepares graduate nurses to be thoughtful strategists and informed decision-makers who serve as strong leaders in high-performing healthcare systems. Students develop competencies for managing diverse teams in complex systems, monitoring and measuring organizational performance, allocating financial and human resources, and leading change towards a transformed healthcare system. Additionally, students acquire the knowledge and skills to become full partners with other healthcare professionals by demonstrating nurse contributions toward high-quality care to patients and populations, while working collaboratively with interprofessional teams. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Advancing Evidence-Based Innovation in Nursing Practice
Advancing Evidence-Based Innovation in Nursing Practice introduces students to the dynamic union of healthcare innovation and evidence. Core competencies and behaviors required to be a nurse innovator are discussed. Strategies for measuring innovation at various system levels are presented, as well as techniques for synthesizing and disseminating evidence to advance innovation in healthcare. The skills needed to appraise the quality of diverse sources of evidence are presented within the framework of evidence-based practice. This course focuses on identifying new and emerging sources of evidence that can inform, translate, and scale the complexity of leading innovation in healthcare organizations. Students will experience building communities of practice for collaboratively developing innovative practices and policies designed to improve the health of populations and enhance the patient experience of care.
Nurse Practitioner Core
Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse prepares the graduate nursing student for the role of an advanced practice nurse with the competencies and skills needed to recognize disease states, identify disease progression, and assess and evaluate symptoms for patients across the lifespan. This course will help the graduate nursing student gain a deeper understanding of pathophysiology from the cellular to the systems level and will provide graduate nursing students with the knowledge and skills to determine the etiology, underlying physiological changes, and the human affective responses to alterations in health. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to communicate the pathophysiology of disease processes to providers and patients.
Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse prepares the graduate nursing student for the role of an advanced practice nurse with the competencies and skills for prescribing and monitoring medication safely and effectively. This course will prepare the graduate nursing student to apply pharmacotherapeutics in primary care settings by utilizing the pivotal basis of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to select the correct medication, describe the rationale for that selection to the patient, family, and other providers, and to effectively monitor the patient to promote positive drug outcomes.
Advanced Health Assessment for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Advanced Health Assessment prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies necessary to provide primary health care to patients and families of diverse populations. Students will develop the skills needed for systematically collecting and analyzing subjective and objective patient data. Through simulation and clinical experiences, students will use data to determine current and ongoing patient health status, predict health risks, and identify health-promoting activities for patients across the lifespan. Advanced Health Assessment will prepare the nursing graduate with the critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and advanced diagnostic skills required for advanced practice nursing. Upon completion of Advanced Health Assessment, the graduate will be able to synthesize individual and systems level subjective and objective data to facilitate the differential diagnosis processes. Also, the graduate will be able to clearly describe to patients and providers the pertinent health assessment findings and rationale supporting the diagnostic process.
Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty
Adult Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Adult Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to provide primary healthcare to adult patients and families. This course will prepare the graduate nursing student to demonstrate competence in leading health promotion and disease prevention activities; diagnosing, managing, and coordinating care for patients with acute and chronic conditions; and empowering patients to pursue positive health outcomes. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to collaborate with adult patients to develop effective plans of care that build patient self-efficacy in the process of preventing and treating disease. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Pediatric Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Pediatric Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to provide primary healthcare to pediatric patients, from infancy through adolescence, and their families in an outpatient setting. This course will prepare the graduate nursing student to demonstrate competence in leading health promotion and disease prevention activities; in diagnosing, managing, and coordinating care for pediatric patients with acute and chronic conditions; and in empowering patients and their families in pursuing positive health outcomes. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to collaborate with pediatric patients and their families in developing effective plans of care that build patient and family self-efficacy in the process of preventing and treating disease. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Special Populations Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Special Populations Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to provide primary healthcare to unique patient populations in the outpatient setting. This course will prepare the graduate nursing student to demonstrate competence in leading health promotion and disease prevention activities; in diagnosing, managing, and coordinating care for patients with specific disease processes; and in empowering patients and their families in pursuing positive health outcomes. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to collaborate with unique patient populations and their families in developing effective plans of care that build self-efficacy in the process of preventing and treating specific disease processes. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Health Promotion of Patients and Populations Across the Lifespan
Health Promotion of Patients and Populations Across the Lifespan prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to provide health promotion activities to individuals and populations. This course will prepare the graduate nursing student to incorporate individual characteristics, population factors, and social determinants of health (SDOH) in determining the most efficient use of finite resources in leading health promotion activities. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to lead health promotion activities for individuals and specific populations across the lifespan. All MSN Core courses, as well as Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, and Advanced Health Assessment for the Advanced Practice Nurse must be completed before taking this course.
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship I
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship I prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to deliver primary care to individuals, families, and groups throughout the life span. Using the precepted clinical setting, this course will provide opportunities for the graduate nursing student to combine competencies developed in preparatory advanced practice coursework to deliver patient-centered healthcare. This course will also provide the graduate nursing student with opportunities to conduct advanced health assessments and use the competencies of advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health promotion for individuals and populations across the life span to build self-efficacy in individuals and groups, determine correct diagnoses, and establish plans of care that include patient and population preferences. All MSN Core courses, as well as Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, and Advanced Health Assessment for the Advanced Practice Nurse and FNP Specialty courses must be completed before taking this course.
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship II
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship II prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to deliver primary care to individuals, families, and groups throughout the life span. In the precepted clinical setting, the student will combine competencies developed in preparatory advanced practice coursework to deliver consumer-centered healthcare. The student will conduct advanced health assessments and use the competencies of advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health promotion for individuals and populations across the life span to build self-efficacy in individuals and groups, determine correct diagnoses, and establish plans of care that include consumer and population preferences. All MSN Core courses, Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, and Advanced Health Assessment for the Advanced Practice Nurse, FNP Specialty courses, and D122 Family Nurse Practitioner Internship I must be completed before taking this course.
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship III
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship III prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to deliver primary care to individuals, families, and groups across throughout the lifespan. In the precepted clinical setting, the student will combine competencies developed in preparatory advanced practice coursework to deliver consumer-centered healthcare. Therefore, the graduate will conduct advanced health assessments and utilize the competencies of advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health promotion for individuals and populations across the life span to build self-efficacy in individuals and groups, to determine correct diagnoses, and to establish plans of care that include consumer and population preferences. All MSN Core courses, FNP Specialty course, and Family Nurse Practitioner Internship I and II must be completed before taking this course.
16 Courses
Program consists of 16 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Program Guide
Field Experiences
Special requirements for this program
While most of your coursework will be completed online, your nurse practitioner program includes some requirements. A few of these include clinical internships at a facility near you and one three-day FNP SageSkills Workshop at a WGU Clinical Learning and Simulation Center. The university will work with you through the approval process.
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Skills For Your Résumé
As part of this program, you will develop a range of valuable skills that employers are looking for.
Acute Care:
Proficiently applied knowledge of patients' pathophysiology when analyzing lab data, test results, physical assessment data, telemetry, invasive monitoring, and vital signs, facilitating accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plans.
Care Coordination:
Successfully conducted patient-centered, culturally competent, and responsive strategies in the delivery of clinical prevention and health promotion interventions and services to individuals, families, communities, aggregates, and clinical populations, promoting equitable and effective healthcare.
Social Determinants of Health:
Expertly explained how programs, practices, and policies impacting social determinants of health (SDOH) affect the health of individuals, families, populations, and communities, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of healthcare disparities and targeted interventions.
Research:
Developed evidence-based processes based on research findings to improve access and quality of care.
Health Promotion:
Skillfully created health improvement programs for individuals, cohorts of patients, families, populations, or groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or self-care management, empowering diverse communities with essential health knowledge and skills.
Collaboration:
Collaboratively determined the most desirable patient outcomes through effective communication and collaboration with an interprofessional care team, ensuring comprehensive and patient-centric healthcare plans.
“Our partnership with WGU enables our employees to advance their education affordably without interrupting their careers.”
—John Steele, Senior Vice President of Human Resources
HCA Healthcare
WGU vs. Traditional Universities
Compare the Difference
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options
As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year
Apply Now
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
TUITION STRUCTURE
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
SUPPORT
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
EXAMS
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
SCHEDULE
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options
TIME TO FINISH
As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year
Apply Now
Why WGU?
Valued
Top accreditations mean that your FNP degree is respected by employers and peers. You will get a quality education that is valuable in the industry.
PAYING FOR SCHOOL
Flexible
You can continue working at your full-time job or maintaining your responsibilities while pursing your FNP degree. You don't have to log in to classes and there aren't due dates. You are in charge of your degree.
A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
Strong Alumni Network
When you enroll in this nursing master's program at WGU, you join an impressive network of healthcare professionals.
CAREER OUTLOOK
Accredited,
Respected,
Recognized™
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at WGU are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (
http://www.ccneaccreditation.org
).
COST & TIME
An Affordable Family Nurse Practitioner Program
By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. For the family nurse practitioner MSN degree, students can accelerate through the MSN core courses, cutting down their overall cost, before moving forward to the specific time-set FNP coursework.
Note: The MSN FNP program may not be completed in fewer than 2 years.
Apply FREE
Tuition Calculator
Pay less by completing your program faster
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Cost Breakdown
Tuition
$
6,955
E-Books and Resources Fee
+
$
200
TOTAL (per 6-month term)
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$
6-month terms
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The MSN FNP program may not be completed
in fewer than 2 years.
A Nursing Master's Degree Is Within Reach
There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:
The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2022 (among those who borrowed) was less than half the national average.**
Responsible Borrowing Initiative
Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.
Financial Aid
Many scholarship opportunities are available. Find out what you might be eligible for.
Scholarships
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
An Online Family Nurse Practitioner Degree Program Built for a Busy Nurse’s Schedule
There is high demand for the Family Nurse Practitioner position, and you'll be prepared to take your extensive nursing experience and transform it into specific patient care as a healthcare provider. Our competency-based education model puts working nurses in the driver’s seat of their education. As a busy nurse, you need a degree program that's more than simply online—you need a nursing program that truly reflects the realities of your work life and experience. At WGU, your progress is driven by your ability to prove what you’ve learned. How—and how quickly—is largely up to you.
Once you’ve mastered the material, you prove what you know through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments. Demonstrating mastery is how you pass a course, so learning what it takes to be outstanding in your career as an effective nurse practitioner is at the heart of WGU’s M.S. Nursing–Family Nurse Practitioner curriculum. Other universities' online M.S. programs may give you the convenience of distance learning; WGU's online programs take that flexibility further—many steps further!
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"While getting my degree I was faced with learning how to teach from home, and help my own children adapt to learning online because of our pandemic. I love how WGU was flexible and I was able to breeze through courses when I knew the information and take my time on the ones I needed to.”
—Rachel Hink
Teachers College Graduate
The standard pace of the program will take 2.5 years to complete. Students who successfully complete the standard 5-term pace are committing an average of 30 hours per week to their studies. But, if you choose, you may be able to accelerate through the MSN Core, finishing the program in 2 years. Alternatively, you can choose to complete the clinical hours part time, finishing the program in 6 terms or a total of 3 years.
Students must complete 650 direct patient care clinical hours. The standard pace of the program is to spend 3 to 4 days a week in clinical hours, until you total 650 hours. If you choose to complete the clinical hours on a part-time basis, then you will spend 1 to 2 days a week in clinicals, until you total 650 hours.
CAREER OUTLOOK
A Family Nurse Practitioner Master's Prepares You to Deliver Primary Care with a Comprehensive Perspective
Once you have completed this mostly online M.S. Nursing–Family Nurse Practitioner degree program, you will have the knowledge and skills to be an outstanding nurse practitioner. You'll be in demand because you'll be prepared to take your extensive nursing experience and transform it into specific patient-care as a healthcare provider. Graduates of this program will be prepared to practice in primary care settings serving as primary care providers. This is not an acute or emergency care FNP program.
Working as a nurse practitioner is a rewarding career where helping others is at the forefront. As an FNP, you’ll provide care to families, improving patient outcomes while serving your community. A rewarding career starts with a respected degree which is what you get at WGU. Our FNP education prepares each graduate to work independently in delivering healthcare to individuals and families. You will be able to work at your own pace, potentially finishing your degree more quickly than you would through family nurse practitioner programs at other nursing schools. If you enjoy caring for others, you may find a career as a family nurse practitioner particularly rewarding.
MORE ABOUT CAREERS
Return on Your Investment
Many WGU graduates may see an increase in income post-graduation
Average income increase in annual salary vs. pre-enrollment salary from all degrees. Source:
2024 Harris Poll
of 1,655 WGU graduates.
Survey was sent to a representative sample of WGU graduates from all colleges. Respondents received at least one WGU degree since 2017.
40%
Projections indicate that employment of nurse practitioners will grow 40% by 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
WGU's MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner Grads Can Expect Rewarding Careers
Primary care FNP careers you can pursue after graduating with an MSN degree from WGU include:
Outpatient primary care and specialty clinics
Family practice clinics
Urgent care clinics
Women's health clinics
Community service centers
Pediatric clinics
Hospitals
Retail health centers
Corporate wellness centers
Telehealth clinics
Community health centers
Rural health centers
Federal qualified health centers
Chronic pain
WGU Grads Hold Positions With Top Employers
Hospitals and clinics around the country know the benefit of a degree from WGU, so your healthcare degree is valuable.
More About Career Growth
ADMISSIONS
Admission Requirements Unique to our M.S. Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Degree Program
To be considered for this program, you must:
Possess a bachelor of science in nursing degree (BSN) from an accredited institution. NOTE: Students that hold an MSN will not be eligible to apply for the MSN-FNP pathway.
Possess a current, active, unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license from AND a permanent residence in an approved state. Students must complete the internships in their state of residence/license and intend to obtain initial APRN licensure in that state.
Compact licenses
must be endorsed by your state of residence. (The FNP is currently not available for students in California, District of Columbia, Louisiana, New York, North Dakota, and Washington.)
Submit a
criminal background check
through DISA Healthcare Technology
. Additional fees may apply.
Submit a
professional resume or CV
outlining your academic, professional, and service history.
Submit an
application essay
. You must submit a response to the application essay questions detailing your experience in nursing and explaining why you want to become an NP. This essay helps us understand your unique situation and personal goals.
Provide
three letters of recommendation
from:
A supervisor or manager who directly supervised you in a clinical setting.
A professor, faculty member, or academic advisor who can provide meaningful input regarding your academic record.
A Board Certified practicing healthcare provider (APRN, NP, PA, MD, DO) who has served as a mentor or whom you have shadowed, preferably in the specialty to which you are applying. Note: A registered nurse cannot serve as the practicing provider for this recommendation source.
Have earned a
3.0 cumulative grade point average
(on a 4.0 scale) in the following 5 courses OR hold a BSNU degree from WGU:
Anatomy / Physiology I w/lab (equivalent to 4 semester hours)
Anatomy / Physiology II w/lab (equivalent to 4 semester hours)
Statistics (equivalent to 3 semester hours)
Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan (equivalent to 3 semester hours)
Pharmacology (equivalent to 2 semester hours)
Note:
All courses must be awarded a C- or above to meet this requirement. At this time, WGU is not accepting transfer credit for the Master of Science - Family Nurse Practitioner program.
Have one year of clinical experience and be actively working as an RN at the time of application.
*This requirement is strongly preferred, as these will be competitive factors in the admission decision-making process.
MORE ABOUT FNP ADMISSIONS
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
VIEW CHECKLIST
Get Your Questions Answered
Talk to an WGU Enrollment Counselor.
CONTACT AN ENROLLMENT COUNSELOR
Safety Notice
WGU and the Leavitt School of Health are committed to the health, safety, and well-being of all patients, community members, and key stakeholders that interact with WGU students at various clinical/host sites. Interactions will include direct patient interaction, observation experiences, and in-person FNP SageSkills Workshop. Interactions may include project development or conducting research. Standard compliance verification for students in applicable LSH programs is required to protect the public, meet LSH program expectations, reasonably assure compliance with state regulatory board requirements, meet WGU’s contractual and legal obligations with clinical partners, and support WGU’s mission to prepare students who will be qualified to enter their desired field. Compliance items may include, but are not limited to, background checks, immunizations, and drug screens as needed.
More About the FNP Program
General Program Questions
Financial Aid Questions
Apply Now
Details About WGU’s FNP Clinical Sites and Preceptors
The WGU FNP program culminates with three clinical internship courses that together consist of 650 precepted direct patient care clinical hours.
You will work with preceptors in clinics in your local community, as available, to train in the provision of primary care. To do so, you will need to be in clinical sites that allow you access to patients across the lifespan, with sufficient experiences in treating the wide variety of conditions and full spectrum of complexity found in primary care.
No. You can only complete clinical hours within the states where WGU’s FNP program is currently offered and where you possess a current, unencumbered RN license.
WGU’s FNP program is currently offered in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Yes. Students will work with the Clinical Experience Team to submit potential clinical sites and preceptors for approval. WGU will evaluate the appropriateness of each clinical site and preceptor and provide approval as appropriate.
Yes. The WGU FNP program prepares you to take the FNP national certification exam of your choice from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Certification Program.
Students are responsible for paying the travel, lodging, food, and other associated costs to participate in the clinical internship rotations and FNP SageSkills Workshop.
Any clinical hours completed at your current place of employment must not be part of your regular employment responsibilities or schedule. While your current place of employment may be approved as a clinical site, your preceptor may not be your employment direct supervisor.
The number of clinical sites that you need is based on how well each site prepares you to meet the core WGU FNP competencies. Collectively, the clinical sites must provide you with access to patients across the lifespan, with sufficient experiences in treating the wide variety of conditions and full spectrum of complexity found in primary care.
The FNP SageSkills Workshop is an immersive three-day learning experience conducted in-person at a WGU Clinical Learning and Simulation Center. The FNP SageSkills Workshop occurs during the term prior to the clinical internship and must be completed prior to starting clinical internship courses. The purpose of the workshop is to allow you to practice and demonstrate competence in procedural and clinical skills before beginning your precepted clinical practice. The ambulatory skills taught and evaluated include suturing, splinting, casting, skin biopsies, joint injections, as well as other ambulatory care skills. Additionally, students will complete objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) with standardized patients (SPs) to prepare them to take on the role of provider. Upon completion, you will be ready to maximize the time with your clinical preceptors in perfecting your ambulatory skills in the clinical internship courses.
An NP MSN program can take about two and a half years with an accelerated program like the one we offer at WGU. If you are not already a registered nurse, it can take as many as six to eight years of courses, certification, and training to earn a degree as a nurse practitioner (NP). Nurse practitioners need a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in Nursing, and also must pass the APRN certification exam.
A nurse practitioner has a higher level of education and qualifications and can perform more duties. While a nurse practitioner can act in a similar capacity to a physician in a private practice, a nurse must be under the direction of a doctor. Additionally, nurse practitioners can prescribe medications, while registered nurses cannot. The salaries also differ significantly. Since nurse practitioners have greater qualifications, they make on average 40-50% more than registered nurses, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Typical NP programs are three to four years. However, with WGU's program you can work at your own pace, allowing you to accelerate your coursework. While it varies, on average students finish the WGU FNP program in two and a half years.
Be a registered nurse with a BSN and experience in the field
Earn your MSN-FNP degree
Earn your state license and certification (each state has unique requirements, so be sure to understand what your state will require)
If you want to become a nurse practitioner more quickly, consider an online degree program that will allow you to accelerate your coursework and move at your own pace.
No. You will have to be a registered nurse in order to obtain an MSN or DNP degree that qualifies you to become a nurse practitioner. Each state will have unique requirements about the years of experience as an RN you must have before you can become a nurse practitioner, so it’s best to learn what the requirements are in your state.
Yes. Patience is key if you're looking to get into NP school. Nurse practitioner programs are highly competitive. Elements like good grades in your BSN program and experience as an RN are taken into account.
WGU is approved to offer
federal student aid
. You will need to apply using the FAFSA, which is used to determine your eligibility for aid. WGU’s FAFSA school code is 033394.
Scholarships are available for new WGU students and returning graduates.
This video shows more
about scholarship opportunities and how they can help you pay for school. Get information on:
How to apply
Eligibility requirements
Examples of scholarships
What happens after you apply
FAQs
Other financial aid options
WGU's tuition is a flat rate that is charged every six months. You can take as many courses as you are able in that six-month term—with no extra cost. You simply pay for the term and do as much work as you can or want to during that time. This means that finishing faster helps you save money—a major benefit you won't find at most other schools.
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Master of Science
Family Nurse Practitioner
(BSN to MSN)
Apply Now
OVERVIEW
Become a Family Nurse Practitioner—Online, On Your Schedule
A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is a registered nurse with specialized educational and clinical training in family practice. They evaluate patients, make diagnoses, write prescriptions, and bring a comprehensive element to healthcare. Nurse practitioners have a higher degree of classroom and clinical training than registered nurses or public health nurses, although becoming an RN is a prerequisite to becoming an FNP.
NOTE: Due to the clinical requirements of this degree program, the Family Nurse Practitioner master's degree is currently NOT available to students who have a permanent residence in the following states: California, District of Columbia, Louisiana, New York, North Dakota, Washington.
Students must have a permanent and active license from a state that is not listed above, must complete the internships in that state, and intend to obtain initial APRN licensure in that state. See more
state-specific information related to nursing licensure
. Compact licenses must be endorsed by your state of residence. More
about compact licenses
.
Is the FNP master's program not the right fit?
Compare our health leadership degrees
as well as
our MSN programs
, or explore these programs:
M.S. Nursing Education (BSN to MSN)
M.S. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (BSN to MSN)
, and
compare these two degrees
WGU’s Family Nurse Practitioner program requires you to travel to and attend one three-day FNP SageSkills Workshop located at a WGU Clinical Learning and Simulation Center (Sim Center). Please see map below to identify your travel-to Sim Center location.
Most graduates will earn this degree in
2½ years*
While you may move more quickly through core coursework, the duration of the clinical components of this program are set. As a result, the MSN FNP program may not be completed in fewer than 2 years.
*WGU Internal Data
Flexible Schedule
Tuition per six-month term is
$6,955
This includes tuition and all associated program fee costs. Tuition and fees charged per 6-month term—rather than pay per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their degree!
Cost & Time
This is a highly competitive program.
Currently, WGU's Family Nurse Practitioner degree program is accepting applications from a limited number of students. The required FNP SageSkills Workshop and Clinical Internship in this degree make it a highly practical and demanding program of study.
Admissions
Ready to Start Your WGU Journey?
Next Start Date: January 1
Start Dates the 1st of Every Month
Apply Today
COURSES
Family Nurse Practitioner Courses
Program consists of 16 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Program Guide
The WGU MSN-FNP curriculum is evidence-based. It's designed to make you an effective and caring nurse practitioner and healthcare provider. Courses in this online nursing degree are consistent with the NONPF (National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties) standards for nurse practitioners.
This is not an acute or emergency care practitioner program. WGU's mostly online program provides the knowledge and skills needed to sit for the national FNP certification exam and obtain state licensure.
Learn more about nurse licensure and certification.
This program consists of the courses listed below. You will typically complete them one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on.
You will complete your Family Nurse Practitioner master's degree mostly online. Your program will consist of six online core courses that are part of all WGU MSN programs. We call this our “MSN Core.”
The curriculum includes nurse practitioner core and family nurse practitioner specialty online courses. Next, you will complete specialty online courses comprised of different clinical requirements for the FNP degree program. Before you begin your clinical internship courses, you’ll complete the FNP SageSkills Workshop. This is a mandatory three-day immersive learning experience conducted in-person at one of the WGU Clinical Learning and Simulation Centers. Travel to a simulation center for the workshop is required. At the workshop you will be taught all your ambulatory skills, such as casting, splinting, suturing, and biopsies. Your program will culminate with the clinical internship courses involving 650 direct patient care clinical hours in your home community, as available.
Notice: Students in the state of Kansas who intend to seek licensure in Kansas and started on or after March 1st, 2025 will be required to complete 750 direct patient care hours.
DOWNLOAD PROGRAM DETAILS
MSN Core
Professional Presence and Influence
Professional Presence and Influence is a masters-level course designed to guide students towards an enhanced state of presence, where therapeutic relationships are built between nurse and patient. Students will learn techniques for self-care practices that result in enhanced mental and physical wellbeing and that ensure ethically-generated patient care. Presence is an intrapersonal and interpersonal quality that allows the nurse to relate to others and to be aware of the world around them. The characteristics of presence, which include holism, intimacy, sensitivity and adaptability, create a heightened sense of awareness that fosters therapeutic relationships between the nurse and patient. Developing a mindful, authentic presence is central to health and spiritual practices in several cultures and a major element of leadership. Students will intentionally develop a focused mindfulness practice that will influence patient outcomes and lead to conditions that create joy in the workplace.
Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Practice
Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Practice explores essential characteristics of the advanced professional nurse in the role of leader, educator, practitioner, or informatics specialist. In this course, students will apply evidence-based strategies to facilitate interprofessional collaboration on teams. Students will explore the role of nurses in advocating for change at the bedside, as well as leading teams to advocate for health policy reform. Students will gather and analyze data to identify patients and populations at risk and recommend policy change to improve health outcomes in the community.
Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care
Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care incorporates current standards of quality and safety within the context of value-based care. In a value-based healthcare system, the benefits are derived from measuring health outcomes against the cost of delivering the outcomes. These benefits are then extended to patients, providers, payers, suppliers, and society as a whole. This course introduces new healthcare delivery models, which stress a team-oriented approach to patient care and sharing of patient data so that care is coordinated, and outcomes can be measured easily. Emphasis is placed on performance and quality improvement methods that underlie value-based nursing care. The nurse in advanced practice today must exemplify the standards of quality and safety and be prepared to lead the delivery of value-based patient-centered care.
Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care
Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care integrates nursing science with multiple information and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. Students will acquire knowledge and skills to apply informatics concepts, communications, and data that are critical to facilitating interprofessional data-driven decision-making. It is designed to build competence in the use of patient- and population-based applications that inform and support the transformation of nursing care delivery toward a future of value-based quality nursing care that improves health outcomes. This course aligns theoretical concepts with practical applications of informatics and is consistent with the functional areas and responsibilities of informatics nurses as defined by the American Nurses Association Scope and Standards for nursing informatics.
Leadership and Management in Complex Healthcare Systems
Leadership and Management in Complex Healthcare Systems prepares graduate nurses to be thoughtful strategists and informed decision-makers who serve as strong leaders in high-performing healthcare systems. Students develop competencies for managing diverse teams in complex systems, monitoring and measuring organizational performance, allocating financial and human resources, and leading change towards a transformed healthcare system. Additionally, students acquire the knowledge and skills to become full partners with other healthcare professionals by demonstrating nurse contributions toward high-quality care to patients and populations, while working collaboratively with interprofessional teams. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Advancing Evidence-Based Innovation in Nursing Practice
Advancing Evidence-Based Innovation in Nursing Practice introduces students to the dynamic union of healthcare innovation and evidence. Core competencies and behaviors required to be a nurse innovator are discussed. Strategies for measuring innovation at various system levels are presented, as well as techniques for synthesizing and disseminating evidence to advance innovation in healthcare. The skills needed to appraise the quality of diverse sources of evidence are presented within the framework of evidence-based practice. This course focuses on identifying new and emerging sources of evidence that can inform, translate, and scale the complexity of leading innovation in healthcare organizations. Students will experience building communities of practice for collaboratively developing innovative practices and policies designed to improve the health of populations and enhance the patient experience of care.
Nurse Practitioner Core
Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse prepares the graduate nursing student for the role of an advanced practice nurse with the competencies and skills needed to recognize disease states, identify disease progression, and assess and evaluate symptoms for patients across the lifespan. This course will help the graduate nursing student gain a deeper understanding of pathophysiology from the cellular to the systems level and will provide graduate nursing students with the knowledge and skills to determine the etiology, underlying physiological changes, and the human affective responses to alterations in health. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to communicate the pathophysiology of disease processes to providers and patients.
Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse prepares the graduate nursing student for the role of an advanced practice nurse with the competencies and skills for prescribing and monitoring medication safely and effectively. This course will prepare the graduate nursing student to apply pharmacotherapeutics in primary care settings by utilizing the pivotal basis of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to select the correct medication, describe the rationale for that selection to the patient, family, and other providers, and to effectively monitor the patient to promote positive drug outcomes.
Advanced Health Assessment for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Advanced Health Assessment prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies necessary to provide primary health care to patients and families of diverse populations. Students will develop the skills needed for systematically collecting and analyzing subjective and objective patient data. Through simulation and clinical experiences, students will use data to determine current and ongoing patient health status, predict health risks, and identify health-promoting activities for patients across the lifespan. Advanced Health Assessment will prepare the nursing graduate with the critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and advanced diagnostic skills required for advanced practice nursing. Upon completion of Advanced Health Assessment, the graduate will be able to synthesize individual and systems level subjective and objective data to facilitate the differential diagnosis processes. Also, the graduate will be able to clearly describe to patients and providers the pertinent health assessment findings and rationale supporting the diagnostic process.
Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty
Adult Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Adult Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to provide primary healthcare to adult patients and families. This course will prepare the graduate nursing student to demonstrate competence in leading health promotion and disease prevention activities; diagnosing, managing, and coordinating care for patients with acute and chronic conditions; and empowering patients to pursue positive health outcomes. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to collaborate with adult patients to develop effective plans of care that build patient self-efficacy in the process of preventing and treating disease. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Pediatric Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Pediatric Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to provide primary healthcare to pediatric patients, from infancy through adolescence, and their families in an outpatient setting. This course will prepare the graduate nursing student to demonstrate competence in leading health promotion and disease prevention activities; in diagnosing, managing, and coordinating care for pediatric patients with acute and chronic conditions; and in empowering patients and their families in pursuing positive health outcomes. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to collaborate with pediatric patients and their families in developing effective plans of care that build patient and family self-efficacy in the process of preventing and treating disease. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Special Populations Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Special Populations Primary Care for the Advanced Practice Nurse prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to provide primary healthcare to unique patient populations in the outpatient setting. This course will prepare the graduate nursing student to demonstrate competence in leading health promotion and disease prevention activities; in diagnosing, managing, and coordinating care for patients with specific disease processes; and in empowering patients and their families in pursuing positive health outcomes. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to collaborate with unique patient populations and their families in developing effective plans of care that build self-efficacy in the process of preventing and treating specific disease processes. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Health Promotion of Patients and Populations Across the Lifespan
Health Promotion of Patients and Populations Across the Lifespan prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to provide health promotion activities to individuals and populations. This course will prepare the graduate nursing student to incorporate individual characteristics, population factors, and social determinants of health (SDOH) in determining the most efficient use of finite resources in leading health promotion activities. This course will also prepare the graduate nursing student to lead health promotion activities for individuals and specific populations across the lifespan. All MSN Core courses, as well as Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, and Advanced Health Assessment for the Advanced Practice Nurse must be completed before taking this course.
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship I
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship I prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to deliver primary care to individuals, families, and groups throughout the life span. Using the precepted clinical setting, this course will provide opportunities for the graduate nursing student to combine competencies developed in preparatory advanced practice coursework to deliver patient-centered healthcare. This course will also provide the graduate nursing student with opportunities to conduct advanced health assessments and use the competencies of advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health promotion for individuals and populations across the life span to build self-efficacy in individuals and groups, determine correct diagnoses, and establish plans of care that include patient and population preferences. All MSN Core courses, as well as Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, and Advanced Health Assessment for the Advanced Practice Nurse and FNP Specialty courses must be completed before taking this course.
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship II
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship II prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to deliver primary care to individuals, families, and groups throughout the life span. In the precepted clinical setting, the student will combine competencies developed in preparatory advanced practice coursework to deliver consumer-centered healthcare. The student will conduct advanced health assessments and use the competencies of advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health promotion for individuals and populations across the life span to build self-efficacy in individuals and groups, determine correct diagnoses, and establish plans of care that include consumer and population preferences. All MSN Core courses, Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, and Advanced Health Assessment for the Advanced Practice Nurse, FNP Specialty courses, and D122 Family Nurse Practitioner Internship I must be completed before taking this course.
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship III
Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Internship III prepares the graduate nursing student to perform the role of an advanced practice nurse with the essential competencies and skills necessary to deliver primary care to individuals, families, and groups across throughout the lifespan. In the precepted clinical setting, the student will combine competencies developed in preparatory advanced practice coursework to deliver consumer-centered healthcare. Therefore, the graduate will conduct advanced health assessments and utilize the competencies of advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health promotion for individuals and populations across the life span to build self-efficacy in individuals and groups, to determine correct diagnoses, and to establish plans of care that include consumer and population preferences. All MSN Core courses, FNP Specialty course, and Family Nurse Practitioner Internship I and II must be completed before taking this course.
16 Courses
Program consists of 16 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Program Guide
Field Experiences
Special requirements for this program
While most of your coursework will be completed online, your nurse practitioner program includes some requirements. A few of these include clinical internships at a facility near you and one three-day FNP SageSkills Workshop at a WGU Clinical Learning and Simulation Center. The university will work with you through the approval process.
Request Info
Skills For Your Résumé
As part of this program, you will develop a range of valuable skills that employers are looking for.
Acute Care:
Proficiently applied knowledge of patients' pathophysiology when analyzing lab data, test results, physical assessment data, telemetry, invasive monitoring, and vital signs, facilitating accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plans.
Care Coordination:
Successfully conducted patient-centered, culturally competent, and responsive strategies in the delivery of clinical prevention and health promotion interventions and services to individuals, families, communities, aggregates, and clinical populations, promoting equitable and effective healthcare.
Social Determinants of Health:
Expertly explained how programs, practices, and policies impacting social determinants of health (SDOH) affect the health of individuals, families, populations, and communities, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of healthcare disparities and targeted interventions.
Research:
Developed evidence-based processes based on research findings to improve access and quality of care.
Health Promotion:
Skillfully created health improvement programs for individuals, cohorts of patients, families, populations, or groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or self-care management, empowering diverse communities with essential health knowledge and skills.
Collaboration:
Collaboratively determined the most desirable patient outcomes through effective communication and collaboration with an interprofessional care team, ensuring comprehensive and patient-centric healthcare plans.
“Our partnership with WGU enables our employees to advance their education affordably without interrupting their careers.”
—John Steele, Senior Vice President of Human Resources
HCA Healthcare
WGU vs. Traditional Universities
Compare the Difference
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options
As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year
Apply Now
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
TUITION STRUCTURE
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
SUPPORT
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
EXAMS
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
SCHEDULE
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options
TIME TO FINISH
As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year
Apply Now
Why WGU?
Valued
Top accreditations mean that your FNP degree is respected by employers and peers. You will get a quality education that is valuable in the industry.
PAYING FOR SCHOOL
Flexible
You can continue working at your full-time job or maintaining your responsibilities while pursing your FNP degree. You don't have to log in to classes and there aren't due dates. You are in charge of your degree.
A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
Strong Alumni Network
When you enroll in this nursing master's program at WGU, you join an impressive network of healthcare professionals.
CAREER OUTLOOK
Accredited,
Respected,
Recognized™
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at WGU are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (
http://www.ccneaccreditation.org
).
COST & TIME
An Affordable Family Nurse Practitioner Program
By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. For the family nurse practitioner MSN degree, students can accelerate through the MSN core courses, cutting down their overall cost, before moving forward to the specific time-set FNP coursework.
Note: The MSN FNP program may not be completed in fewer than 2 years.
Apply FREE
Tuition Calculator
Pay less by completing your program faster
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Cost Breakdown
Tuition
$
6,955
E-Books and Resources Fee
+
$
200
TOTAL (per 6-month term)
=
$
6-month terms
X
Total Cost
=
$
The MSN FNP program may not be completed
in fewer than 2 years.
A Nursing Master's Degree Is Within Reach
There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:
The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2022 (among those who borrowed) was less than half the national average.**
Responsible Borrowing Initiative
Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.
Financial Aid
Many scholarship opportunities are available. Find out what you might be eligible for.
Scholarships
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
An Online Family Nurse Practitioner Degree Program Built for a Busy Nurse’s Schedule
There is high demand for the Family Nurse Practitioner position, and you'll be prepared to take your extensive nursing experience and transform it into specific patient care as a healthcare provider. Our competency-based education model puts working nurses in the driver’s seat of their education. As a busy nurse, you need a degree program that's more than simply online—you need a nursing program that truly reflects the realities of your work life and experience. At WGU, your progress is driven by your ability to prove what you’ve learned. How—and how quickly—is largely up to you.
Once you’ve mastered the material, you prove what you know through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments. Demonstrating mastery is how you pass a course, so learning what it takes to be outstanding in your career as an effective nurse practitioner is at the heart of WGU’s M.S. Nursing–Family Nurse Practitioner curriculum. Other universities' online M.S. programs may give you the convenience of distance learning; WGU's online programs take that flexibility further—many steps further!
REQUEST MORE INFO
"While getting my degree I was faced with learning how to teach from home, and help my own children adapt to learning online because of our pandemic. I love how WGU was flexible and I was able to breeze through courses when I knew the information and take my time on the ones I needed to.”
—Rachel Hink
Teachers College Graduate
The standard pace of the program will take 2.5 years to complete. Students who successfully complete the standard 5-term pace are committing an average of 30 hours per week to their studies. But, if you choose, you may be able to accelerate through the MSN Core, finishing the program in 2 years. Alternatively, you can choose to complete the clinical hours part time, finishing the program in 6 terms or a total of 3 years.
Students must complete 650 direct patient care clinical hours. The standard pace of the program is to spend 3 to 4 days a week in clinical hours, until you total 650 hours. If you choose to complete the clinical hours on a part-time basis, then you will spend 1 to 2 days a week in clinicals, until you total 650 hours.
CAREER OUTLOOK
A Family Nurse Practitioner Master's Prepares You to Deliver Primary Care with a Comprehensive Perspective
Once you have completed this mostly online M.S. Nursing–Family Nurse Practitioner degree program, you will have the knowledge and skills to be an outstanding nurse practitioner. You'll be in demand because you'll be prepared to take your extensive nursing experience and transform it into specific patient-care as a healthcare provider. Graduates of this program will be prepared to practice in primary care settings serving as primary care providers. This is not an acute or emergency care FNP program.
Working as a nurse practitioner is a rewarding career where helping others is at the forefront. As an FNP, you’ll provide care to families, improving patient outcomes while serving your community. A rewarding career starts with a respected degree which is what you get at WGU. Our FNP education prepares each graduate to work independently in delivering healthcare to individuals and families. You will be able to work at your own pace, potentially finishing your degree more quickly than you would through family nurse practitioner programs at other nursing schools. If you enjoy caring for others, you may find a career as a family nurse practitioner particularly rewarding.
MORE ABOUT CAREERS
Return on Your Investment
Many WGU graduates may see an increase in income post-graduation
Average income increase in annual salary vs. pre-enrollment salary from all degrees. Source:
2024 Harris Poll
of 1,655 WGU graduates.
Survey was sent to a representative sample of WGU graduates from all colleges. Respondents received at least one WGU degree since 2017.
40%
Projections indicate that employment of nurse practitioners will grow 40% by 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
WGU's MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner Grads Can Expect Rewarding Careers
Primary care FNP careers you can pursue after graduating with an MSN degree from WGU include:
Outpatient primary care and specialty clinics
Family practice clinics
Urgent care clinics
Women's health clinics
Community service centers
Pediatric clinics
Hospitals
Retail health centers
Corporate wellness centers
Telehealth clinics
Community health centers
Rural health centers
Federal qualified health centers
Chronic pain
WGU Grads Hold Positions With Top Employers
Hospitals and clinics around the country know the benefit of a degree from WGU, so your healthcare degree is valuable.
More About Career Growth
ADMISSIONS
Admission Requirements Unique to our M.S. Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Degree Program
To be considered for this program, you must:
Possess a bachelor of science in nursing degree (BSN) from an accredited institution. NOTE: Students that hold an MSN will not be eligible to apply for the MSN-FNP pathway.
Possess a current, active, unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license from AND a permanent residence in an approved state. Students must complete the internships in their state of residence/license and intend to obtain initial APRN licensure in that state.
Compact licenses
must be endorsed by your state of residence. (The FNP is currently not available for students in California, District of Columbia, Louisiana, New York, North Dakota, and Washington.)
Submit a
criminal background check
through DISA Healthcare Technology
. Additional fees may apply.
Submit a
professional resume or CV
outlining your academic, professional, and service history.
Submit an
application essay
. You must submit a response to the application essay questions detailing your experience in nursing and explaining why you want to become an NP. This essay helps us understand your unique situation and personal goals.
Provide
three letters of recommendation
from:
A supervisor or manager who directly supervised you in a clinical setting.
A professor, faculty member, or academic advisor who can provide meaningful input regarding your academic record.
A Board Certified practicing healthcare provider (APRN, NP, PA, MD, DO) who has served as a mentor or whom you have shadowed, preferably in the specialty to which you are applying. Note: A registered nurse cannot serve as the practicing provider for this recommendation source.
Have earned a
3.0 cumulative grade point average
(on a 4.0 scale) in the following 5 courses OR hold a BSNU degree from WGU:
Anatomy / Physiology I w/lab (equivalent to 4 semester hours)
Anatomy / Physiology II w/lab (equivalent to 4 semester hours)
Statistics (equivalent to 3 semester hours)
Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan (equivalent to 3 semester hours)
Pharmacology (equivalent to 2 semester hours)
Note:
All courses must be awarded a C- or above to meet this requirement. At this time, WGU is not accepting transfer credit for the Master of Science - Family Nurse Practitioner program.
Have one year of clinical experience and be actively working as an RN at the time of application.
*This requirement is strongly preferred, as these will be competitive factors in the admission decision-making process.
MORE ABOUT FNP ADMISSIONS
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
VIEW CHECKLIST
Get Your Questions Answered
Talk to an WGU Enrollment Counselor.
CONTACT AN ENROLLMENT COUNSELOR
Safety Notice
WGU and the Leavitt School of Health are committed to the health, safety, and well-being of all patients, community members, and key stakeholders that interact with WGU students at various clinical/host sites. Interactions will include direct patient interaction, observation experiences, and in-person FNP SageSkills Workshop. Interactions may include project development or conducting research. Standard compliance verification for students in applicable LSH programs is required to protect the public, meet LSH program expectations, reasonably assure compliance with state regulatory board requirements, meet WGU’s contractual and legal obligations with clinical partners, and support WGU’s mission to prepare students who will be qualified to enter their desired field. Compliance items may include, but are not limited to, background checks, immunizations, and drug screens as needed.
More About the FNP Program
General Program Questions
Financial Aid Questions
Apply Now
Details About WGU’s FNP Clinical Sites and Preceptors
The WGU FNP program culminates with three clinical internship courses that together consist of 650 precepted direct patient care clinical hours.
You will work with preceptors in clinics in your local community, as available, to train in the provision of primary care. To do so, you will need to be in clinical sites that allow you access to patients across the lifespan, with sufficient experiences in treating the wide variety of conditions and full spectrum of complexity found in primary care.
No. You can only complete clinical hours within the states where WGU’s FNP program is currently offered and where you possess a current, unencumbered RN license.
WGU’s FNP program is currently offered in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Yes. Students will work with the Clinical Experience Team to submit potential clinical sites and preceptors for approval. WGU will evaluate the appropriateness of each clinical site and preceptor and provide approval as appropriate.
Yes. The WGU FNP program prepares you to take the FNP national certification exam of your choice from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Certification Program.
Students are responsible for paying the travel, lodging, food, and other associated costs to participate in the clinical internship rotations and FNP SageSkills Workshop.
Any clinical hours completed at your current place of employment must not be part of your regular employment responsibilities or schedule. While your current place of employment may be approved as a clinical site, your preceptor may not be your employment direct supervisor.
The number of clinical sites that you need is based on how well each site prepares you to meet the core WGU FNP competencies. Collectively, the clinical sites must provide you with access to patients across the lifespan, with sufficient experiences in treating the wide variety of conditions and full spectrum of complexity found in primary care.
The FNP SageSkills Workshop is an immersive three-day learning experience conducted in-person at a WGU Clinical Learning and Simulation Center. The FNP SageSkills Workshop occurs during the term prior to the clinical internship and must be completed prior to starting clinical internship courses. The purpose of the workshop is to allow you to practice and demonstrate competence in procedural and clinical skills before beginning your precepted clinical practice. The ambulatory skills taught and evaluated include suturing, splinting, casting, skin biopsies, joint injections, as well as other ambulatory care skills. Additionally, students will complete objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) with standardized patients (SPs) to prepare them to take on the role of provider. Upon completion, you will be ready to maximize the time with your clinical preceptors in perfecting your ambulatory skills in the clinical internship courses.
An NP MSN program can take about two and a half years with an accelerated program like the one we offer at WGU. If you are not already a registered nurse, it can take as many as six to eight years of courses, certification, and training to earn a degree as a nurse practitioner (NP). Nurse practitioners need a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in Nursing, and also must pass the APRN certification exam.
A nurse practitioner has a higher level of education and qualifications and can perform more duties. While a nurse practitioner can act in a similar capacity to a physician in a private practice, a nurse must be under the direction of a doctor. Additionally, nurse practitioners can prescribe medications, while registered nurses cannot. The salaries also differ significantly. Since nurse practitioners have greater qualifications, they make on average 40-50% more than registered nurses, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Typical NP programs are three to four years. However, with WGU's program you can work at your own pace, allowing you to accelerate your coursework. While it varies, on average students finish the WGU FNP program in two and a half years.
Be a registered nurse with a BSN and experience in the field
Earn your MSN-FNP degree
Earn your state license and certification (each state has unique requirements, so be sure to understand what your state will require)
If you want to become a nurse practitioner more quickly, consider an online degree program that will allow you to accelerate your coursework and move at your own pace.
No. You will have to be a registered nurse in order to obtain an MSN or DNP degree that qualifies you to become a nurse practitioner. Each state will have unique requirements about the years of experience as an RN you must have before you can become a nurse practitioner, so it’s best to learn what the requirements are in your state.
Yes. Patience is key if you're looking to get into NP school. Nurse practitioner programs are highly competitive. Elements like good grades in your BSN program and experience as an RN are taken into account.
WGU is approved to offer
federal student aid
. You will need to apply using the FAFSA, which is used to determine your eligibility for aid. WGU’s FAFSA school code is 033394.
Scholarships are available for new WGU students and returning graduates.
This video shows more
about scholarship opportunities and how they can help you pay for school. Get information on:
How to apply
Eligibility requirements
Examples of scholarships
What happens after you apply
FAQs
Other financial aid options
WGU's tuition is a flat rate that is charged every six months. You can take as many courses as you are able in that six-month term—with no extra cost. You simply pay for the term and do as much work as you can or want to during that time. This means that finishing faster helps you save money—a major benefit you won't find at most other schools.
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