Franklin University Online Nurse Practitioner Programs

#6 Best NP School Overall

#13 Best Program Variety

• DNP – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
• DNP – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP (BSN to DNP)
• DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
• DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN to DNP)
• DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
• DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (BSN to DNP)
• MSN – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
• MSN – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP (ADN bridge)
• MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner (ADN bridge)
• MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
• MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (ADN bridge)
• Post-Graduate Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
• Post-Graduate Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner
• Post-Graduate Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP

Franklin University, a private university located in Columbus, Ohio, offers many academic programs for nursing professionals seeking to advance their careers. Students can enroll in a master of science in nursing (MSN) program, a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program, or a post-graduate certificate program. These three programs all offer adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP), family nurse practitioner (FNP), and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) tracks.

MSN students can enroll in these three tracks with either a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) or an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN). DNP students can enroll in these specializations with either an MSN or BSN. Thus, the number of available program pathways totals 15.

All programs have a common goal, namely to enhance the education and experience of existing nursing professionals. All programs further enhance nursing students’ skills in providing care across the human lifespan. AGPCNPs complete additional training in gerontology and are thus well-equipped to care for older patients. FNPs work with both individual patients as well as families. FNPs are thus a type of nursing professional well equipped to fill the slack left by the increasing number of family practice doctors retiring nationwide. PMHNPs specialize in providing mental healthcare. 

Graduates of these programs may work in a large number of settings. Their responsibilities may include patient care, patient and population-level educational program design and implementation, leadership, advocacy, research, and more. Given the omnipresent role of nurses within the American healthcare system, there are few roles that nursing professionals with advanced education and experience cannot fill.

Students complete coursework and clinical training practica designed to enhance their clinical judgment and critical thinking skills. While program learning outcomes may vary according to a track’s patient population focus, all students should achieve the following outcomes:

Franklin University is additionally noteworthy due to the range of education options that can assist nursing professionals in advancing their careers. For example, students may also choose to obtain a micro-credential in a skill set that will further enhance their marketability in the labor market.

Franklin University’s nursing degree and certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

What to Expect from the Franklin University Online NP Degree and Certificate Programs

Admission Requirements: Admission requirements vary somewhat due to the different levels of academic achievement incoming students will have. Admission is nonetheless contingent on a common set of criteria, including demonstration of academic ability, work experience, and personal qualities. GMAT and GRE test scores are not required for admission. A primary selection criteria is educational attainment. Program-specific education criteria are as follows:

MSN degree applicants must have a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree or have earned an associate degree/diploma (ADN) in nursing from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting agency. Franklin University accepts nursing degree applicants who have completed their education at institutions accredited by a large number of accrediting agencies. The list of accepted accrediting agencies can be found on the university website. Students generally must have at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Franklin University does offer an exception to students who do not meet this GPA threshold. Read below for more details on admission by petition.

All DNP degree program applicants must hold either a BSN (for BSN to DNP program) or MSN degree.

Certificate program applicants must hold an MSN in nursing, a DNP or a PhD in nursing. Unlike the degree programs, the certificate programs only accept students who completed their education from an institution accredited by a Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)-recognized accrediting organization. Students who completed their education at an institution not accredited by CHEA will not be admitted to the Franklin University nursing programs.

All programs also have the following uniform admission requirements:

• RN licensure: Provide proof of a valid, active and clear/unencumbered RN license in the U.S. or in a jurisdiction that is an associate member of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCBSN). Applicants holding the equivalent of an RN licensure or certification outside the U.S. must submit a Credential Evaluation Services (CES) academic report from the Council of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS). All students must maintain licensure throughout the program of study.
• Language proficiency: Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency. This requirement may be fulfilled in one of three ways: 1) the applicant is a citizen of a country where English is the official language, 2) the applicant has received a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an institution located in an English-speaking country in which the courses were taught in English, or 3) the applicant has earned appropriate scores on language proficiency exams taken within the last two years.

All applicants are considered potentially eligible for admission if they have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. However, applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may still be considered if they complete a petition process. Details on preparing such a petition can be found on the university website. Students granted admission via petition must maintain sufficient academic performance. Those who do not meet the terms of their conditional enrollment are not allowed to advance in their program and will not earn a graduate degree from Franklin University.

State Restrictions: A major advantage of Franklin University is its openness to a very diverse student body. Franklin University admits graduate, partnership, international, community college, military and veteran students, and more. Community college students who complete an ADN may enroll in any of the three tracks of the MSN program via the ADN bridge program. Partnership students may be able to receive tuition benefits if their employer is among the thousands of employers that participate in this program. International applicants may also be admitted to further their nursing education. Active duty military personnel, veterans, and military family members may also enjoy particular tuition benefits and participate in Franklin University’s nursing programs. 

Given the complexity inherent in serving such a diverse student body, all Franklin University applicants are advised to thoroughly research their program of interest and contact relevant university staff for assistance with applications.

Study Plan: The duration of study for degree and certificate programs varies according to the curriculum, pace of study and other factors. Students can generally complete the MSN and DNP programs in two to three years. The three certificate programs can generally be completed in 24 months (two years).

Program Curriculum: A summary of the curricula for the MSN, DNP, and certificate programs appears below.

MSN Curriculum: All MSN degree program students must complete a collection of five core courses totaling 15 credits. These courses are role of the master’s prepared nurse, advanced pathophysiology, advanced physical assessment, advanced pharmacology, and evidence-based practice and quality improvement. 

MSN-AGPCNP Specialization Courses: This 41-credit program features courses including, but not limited to, diagnostic methods for the nurse practitioner, foundations of nursing practice, primary care, and management of the geriatric population, and a capstone course.

MSN-FNP Specialization Courses: This 41-credit-hour program includes diagnostic methods for the nurse practitioner, health policy, foundations of nursing practice, management of multidimensional health, and a capstone course.

MSN-PMHNP Specialization Courses: This 42-credit program features courses including, but not limited to, neurobiology and psychopharmacology, psychotherapy and differential diagnosis for individuals, groups and families, a three-course practicum series, and a capstone course.

DNP Curriculum: All three DNP program tracks feature a “Major Area” composed of four courses totaling 12 credits. These are the foundations of the DNP, evidence-based practice and quality improvement, clinical prevention and health care outcomes, and leadership, policy, and interprofessional collaboration. 

All three tracks also feature three nurse practitioner core courses totaling nine credits. these are advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and advanced physical assessment. In addition, the AGPCNP and FNP tracks have four additional courses in common. These are diagnostic methods for the nurse practitioner, foundations of nursing practice and two courses focused on primary care.

DNP-AGPCNP Specialization Courses: This 53-credit-hour program features three specialization courses totaling nine hours. They are management of the geriatric population, adult-gerontology primary care capstone, and an agpcnp certification preparation course. 

DNP-FNP Specialization Courses: This 53-credit-hour program features three specialization courses totaling nine hours: management of multidimensional health, FNP capstone, and an FNP certification preparation course.

DNP-PMHNP Specialization Courses: This 54-credit-hour program features seven specialization courses totaling 23 credits. They include neurobiology and psychopharmacology, psychotherapy and differential diagnosis for individuals, groups, and families, a three-course series focused on advanced practice skills with diverse populations, a capstone course, and the PMHNP certification preparation course.

Certificate Course Program Curriculum: Three courses required of all DNP tracks are required for all certificate programs. These are advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and advanced physical assessment. The AGPCNP and FNP certificate programs require a foundations of nursing practice course and two primary care courses. Specialized courses for each certificate program track are identical to that same track within the DNP program.

Online Experience: Franklin University is recognized as a leader in online learning. The average age of Franklin University students is 36. Franklin offers an online learning delivery model to accommodate its many working adult students. Students must still complete practicum requirements in person.

On-Site Requirements: As noted above, students must complete their practicum/clinical experiences in person. Students seeking more information about their clinical practicum requirements should contact Franklin University directly. Students are advised to fully understand the practicum requirements of their program of interest before submitting an application.