Troy University Online Family Nurse Practitioner Programs

What to Expect from the Troy University Online FNP Programs

Admission Requirements: MSN – FNP applicants must hold a BSN from a nationally accredited program such as the ACEN, CCNE, CNEA, and NLNAC with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5. Nurses must hold an unencumbered RN license and have completed undergraduate health assessment in addition to having at least one year of RN experience. Application materials include official transcripts, two professional letters of reference, and a resume.

Post-Master’s Certificate applicants Must have earned an MSN from a nationally accredited program and hold current unencumbered RN licensure. Application materials include official transcripts, two letters of professional reference, and proof of a minimum of one year of RN experience.

DNP applicants may apply with a BSN or a non-clinical MSN from a nationally accredited program. They must have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on all nursing coursework in the BSN, or on all graduate coursework if applying with an MSN. application materials include official transcripts, proof of unencumbered RN licensure, two letters of professional reference, an 800 to 1000 word essay, a professional resume, and documentation of academic clinical hours at the point of application. DNP applicants will be interviewed by the admissions committee.

Before clinical courses, all nursing students must hold current CPR certification, have professional liability insurance, provide proof of the required medical exams, and clear a drug screen and background check. Students must also meet the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Guidelines.

State Restrictions: Although Troy University accepts students from most states it is not authorized to offer distance education to students from the following states: Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, and New York. In addition, authorization in the following states has not been determined: Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, and Washington D.C.

Students outside Alabama should always verify eligibility with the admissions department of the Troy University School of Nursing. As well, students should check with their State Board of Nursing as to licensure eligibility.

Study Plan: Part-time MSN students may begin in the Fall, Spring, and Summer, however, full-time study must begin in the Fall semester only. Full-time students can complete the degree in about two years, while part-time students would take 2.5 years or more depending on the speed of study. Students have up to five years to complete the MSN program.

Post-Master’s Certificate students may begin in the Fall, Spring, and Summer and the certificate may be earned in five semesters when beginning in the Fall.

The DNP program runs as a cohort beginning in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. The degree can be completed in 3.5 to four years taking about six credits per semester and depending on entry level.

Courses run in 16-week semesters.

MSN – FNP Curriculum: The online MSN – FNP program comprises 47 credits plus 705 clinical hours. Core courses include Theories in Nursing; Healthcare Economics; Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice. Research courses include Research and Evidence for Advanced Nursing Practice; Data Analysis and Interpretation in Quantitative Research; and Scholarly Inquiry Practicum I-II. FNP specialty courses include Advanced Health Assessment and Preceptorship; Advanced Pathophysiology; Family and Cultural Theories in Advanced Nursing Practice; Advanced Pharmacology; Primary Care I and Preceptorship: Pediatrics and Women’s Health; and Primary Care II and Preceptorship: Adults and Geriatrics; Role Synthesis Seminar; and Family Nurse Practitioner Internship. There is also a thesis option.

Post-Master’s Certificate FNP Curriculum: The online Post-Master’s certificate program comprises 33 credits plus 705 clinical hours. Courses include Advanced Health Assessment; Advanced Health Assessment Preceptorship; Advanced Pathophysiology; Family and Cultural Theories in Advanced Nursing Practice; Role Synthesis Seminar; Family Nurse Practitioner Internship; Advanced Pharmacology; Primary Care I and Preceptorship: Pediatrics and Women’s Health; and Primary Care II and Preceptorship: Adults and Geriatrics.

BSN to DNP Curriculum: The online BSN to DNP – FNP program comprises a minimum of 70 credits plus 1,000 clinical hours. If applicants enter with less than 280 clinical hours they must take an extra practicum course to fulfill the required clinical hours.

The advanced nursing core courses include Theories in Nursing; Policy and Politics in Healthcare; Healthcare Informatics and Data Management; Principles of Epidemiology; Health Disparities from a Systems Perspective; and Leadership in Organizations and Systems.

The advanced nursing specialty courses include Advanced Health Assessment; Advanced Health Assessment Preceptorship for FNP; Advanced Pharmacology; Advanced Pathophysiology; Primary Care I and Preceptorship: Pediatrics and Women’s Health; and Primary Care II and Preceptorship: Adults and Geriatrics.

Research courses include Research and Evidence for Advanced Nursing Practice; Applied Biostatistics; Evaluation Methods for Improvement of Clinical Outcomes; and Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice.

Other courses include Role Synthesis Seminar; Family Nurse Practitioner Internship; Synthesis of Evidence-Based Practice I-IV: Project Identification, Project Development, Project Implementation, and Project Evaluation; and Dissemination.

MSN to DNP Curriculum: The online MSN to DNP – FNP program comprises a minimum of 65 credits plus 1,000 clinical hours. MSN to DNP students follow the courses listed for the BSN to DNP with the exception of Theories in Nursing and Research and Evidence for Advanced Nursing Practice. This course of study must be approved by an academic adviser.

Online Experience: Troy University seeks to make learning online convenient and as engaging as possible. Courses are delivered through the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). Courses last 16 weeks and may include lectures, discussion forums, blogs, documents, and assessments. Students and faculty interact through discussion forums, virtual conferencing, email, and messaging applications. All students have access to Office365 for free.

Student services may include an academic services associate for every course, disability services, online tutoring through NetTutor, a Center for Student Success, an online library, technical support and Canvas LMS tutorials, career counseling, and online proctoring services.

On-Site Requirements: MSN and certificate students may be required to come to a Troy University campus in Alabama for up to five visits in total. DNP students come to campus for an in-person orientation plus the visits for the FNP portions of the program. For questions regarding campus visit requirements, students should contact the admissions department of the Troy University School of Nursing. Students are also welcome to participate in graduation on campus.