Post-Master’s Nursing Certificate
The online Post-Master’s Certificate Program at Wheeling University provides nurses with MSN degrees an opportunity to acquire specialized skills that may not have been offered in their master’s degree programs. Certificates are offered in each of the three tracks described below:
- Family Nurse Practitioner: Integrates concepts from nursing, science, and family practice to prepare nurses to provide primary care in advanced practitioner roles, as well as national certification.
Students must have a BSN degree, an MSN degree, and current licensure as a registered nurse to be eligible. All tracks are offered online, and students will only need to come to campus to present research projects. Clinical rotations and practical experiences are completed in the student’s home community.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Wheeling University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). For more information, contact grad@wheeling.edu, or call WU Graduate Admissions at 1-800-873-7665.
Program Curriculum
The post-master’s certificate programs are offered entirely online and range from 12-26 credit hours. The courses offered in each track are as follows:
Education Core:
| MSN 514 | Curriculum and Instruction |
| MSN 515 | Evaluation |
| MSN 516 | Educational Technology |
| MSN 540 | Capstone Seminar |
| MSN 541 | Practicum (168 clinical hours) |
Students entering the Post-Master’s certificate program in Nursing Education must have prerequisites in advanced pharmacology, advanced pathophysiology and advanced health assessment.
Nursing Administration Core:
| MSN 520 | Nursing Administration I |
| MSN 521 | Nursing Administration II |
| MSN 524 | Financial Management |
| MSN 527 | Organizational Behavior |
| MSN 528 | Communications and Interpersonal Relations |
| MSN 540 | Capstone Seminar (168 clinical hours) |
| MSN 541 | Practicum |
| One 3 Credit Elective |
Family Nurse Practitioner Core:
| MSN 565 | Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care of Infant, Child and Adolescent (168 clinical hours required) |
| MSN 566 | Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care of Reproductive Health (168 clinical hours required) |
| MSN 567 | Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care of Adult (168 clinical hours required) |
| MSN 568 | Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care of Aging Adult (168 clinical hours required) |
Students entering the Post-Master’s FNP certificate program must have prerequisites in advanced pharmacology, advanced physical assessment (with 56 clinical hours), and advanced pathophysiology prior to beginning clinical coursework.
* Acceptance of a prior advanced pharmacology course is evaluated on an individual basis upon entry into the certificate program. If pharmacology coursework is greater than the two year requirement for licensure in the state of West Virginia, the student will be required to repeat the advanced pharmacology course. In addition, each state has similar licensure requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of other state requirements for obtaining prescriptive authority.
Per the WV Board of Nurse Examiners, for prescriptive authority, “Proof of successful completion of at least forty-five (45) contact hours of education in pharmacology and clinical management of drug therapy under a program APPROVED BY THE BOARD, fifteen (15) of which shall be completed within the two (2) year period immediately before the date of application.”
Eligibility & Admissions Requirements
Both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing are required. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 in their master’s program to be eligible for admission. Applicants can complete the admission process by:
- Completing a free application by going here. Early application is recommended.
- Requesting official transcripts for both bachelor’s and master’s degree programs from all colleges/universities attended, and having them sent electronically to grad@wju.edu or mailed directly to: Wheeling University – GPS Admissions, 316 Washington Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003
- Providing current licensure as a registered nurse.
- Submitting a current CV or resume.
- Submitting two letters of recommendation.
- Applying for federal student loans and grants by completing the FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov if qualifying. School Code is #003831