Take Advantage of Transfer-of-Credit Opportunities
Do you already have your MSN—or are you already an NP? You may be eligible to transfer credit from your previous coursework to reduce the number of courses you will need to complete the AGACNP post-master’s certificate. And if you already are a licensed and certified Family Nurse Practitioner, you may be able to apply even more transfer credits in our fast-track pathway. Contact an Enrollment Specialist to learn more.
Choose this track if you are not a licensed and certified FNP and interested in AGACNP.
Curriculum
Minimum Degree Requirements
- 38 quarter credits
- Core courses (3 cr.) (Walden MSN alumni are eligible for transfer of credit for this course)
- Specialization courses (35 cr. includes the required 640 practicum hours*)
View the COMPLETE CURRICULUM PLAN.
For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 855-643-4779
Choose this track if you are a licensed and certified FNP currently working in an acute-care role.
Curriculum
Minimum Degree Requirements
- 38 quarter credits
- Core courses (3 cr.) (Walden MSN alumni are eligible for transfer of credit for this course)
- Specialization courses (15 cr. includes the required 500 practicum hours**)
- Prior nursing credit from Family Nurse Practitioner program (Up to 20 cr.**)
View the COMPLETE CURRICULUM PLAN.
This sequence represents the minimum time to completion and reflects the program of study from a licensed and certified Family Nurse Practitioner. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden will accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-761-4843.
Admissions Requirements
To be considered for this certificate program, you must have a current, active RN license, a Master of Science in Nursing or equivalent from an accredited school, and meet the general admission requirements. All applicants must submit a completed online application and transcripts. Depending on program specialization, additional requirements may apply. More information for international applicants.
| Curriculum Component | Requirements | Cost | amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 38 quarter credit hours | $765 per quarter hour | $29,070 |
| Program Fee | Per quarter | $175 | $1,050 |
| Clinical Course Fee | 4 courses (PRAC) | $160 | $640 |
| $30,760‡* |
‡*Tuition reflects the minimum time to completion. Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Tuition and time to complete may be reduced if transfer credits are accepted, or if you receive grants, scholarships, or other tuition reductions. Walden may accept up to 20 transfer credits for non-alumni. Walden alumni may be eligible to transfer more credits. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-761-4843.
Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included and may cost between $1,500 to $2,000. Students may also incur additional costs related to practicum, including but not limited to costs of travel to their practicum site, practicum onboarding fees, per quarter practicum fees, and liability insurance costs.
| Curriculum Component | Requirements | Cost | amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 18 quarter credit hours | $765 per quarter hour | $13,770 |
| Program Fee | Per quarter | $175 | $700 |
| Clinical Course Fee | 3 courses (PRAC) | $160 | $480 |
| $14,950‡* |
‡*Tuition reflects the minimum time to completion. Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Tuition and time to complete may be reduced if transfer credits are accepted, or if you receive grants, scholarships, or other tuition reductions. Walden may accept up to 20 transfer credits for non-alumni who are also licensed and certified FNP’s. Walden alumni may be eligible to transfer 3 additional credits. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-768-0109.
Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included and may cost between $1,500 to $2,000. Students may also incur additional costs related to practicum, including but not limited to costs of travel to their practicum site, practicum onboarding fees, per quarter practicum fees, and liability insurance costs.
Learn to Deliver Advanced Critical Care
In this online post-master’s acute care NP certificate program, you’ll examine how to plan, implement, and evaluate care for patients at risk for urgent and emergent conditions. This includes performing diagnostic and therapeutic interventions during rapid physiologic deterioration or life-threatening instability. You’ll also gain skills in promoting health and disease prevention by assessing risks and providing wellness education to acute, critical, and complex chronically ill patients.
This certificate program’s content is consistent with the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) standards for AGACNP education.
Walden field experience coordinators are available to assist you in meeting your practicum requirements and you can view this FAQ document for answers to some of the most common questions.
Explore Real-Life Clinical Scenarios With Walden Grand Rounds
As a nurse practitioner student at Walden, you can take part in Walden Grand Rounds several times throughout the quarter. Meet virtually with faculty and classmates to review clinical patient scenarios that are focused on assessing, differentiating, and treating pathological conditions. This is a unique opportunity to connect what you’ve learned in class with real-life situations and challenges you’ll encounter in the field as an NP.
Program Outcomes
Career Outlook
As the American population ages and strains the healthcare system, demand for nurse practitioners in acute-care settings is greater than ever before. Earning your acute care nurse practitioner certificate online is the first step in preparing to meet the need for high-quality, life-saving patient care.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings for nurse practitioners are expected to grow by 52% through 2030.2 The average median pay for a nurse practitioner is $109,820 per year; however, the salary range typically falls between $81,410 and $152,160.3 Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.
An AGACNP post-master’s certificate can academically prepare you to work in settings such as:
- Emergency departments and trauma centers
- Intensive care units
- Trauma centers
- Tertiary care, coronary care, and palliative care
- Specialty care centers
- Hospital surgical units, including general, cardiovascular, and neurosurgery
Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing this post-master’s adult-gerontology acute care NP certificate program, you will be academically prepared to:
- Synthesize organizational/systems leadership for cost-effective specialist nursing practice that contributes to high-quality healthcare delivery, advancement of the nursing profession, and social change.
- Critique evidence-based literature drawing from diverse theoretical perspectives and pertinent research to guide decision making that demonstrates best practices for specialist nursing practice in a global society.
- Integratively assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate cost-effective healthcare strategies that reduce health disparities by patient/population advocacy for access to specialist nursing care.
- Demonstrate ability to effectively communicate using audience-specific oral, written, and information technology for professional delivery of specialist nursing care.
- Evaluate health needs of diverse populations for necessary teaching/coaching functions based on specialist nursing knowledge to restore/promote health and prevent illness/injury.
- Exhibit ongoing commitment to professional development and value of nursing theories/ethical principles (altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, social justice) in accordance with ethically responsible, legally accountable, specialist nursing practice.
- Implement specialist nursing roles to promote quality improvement of patient-centered care in accordance with professional practice standards that transform health outcomes for diverse populations.
1Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) IPEDS database. Based on the most recent year’s completions survey data, using CIP code family 51.38 “Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research, and Clinical Nursing” for Master’s (Award level 7) and Doctoral (Award level 17) degrees. Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/use-the-data (Retrieved January 2021; may consist of or include provisional release data).
2Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners, SOC Code 29-1171. Retrieved September 2021. National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, do not guarantee actual job growth, and are subject to change.
3Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, CareerOneStop, Salary Finder: Nurse Practitioners (retrieved October 2020). National salary estimates may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, do not guarantee actual salaries, and are subject to change.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing (BSN), master’s degree program in nursing (MSN), post-graduate APRN certificate program, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Walden University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Note on licensure: The Post-Master's Nurse Practitioner certificate programs are designed to prepare graduates with an active registered nurse (RN) license or APRN license to practice in the U.S. as nurse practitioners in their program specialty area. However, each state has its own academic preparation and authority to practice requirements and issues its own credential practice as a nurse practitioner in that state. No graduate program can guarantee that graduates will be permitted to practice as a nurse practitioner in their program specialty area upon graduation. We encourage students to consult the appropriate Board of Nursing or regulatory authority in the states or jurisdictions in which they reside or intend to seek licensure to determine specific requirements.
The Post-Master's Nurse Practitioner certificate programs are designed to prepare graduates to qualify to sit for national nurse practitioner certification exams, which are required for practice as a nurse practitioner in most states. Walden Enrollment Specialists can provide general information relating to national certification exams; however, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to national certification exams for the state in which he or she intends to practice as requirements vary widely. Learn more about professional licensure. Walden makes no representations or guarantee that completion of Walden coursework or programs will permit an individual to obtain national certification. For more information about nurse practitioner certification exams, students should visit the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board at www.aanpcert.org, the American Nurses Credentialing Center at www.nursingworld.org/ancc, or other nurse practitioner certification websites.
Enrollment Restrictions by State Please contact an Enrollment Specialist at 855-646-5286 to determine enrollment restrictions in your state.
Note on Field Experience and Relocating Students who are considering relocating are advised to contact their Student Success Advisor prior to any decision to relocate in order to determine how relocation may impact progress in their program. Advisors can provide information and guidance on how relocating may result in possible changes, restrictions, and/or additional requirements affecting field experience. Each Board of Nursing and Higher Education Authority governs the field experience rules and regulations in their respective states, and students may be unable to complete field experience in the state in which they plan to relocate. While Walden is committed to working collaboratively with students to secure field sites across the United States, it is imperative that students contact their Student Success Advisor immediately when considering relocating.