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Online FNP Program MSN Nurse Practitioner Degree

Kristina Libby, who earned her nursing degree in 2017, holding her framed SNHU degree in a medical examination room wearing blue scrubs and a pink stethoscope around her neck.

Cost per credit $637

Total courses 17

Term length 10 Weeks

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Program Overview Why get a family nurse practitioner degree?

Earn the degree you need to enter one of the fastest-growing healthcare occupations in the nation with the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) - Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track from Southern New Hampshire University. Upon completion, you'll meet the educational requirements to sit for a Family Nurse Practitioner national certification examination.

Skills you'll learn:

  • Quality improvement practices
  • Cross-collaboration with healthcare professionals
  • Communication and advocacy strategies
  • Equitable health policies and regulations
  • Disease prevention strategies
  • High-quality safe care practices
Kristina Libby, who earned her nursing degree from SNHU in 2017, in her home office wearing a pink blouse and working on her laptop.

Courses & Curriculum Online MSN FNP degree classes that prepare you for your career

In the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner track, you'll develop the skills you need to assess and diagnose patients, create treatment plans and manage the health of patients of all ages and diverse healthcare needs.

Degree Courses

Online MSN FNP degree courses

To help prepare you for success as a practicing FNP, this 51-credit program starts with innovative online coursework, followed by a multi-day immersion experience, and culminates with 750 practicum hours under the guidance of preceptors.

Courses may include:

Course ID: IHP 501
In this interprofessional course, learners will explore major global health challenges and their impact on healthcare delivery systems. Topics explored include determinants of health, multiple approaches to advance health, social justice principles, and strategies to advocate for social justice. Learners will gain knowledge to apply social justice and human rights principles to address global health and wellness.
Course ID: NUR 555
In this course, students will build upon existing knowledge of physiology and pathologic aspects of human disease across the lifespan. Advanced clinical pathophysiology, pathobiology, immunology, and genetics will be analyzed. Students will gain knowledge to foster advanced clinical reasoning and decision-making skills. Students will examine clinical manifestations of major health problems across the lifespan and explore the management of illness and health restoration.
Course ID: NUR 600
In this course, students will apply the advanced principles of pharmacology for the nurse practitioner by analyzing drug classifications for the management of acute and chronic disease states across the lifespan. Students will use clinical reasoning to formulate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches for individuals within a primary care setting. Students will gain the foundational knowledge for prescribing medications across the lifespan, considering legal, ethical, quality, and regulatory implications. As part of the course, students will participate in a required in-person immersion opportunity to demonstrate advanced principles of assessment, diagnostic skills, and pharmacotherapies in a simulated clinical environment. The immersion experience will also prepare the learner for an advanced practice role with prescriptive authority.
Course ID: NUR 616
In this course, students will apply evidence-based practice to the primary care of adult and gerontological populations. Concepts from pharmacology, pathophysiology, and health assessment will be integrated with advanced practice nursing theory, process, and research to assess, diagnose, and manage patient care. Students will gain skills in clinical decision-making and management of adult and gerontological populations, utilizing current clinical practice guidelines to help guide their decision-making process.
Course ID: NUR 636
Students will examine the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, growth, and developmental milestones from infancy through adolescence. Emphasis will be placed on the assessment and management of the child within the realm and context of cultural, environmental, and social factors of growth and development. Students will gain knowledge of caring for well and sick children and adolescents. Students will refer to and utilize current care protocols and guidelines in the primary care of children and adolescents to help guide their decision-making process.
Course ID: NUR 676
In this course, students will explore the mental and psychosocial conditions that are most commonly seen among individuals and families in a primary care setting. Students will evaluate evidence-based practices including cognitive-behavioral, psychopharmacological, collaborative, and non-traditional approaches to manage mental and psychosocial conditions across the lifespan. Students will use approaches that support holistic collaborative treatment of individuals and families living with mental health conditions. This course includes 30 hours of psychopharmacology content to prepare nurse practitioner students for the practice of prescribing psychiatric medications, including controlled substances, as well as addiction management principles.

Visit the course catalog to view the full MSN FNP curriculum.

Note: NUR-600 requires you to travel to New Hampshire for a multi-day simulation and assessment experience. The cost is $2,000 in addition to your course tuition. Your travel, lodging and meal costs are not included. 

Clinical practice experience (CPE): Clinical practice hours are incorporated into all graduate nursing programs accredited by CCNE. SNHU incorporates these authentic learning experiences into your MSN program through indirect and direct clinical experiences. You'll be able to achieve these CPE hours through coursework and assignments and time spent under the guidance of a preceptor, depending on your track choice. Connect with our Student Experience team to learn more about clinical practice experiences by track.

Practicum Experiences: Within the family nurse practitioner track, under the guidance of primary care providers, students will engage with patients across the lifespan in a variety of primary care settings. The 750 clinical practicum hours will be completed across five courses.

Students enrolled in the MSN program must comply with the requirements of the organizations where their clinical practice experiences/practicum will be completed. These requirements may include (but are not limited to) a criminal background check, active and unencumbered license verification, immunization records and professional liability insurance. Students may incur additional costs to meet organizational requirements (ex. drug screening, physical examination co-pay, etc.). These requirements must be met prior to registering for the clinical practice experience courses.

It is a requirement that nursing students carry their own medical malpractice insurance while enrolled in practicum courses. At least two terms before the start of the clinical components, students will be required to demonstrate proof of having an active individual medical malpractice certificate.

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Our no-commitment application can help you decide if SNHU is the right college for you and your career goals. Apply up until 2 days before the term starts!

Upcoming term starts: October 14, 2024 | January 06, 2024

Next term starts:
July 29, 2024

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Online Student Experience What’s it like going to SNHU?

Attending college online at SNHU can be a life-changing experience. In fact, 93.2% of online students would recommend SNHU according to a 2023 survey with 21,000+ respondents.

What to expect:

10-week terms

Learn around your schedule

24/7 online support

Online Classroom

What does an online course look like?

You’ll take your courses within SNHU’s Brightspace platform. This is where you’ll find your:

  • Schedule of weekly assignments
  • Discussion boards
  • Grades
  • Instructor announcements
How to Take an Online Class at SNHU
5 ways SNHU makes the admission process "easy-peasy" #shorts

Admission Applying to SNHU is fast and free

No application fee. No test scores. And no college essay. Just a simple form with basic information. It’s another way SNHU helps you reach your goals sooner.

All it takes is 3 simple steps

It's easy, fast and free.

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You’ll fill out one form to verify your high school completion or GED. Then, if you’ve attended college before, you’ll submit a form for each school so we can request your transcripts for you. (Also for free!)

MSN.FNP Family Nurse Practitioner track: 

  • Must maintain an active unencumbered registered nurse license. Licensure exam must be equivalent to NCLEX-RN examination. (If a student holds licenses in more than one state/jurisdiction, all licenses must be unencumbered.) 
  • Must have an earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited nursing program. 
  • The required minimum cumulative GPA for MSN admission is a 3.0. For purposes of MSN admission, cumulative GPA is calculated by including the pre-licensure BSN or associates degree/diploma in nursing and the BSN. 
  • Students must also have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in their nursing applicable science courses related to the above. 
  • Must complete the MSN Program Acknowledgement Form. 
  • Must have a minimum of two years of current, full-time RN clinical practice experience. 
  • Must identify one potential preceptor for a clinical practicum. 
  • Must be available for one week-long in-person immersion experience. 
  • No provisional acceptance policy for this track. 

After reviewing your official evaluation, you can decide if SNHU is right for you! If you choose to enroll, just pick your start date and get ready for classes to begin.

Talk to an admission counselor: 888.327.SNHU | enroll@snhu.edu

Accreditations

SNHU is accredited by the regional accreditor the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which means we meet certain standards of academic quality, and have the tools and resources necessary for students to be successful. The university also carries specialized accreditations for some programs.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing and the master’s degree program in nursing at Southern New Hampshire University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202.887.6791.

NECHE Logo CCNE Accredited Logo

Tuition Cost & Savings College can be more affordable than you think

As a nonprofit university, SNHU offers some of the lowest online tuition rates in the country. And when you work with our Financial Services team, we'll explore ways to help you save even more on your education – and customize a payment plan that works for you.

Additional costs:

Students enrolled in the MSN program may be subject to ongoing licensure checks through a third-party vendor, additional fees will apply and may vary by state.

Online graduate programs

Student
Cost per credit
Cost per course
Cost for 51-credit degree*
Full- and part-time students
$637
$1,911
$32,487
Active-duty military and spouses | Full- and part-time students**
$470
$1,410
$23,970

*before previously earned credits are applied

Tuition rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.

**Note: Students receiving this rate are not eligible for additional discounts.

Additional costs: Course materials vary by course.

Transfer credits and lower your cost by:

$1,911 $3,822 $5,733 $7,644
Transfer credits and lower your cost by:

If 3 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $17,199

If 6 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $15,288

If 9 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $13,377

If 12 of your prior learning credits ($637/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $11,466

How we estimate your tuition cost:

We look at the cost per credit multiplied by the number of credits you need to earn for a master's degree. This program from requires 51 credits. SNHU allows you to transfer in up to 12 credits, requiring a minimum of 39 credits to be taken at SNHU. This is only a tuition estimator and doesn't account for other fees that may be associated with your program of choice.

Career Outlook What can I do with an online MSN FNP degree?

With your FNP degree, you'll meet the educational requirements to sit for a Family Nurse Practitioner national certification exam. Once certified as an FNP, you can provide primary for patients in diverse settings. You'll also have the skills to communicate with patients via virtual visits for acute and wellness care in addition to office care. Or, you could choose to pursue a role as a preceptor for nurse practitioner students.

Occupations

As an FNP, you can work in a variety of healthcare settings, like: 

Provide medical care to patients with illness and injury in a walk-in setting.

Work within a team to care for individual patients and help them achieve health and wellness.

Help build programs and advocate for public health measures in your community.

Provide quality care to patients and families undergoing procedures that don't require hospital stays.

118K+

The projected number of new job openings for nurse practitioners through 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.1

$126,260

The median annual wage for nurse practitioners in 2023, according to the BLS.1

Understanding the numbers
When reviewing job growth and salary information, it’s important to remember that actual numbers can vary due to many different factors—like years of experience in the role, industry of employment, geographic location, worker skill and economic conditions. Cited projections do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Family nurse practitioners serve as primary care providers, delivering advanced nursing services to patients and their families.

While nurse practitioners can work in virtually any area of medicine or healthcare, their role “often emphasizes disease prevention and health management in caring for their patients,” said Dr. Nicholas S. Carte, AGPCNP-C, APRN, graduate nursing faculty lead at Southern New Hampshire University.

As an FNP, you'll assess patients, determine how to improve or manage their health and discuss ways to integrate health promotion strategies into their lives.

As a primary care provider, you'll also need to understand the unique needs of your patients. This means understanding the social and economic factors that contribute to overall health, and may act as barriers to equitable care and outcomes.

Yes – although not 100%. While you can earn your FNP online, it's important to note that an immersion experience and clinical practice hours are a requirement within the program.

At SNHU, students will complete the first portion of their program entirely online, then travel to New Hampshire for a multi-day immersion experience.

After successful completion of the immersion experience and NUR-600, students will then complete their 750 practicum hours over five courses that focus on treating patients across the lifespan. These hours must be completed under the guidance of preceptors, but can occur at settings in your area.

That said, even learning partly online can certainly help you earn your degree and advance your career faster, on a schedule that works for you. Not only does online learning offer more flexibility – these programs are generally more affordable, too. SNHU, for example, offers some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation.

At SNHU, we know how important it is to reach your goals faster. That's why we offer optimal flexibility and choice, with the option of completing one or two courses per term.

A full-time student could complete the program in just under 2 years (98 weeks over 9 terms). A part-time student could finish in 3.5 years (186 weeks over 17 terms).

The fastest way to become a nurse practitioner at SNHU is to take two courses per term. But you should consider whether or not that pace can fit your life.

Taking two courses in just one or two terms can decrease your time to graduation and get you to your goals faster.

SNHU is proud to offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation. Our FNP program is only $637 per credit ($1,911 per course). Within 51 credits (17 courses), the tuition works out to be $32,487. But there are lots of ways to lower your actual tuition cost, such as exploring tuition assistance or reimbursement from your employer, applying for grants and scholarships and more. At SNHU, we do not increase tuition for clinical courses, and we do not have recurring fees by course.

Additional costs for students include books and resources to complete coursework, the immersion experience ($2,000) and travel-related expenses related to it as well as any additional costs (ex. drug screening, physical examination co-pay, etc.) to meet organizational requirements for clinical practice experiences/practicums.

Becoming an NP provides career advancement and independent practice opportunities. There are other benefits as well – both personally and professionally – in terms of pay, schedule, responsibility and long-term career goals.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners reported a median annual wage of $126,260 in May 2023.1 In that same year, registered nurses (RNs) received $86,070.1

The BLS also reports promising career prospects for years to come. In fact, projections put the occupation of nurse practitioner at 45% growth from 2022-2032, making it the fastest-growing occupation in the nation.1

Finally, as a job that can improve lives, particularly for disadvantaged or low-income populations, a career as an NP can be fulfilling on a personal level. In a sense, these roles are the face of equitable care – and at a time when the industry is taking a closer look at how to expand access and improve outcomes for patients, this is arguably one of the most pressing issues of our time.

Related Articles

Sources & Citations

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet, at:

  • https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm (viewed July 12, 2024)
  • https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm (viewed July 12, 2024)
  • https://www.bls.gov/ooh/fastest-growing.htm (viewed July 12, 2024)

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.