Nurse Practitioner Certificate

Overview and Requirements 

Post-graduate nurse practitioner (NP) certificate programs are designed for nurses with a master's degree in nursing who seek advanced clinical preparation as a nurse practitioner. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible for certification in New York state and are eligible to sit for a national certification examination.

• All students are expected to be competent in research and knowledgeable about nursing theory and professional issues.
• Supervised clinical practice is an integral part of the program. Whenever possible, clinical experience will be arranged near the student's place of residence.
• Program requirements vary from 30–33 credits depending on the certificate selected, and can be completed in up to four semesters of study.

Specializations

Students will pursue a post-graduate nurse practitioner certificate in one of four areas of specialization:

*Decker College is not accepting applications from students in any regions of New York City, Long Island, Westchester County or Rockland County (New York) for the psychiatric mental health NP advanced certificate program for fall 2023 OR for full-time admission in the psychiatric mental health NP master's program for fall 2023. Students from these regions may apply for fall 2023 admission for part-time study in the psychiatric mental health NP master's program OR to the advanced standing psychiatric mental health doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program (full- or part-time). 

Curriculum

Certificate program requirements can be found below. In addition, visit our Google drive for a curriculum plan specific to each specialization area, as well as a curriculum worksheet that includes all specialization areas.

Key AG = adult-gerontological primary care CH = community health primary care FAM = family health PSYC = family psychiatric mental health
	Specialization	Clinical hours	Credits
YEAR 1, FALL SEMESTER
NURS 502: Advanced Physical Health Assessment	ALL	60	3
NURS 518: Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan	ALL		3
NURS 540: Elements of Epidemiology and Biostatistics	CH		3
Semester total		60	6–9
YEAR 1, SPRING SEMESTER
NURS 511: Adult-Gerontological Nursing Practice I	AG	60	3
NURS 514: Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Role I	AG	120	4
NURS 515: Functional Role I, Community Health Primary Care Nurse Practitioner	CH	120	4
NURS 519: Advanced Pharmacology for Clinical Practice	ALL		3
NURS 521: Nursing in Family Practice I	FAM	60	3
NURS 541: Community Health Nursing Practice I	CH	60	3
NURS 553: Family Nurse Practitioner Role I	FAM	120	4
NURS 565: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role I, Assessment and Diagnosis	PSYC	120	4
Semester total		120–180	7–10
YEAR 2, FALL SEMESTER
NURS 512: Adult-Gerontological Nursing Practice II	AG	60	3
NURS 516: Functional Role II, Community Health Primary Care Nurse Practitioner	CH	120	4
NURS 522: Nursing in Family Practice II	FAM	60	3
NURS 542: Community Health Nursing Practice II	CH	60	3
NURS 554: Family/Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Role II	AG/FAM	120	4
NURS 562: Psychopharmacology	PSYC		2
NURS 563: Psychiatric Mental Health Specialization I, Acute Illnesses	PSYC	120	4
NURS 566: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role II, Individual Therapies	PSYC	120	4
Semester total		120–240	7–10
YEAR 2, SPRING SEMESTER
NURS 513: Adult-Gerontological Nursing Practice III	AG	120	3
NURS 517: Functional Role III, Community Health Primary Care Nurse Practitioner	CH	120	4
NURS 543: Community Health Nursing Practice III	CH	120	3
NURS 555: Family/Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Role III	AG/FAM	120	4
NURS 564: Psychiatric Mental Health Specialization II, Chronic Illnesses	PSYC	120	4
NURS 567: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role III, Group and Family Therapy	PSYC	120	4
NURS 596: Nursing in Family Practice III	FAM	120	3
Semester total		180–240	7–8
TOTAL REQUIRED FOR CERTIFICATE COMPLETION
	AG	660	30
	CH	600	33
	FAM	660	30
	PSYC	660	31

If you have questions about the worksheets or the curriculum plans, contact the Decker Divsion of Advising and Acadmic Excellence. 

Application Criteria

Students holding an MS degree in nursing may enroll in the post-graduate nurse practitioner certificate program. Depending on prior educational preparation, several course requirements may be eligible for waiver by the graduate nursing program director with the submission of official transcripts reflecting successful completion of previous coursework (grade of B or better) and related supporting course syllabi. Review Decker's policy on transferring graduate credit in the Graduate Student Handbook. Graduate record examination (GRE) scores are not required for admission to this program.

All students wishing to pursue a post-graduate nurse practitioner certificate must satisfy the general conditions and procedures for admission to Binghamton University's Graduate School.

In addition, the following are required and will be evaluated for admission:

For complete information about application criteria and other requirements, applicants are encouraged to review the University Bulletin (select "Nursing-Graduate" under "Graduate Fields of Study by Department"). The rules and regulations posted in the University Bulletin at the time of a student's matriculation into the University are the ones to which that student is held.

• A master's degree in nursing from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CNEA-accredited school of nursing program
• A bachelor's degree in nursing from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CNEA-accredited school of nursing program
• A current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse in the U.S.
• Prior to beginning clinical experiences in a New York clinical facility, students must submit a copy of their current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse in New York; this is required by the New York State Department of Education Office of the Professions
• Two satisfactory academic or professional references are required; letters of recommendation from professional referents may not be personal friends or family members of the applicant, it is expected that a professional referent is a current or former supervisor to the applicant
• Submission of a 500-word personal statement that addresses: why the student is seeking advanced education in general and specifically at Binghamton University; unique aspects of the student's background that will contribute to the DSON graduate community (for example, extracurricular, work or volunteer experiences); and goals the student hopes to achieve upon completion of the program
• Résumé or curriculum vitae
• Copies of course syllabi and official academic transcripts reflective of successful completion with a grade of B or better are required of any applicant who seeks a waiver of previously completed, nonclinical graduate nursing coursework such as the "3 Ps" (i.e., Concepts in Health Assessment for Nursing in Advanced Clinical Practice, Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan, Advanced Pharmacology for Clinical Practice)

Application Procedures

Follow the instructions for applying to a certificate program at Binghamton University. If you have questions regarding application submission, contact the Graduate School at 607–777–2151 or graddadmission@binghamton.edu.

If you have a felony or child abuse conviction
Students who have a felony or child abuse conviction are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of the Decker School of Nursing and/or to meet licensure requirements for nursing or advanced practice licensure. If you have concerns about this, you are advised to contact the Decker College Division of Advising and Academic Excellence, the undergraduate or graduate nursing program director or the Decker College Dean's Office. You are required to report felony convictions while enrolled in the Decker School of Nursing as it may change your progression and ability to be placed in a clinical agency. To learn if felony/child abuse convictions will negatively impact your ability for licensure, check with the State Board of Nursing in the state in which you plan to practice.