Complete the program in as little as 2 years
Expert faculty and dedicated support for your academic journey
High Pass Rates: AANP Passing Rates above the national average
Walsh University is a CCNE-Accredited Master's Nursing Degree Program
Impact Patient Care Across the Lifespan as an FNP
Help make meaningful, long-lasting change in your community through Walsh University's online Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) degree. This program will equip you with the experience and competencies to provide primary care to individuals and families throughout their lifespan.
With an affordable, flexible curriculum, this online FNP program will see you work alongside experienced faculty as you gain the skills needed to expand your professional autonomy. You can also complete the program in as few as 2 years while you continue working, allowing you to prepare for your future faster.
Aligned with the 2021 AACN Essentials standards, this program will equip you with the core and advanced competencies to allow you to thrive in your career.
Online FNP Program Fast Facts
If you are interested in making a positive impact in your community while taking your career to the next level, Walsh University's online Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) degree can help you achieve your goals in less than 2 years.
Designed with working nurses in mind, this program offers didactic and clinical experiences, allowing you to focus on the primary care needs of patients as you advocate for their well-being.
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Walsh University MSN-FNP degree allows you to work alongside expert faculty as you develop the core competencies required to prepare for advance practice. The program consists of:
- 45 total credit hours (complete in as few as 6 semesters, or 2 years with part-time options available)
- 3 start dates per year (fall, spring, summer), 8- and 16-week courses
- 3 clinical rotations (700 hours)
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Walsh University MSN-FNP degree allows you to work alongside expert faculty as you develop the core competencies required to prepare for advance practice. The program consists of:
- 45 total credit hours (complete in as few as 6 semesters, or 2 years with part-time options available)
- 3 start dates per year (fall, spring, summer), 8- and 16-week courses
- 3 clinical rotations (700 hours)
Clinical Placement Support
We know finding preceptors for clinical rotations can be one of the most challenging and stressful parts of any MSN program. As a Walsh MSN-FNP student, you’ll be paired with a clinical placement coordinator who will collaborate with you to secure clinical sites and preceptors for your clinical courses.
Our goal is to facilitate a streamlined, high-quality clinical placement experience to help you apply newly gained knowledge, values, and skills from the classroom to the clinical area. By assisting in the management of placement logistics, we hope you’ll be free to focus your efforts where they’re needed most—on coursework and developing competencies.
We collaborate with students to source and vet placement sites for all our online MSN FNP students.
We assist in the heavy lifting to confirm your placement site meets all of the necessary clearances.
We’ll be readily available to answer any logistical questions you have about the placement process.
Online FNP Program Curriculum
Walsh's contemporary curriculum is aligned with the 2021 AACN Essentials Standards, ensuring students are equipped with the core competencies required to prepare for their board certification. Students will complete 45 credit hours and 700 direct patient care clinical hours in as few as 2 years of full-time study. Part-time study options are available. Below is a sample list of courses you will take while enrolled in the online MSN-FNP program. For a full list, please download a brochure.
This course focuses on the interrelationships of human biological systems, biochemical, genetic and cellular concepts, providing the framework for the study of advanced pathological concepts. Case studies illustrate theoretical concepts and assist in the application of theory to practice.
This course builds on the student’s knowledge and skills of basic health assessment and provides a foundation for the advanced nurse to evaluate the health of individuals across the lifespan. Theory and research-based methodologies and skills will be incorporated to assist students in the comprehensive assessment of individuals, including advanced communication skills such as clinical interviewing and focused history taking, psychosocial and physical assessment, critical diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision making.
Interpretation of data for the purpose of differentiating normal from abnormal findings as well as for recognition of potential and/or actual health problems will also be addressed. This course requires 30 laboratory hours.
Clinical pharmacology builds upon NURS 612 Advanced Pharmacology. Specific requirements, responsibilities, interprofessionalism, and concerns as an APN prescriber, including safe prescription writing and medication management of patients throughout the life span, including persons with multiple chronic conditions (MCC), will be comprehensively reviewed.
Students will explore healthcare technology and data management concepts, theories, legal and ethical implications, and application within the healthcare environment. Critical issues affecting the development and implementation of healthcare technologies (clinical, administrative, and learning), knowledge management principles, and professional practice trends will be analyzed. Students will apply new knowledge, manage individual and aggregate level information, and assess the efficacy of healthcare technology appropriate to their area of practice. (3 credit hours)
This course serves as the capstone experience for the FNP program. It synthesizes all material from the previous FNP courses and focuses on refining and integrating clinical learning modalities, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and evaluation for all members of the family, including rural and underserved populations.
Didactic and clinical experiences promote a seamless transition into professional practice. (250 clinical hours)
Get more information
Submit your information to instantly access a digital program brochure.
Applications are currently being accepted for next intake
Online FNP Program Eligible States
Currently, the Walsh MSN-FNP program is available in the following states. Visit our State Authorization page for more information.
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- New Mexico
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Online FNP Program Careers and Outcomes
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 220,300 licensed nurse practitioners in the United States in 2020. That number is projected to increase by a massive 52% from 2020-2030. By comparison, the number of positions for registered nurses is expected to grow by 9% in the same time period, while the total number of jobs for all professions is projected to increase by 4%.
Family Nurse Practitioners work in a variety of environments, including:
- Primary care settings
- Ambulatory care centers
- Clinics
- Hospitals
Along with appealing job opportunities, nurse practitioners also enjoy far above-average compensation, with median wages of $109,820 in 2019. This compares to median wages of $73,300 for registered nurses in 2019 and median annual wages of $39,810 for all occupations.
$109,820
Median Annual Salary
Areas for Clinical Practice:
- Primary care settings
- Ambulatory care centers
- Clinics
- Hospitals
An FNP Nurse Fills a Growing Demand for Primary Care Providers
Family Nurse Practitioners, or FNPs, are highly educated advanced practice registered nurses who work autonomously or in collaboration with other healthcare professionals to deliver primary care to patients. An online MSN-FNP program covers a curriculum that prepares a qualified nurse to take the FNP National Certification exam. FNP nurses care for individuals and families throughout each stage of their lives, providing treatment for a range of medical problems and non-life-threatening acute conditions in outpatient settings, medical clinics and other healthcare environments.
An FNP nurse who graduates from an online MSN program or FNP Certificate program is increasingly being called upon to fulfill the essential need for primary healthcare. The National Governors Association predicts that by 2019, the number of visits to primary care providers will increase by approximately 15-25 million per year while the American Association for Nurse Practitioners (AANP) notes that less than 14% of physicians are entering primary care practice. Due to the dwindling number of primary care physicians, an FNP nurse is perfectly positioned to help to fill the gap for primary care providers.
With a focus on preventative care, health care policy, health promotion, clinical assessment and management, Walsh University’s MSN-FNP online program can help you prepare to become a confident family nurse practitioner, ready to make a difference in the lives of patients’ and entire communities as a primary care provider. An online MSN program can provide a nurse with the family care skills that healthcare organizations and clinics need.
Walsh University also offers the following MSN programs
Frequently Asked Questions
Clinicals are a required portion of the program that allow you to apply the skills you learn in real-life situations.
As a Walsh MSN student, you’ll be paired with a clinical placement coordinator who will collaborate with you to assist in securing clinical sites and preceptors for your clinical courses.
- Online MSN-FNP program includes 3 clinical rotations for a total of 700 clinical hours.
- Online MSN-PMHNP program includes three clinical rotations for a total of 600 clinical hours.
Our online nursing programs are offered in full- and part-time formats so the programs can be balanced with your current job or other responsibilities. As such, the time to completion will vary by format and specific program. However, in general, programs can be completed in 2 to 4 years, depending on the program.
- The Online MSN-PMHNP program consists of 48 total credit hours. You can complete the program in as little as two years as a full-time student, with a part-time option also available.
- The Online MSN-FNP program consists of 45 total credit hours. You can complete the program in as soon as 2 years as a full-time student, but there are also part-time options available. Depending on your schedule, you can choose to take just one or two courses at a time to balance with working full-time.
- The Online MSN-NE program consists of 42 total credit hours. You can Complete in as little as 3 semesters, eight-week courses.
Yes, we offer competitive tuition rates at $775 per credit hour, and we also have a variety of financial aid options available. Visit our Tuition and Financial Aid page for more details.
Residency requirments for Online MSN specialization:
- Online MSN-PMHNP program: you’ll participate in two intensive experiences: one online and one in-person on the Walsh University campus. The on-campus experience provides hands-on learning, workshops and training.
- Online MSN-FNP program: you’ll participate in two intensive experiences beginning in your second year. The first intensive experience will be virtual and requires no travel. The second intensive experience will be in-person on the Walsh University campus for two days of hands-on learning, workshops and training.
With 100% online coursework, our nursing programs are designed for working professionals. While the online coursework remains flexible, it is important to note that to complete your clinical hours, you may need to adjust your work schedule to accommodate your clinical hour requirements.
Students should plan to devote a minimum of 20 hours per week to clinical hours. If you plan to work full-time while in the program, your schedule must accommodate these requirements. These courses take place toward the end of the programs, so you’ll have time to figure out what would work best for your situation.
Throughout this program, you will connect with your classmates and faculty through group work, discussion boards and peer feedback sessions to ensure an online program centered around collaboration and interactivity. Instructors also host one-on-one office hour opportunities to help you remain connected with your coursework and engaged with the Walsh community.
In addition to your in-class studies, the clinical portions of these programs allow for hands-on, practical experience. Students receive instruction and interaction within students' own communities, including individual and group supervision. These interactive portions of the program emphasize developing therapeutic relationships, nursing procedures, ethical practice and the application of nursing and mental health theories to various client concerns.
“The other thing that drew me to Walsh was the support staff.”
"Not only do I feel like my professors want me to succeed, but so does the support staff at Walsh. My professors are always offering feedback, additional resources and prompt responses to help with my success at Walsh University.
- Chelsea Wilson, MSN FNP
The master’s degree program in nursing and doctor of nursing practice program at Walsh University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
