Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
The University of Virginia prepares Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) either within the master’s program or as a post-master's certificate. The FNP is an advanced practice role that provides direct patient care in a primary care setting. Family Health Nurse Practitioners emphasize quality relationships with patients, families and communities, education of patients and families, and coordination of services aimed at specific health outcomes.
The curriculum builds on both the theoretical knowledge and clinical experience of the bachelor's prepared nurse.
Full-time students begin study in the fall semester, and complete the program in 20 months. Students complete only didactic courses for the first two semesters and summer - with classes on Thursday, Friday or online. In the second year of study, there are didactic course on Thursday only. During this second year you would enroll in two preceptorships (GNUR 569 and GNUR 571).
Part-time students can enroll in any semester (fall, spring or summer).
Program Coordinator: John Kirchgessner, PhD, RN, PNP (434) 924-0121, email: jck2r@virginia.edu.
Clinicals
Students complete 672 clinical hours in the Family Nurse Practitioner program. Most of these hours are completed in two semester-long preceptorships taken in the final two semesters of enrollment (GNUR 569 and GNUR 571).
Clinical placement sites sites are assigned based upon optimal learning experiences, student requests, and availability. In order to develop experience in rural health care with underserved populations, students are assigned to at least one preceptorship site distant from Charlottesville/Albemarle County. Most of our clinical assignments are in Central, Southwest and Southside Virginia. Students seeking clinical opportunities in other areas of Virginia may be asked to locate their own clinical sites.
Certification
Students are qualified to sit for Family Nurse Practitioner certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center or from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the School of Nursing is competitive and based on evaluation of all portions of the application. To be considered for the Master's of Science in Nursing, applicants must submit a completed application and:
- Have a Bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) from a nationally accredited (CCNE or NLN) school..
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate study.
- Hold an unencumbered RN license in the state where you intend to complete your practica.
- Demonstrate satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Examination*.
- Submit clear written statements on educational and professional goals, as well as on diversity.
- Submit three satisfactory academic and professional recommendations. One of these letters should be from an APN.
- Submit a copy of your resume or C.V.
- Have completed an undergraduate or graduate statistics course within the past 5 years.
- Be available for an interview if requested.
Note: New BSN graduates may apply for any of the MSN specialty tracks. If you are a new nurse and applying for an Advanced Practice specialty track (NP or CNS), you should apply as a part-time student. You need at least one year of relevant post-BSN clinical nursing experience before enrolling in GNUR 550 (Advanced Pharmacology) and GNUR 551 (Advanced Health Assessment).
Application deadline:
Fall or Summer entry: April 1
Spring entry: November 1
*All applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. The School of Nursing accepts GRE scores that are more than 5 years old. If you have your 'older' scores, you may submit a copy of the Student Report. Students who have already completed a graduate degree do not need to submit GRE scores. The Institutional Code for the University of Virginia is
R-5820. Because of some recent problems with receiving the ETS score reports, you may be asked to mail/fax a copy of your Student Score Report.
International applicants are required also to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination. Visit their websites for more information. The University of Virginia institutional code number is R-5820, nursing #0610.
Downloads, Program of Study, and Links
For More Information
For additional information on admission to and programs of study at the UVa School of Nursing, please fill our our online form. You are also welcome to call the Office of Addmissions at (434) 924-0141 / (888) 283-8703.
Questions on admissions and financial aid should be directed to Clay Hysell, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Services, email hysell@virginia.edu