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College of Nursing

  • Nurse Practitioner Student

Master's Programs

Family Nurse Practitioner

The primary care Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program prepares you to provide primary health care across the patient lifespan.

Application Deadline

Applications are accepted July 15 – February 1 for summer entry and November 1 – May 1 for fall entry. You are encouraged to submit your application and all required items before the deadline. 

 

As an FNP student, online coursework and hands-on training will provide you with a strong foundation in patient wellness and prevention as well as the knowledge and skills to provide treatment for everything from mild ailments to serious conditions.

Upon program completion, you will be eligible to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner exam administered through the American Nurse Credentialing Center and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board.

Our graduates are employed in a variety of settings ranging from outpatient care settings, NP practices, clinics, physician’s offices, women’s health centers, schools and specialty care practices.

The MSN-FNP program is a total of 47 credits and takes 8 semesters to complete and all didactic coursework is online, in distance format. 

1st semester 
  • NURS 700 - Theoretical and Conceptual Foundation for Nursing  A
  • NURS 717 - Application of Basic Statistics for Nursing Practice and Service Management  A
2nd semester
  • NURS 707 - Advanced Pathophysiology for Nurses
  • NURS 720 - Clinical Application of Population Analysis  A
3rd semester
  • NURS 702 - Pharmacological Management of Pediatric, Adult and Gerontological Patients Across the Lifespan
  • NURS 790 - Research Methods for Nursing  A
4th semester
  • NURS 704 - Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning +
  • NURS 791 - Seminar in Clinical Nursing Research  B
5th semester
  • NURS 718 - Diagnostic Interpretation and Therapeutic Modalities
  • NURS 756 - Advanced Primary Care of Children for the FNP
  • NURS 757 - Advanced Primary Care of women for the FNP +
6th semester
  • NURS 758 - Acute Problems in Primary Care for the FNP*
7th semester
  • NURS 759 - Management of Common Chronic Health Problems for the FNP+*
8th semester
  • NURS 760 - Family Nurse Practitioner Legal, Ethical and Role Transition
  • NURS 760A - Family Nurse Practitioner Role Practicum*

Total 47 credits / 672 direct clinical hours
+on campus immersion
*course requires clinical hours
 Aindicates A term, B indicates B term. If not noted, full semester course.

  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a nationally accredited program
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be submitted, whether you received a degree or not. Applicants who attended a BSN program that issued pass or fail grades for all classes will not be considered a competitive applicant.
  • Minimum of 2400 hours of nursing experience within the past 24 months. This includes full time or part time nursing experience. Preferred clinical experience in an acute care setting (ICU, critical care, medical/surgical, or emergency department).
  • Submit a personal statement
  • Current CV or Resume
  • Three professional references - The professional recommendation form should come from individuals with a master’s or higher in a healthcare field who can evaluate your potential for success in a graduate program. (Letters of recommendation cannot be used in lieu of our recommendation form). Recommendations from family members are not appropriate. 
  • Copy of unencumbered RN license
  • Current BLS certification
  • GRE not required

The MSN FNP accepts students for summer and fall entry. We recommen d applying early for the best chance for admission and scholarship eligibility. 

Graduate applications for Fall 2024 and later will be submitted to the College of Nursing. All application materials (except official transcripts) will be submitted via the College of Nursing's graduate application portal. 

If applying for a graduate program with a summer 2024 start, please submit via Summer 2024 application. 

Official transcripts must be sent to The Graduate School.  Review the degree requirements before you apply.
  • Admission cycle for summer entry:
    Application opens - July 15
    Early decision deadline - September 1
    Priority decision deadline - November 1
    Final decision deadline - February 1
  • Admission cycle for fall entry:
    Application opens - November 1
    Early decision deadline - January 15
    Priority decision deadline – March  1
    Final decision deadline - May 1

MSN program costs depend on several factors. For estimated costs, view:

Graduate Programs Cost Estimates 2023-2024

The Office of Financial Aid provides the full breakdown of the estimated cost to attend. For additional tuition and fee information, visit the Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees website.

Financial aid is available. To determine your eligibility, complete the FAFSA form on the university’s Financial Aid website. The College of Nursing also offers general scholarships. In addition, other scholarship and financial aid opportunities are available through The Graduate School and the university’s Financial Aid and Scholarships office.

View our video Information Session with graduate program faculty and staff.

Contact Us

Phone: 803-777-9080
Email: NURSGRAD@mailbox.sc.edu

Address: 
Williams-Brice Building, Room 208
1601 Greene St.
Columbia, SC 29208

shelli gibbs

Meet the Program Director

Shelli Gibbs, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. She has been with USC College of Nursing for 10 years as faculty of the BSN, MSN(FNP) and DNP programs. Dr. Gibbs' clinical practice experiences is in dermatology and geriatrics. Her scholarship interest is in obesity in the rural primary care setting and simulation.

Meet the FNP Graduate Academic Advisor

Trey Patty is a Graduate Academic Advisor in the Office of Academic Affairs for the FNP program. 

 

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