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 1 – October 31 for summer entry and November 1 – March
1 for fall entry.
Want more? View our Ask The Expert video sessions with Director of Graduate Admissions, Scott Ranges and Graduate Program faculty!
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, distance format.
1st semester
NURS 700 - Theoretical and Conceptual Foundation for Nursing
NURS 717 - Application of Basic Statistics for Nursing Practice and Service Management
2nd semester
NURS 707 - Advanced Pathophysiology for Nurses
NURS 720 - Clinical Application of Population Analysis
3rd semester
NUNRS 702 - Pharmacological Management of Pediatric, Adult and Gerontological Patients
Across the Lifespan
NURS 790 - Research Methods for Nursing
4th semester
NURS 704 - Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning+
NURS 791 - Seminar in Clinical Nursing Research
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*
Bachelors of Science in Nursing from a nationally accredited program
Minimum Cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Science grades will be strongly considered
Science grades will be strongly considered
Minimum of one year of full-time equivalent nursing experience (2,400 hours) within
the past 24 months. Preferred clinical experience includes critical care, ICU, medical/surgical
or emergency department.
Submit a personal statement
Current CV or Resume
Three (3) letters of recommendation
Copy of unencumbered RN license
Current BLS certification
GRE not required
The MSN FNP program accepts students for summer and fall entry. Applications are accepted
November 1 – March 1 for fall 2021 entry and July 1 – October 31 for summer 2022 entry.
The Graduate School coordinates online applications to our master's and doctoral programs. There may
be supporting materials that are required along with your online application for graduate
admission, so be sure to review the requirements before you apply.
The Master of Science in Nursing Degree programs at the University of South Carolina
are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education through 2021. Our programs also meet the standards for American Nurses Association
Credentialing Center, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty and the
American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing.
Although the University of South Carolina is a member of SARA, some state Boards of
Nursing or state higher education commissions have recently started imposing restrictions
for offering distance education courses within their state. Check to see if our online
programs are open to residents in your state.