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Post-Graduate Certificate Curriculum

Post-graduate students can select any of the specialty options offered by the program. Each certificate pathway is designed to be in compliance with national certification requirements including required support courses, didactic specialty courses, and clinical hours.

Please find the curriculum schedules for the Post Graduate Certificates below:

• Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP
• Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP
• Adult-Gerontological Clinical NS
• Clinical Nurse Leader
• Dual Role (Family NP/Emergency NP)
• Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP)
• Emergency NP
• Executive Nursing Administration
• Family NP
• Neonatal NP
• Nursing Informatics
• Pediatric Acute Care NP
• Pediatric Primary Care NP
• Psychiatric (Family) NP
• Women’s Health NP

Support Courses (Pathophysiology/Pharmacology/Physical Assessment)

The APRN accreditation standards and certifying bodies require students to have three separate courses that include: Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, and Advanced Physical Assessment.  

The ºÚÁÏÌìÌà College of Nursing requires students to complete the following courses for completion of their APRN MSN degree or Postgraduate Certificate:

NU 545 Physio-Pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing
NU 578 Pharmacology Advanced Practice Nurses
NU 518 Advanced Nursing Assessment

For each of the 3Ps courses to be approved for transfer credit, evidence must be provided to show that the courses completed were three (3) separate courses of at least three (3) semester credit hours or five (5) quarter hours each. For applicants that are unable to demonstrate completion of three separate courses for a minimum of three (3) credit hours each or five (5) quarter hours each, the courses will be added to the applicant’s curriculum plan for completion at the USA in order to receive a graduate degree or Post-Graduate Certificate (PGC). Courses taken in a Generalist Entry-to-Practice BSN or MSN program will not be approved for graduate transfer credit. 

All students who are admitted to the USA College of Nursing are personally responsible for understanding the requirements set forth by their individual state board of nursing for licensure or certifying body as an advanced practice nurse.  Some states and certifying bodies require, and only accept, pathophysiology, pharmacology, or physical assessment courses taken within a certain timeframe.  Applicants are responsible for checking with the state board of nursing for the state in which future practice is intended and the specialty certifying body to make sure that any courses transferred into a USA CON program meets the state’s requirements for licensure, or the certifying body’s requirements for certification.

If a state board of nursing or a certifying body will not approve courses transferred into the USA CON after graduation or receipt of a PGC, based on the date completed or content contained therein, the graduate will be offered to register and complete these courses after graduation at the graduate’s expense. Courses may also be added to a current student’s curriculum plan upon written request to an advisor and subsequent approval by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. 

Students are responsible for researching the requirements of their States Board of Nursing and APRN certifying bodies prior to admission to the program at the University of ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Alabama.

Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 33 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP Specialty Courses

• AHN 568 - Introduction to Adult-Geron Acute Care NP 3 credit hours
• AHN 571 - Health Promotion/Disease Prevention & Issues for Adult-Geron Acute Care NP 2 credit hours
• AHN 572 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP I 3 credit hours
• AHN 573 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP Practicum I - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• AHN 574 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP II 3 credit hours
• AHN 575 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP Practicum II - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• AHN 576 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP Practicum III - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• AHN 577 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP III 3 credit hours

Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 33 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP Specialty Courses

• AHN 581 - Health Promotion/Disease Prevention & Issues for Adult-Geron Primary Care NP 2 credit hours
• AHN 588 - Introduction to Adult-Geron Primary Care NP 2 credit hours
• HSC 601 - Intro to IPE 1 credit
• AHN 591 - Adult-Geron Primary Care NP I 2 credit hours
• AHN 592 - Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Practicum I - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• HSC 602 - Team Building 1 credit
• AHN 593 - Adult -Geron Primary Care NP II 3 credit hours
• AHN 594 - Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Practicum II - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• AHN 595 -Adult-Geron Primary Care NP III 2 credit hours
• AHN 596 - Adult-Geron Primary Care NP Practicum III - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• HSC 603 - Assessment of Vulnerable Populations 1 credit

Adult-Gerontological Clinical NS

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 26 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Adult-Gerontological CNS Specialty Courses

• NU 515 - Clinical Concepts & CNS Role I 2 credit hours
• AHN 516 - Adult-Geron CNS Practicum I - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• NU 516 - Clinical Concepts & CNS Role II 3 credit hours
• AHN 517 - Adult-Geron CNS Practicum II - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• NU 517 - Clinical Concepts & CNS Role III 3 credit hours
• AHN 518 - Adult-Geron CNS Practicum III - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• AHN 519 - Diagnostic Reasoning CNS - 60 Clinical Hours - ELECTIVE (4 credit hours)

Clinical Nurse Leader

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 24 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Clinical Nurse Leader Specialty Courses

• NU 535 - Clinical Nurse Leader Role & Competencies 3 credit hours
• NU 536 - Clinical Nurse Leader Practicum I - 300 Clinical Hours 5 credit hours
• NU 537 - Clinical Nurse Leader Synthesis 3 credit hours
• NU 538 - Clinical Nurse Leader Practicum II - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours

Dual Role (Family NP/Emergency NP)

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 45 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years. At this time, we are not accepting students for the FNP/ENP specialty from the following states: Louisiana, ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Dakota, and New York.

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment (3 credit hours)
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing (3 credit hours)
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses (3 credit hours)

Dual Role FNP/ENP Specialty Courses

• NU 580 – Health Promotion/Disease Prevention & Issues for FNP/ENP (2 credit hours)
• NU 581 – Family/Emergency NP I (5 credit hours)
• NU 582 – Family/Emergency NP Practicum I – 120 Clinical Hours (2 credit hours)
• NU 583 – Family/Emergency NP II (5 credit hours)
• NU 584 – Family/Emergency NP Practicum II – 240 Clinical Hours (4 credit hours)
• NU 585 – Family/Emergency NP III (5 credit hours)
• NU 586 – Family/Emergency NP Practicum III – 240 Clinical Hours (4 credit hours)
• NU 587 – Family/Emergency NP IV (5 credit hours)
• NU 588 – Family/Emergency NP Practicum IV – 240 Clinical Hours (4 credit hours)

Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP)

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 45 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Geron Acute Care NP) Specialty Courses

• AHN 538 - Health Promotion/Disease Prevention & Issues 2 credit hours
• AHN 548 - Family Primary Care NP I 4 credit hours
• AHN 549 - Family Primary Care NP Practicum I - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• AHN 550 - Family Primary Care NP II 4 credit hours
• AHN 551 - Family Primary Care NP Practicum II- 300 Clinical Hours 5 credit hours
• AHN 552 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP I 4 credit hours
• AHN 553 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP Practicum I - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• AHN 554 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP II 4 credit hours
• AHN 555 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP Practicum II - 300 Clinical Hours 5 credit hours

Emergency NP

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 24 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years. At this time, we are not accepting students for the FNP/ENP specialty from the following states: Louisiana, ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Dakota, and New York.

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Emergency NP Specialty Courses

• NU 570 – Advanced Emergency Nursing I 2 credit hours
• NU 571 – Advanced Emergency Nursing Practicum I – 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• NU 572 – Advanced Emergency Nursing II 2 credit hours
• NU 573 Advanced Emergency Nursing Practicum II – 60 Clinical Hours 1 credit hours
• NU 574 – Advanced Emergency Nursing III 2 credit hours
• NU 575 – Advanced Emergency Nursing Practicum III – 60 Clinical Hours 1 credit hours
• NU 576 Advanced Emergency Nursing IV 2 credit hours
• NU 577 – Advanced Emergency Nursing Practicum IV – 120 Clinical Hours 2 credit hours

Executive Nursing Administration

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all specialty courses for a total of 25 credit hours.  The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.

Executive Nursing Administration Specialty Courses

• NU 539 - Introduction to Nursing Informatics 3 credit hours
• HSC 571 - Managing Healthcare Personnel 3 credit hours
• NU 561 - Nursing Administration Concepts & Theory 3 credit hours
• NU 562 - Administrative Concepts & Resource Management Field Study - 60 Field Study Hours 3 credit hours
• NU 565 - Nursing Administration Finance 3 credit hours
• NU 566 - Nursing Administration Field Study - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• NU 567 - Nursing Administration Internship - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• NU 568 - Nursing Administration Seminar 3 credit hours

Family NP

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 33 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Family NP Specialty Courses

• CMN 568 - Introduction to Family NP 3 credit hours
• CMN 571 - Health Promotion/Disease Prevention & Issues for Family NP 2 credit hours
• CMN 572 - Family NP I 3 credit hours
• CMN 573 - Family NP Practicum I - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• CMN 574 - Family NP II 3 credit hours
• CMN 575 - Family NP Practicum II - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• CMN 576 - Family NP Practicum III - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• CMN 577 - Family NP III 3 credit hours

Neonatal NP

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 33 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Neonatal NP Specialty Courses

• MCN 568 – Introduction to Neonatal NP 3 credit hours
• MCN 571 – Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Neonatal NP and

Pediatric Acute Care NP 2 credit hours

• MCN 572 – Neonatal NP I 3 credit hours
• MCN 573 – Neonatal NP Practicum I - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• MCN 574 – Neonatal NP II 3 credit hours
• MCN 575 – Neonatal NP Practicum II - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• MCN 576 – Neonatal NP Practicum III - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• MCN 577 – Neonatal NP III 3 credit hours

Nursing Informatics

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all specialty courses for a total of 25 credit hours.  The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.

Nursing Informatics Specialty Courses

• ISC 550 - Health Data Security and Computers 3 credit hours
• ISC 555 - Health Data Management and Decision Support Systems 3 credit hours
• NU 539 - Introduction to Nursing Informatics 3 credit hours
• NU 556 - Informatics and Quality of Care Improvement 3 credit hours
• NU 557 - Clinical Informatics Practicum I - 120 Clinical Hours 2 credit hours
• NU 558 - Seminar in Nursing Informatics       3 credit hours
• NU 559 - Clinical Informatics Practicum II - 120 Clinical Hours 2 credit hours
• NU 562 - Administrative Concepts & Resource Management Field Study - 60 Field Study Hours 3 credit hours
• NU 565 - Nursing Administration Finance 3 credit hours

Pediatric Acute Care NP

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 33 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Pediatric Acute Care NP Specialty Courses

• MCN 558 – Introduction to Pediatric Acute Care NP 3 credit hours
• MCN 571 – Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Neonatal NP and

Pediatric Acute Care NP 2 credit hours

• MCN 562 – Pediatric Acute Care NP I 3 credit hours
• MCN 563 – Pediatric Acute Care NP Practicum I - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• MCN 564 –Pediatric Acute Care NP II 3 credit hours
• MCN 565 – Pediatric Acute Care NP Practicum II - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• MCN 566 – Pediatric Acute Care NP Practicum III - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• MCN 567 – Pediatric Acute Care NP III 3 credit hours

Pediatric Primary Care NP

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 33 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Pediatric Primary NP Specialty Courses

• MCN 548 – Introduction to Pediatric Primary Care NP 3 credit hours
• MCN 551 – Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Pediatric Primary Care NP 2 credit hours
• MCN 552 – Pediatric Primary Care NP I 3 credit hours
• MCN 553 – Pediatric Primary Care NP Practicum I - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• MCN 554 – Pediatric Primary Care NP Nursing II 3 credit hours
• MCN 555 – Pediatric Primary Care NP Practicum II - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• MCN 556 – Pediatric Primary Care NP Practicum III - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• MCN 557 – Pediatric Primary Care NP III 3 credit hours

Psychiatric (Family) NP

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 33 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Psychiatric Family NP Specialty Courses

• CMN 548 - Intro to Family Psych NP 3 credit hours
• CMN 551 - Health Promotion/Disease Prevention & Issues for Family Psych NP 2 credit hours
• CMN 552 - Family Psych NP I 3 credit hours
• CMN 553 - Family Psych NP Practicum I - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• CMN 554 - Family Psych NP II 3 credit hours
• CMN 555 - Family Psych NP Practicum II - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• CMN 556 - Family Psych NP Practicum III - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• CMN 557 - Family Psych NP III 3 credit hours

Women's Health NP

Post Graduate Certificate students complete all support and specialty courses for a total of 33 credit hours.  Students who have successfully completed the 3 P’s (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) may request a waiver of these courses. The Post Graduate Certificate must be completed within two years.  

Support Courses

• NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
• NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
• NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours

Women’s Health NP Specialty Courses

• MCN 538 – Introduction to Women's Health NP 3 credit hours
• MCN 541 – Health Promotion / Disease Prevention & Issues for Women's Health NP 2 credit hours
• MCN 542 – Women's Health NP I 3 credit hours
• MCN 543 – Women's Health NP Practicum I - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• MCN 544 – Women's Health NP II 3 credit hours
• MCN 545 – Women's Health NP Practicum II - 180 Clinical Hours 3 credit hours
• MCN 546 – Women's Health NP Practicum III - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
• MCN 547 – Women's Health NP III 3 credit hours

Contact Information

For all inquiries related to the admissions process: congradapp@southalabama.edu

For all current and continuing students: congrad@southalabama.edu