Best Online Family Nurse Practitioner Programs

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The School of Nursing was established in 1931 and offers a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in nursing. Specialties for nurse practitioner programs include neonatal nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP), and family nurse practitioner, among others.

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A private research university located in Durham, NC, Duke University is known for its selective admission rate and rich history. Duke is home to over 16,000 total students and has 12 schools, ranging from its Trinity College of Arts and Sciences to the Duke University School of Nursing.

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The university emphasizes distance education and teaches advanced skills to nurses, equipping them to administer primarily to underserved and rural regions. The institution is a product of the Frontier Nursing Service, itself established in the 1920s. Its online FNP program was ranked #3 by U.S. News in their 2023 Best Online Family Nurse Practitioner Master’s Programs ranking.

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FNU is a private graduate school of nursing in Versailles, Kentucky. It is known as a pioneer in midwifery and family nursing in the U.S. In 1970, the school launched the first FNP program in the nation.

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Its School of Nursing opened in 1937 and offers a bachelor’s and master’s in nursing, along with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. Duquesne University was the first university in the U.S. to offer an online Ph.D. in nursing in 1997.

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Duquesne University is a private Catholic research university based in Pittsburgh, PA. The university hosts over 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offers nine schools, with the first dating back to 1878.

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Its online programs welcome a diverse range of students and help make it easier for established, working adults to continue their higher education journey. U.S. News ranked UA’s online FNP master’s program #4 in the nation in 2023.

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The University of Alabama’s flagship campus is located in Tuscaloosa, AL. Established in 1820, UA has over 38,000 total students and offers 13 academic divisions, including the College of Community Health Sciences and the Capstone College of Nursing.

Admission requirements

• Complete the application
• Pay the $65 application fee
• Send official transcripts by mail or email
• Complete FAFSA application
• Complete intake interview
• Arrange for tuition payment

Unique offerings

WGU is known for its competency-based education model that lets students progress through assignments and examinations as fast as they prove mastery of the material. Its FNP program charges a fixed tuition per term rather than per credit hour. Students may move more quickly through core FNP coursework before moving onto time-set clinical components.

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Western Governors University is an online, nonprofit university based in Salt Lake City, UT. It offers accredited programs in business, information technology, education, and healthcare. More than 300,000 students have graduated from WGU since its establishment in 1997.

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USC offers a fully online FNP program with full-time and part-time tracks. The program teaches students how to address the physical, biomedical, and environmental factors affecting patient health and well-being.

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The University of Southern California is the oldest private research university in California. USC offers programs through its Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, Graduate School, and 20 professional schools. More than 49,000 total students are enrolled in the university

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Several programs have been included in various national rankings, including its online master’s in nursing programs. A primary goal of GWU’s School of Nursing is to help resolve inequalities in the U.S. healthcare system by offering six specialty areas of study at the postgraduate nursing level.

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Situated in the U.S. capital, George Washington University is a private research university with 14 schools and colleges. GWU’s School of Nursing offers programs in family nurse practitioner, nursing leadership and management, clinical research administration, and more.

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Drexel University is also known for its cutting-edge learning technologies, industry-recognized faculty members, and synchronous online courses for many of its programs.

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Private research institution Drexel University has its home in Philadelphia, PA and has offered programs in its College of Nursing and Health Professions since 2002. The university supports undergraduate and graduate students in gaining work experience through a generous cooperative education program.

Unique offerings

Its School of Nursing provides a bachelor’s degree in nursing; master’s degrees in nursing education, FNP, and forensic nursing; and a DNP degree. Students enjoy a wide range of in-person clinical settings where they can apply their skills.

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Texas A&M University—located in College Station, TX—hosts one of the largest student bodies in the country at nearly 73,000 total students. Since its establishment in 1876, the university’s educational offerings have expanded with more and more research-intensive programs.

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Georgetown University’s Department of Nursing launched its first online master’s program in 2011. The online FNP program teaches principles of disease prevention, illness management, health promotion, and more. Nursing students have access to a unique robotic mannequin that can simulate different physiological conditions, enhancing their learning experience.

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Georgetown University is a private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C. Around 19,000 total students are enrolled and participate in 11 academic divisions, including law, business, and nursing

Unique offerings

SBU’s FNP program provides flexible ways for students to learn health promotion and patient treatment principles online and then apply their skills at onsite clinical locations.

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Stony Brook University is a public research university in Long Island, NY. More than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled at SBU. It is recognized as New York’s flagship university and is among the most popular institutions of higher education in the state.