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Post-graduate nurse practitioner (NP) certificate programs are designed for DNP prepared nurses who seek advanced clinical preparation as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist. 

• Upon completion of the certificate program, graduates will be eligible for New York state nurse practitioner (or clinical nurse specialist) licensure and will be eligible for national certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Corporation (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
• All students are expected to be competent in statistics and research design, knowledgeable about nursing theory, and aware of current professional issues.
• Supervised clinical practice is a required component of the program. Whenever possible, clinical experience will be arranged near the student's geographical area.
• Program requirements vary from 21–33* credits depending on the certificate selected, and can be completed in up to four semesters of study.

*Dependent upon approval to waive some requirements.

Clinical specializations and roles

Students will pursue a post-graduate nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialists certificate in one of four areas of clinical specialization:

Curriculum

Certificate program requirements are below. In addition, visit our for a curriculum plan specific to each specialization area, as well as a curriculum worksheet that includes all specialization areas.

Key AG = adult-gerontological (primary care) CH = community health (primary care) FAM = family health PSYC = family pyschiatric mental health
	Specialization	Clinical hours	Credits
YEAR 1, FALL SEMESTER
NURS 502*: Advanced Physical Health Assessment	ALL	60	3
NURS 518*: Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan	ALL		3
NURS 540: Elements of Epidemiology and Biostatistics	CH		3
Semester total		60	6–9
YEAR 1, SPRING SEMESTER
NURS 511: Adult-Gerontological Nursing Practice I	AG	60	3
NURS 514: Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Role I	AG	120	4
NURS 515: Functional Role I, Community Health Primary Care Nurse Practitioner	CH	120	4
NURS 519*: Advanced Pharmacology for Clinical Practice	ALL		3
NURS 521: Nursing in Family Practice I	FAM	60	3
NURS 541: Community Health Nursing Practice I	CH	60	3
NURS 553: Family Nurse Practitioner Role I	FAM	120	4
NURS 565: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role I, Assessment and Diagnosis	PSYC	120	4
Semester total		120–180	7–10
YEAR 2, FALL SEMESTER
NURS 512: Adult-Gerontological Nursing Practice II	AG	60	3
NURS 516: Functional Role II, Community Health Primary Care Nurse Practitioner	CH	120	4
NURS 522: Nursing in Family Practice II	FAM	60	3
NURS 542: Community Health Nursing Practice II	CH	60	3
NURS 554: Family/Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Role II	AG/FAM	120	4
NURS 562: Psychopharmacology	PSYC		2
NURS 563: Psychiatric Mental Health Specialization I, Acute Illnesses	PSYC	120	4
NURS 566: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role II, Individual Therapies	PSYC	120	4
Semester total		120–240	7–10
YEAR 2, SPRING SEMESTER
NURS 513: Adult-Gerontological Nursing Practice III	AG	120	3
NURS 517: Functional Role III, Community Health Primary Care Nurse Practitioner	CH	120	4
NURS 543: Community Health Nursing Practice III	CH	120	3
NURS 555: Family/Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Role III	AG/FAM	120	4
NURS 564: Psychiatric Mental Health Specialization II, Chronic Illnesses	PSYC	120	4
NURS 567: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role III, Group and Family Therapy	PSYC	120	4
NURS 596: Nursing in Family Practice III	FAM	60	3
Semester total		180–240	7–8
TOTAL REQUIRED FOR CERTIFICATE COMPLETION
	AG	660	21-30*
	CH	600	24-33*
	FAM	660	21-30*
	PSYC	660	22-31*
*NURS 502 (3 credits), NURS 518 (3 credits), and NURS 519 (3 credits) may be waived if completed at another institution based on transcript and course syllabi evaluation, as well as approval of the graduate nursing program director.

Application criteria

This program is no longer accepting applications for fall 2026; please apply in a future admissions cycle.

Students holding a DNP degree may enroll in the post-graduate nurse practitioner certificate program. Depending on prior educational preparation, course requirements may be eligible for waiver by the graduate nursing program director with the submission of official transcripts reflecting successful completion of previous coursework (grade of B or better) and related supporting course syllabi. Visit the graduate nursing student resources webpage for the form needed to request a waiver. No clinical courses completed at another university are eligible for transfer or waiver.

All students wishing to pursue a post-graduate nurse practitioner certificate must satisfy the general conditions and procedures for admission to ������ɫ's Graduate School.

For information about application criteria, clinical practice requirements, and additional requirements, applicants should review the University's . The rules and regulations posted in the Academic Guide at the time of a student's matriculation into the University are the ones to which that student is held.

In addition, the following are required and will be evaluated:

• A doctor of nursing practice degree from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CNEA-accredited school of nursing program
• A current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse in the U.S.; applicants must upload a PDF of their NURSYS license verification
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can comment authoritatively on the applicant’s academic achievements and/or work or internship experience related to the program; recommendations from coworkers or friends will not be accepted; appropriate recommenders include previous or current academic faculty or individuals in supervisory positions
• A 500-word personal statement addressing the following: the applicant's reasons for pursuing the post-graduate certificate in general and specifically at ������ɫ; unique aspects of the applicant's background that will contribute to Decker's graduate nursing community; and the goals the applicant hopes to achieve upon completing the program
• A résumé or curriculum vitae
• Applicants requesting a waiver for previously completed, nonclinical graduate nursing coursework specific to the “3 Ps” (NURS 502: Concepts in Health Assessment for Nursing in Advanced Clinical Practice, NURS 518: Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan, NURS 519: Advanced Pharmacology for Clinical Practice, must provide official transcripts and course syllabi so the courses can be evaluated for waiver. If applicants completed an advanced pharmacology for clinical practice course more than five years from the time of admission and have not been employed as a nurse practitioner in a clinical practice setting, applicants will be required to complete NURS 519: Advanced Pharmacology for Clinical Practice. Visit the graduate nursing student resources webpage for the form needed to request a waiver. No clinical courses completed at another university are eligible for transfer or waiver.
• NOTE: Graduate record examination (GRE) scores are not required for admission to this program.

Application procedures

Follow the instructions for applying to a certificate program at ������ɫ. If you have questions regarding application submission, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at 607–777–2151 or gradadmission@binghamton.edu.