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Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner

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Overview

The post-master's Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certificate option is available for individuals who already hold a master's degree in nursing and wish to become licensed and practice as family nurse practitioners. The coursework required for the post-master's certificate is determined for each student following an assessment of the applicant's prior graduate nursing education.

This certificate requires 26 credit hours for completion.

See more information on our graduation rates, cost of education, and the median loan debts of students who complete the program.

This application is now closed for the fall 2025 admission term, as the priority deadline has passed and target enrollment numbers have been met. Should additional space in the program become available, we welcome applications to the Fall 2025 FNP Waitlist. If you are interested in applying to the Fall 2025 FNP Waitlist, please contact Melissa Moody at  mkmoody@ilstu.edu . The waitlist is for the fall 2025 term only. Applicants who are not admitted from the waitlist by July 15, 2025, should reapply for fall 2026 consideration; a new application and fee would be required. 

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Point of Pride

After completing the program, students are eligible to take the FNP certification examination through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) to become certified as family nurse practitioners. The cumulative pass rate on the certification exam for MCN students since the sequence began is 99%.

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How to Apply

University Admission Requirements

A student applying to this program must:

  • Have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, or do so by the time of program matriculation.
  • Submit unofficial transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. The unofficial transcript should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses and course grades for each term.
  • If admitted, official domestic transcripts can be emailed from the university to GraduateAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, Graduate School, 208 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 4040, Normal, IL 61790-4040.
  • If admitted, official international transcripts can be emailed directly from the international institution to InternationalAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, International Admissions, Campus Box 6180, Normal, IL 61790-6180.

International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Graduate School Admission Requirements.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

Prior to enrolling in nursing coursework students must meet health and safety compliance requirements, to include drug testing, a criminal background check, a physical examination, and several immunizations. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in dismissal from the major.

International applicants must comply with the International Applicant Requirements as directed by the Illinois State University Office of Admissions. Please apply early in the application time frame to ensure adequate time to review transcripts.

Admission consideration is given to applicants who submit complete applications by the February 1 deadline for fall term admission. Applicants will be notified of their admission status by early April.

A student applying to this program must:

  • Have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
  • Have satisfactory completion of a graduate level statistics course. Note: If not completed prior to entry into the program, provisional admission may be granted with the requirement that the graduate level statistics course be taken before the graduate nursing research course
  • Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework or a 3.0 on earned graduate degree plus any in progress graduate coursework.

The Grade Point Average (GPA) of all undergraduate credentials earned in the United States that are used for graduate degree admission evaluation is calculated by the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. International credentials are evaluated by using cumulative GPA (CGPA) in lieu of the GPA from the last 60 hours of undergraduate work.

Application Materials

  • Two to three page essay outlining educational and professional goals.
  • A current resume.
  • Provide a copy of your current RN license as evidence of RN licensure in Illinois.
  • Include on the application the name and email address of one professional or academic reference who is qualified to assess your potential to succeed in the post-MSN certificate program. This reference must be a nursing faculty from the student's baccalaureate or master’s in nursing program or a master's prepared nurse. Your recommender will receive instructions to complete and upload this reference form to the recommender site.

Two years of recent full-time relevant clinical or administrative nursing experience is preferred, but not required.

Application Deadlines

  • Fall Term — No longer accepting applications

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Contact Information

  • Mennonite College of Nursing
  • (309) 438-7400
  • Edwards 312
  • Mennonite College of Nursing

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