Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) - Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science

Family Nurse Practitioner Overview

Family Nurse Practitioners provide comprehensive care across the lifespan, supporting individuals and families from infancy through older adulthood. The FNP track prepares nurses with advanced clinical knowledge and the skills needed to diagnose, manage, and coordinate care for a wide range of health concerns in primary care environments.

Program Outcomes

Prepare for advanced clinical practice across diverse patient populations
Strengthen assessment, diagnostic, and management skills in primary care
Develop the ability to promote wellness and address complex health needs

Certification Eligibility

Graduates are eligible for national certification through:

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) — FNP-BC
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) — FNP-C

Graduates may also pursue Nurse Practitioner certification in California.

Students with questions about the Family Nurse Practitioner specialty track are encouraged to schedule an appointment with Dr. Laura Truman, NP Program Director.

Meet with Dr. Truman

MSN FNP Curriculum

MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Full-Time Curriculum Plan

MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Full-Time Curriculum Plan
Year / Semester	Course Number & Title	Units	Clinical Hours
YEAR 1 Fall Semester One	MSNC 612: Population Health	3
	APNC 620: Advanced Pathophysiology	3
	APNC 621: Advanced Health Assessment	3
	APNC 621L: Advanced Health Assessment Lab	1
Fall Semester One Total		10
YEAR 1 Spring Semester One	NPTC 630: Role of the Nurse Practitioner	1
	APNC 623: Pharmacology in Health Management	3
	NPTC 631: Primary Care I: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan	3
	NPTC 631P: Primary Care I Practicum: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan	4	192
Spring Semester One Total		11	192
YEAR 1 Summer Semester One	MSNC 640: Health Care Information and Communication Management	3
	NPTC 632: Primary Care II: Common Acute Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
	NPTC 632P: Primary Care II Practicum: Common Acute Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
Summer Semester One Total		11	384 (Cumulative)
YEAR 2 Fall Semester Two	DNPC 661: Leadership, Advocacy, and Quality Improvement I	1
	MSNC 611: Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing	3
	NPTC 633: Primary Care III: Common Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
	NPTC 633P: Primary Care III Practicum: Common Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
Fall Semester Two Total		12	576 (Cumulative)
YEAR 2 Spring Semester Two	NPTC 634: Primary Care IV: Complex Acute and Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
	NPTC 634P: Primary Care IV Practicum: Complex Acute and Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
	DNPC 662: Leadership, Advocacy, and Quality Improvement II	2
Spring Semester Two Total		10	768 (Cumulative)
Program Totals (Graduate with MSN FNP)		54 Units	768 Clinical Hours

MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Part-Time Curriculum Plan

MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Part-Time Curriculum Plan
Year / Semester	Course Number & Title	Units	Clinical Hours
YEAR 1 Fall Semester One	MSNC 612: Population Health	3
	APNC 621: Advanced Health Assessment	3
	APNC 621L: Advanced Health Assessment Lab	1
Fall Semester One Total		7
YEAR 1 Spring Semester One	NPTC 630: Role of the Nurse Practitioner	1
	APNC 623: Pharmacology in Health Management	3
	*Optional Elective	*3
Spring Semester One Total		*4 (7)**
YEAR 1 Summer Semester One	MSNC 640: Health Care Information and Communication Management	3
Summer Semester One Total		3
YEAR 2 Fall Semester Two	APNC 620: Advanced Pathophysiology	3
YEAR 2 Fall Semester Two	MSNC 611: Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing	3
Fall Semester Two Total		6
YEAR 2 Spring Semester Two	NPTC 631: Primary Care I: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan	3
YEAR 2 Spring Semester Two	NPTC 631P: Primary Care I Practicum: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan	4	192
Spring Semester Two Total		7	192
YEAR 2 Summer Semester Two	NPTC 632: Primary Care II: Common Acute Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
YEAR 2 Summer Semester Two	NPTC 632P: Primary Care II Practicum: Common Acute Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
Summer Semester Two Total		8	384 (Cumulative)
YEAR 3 Fall Semester Three	DNPC 661: Leadership, Advocacy, and Quality Improvement I	1
	NPTC 633: Primary Care III: Common Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
	NPTC 633P: Primary Care III Practicum: Common Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
Fall Semester Three Total		9	576 (Cumulative)
YEAR 3 Spring Semester Three	NPTC 634: Primary Care IV: Complex Acute and Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
	NPTC 634P: Primary Care IV Practicum: Complex Acute and Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
	DNPC 662: Leadership, Advocacy, and Quality Improvement II	2
Spring Semester Three Total		10	768 (Cumulative)
Program Totals (Graduate with MSN FNP)		54 Units	768 Clinical Hours

DNP FNP Curriculum

DNP Family Nurse Practitioner Full-Time Curriculum Plan

DNP Family Nurse Practitioner Full-Time Curriculum Plan
Semester	Course Title	Units	Clinical Hours
YEAR 1
Fall Semester One	MSNC 612 Population Health	3
	APNC 620 Advanced Pathophysiology	3
	APNC 621 Advanced Health Assessment	3
	APNC 621 Advanced Health Assessment Lab	1
TOTAL		10
Spring Semester One	NPTC 630 Role of the Nurse Practitioner	1
	APNC 623 Pharmacology in Health Management	3
	NPTC 631 Primary Care I: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan	3
	NPTC 631P Primary Care I Practicum: Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan	4	192
TOTAL		11	192
Summer Semester One	MSNC 640: Health Care Information and Communication Management	3
	NPTC 632 Primary Care II: Common Acute Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
	NPTC 632P Primary Care II Practicum: Common Acute Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
TOTAL		11	384
YEAR 2
Fall Semester Two	DNPC 600: Orientation to the DNP Scholarly Project Series	1
	DNPC 661 Leadership, Advocacy, and Quality Management I	1
	MSNC 611 Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing	3
	NPTC 633 Primary Care III: Common Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
	NPTC 633P Primary Care III Practicum: Common Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
	DNPC 601: DNP Scholarly Project: Planning and Development	1
TOTAL		14	576
Spring Semester Two	NPTC 634 Primary Care IV: Complex Acute and Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
	NPTC 634P Primary Care IV Practicum: Complex Acute and Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
	DNPC 662 Leadership, Advocacy, and Quality Management II	2
	DNPC 602: DNP Scholarly Project: Conceptualization & Planning Proposal	1
TOTAL		11	768
Graduate with MSN FNP - 57 total units
Summer Semester Two (*HyFlex)	DNPC 631 Role of the Nurse with a Doctor of Nursing Practice	2
	DNPC 613 Advanced Applications of EBP	3
	DNPC 603 DNP Scholarly Project: Implementation	1
TOTAL		6
YEAR 3
Fall Semester Three (*HyFlex)	DNPC 650 Data Analysis and Evaluation	3
	DNPC 604 DNP Scholarly Project: Evaluation	2
	DNPC 670 Advanced Leadership & Finance or Elective	3
TOTAL		8
Spring Semester Three (*HyFlex)	DNPC 651 Health Policy and Advocacy in Nursing Practice	2
	DNPC 605 DNP Scholarly Project: Dissemination	1
	Elective	3
TOTAL		6	232
Graduate with DNP - 77 total units/1000 hours
*Hyflex: students can decide weekly if they would like to attend class in-person, online synchronous, or online asynchronous

DNP Family Nurse Practitioner Part-Time Curriculum Plan

DNP Family Nurse Practitioner Part-Time Curriculum Plan (Starting Fall 2026)
Semester	Course Title	Units	Clinical/Project Hours
YEAR 1
Fall Semester One	MSNC 612 Population Health	3
	APNC 621 Advanced Health Assessment	3
	APNC 621 Advanced Health Assessment Lab	1
Fall Semester One Total		7
Spring Semester One	NPTC 630 Role of the Nurse Practitioner	1
Spring Semester One	APNC 623 Pharmacology in Health Management	3
Spring Semester One Total		4
Summer Semester One	MSNC 640 Health Care Information and Communication Management	3
Summer Semester One Total		3
YEAR 2
Fall Semester Two	ANPC 620 Advanced Pathophysiology	3
Fall Semester Two	MSNC 611 Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing	3
Fall Semester Two Total		6
Spring Semester Two	NPTC 631 Primary Care I: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan	3
Spring Semester Two	NPTC 631P Primary Care I Practicum: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan	4	192
Spring Semester Two Total		7	192
Summer Semester Two	NPTC 632 Primary Care II: Common Acute Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
Summer Semester Two	NPTC 632P Primary Care II Practicum: Common Acute Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
Summer Semester Two Total		8	384 (Cumulative)
YEAR 3
Fall Semester Three	DNPC 600 Orientation to the DNP Scholarly Project Series	1
	DNPC 661 Leadership, Advocacy, and Quality Management I	1
	NPTC 633 Primary Care III: Common Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
	NPTC 633P Primary Care III Practicum: Common Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
	DNPC 601 DNP Scholarly Project: Planning and Development	1
Fall Semester Three Total		11	576 (Cumulative)
Spring Semester Three	NPTC 634 Primary Care IV: Complex Acute and Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4
	NPTC 634P Primary Care IV Practicum: Complex Acute and Chronic Conditions Across the Lifespan	4	192
	DNPC 662 Leadership, Advocacy, and Quality Management II	2
	DNPC 602 DNP Scholarly Project: Conceptualization & Planning Proposal	1
Spring Semester Three Total (MSN FNP Graduate)		11 (57 Total)	768 (Cumulative)
Summer Semester Three (*HyFlex)	DNPC 631 Role of the Nurse with a Doctor of Nursing Practice	2
	DNPC 613 Advanced Applications of EBP	3
	DNPC 603 DNP Scholarly Project: Implementation	1
Summer Semester Three Total		6
YEAR 4
Fall Semester Four (*HyFlex)	DNPC 650 Data Analysis and Evaluation	3
	DNPC 604 DNP Scholarly Project: Evaluation	2
	DNPC 670 Advanced Leadership & Finance or Elective	3
Fall Semester Four Total		8
Spring Semester Four (*HyFlex)	DNPC 651 Health Policy and Advocacy in Nursing Practice	2
	DNPC 605 DNP Scholarly Project: Dissemination	1
	Elective	3	232
Spring Semester Four Total (DNP Graduate)		6 (77 Total)	232 (1000 Total)
*Hyflex: students can decide weekly if they would like to attend class in-person, online synchronous, or online asynchronous

Hear From Our Students

In this video, Jorge Chacon Cordero, MSN RN and DNP student in the Family Nurse Practitioner track, shares why USD's international reputation was a deciding factor in choosing the Hahn School of Nursing.