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About the program

  • 3,700+ health care providers and clinical placement settings available:

    Meet your hands-on experience goals with healthcare providers or clinical placement setting partners in 49 U.S. states.

  • High pass rates:

    94% of WHNP test takers passed the AMCB certification in 2022, and 97% passed the NCC board certification in 2023.Footnote 1

  • Four specializations:

    Choose from four specialized nursing degree specializations: FNP, WHNP, AG-ACNP, and NW/WHNP.

  • Scholarships available:

    Scholarships up to $35,000 available for highly qualified applicants.

Program specializations

Georgetown University’s online MS in Nursing program features many routes to help their learners excel. Upon completing their degree, learners are prepared to provide the best care possible to their chosen populations. Applicants must be registered nurses in the U.S. All applicants must hold, also, either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree or a CNL/entry-level MSN from a program accredited by the CCNE or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Depending on the tract, it may take anywhere from 23 to 27 months to complete the MSN degree with 40 to 49 credit hours. All programs are offered on a part-time basis, with the addition to the FNP program offered on a full-time basis. Once completed, learners will have earned a Master of Science degree in Nursing, accredited by the CCNE. The four online MS in Nursing specializations are:

  • Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP):

    Prepare to work in primary care settings, serving as the primary care provider, and managing the care of families and individuals, preventing disease and promoting health.

  • Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP):

    Become a care provider offering primary, gynecologic, and reproductive care across the lifespan.

  • Nurse-midwifery/Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (NW/WHNP):

    Bring primary care services to people throughout their lifespan; reproductive healthcare from pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum; gynecological and sexual healthcare; family planning; preconception care; and the care of newborns up to a month old. Midwives provide healthcare in a safe, comprehensive, and culturally-responsive manner to people of all sexual orientations and transgender and gender non-binary (TGNB) people.

  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP):

    Build on your previous acute-care experience, and learn to perform — at a higher level — direct patient management in complex and acute settings. (Learners in the track must have previous acute-care experience.)

Ready to advance your career?

Intensives

The clinical placement team at Berkley School of Nursing assists learners with securing clinical sites and nurse preceptors close to their homes. The program partnered with more than 8,600 nurse preceptors, 9,800 affiliated sites, and 3,700 locations throughout 49 U.S. states. 

Learners also participate in Objective Clinical Intensives (OCIs) — academic visits where learners practice clinical skills and complete in-person assessments with faculty from Georgetown University. OCIs are two to five days long, and provide rigorous practice in a short period of time, helping learners build confidence as well as develop new skills. 

Frequently asked questions

What is the role of an FNP?

A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is an advanced-practice registered nurse who specializes in providing comprehensive primary care for patients of all ages, including infants, adolescents, adults, and seniors. FNPs provide preventative care and promote general wellness, and treat individuals and families with acute and chronic illnesses, conditions, and injuries throughout significant portions of their lifespan. FNPs practice in a variety of healthcare settings, including community health centers, private practice, healthcare systems, and universities.

What does FNP-BC signify?

FNP-BC is the credential used when a family nurse practitioner (FNP) is board certified (BC) by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The FNP-C or NP-C credential, on the other hand, is used when a family nurse practitioner is board certified (C) by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB). Both certifications are recognized nationally.

Nursing@Georgetown’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program prepare nurses to pursue board certification in one of four specializations of their choice, including FNP.

What is an AG-ACNP?

An Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) is an advanced practice nurse who works in acute- and complex-care settings, including hospital emergency departments and urgent care centers. AG-ACNPs provide care to adult and gerontology patients in critical condition, those with chronic illnesses, and/or those with acute medical needs.

What is the difference between a doula and a midwife?

Certified nurse-midwives (CNM) are board-certified clinical professionals who are qualified to provide care in the ambulatory and birth setting, including prescribing medications. They hold an MS in Nursing, or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Doulas are trained professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional, and information support to patients before, during and shortly after childbirth.

What is the difference between a WHNP and a CNM?

While both women’s health nurse practitioners (WHNP) and certified nurse-midwives (CNM) provide gynecologic and reproductive healthcare, they have distinct responsibilities. A CNM provides care during the labor and birth period, as well as care of the newborn in the first month of life; a WHNP does not, they act more as generalists for people’s health conditions.