The Post Graduate Certificate program in Nursing offers students with Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and APRN specialization the opportunity to complete an additional practice specialty. Specialty certification boards require completion of a formal program of study to be eligible to take specialty certification examinations. The certificate also provides the graduate with a way to formally acknowledge to clients, co-workers, and employers their expertise in an additional advanced practice specialty area.
Choose from these specialty areas:
- Adult/Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Adult/Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult/Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Midwifery
- Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (Not accepting applications for Fall 2025)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care (Not accepting applications for Summer 2025)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner
Enrollment for the post-graduate certificate program is limited for specialty and clinical courses. Students are selected for the practice specialty by the coordinator and faculty of the area. Prospective applicants should contact the specialty area coordinators before applying. View our Post-Graduate Certificate Program Plans by Specialty.
Eligibility for the Post-Graduate Certificate Program
Nursing Degree Requirements - Qualified applicants will hold an entry level nursing degree (e.g. BSN, BAN, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, or entry-level Master of Nursing) and one of the following:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in a clinical nursing specialty area (clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist) from an accredited nursing program
- Master or Science in Nursing degree in a clinical nursing specialty area from an accredited nursing program and concurrent enrollment in the Post-Masters Track of the University of Minnesota DNP program.
GPA - Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher from the most recently obtained degree.
Nursing Licenses- Applicants must hold the following licenses:
- A valid, unencumbered nursing license in the United States.
- A valid Advanced Practice Registered Nurse license in the United States
English Language Proficiency - If your native language is not English, you must demonstrate English language proficiency based upon the requirements outlined by the University of Minnesota Graduate School.
Citizenship Status - Applicants must be US Citizens, Permanent Residents, or hold an existing visa that allows for academic program enrollment. The post-graduate certificate program does not qualify for a F-1 student visa due to the hybrid delivery model.
Application & Deadlines
Applicants interested in the University of Minnesota's Post Graduate Certificate program apply through NursingCAS, an online, centralized application service for nursing programs. Please refer to our detailed application instructions for the pos-tgraduate certificate application.
Review of verified applications for the post-graduate certificate programs will begin on December 2. Consideration will continue on a rolling basis until program capacity is reached.
Interested in our programs?
Post-Graduate Certificate Program Outcomes
- Provide quality, evidence-based and culturally sensitive advanced nursing care that improves the health and well-being of diverse individuals, families, communities, and populations in the specialty.
- Translate science to practice by planning, implementing, and evaluating interventions that improve the health of individuals, families, communities, populations, and/or organizations in the specialty.
- Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of nursing interventions by measuring outcomes of care that reflect population health, patient experience, and value in the specialty.
- Synthesize knowledge, skills, and attitudes from new specialty with existing advanced nursing practice role(s).
Accreditation
The post graduate APRN certificate program at the University of Minnesota is accredited by the:
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
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