Simmons University Online MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner Program

Simmons University School of Nursing offers an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) — Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program, Nursing@Simmons. The Nursing@Simmons FNP fosters evidence-based nursing practice by preparing students with a firm knowledge base, analytical research skills, and real-world clinical experience. The program is cohort-based and offers full-time, part-time, and extended degree paths.

Applicants to the MSN — FNP program must be licensed Registered Nurses (RNs) who hold a bachelor’s degree and must have successfully completed (with a grade of 83 or better) a statistics course and a health assessment course. The program requires students to complete 48 credits and 672 hours of clinical practicum.

Students may complete the program in as few as 24 months full time, 28 months part time, or 32 months in the extended track. Each term is 14 weeks. Start dates are offered five times per year in January, March, May, September, and November.

The Simmons MSN-FNP program includes one immersion weekend at the Simmons University campus in Boston, MA, where students will have the opportunity to engage with fellow classmates and Simmons faculty. During this immersion, students participate in seminars and workshops that cover physical assessment scenarios, pelvic exam techniques, and hands-on suturing methods. Students will also receive their white coats in preparation for their clinical experience.

Nursing@Simmons courses are delivered in a live online classroom on a weekly basis. Interactive, multimedia assignments are designed to reinforce the class sessions and prepare students for the next session. These sessions are recorded for students to review at any time. To foster discussion and relationship-building, Nursing@Simmons classes are kept to 20 students or fewer. Students also have the opportunity to meet with faculty in live office hours on the online platform.

The MSN — FNP curriculum consists of six foundational courses, three research courses, and seven clinical courses. Foundational courses include Advanced Pathophysiology; Advanced Pharmacology Across the Life Span; The Health Care System: Interdisciplinary Perspectives; Health Promotion: A Global Perspective; and Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span. Research courses include Research Methods and Scholarly Inquiry I and II. Clinical courses include Clinical Decision-Making; Primary Care Nursing Across the Life Span; and Family Theory: Health and Illness.

Simmons University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Simmons University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

¹ This statistic includes both on-campus and online Simmons University graduates who took their boards in 2020. The statistic is representative of first-time test-takers.