Take Nursing to the Next Level!

Are you an RN with a master's degree looking to advance your career? Becoming a family nurse practitioner is within your reach!

Nurse practitioners play a crucial role in providing primary and specialized care to patients of all ages. They can diagnose and treat illnesses, prescribe medications, order and interpret diagnostic tests and provide health education and counseling. With advanced training and a holistic approach to patient care, nurse practitioners make significant and meaningful contributions to improving health outcomes and promoting wellness.

What Are My Job Opportunities?

Prepare to work in a variety healthcare settings, providing essential nursing care to individuals, families and communities. You can also pursue advanced graduate studies, aiming for a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or Ph.D., to further your expertise, teach in higher education or engage in healthcare research.

Healthcare diagnosing or treatment practitioners (National Median)
$ 106,230
Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners (DFW Metro Area)
$ 129,480

Current Median Salaries from US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2023

Two nursing students in the simulation lab.

Program Details

Our program provides advanced training for registered nurses, preparing them for expanded primary care and family healthcare roles.

What Will I Learn?

You will have the opportunity to gain experience in a number of key areas.

Advanced Health Assessment

Develop expert skills in performing thorough health assessments, enabling you to identify, diagnose and manage health conditions across all age groups.

Diagnostic Reasoning

Learn to apply clinical reasoning to diagnose and treat common health issues, ensuring effective care for both pediatric and adult populations.

Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Understand pharmacological principles, including safe prescribing and medication management, to treat a wide range of conditions effectively.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Master strategies for health promotion and disease prevention, empowering you to improve patient outcomes and promote wellness within diverse communities.

Three student walking inside the A&M-Commerce Nursing Health Sciences building.

Taking Classes

Our graduate certificate at East Texas A&M University builds on your nursing background to prepare you for advanced roles in primary care and family healthcare.

Online and Hybrid

The program utilizes an online course format with required intensive days on campus or clinical sites. Focused clinical experiences are conducted as traditional, hands-on practice in a variety of clinical settings, enabling the student to acquire competence with new knowledge and skills.

Curriculum

The Post Graduate Certificate (PGC) Family Nurse Practitioner prepares graduates with the requirements to sit for national certification to be a Family Nurse Practitioner. MSN education has a foundation encompassing advanced health assessment, advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology and health promotion/population health, as well as a core promoting the advancement of the nursing profession through research and theory.

Prospective students must have a Master of Science in Nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program as well as a current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in order to be admitted. Graduates prepare to sit for national certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Accreditation

Texas Board of Nursing logo.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Accredited logo.

Finding My Community

We believe that education thrives in an environment where collaboration, support, and mutual respect flourish. Our community of students and professors embodies these values, creating an enriching and dynamic atmosphere for learning and growth. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a wide range of experiences and perspectives to the table. Our professors are not only experts in their respective fields but also dedicated mentors who are committed to guiding and nurturing the next generation of scholars.

Donna Callicoat, DNP, APRN, FNP

Faculty

Shelly Hanko, Ph.D, APRN, FNP-BC

Faculty
A classroom full of students, one of them with his hand raised to ask a question.

Student Organizations

Our campus has many ways to engage and get involved.

You can engage with various professional organizations that support networking, leadership development, and career advancement. These organizations provide valuable opportunities to collaborate with peers and faculty, attend workshops and conferences, and connect with healthcare professionals, enhancing academic and professional growth in the healthcare sector.

I’m Looking For Something Different

Is this program close, but still not right for you? Check out our related degrees!

Two students in graduation cap and gown smile holding their diploma

Financing My Future

Financial Aid

Financial aid includes a variety of programs, like scholarships, federal and state grants, and federal and state work-study programs. Find out how you may be eligible for scholarships, grants, loans and/or a graduate assistantship. Financial Aid and Scholarships

On-Campus Employment Opportunities

Enhance your expertise through on-campus employment opportunities.

Graduate Assistant/Research/Teaching

Graduate assistant teaching (GAT), graduate assistant research (GAR), and graduate assistant non-teaching (GANT) assistantships at East Texas A&M offer financial support and professional development for graduate students. Assistantships are available in academic and non-academic departments.

Cost Before Financial Aid

East Texas A&M is one of the most affordable colleges around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Our tuition rates are some of the most competitive in Texas.

for Texas residents

/

For non-residents

Tuition and fees for graduate students taking nine credit hours are $3,669 for Texas residents and $7,341 for non-residents. But don’t worry: there are

TUITION AND FEES
0
Per Semester

Additional Fees May Apply

  • Online Courses ($50 per hour)
  • Remote Locations ($20 per hour)
  • Lab Fees ($5 – $30 per course)

How Do I Get Started?

If you have not already done so, complete the Request Information form. You will be connected with your enrollment specialist, who can answer your questions. When you’re ready, go ahead and follow the steps below to apply.

Admissions Requirements

To be considered for admission, one of the following is required

  • Applicants must hold a Master of Science in Nursing from a regionally accredited institution and a nationally accredited nursing program with a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 and minimum 3.0 GPA for the last 60 hours.
  • Applicants must also hold an unencumbered, unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the state of Texas or a compact state.

Admission Process

The ApplyTexas application deadline for fall admission is August 1.

Note: This program is not currently open to International Students.

Submit Application

  • Create an ApplyTexas account or login if you already have one
  • Complete your profile section first once you log into your account
  • Select “School Search” and select East Texas A&M
  • Choose the semester you wish to begin
  • Select “Family Nurse Practitioner, MSN” as your “Program”
  • Pay the $50 application fee.

Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.

  • Within two business days of your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.

Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.

Your Graduate Coordinator

To be considered for admission, one of the following is required

  • an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with at least 2.75 overall GPA or 3.0 GPA on the last 60 hours,
  • a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a nationally-accredited nursing program and
  • a current license to practice as a Registered Nurse

Domestic Transcripts

Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to your Graduate Student Services Coordinator. We accept transcripts officially via email (directly from the institution), through Parchment, and any other official transcript providing agency. If your university does not offer an electronic transcript service, you may request them to be sent via regular mail to:

East Texas A&M University

Attn: Graduate School

2600 S. Neal St.

Commerce, Texas 75428

If your degree is from East Texas A&M University, you do not have to order a transcript. We will access your transcript.

If we already have your transcript, we will reuse it for a new application as long as it is still on file.

International transcripts

WES ICAP evaluations will be required for certain countries; those are listed below:

  • Transcripts/Degrees from universities in Nigeria
  • Transcripts/Degrees from universities in China that do not come from CSSD (formerly CHESICC)
  • Any country where the official transcript is not in English

For all other countries, an evaluation is not initially required. Original official transcripts are required for admission consideration.
Please know that upon receipt of your official transcript, the Graduate School reserves the right to require an external evaluation at that time.

Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
2600 S. Neal St.
Commerce, Texas 75428

We will need official/original documents.

If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact your graduate coordinator for more information.

Request three individuals to complete the recommendation form attesting to the applicant’s readiness and academic performance.

Please email completed forms to your graduate coordinator.

Submit a letter detailing your reasons for pursuing the master’s degree in nursing, including your professional goals.

You do not need to submit GRE scores if you have a minimum 3.00 GPA on the last 60 hours of nursing courses.

If you do not meet the GPA exemption criteria, request that your GRE® scores be sent to East Texas A&M University (6188) when you register for the test. If you have already taken the GRE®, you can order additional score reports.

Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status

  • Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.

  • Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
  • Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.
  • Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.

Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.

View Degree Plan

DegreeWorks is where you track your progress through your program and make sure you are meeting all your requirements for graduation.

  • Sing in to myLEO
  • Navigate to “Student Resources”
  • Select “Grad School DegreeWorks”

Register for Classes

  • To register for classes, go to myLEO > Student Resources > Registration Menu.

Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.

Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist

Contact the Department

  • Nursing Health Science Building, 310
  • 2210 Highway 24
  • Commerce, TX 75429
  • P.O. Box 3011
  • Commerce, TX 75429-3011
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