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Post Master's Certificate

Post Master's AGACNP
Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP Certificate Program

Calendar

CLASSES START
May 6th

20 Mo.

Program Length

33

Credits

Online

Format

585 Hrs

Clinicals

Post Master's Certificate

Post Master's AGACNP
Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP Certificate Program

Go from MSN to AGACNP with Herzing University

AccreditationCCNE accredited,1 Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
Transfer creditUp to 12 approved credit hours
Clinicals585 clinical hours—we pledge your clinical placement!
Format100% online classes
QuickPaths6 start dates per year – and no wait list! Transfer credit, stackable credentials, and adaptive learning technology build a faster pathway to a higher education with Herzing University
Adult Gerontology ACNP Who Went from MSN to Acute Care NP Speaking with Patient

Over 90%

Satisfaction rate

Our overall student satisfaction rate, according to the 2022 Herzing Graduate Survey.

Over 90%

Satisfaction rate

Our overall student satisfaction rate, according to the 2022 Herzing Graduate Survey.

Post Master's Certificate - Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Overview: Online Post Master's AGACNP

The Post Master's Certificate in Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner is a 33-credit post-graduate program which prepares you for a career as an AGACNP. 

The online certificate program provides students with fundamental knowledge and skills in clinical decision-making, advanced practice specialty procedures and skills for acute care, evidence-based practice, and much more.

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Career-focused curriculum

Discover the crucial knowledge and skills required to succeed in your work and build a foundation for continued career growth.

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Flexible schedule

We work hard to help you maintain school-life balance, striving to be as flexible as possible for busy non-traditional students.

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Virtual services

Access to extensive virtual services, including academic advising, tutoring, support services, technical support and library services.

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Lifelong support

We support your ongoing career advancement by providing comprehensive, personalized student services with lifelong career coaching.

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Rolling admissions

No application deadlines to worry about. Apply when you’re ready and prepare to get started soon.

Classes Start May 6th

Learn More Today

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Curriculum

Post Master’s AGACNP certificate classes & curriculum details

Our curriculum is built for nurses who already have earned an MSN degree and seek the skills and knowledge to succeed as an adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. Courses include pathophysiology and pharmacology, clinical decision-making, health promotion, roles of nurse practitioners, advanced practice specialty procedures and skills for acute care, and more.

All didactic (lecture) classes are delivered online with 585 required clinical hours.

ProgramMonthsiCredits
Post Master's Certificate Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (PMCAGACNP)2033

i. Average number of months for students to complete program. Program availability varies by location.

Required Direct Care Core Courses

All courses, 9.00 semester credit hours, are required.

*Students in the AGACNP program must take NU 610 and NU 664 in the same semester.

Required Courses in AGACNP Concentration

All courses, 24.00 semester credit hours, are required

Clinical Proficiency Exam

The following courses are 0.00 semester credit hours associated with the policy outlined above. Students are required to take as co-requisite courses along with NU 611, NU 664, or NU 671, depending on the program of study. NSG 0600 - Clinical Proficiency Exam Semester Credit Hours: 0.00 NSG 0600R - Clinical Proficiency Remediation Course (if needed) Semester Credit Hours: 0.00

Tuition & Cost

Tuition & Cost

The cost of tuition for the Post Master's AGACNP program is $735 per credit.

You can potentially earn even greater savings by transferring credit from prior college coursework, applying for financial aid, or potential partnership opportunities through your employer.

Our goal is your career advancement. That’s why we are always working to improve our curriculum and processes to make our program as affordable as possible while preparing you best for success in your work.

Find my estimate

 Scholarships & Financial Aid

You may be eligible for multiple scholarships and grants, both through Herzing University and several national scholarship websites.

Find scholarships and grants 

 Military/Veteran Discounts

Veterans, Active Duty U.S. Servicemembers, and spouses may qualify for a 10% tuition discount or tuition reduction to $250 per credit.

VA/Military benefits 

Requirements

Post Master’s AGACNP program enrollment requirements

Enrollment in the post master’s certificate nursing program is open to registered nurses who:

  • Hold a Master of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited university or college
  • Hold a current, active and unrestricted license as a registered nurse in the state in which they live (Note: Holding a multi-state, compact state license and being a resident in a compact license state will be deemed to have met this requirement).

Eligible states for enrollment: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District Of Columbia.

MSN Clinical Placement Pledge Herzing Badge

Your clinical placement is our pledge.

We understand securing clinical placement as part of the post master's AGACNP program is one of the biggest concerns students face. At Herzing, we offer guidance and support through our step-by-step Clinical Guidance Process to ensure you can get the clinical practice experiences you need.

As a Herzing student, we’ll encourage you to find your own preceptor and clinical sites as there are many benefits to doing so. However, we provide extensive support should you find difficulty along the way. With Herzing, you are never on your own.

Because of our strong relationships with healthcare providers across the U.S. and our comprehensive Clinical Guidance Process, we are confident in our ability to help you find clinical placement. So much so that if you are unable to find a clinical site on your own, we pledge to step in and help you secure clinical placement.*

* Subject to terms and conditions outlined in the enrollment documents.

Classes Start May 6th

Waived Enrollment Fee
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners provide care to adults and older adults with complex conditions in acute care and hospital settings. AGACNPs work with patients who are acutely ill, exhibit chronic medical conditions, or highly vulnerable to complications.

Job responsibilities include providing complex monitoring, stabilizing patients, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, and developing complex treatment plans.

Here’s a selection of the most common types of nurse practitioners:

Note: Herzing does not offer a track in Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP).

Each specialty has its own unique requirements in terms of job experience and certification.

There are two primary differences between a Family Nurse Practitioner and an Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner:

  1. Types of patients. FNPs work with patients across the patient lifespan, including children under the age of 13. As adult gerontology NPs, AGACNPs care for only adults ages 13 and above.
  2. Types of care. FNPs typically work in clinics, doctor’s offices, and other outpatient settings—and are not formally trained in acute and emergency care. Acute care NPs work in ICUs, hospitals and other inpatient settings to care for patients with trauma and more severe health issues.

If you have more interest in developing long-term relationships with patients, concerned more with preventative health, and love to work with children, FNP may be the best nurse practitioner career path for you.

A post master’s certificate (PMC), also referred to as a “post-graduate” certificate, is designed for nurses who hold a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and seek additional certification in a separate field.

Herzing University offers several post master’s certificates for MSN-prepared nurses looking to transition in or out of clinical-based practice:

  • AGACNP - Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (program length: 20 months)
  • AGPCNP - Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (program length: 20 months)
  • FNP - Family Nurse Practitioner certificate (program length: 16-20 months)
  • NE - Nursing Education certificate (program length: 8 months)
  • NLA - Nursing Leadership & Administration (program length: 8 months)
  • PMHNP: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate (program length: 20 months)

A post master’s certificate from Herzing University provides the education, training, and practical experience you need to take the next big step in your nursing career.

Acute care and primary care are very different disciplines. As an acute care NP, you’ll be working in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Emergency Room (ER), urgent care or other outpatient environment, which demands a very different set of skills and knowledge than a primary care NP in clinics or other inpatient facilities.

Providing preventive care and taking a long-term approach to patient health is another discipline requiring unique training and certification.

The Herzing Post Master’s Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program is designed for MSN holders, including current AGACNPs, who are interested in pursuing a future job as a primary care AGNP.

While there are some similarities between the two main types of adult gerontology nurse practitioners, these are the biggest differences between primary care NPs and acute care NPs:

We offer multiple options for current nurses of all types, including pathways for ASN/ADN, BSN, and MSN degree holders.

View our available online Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner programs.

The scope of practice for AGACNPs can vary by state, but there are several core competencies relevant to all employed AGACNPs.

According to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), key aspects of the acute care NP role include:

  • Gathering patient histories
  • Performing physical examinations and screenings
  • Diagnosing and managing patients with acute, critical or complex illnesses/injuries
  • Prescribing medications and advanced therapeutic intervention
  • Ordering, performing and interpreting diagnostic studies
  • Providing health promotion, education and counseling
  • Collaborating with other medical professionals as a team

You can find a full description of the ACNP scope of practice in the “AACN Scope and Standards for Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practice 2017,” available through the AACN website.

Sometimes hospitals form partnerships with schools like ours to provide employees with unique benefits should they choose to pursue an advanced nursing degree.

Employees of Herzing partners can potentially earn college credit for prior work or military experience, transfer existing credit, or earn a scholarship to make going back to school more affordable.

If you are currently an RN considering becoming a nurse practitioner, view our educational partnerships or check with your employer for potential possibilities.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners earn an average salary of $124,680 per year ($59.94 per hour). Pay depends on many factors, including your location, what healthcare institution you work for and your level of experience.*

Discover the average nurse practitioner salary by state and find out what nurse practitioners make on average near you.

Locations

Program Finder

Post Master's Certificate - Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Degree Programs

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Choose your NP pathway

Choose your NP pathway

Considering all of your options for nurse practitioner specialties?

Herzing University offers multiple nurse practitioner programs for current nurses holding an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree in nursing.

Our goal is to help you walk your career path no matter where you are, or where you want to go.

Explore Herzing NP programs
Accreditation

Accreditation & Disclosures

1. The master’s degree program in nursing and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Herzing University Madison are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin. ​

Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

View Herzing University Accreditation and Approvals

* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.

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By selecting this button you agree to receive updates and alerts from Herzing University. Text HELP to 85109 for help, Text STOP to 85109 to end. Msg & Data Rates May Apply. By opting in, I authorize Herzing University to deliver SMS messages and I understand that I am not required to opt in as a condition of enrollment. By leaving this box unchecked you will not be opted in for SMS messages. Click to read Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
Herzing Tuition Wizard

When do you want to start classes?

The program has an automatic transfer of credits, and allows you to transfer up to additional credits.

  Transfer Credits

The program allows you to transfer up to credits.

  Transfer Credits

The program allows you to transfer up to credit hours.

  Transfer Credit Hours
Post Master's Certificate - Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Online Campus
Tuition
Cost per Credit$735.00
Base Tuition$24,255.00
Savings from Transfer Credits (12 x $735.00 )(-$8,820.00)
Estimated Tuition Cost*$15,435.00
Fees
One-time Program Fee$0.00
Per-semester Program Fee$750.00
Per-semester Learner Resource Fee$530.00
Estimated Total Fee*$6,400.00
Total Semesters 1
RequiredNeeded
55
Total Credits
RequiredNeeded
3321
Estimated Cost 2
Base CostYour Cost
$30,655.00$21,835.00
Estimated Savings*
$8,820.00

Available Scholarships & Loan Options

Who Can Apply

Any student in a degree-seeking program that makes on-time, out of pocket payments toward tuition and fee expenses.

Requirements

The amount of the payments made that exceed the amount of excess loan funding received will be used to calculate total award. Eligible students must make on-time payments, according to a predetermined payment plan. Restrictions may vary.

  • Matching percentage is based on student’s EFC at the time of application.
  • Student’s with a Pell eligible EFC will receive a 100% match
  • Students will non-Pell eligible EFC will receive 50% match
  • Students who do no complete the FAFSA will automatically qualify for the 50% match.

Questions?

Reach out to a member of the Financial Aid team at the Online campus:

1 

Actual semesters to complete are dependent upon university approved transfer credits and program mapping.

2 

Estimated program length, estimated number of semesters, and estimated program shown above are standard by program for each student based on: a student taking a full-time course load each semester, the student not having any transfer credits (from previous Herzing experiences or from other post-secondary institutions), and successful completion of each course.

Current tuition rates for Nursing programs are effective through the Summer 2023 semester, and tuition rates for all non-Nursing programs are effective through the Summer 2023 semester.