NP Curriculum Demystified: Everything You Need to Know

Are you considering becoming a nurse practitioner, but are wondering what an NP curriculum is like? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to review the basic structure of an NP curriculum, so you can have a good idea of what it consists of, regardless of the program or the specialization you choose. This will give you a good sense of the road ahead.

Before we dive into some details about what’s part of a standard NP curriculum, it’s important to realize it’s normal to feel a bit intimidated by the coursework you’ll need to complete. So don’t feel bad if you do! You’re to be congratulated for thinking about furthering your education and opening up new possibilities for yourself. This is an exciting but also uncertain moment, so don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed by what lies ahead. Let’s get started!

What is a Nurse Practitioner?

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) defines nurse practitioners as “licensed independent practitioners who practice in ambulatory, acute, and long-term care as primary and/or specialty care providers.”

NPs provide a higher level of care than registered nurses. They have advanced physical assessment and diagnostic skills and are able to diagnose, order tests, and treat conditions. They also write prescriptions, work with specialists, and educate patients and families.

NPs can choose to specialize in primary care (outpatient) roles such as:

– Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
– Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)
– Primary Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
– Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
– Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)

Acute care (inpatient) roles include:

– Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
– Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (PNP-AC)
– Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP)

As you can see, there really is a specialty for any area of interest as an NP!

If you’re struggling with which specialty to pursue, check out our other post: What Are the Different NP Specialties and How Do I Choose One?

NP Curriculum: Degree Options

Alright, now that some of the basics are out of the way, let’s talk about a few different degree options you can choose from. You can become an NP with a master’s degree, post-master’s certificate (if you already have a master’s degree), or with a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP). (Psst – we’ve got a great podcast episode that explains the difference between a master’s degree and DNP!)

When looking over programs, be sure to check out the NP curriculum plan to see the general direction of coursework and the credit load per semester. A full-time NP program is about two to two and a half years in length, and part-time programs usually take three or four years to complete.

In terms of credits, this also varies a lot by the program. Most NP programs are around 40–50 credits, but it really depends on how the institution determines credit load. With that said, when looking at potential NP programs, look at the overall program plan, total credits, and cost per credit.

To show you what a standard NP curriculum is like, we’re going to focus on master’s programs, since their emphasis is on clinical practice. Plus, getting a master’s is the minimal requirement for NP board certification. The DNP component, should you choose that path, adds an additional layer of leadership and application of research to clinical practice. 

The Three Elements of an NP Curriculum

1. Core Courses

Regardless of the specialty you choose, most programs will have the same core NP curriculum. This is because NP programs have to be accredited, meaning programs are carefully reviewed for quality and the needs of the profession. Part of that accreditation is that every NP program has three separate courses on advanced pharmacology, advanced physical assessment, and advanced pathophysiology (called the “3 Ps”). Those courses build upon your undergraduate knowledge and form the foundation of NP practice.

Many programs will also have additional core courses on nursing theory, research, and current issues and trends in practice (like ethical and legal considerations). The amount of core courses in an NP curriculum will vary between programs, but you can expect to take between five and eight courses. 

2. Specialty Courses

Once you’ve completed your core courses, you’ll progress into the courses related to your specialization. The specialty courses will comprise most of your NP curriculum and the topics will vary widely depending on specialization. There may also be a final project or thesis at the end.

In any of your NP courses, you can expect a variety of assignments, regardless of whether the program is in-person, online, or hybrid. You’ll certainly have many exams (it is nursing school after all) which are used to assess your knowledge and overall preparedness for the board certification exam that you’ll take after graduation.

Other assignments might include writing papers that analyze research, completing projects on patient education, writing patient encounter documentation, and discussion boards. When researching programs, be sure to ask about the types of assignments they use and how they keep students engaged in the NP curriculum. 

3. Clinical Hours

Clinical hours are a huge part of any NP curriculum. In each of your clinical courses, you’ll shadow a preceptor in settings that align with your specialty. For example, as an FNP student, you’ll have clinical hours in family practice clinics, urgent care clinics, pediatric offices, and possibly long-term care centers depending on the objectives of the clinical course. As an acute care nurse practitioner, you’ll complete clinical hours in different inpatient settings, like the ICU or cath lab. Clinical hours are where you learn to apply the skills and knowledge from your other courses and really get to explore the NP role!

How many clinical hours are in a standard NP curriculum?

Of course, it depends on the program and who they’re accredited by. Either way, NP programs will range between 500 to 750 clinical hours.

Don’t go into sticker shock! These hours are broken down into a few different courses over several semesters. The requirements in a clinical course may mean you spend one or two (or more) days per week in the clinical setting with your preceptor. Many NP students drop down to part-time (especially once they reach the clinical portion of their program) so they can have the flexibility and time in their schedule to complete the necessary clinical hours. How the clinical hours are dispersed may affect your ability to work full or part-time, so you definitely want to look at the distribution of hours before making your decision.

How are you graded in NP clinical courses?

The majority of the grade comes from how well you do in the clinical setting. Your preceptor and faculty member will evaluate your skills and interactions with patients. Each program has specific evaluation criteria to assess your clinical knowledge, professionalism, safety, and overall readiness for clinical practice.

You’ll also have to document patient encounters for your clinical courses. This means that you’ll take notes on patients during your clinical day, then write up the information in tracking software (this varies by program). You’ll input data such as the patient’s age, chief concern, physical exam findings, medications prescribed, and general plan. This can seem like a lot of work after a long day at clinical, but it’s used by the program for accreditation purposes and to show future employers the clinical experience you can bring to a potential job. 

Final Thoughts

As we said when we kicked things off, it’s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed when you see what goes into a standard NP curriculum. But don’t let that deter you! Many people, who are now NPs, once felt that way. Hopefully, now that you see what lies ahead in terms of core courses, specialty courses, and clinical hours, we’ve removed a bit of nervousness that occurs any time you aren’t sure what the journey looks like.

Before we wrap things up, let’s talk a little about board prep. (This is SMNP Reviews after all 😉!) Some NP programs may include a board prep course (we have lots of institutional partners) so that’s definitely something to consider when looking over NP curriculum plans. If board prep isn’t part of their NP curriculum, don’t worry—we’ve got board prep options to cover every NP specialty, including question banks, practice tests, and review courses.

From us at SMNP Reviews, we wish you the best of luck on your NP journey!