Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (Graduate Certificate)
Advance your nursing career with specialized training in adult and geriatric care. Build on your experience and prepare to meet the complex health needs of adults at every stage of life.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
Accreditation and professional licensure
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Certificate description
The certificate program for the adult gerontology nurse practitioner specialty is an advanced nursing practice program. If you are a board-certified nurse in a different advanced practice registered nursing specialty who seeks additional certification as an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, or a doctorate-level nurse who seeks an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner position, this program is for you. The program prepares you to provide holistic, client-centered primary care to adolescents, adults and geriatric patients in a variety of settings.
All programs are offered in a hybrid format. You're required to travel to an ASU campus for up to one week for orientation at the beginning of the program, and two to three times per semester.
Core courses include pharmacology, advanced pathophysiology and advanced health assessment across the life span. Specialty courses focus on assessment, screening, diagnosis and evidence-based management of common, chronic and complex health conditions in adolescents, adults and geriatric patients. Content including epidemiology, differential diagnosis, sociocultural variations in evidence-based treatments, health promotion and case management is emphasized. Adult gerontology-focused theory and clinical courses include theories, principles and clinical skills in the care of adolescents and adults across the life span in a variety of settings, including private practice, ambulatory clinics, long-term care facilities and patients' homes. Practicing faculty with clinical experience teach the specialty coursework and clinical experiences. Any deficiency courses determined by your specific gap analysis must have been completed within the past five years to be eligible for credit.
Focused clinical experiences are arranged for students residing in Maricopa County, Arizona. You should expect to travel throughout Maricopa County and, in some cases, throughout Arizona to complete your assigned clinical placement.
If you reside outside of Maricopa County, you're responsible for identifying the required number of clinical sites in your area of residence and for identifying preceptors and sites willing to accommodate clinical rotations. Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation must approve these sites before you start any clinical experience; the doctorate program office doesn't guarantee a clinical placement site if you are outside Maricopa County. If, during the program, faculty determine that you need additional supervision for clinical progress in the program, you must complete clinical experiences in the Phoenix area.
The program offers practicum experiences (clinical rotations) in health profession shortage areas throughout the state, in both urban underserved and rural areas, providing you with multicultural experiences to enhance professional development.
As a participating National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements member, Arizona State University is authorized to offer distance education to persons located in individual SARA member states, in accordance with the council's established policies and standards. California is not a SARA member; the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education does not regulate out-of-state public institutions offering online education to students in California, or in-person education in Arizona to students from California. ASU may offer educational activities in California. There are some exceptions for specific programs at Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation; these are noted on the ASU state authorizations website.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
22 credit hours
Required Core (22 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
DNP 623 Adult-Gerontology Health Promotion (3)
DNP 624 Adult-Gerontology Health Promotion Practicum (3)
DNP 625 Management of Common Health Problems in Adult-Gerontology: Theory (3)
DNP 626 Management of Common Health Problems in Adult-Gerontology: Practicum (5)
DNP 627 Management of Complex Health Problems in Adult-Gerontology: Theory (3)
DNP 628 Management of Complex Health Problems in Adult-Gerontology: Practicum (5)
Nurses who complete this certificate meet the eligibility requirements to take the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner exam. In addition to completing didactic courses, students complete 13 credit hours (585 clock hours) of practicum experiences in a community setting.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Integrate evidence-based guidelines to support advanced clinical judgment in the assessment, diagnosis, and management of acute and common health conditions in adolescents, adults, and older adults.
- Synthesize evidence-based guidelines to support advanced clinical judgment in the assessment, diagnosis, and management of complex and chronic health conditions in adolescents, adults, and older adults.
Integrate evidence-based guidelines to support advanced clinical judgment in the assessment, diagnosis, and management of acute and common health conditions in adolescents, adults, and older adults.
Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's and master's degree in nursing from a regionally accredited academic institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information International students who need an F1 or J1 visa need to apply to and be accepted into a graduate degree program before being considered for the certificate program. International students residing in the United States on other types of visas must adhere to all Graduate College policies and procedures regarding admission to be considered for admission to this certificate program. A current unencumbered RN license in the state in which the student plans to do clinical practicums is required. All students are also required to have an unencumbered Arizona RN license or an unencumbered compact state RN license as mandated by the Arizona State Board of Nursing. The RN license must remain unencumbered throughout enrollment in any nursing program. Applicants must be board certified in a different Advanced Practice Registered Nurses specialty. One year of clinical experience working within the specialty population is preferred. Applicants offered admission must meet health and safety requirements, which include a passing disposition on a background clearance, satisfactory completion of a substance screen, and required health and safety documents. Students offered admission must complete health and safety requirements by the provided deadlines or their offer of admission is withdrawn. An interview with program faculty is required. An admission examination is not required. Applicants requesting review of previously completed courses must have a gap analysis review. Applicants must submit primary source documents (syllabi) for faculty review to demonstrate advanced physiology or pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacology, and advanced role courses. Depending on the courses completed in the master's degree program, additional courses may be required to complete this specialty. Courses must have been completed within the past five years to be eligible or actively board certified and practicing. Applications are reviewed on a space-available basis after the priority deadline.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 12/15 | Priority* |
*A priority deadline means that applications submitted and completed before the priority deadline will receive priority consideration. Applications submitted after the priority deadlines will be reviewed in the order in which they were completed and on a space-available basis. An application is complete after all materials are received by Admission Services.
Explore expanded study opportunities
Students can complete two graduate certificate programs and combine them into a Master of Advanced Study degree, giving ultimate flexibility to build their own master's degree. Interested students can learn more about MAS requirements and the admission process.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
This program prepares graduates for excellence upon entering the workplace. Graduates of the adult gerontology nurse practitioner certificate program have the knowledge and training to provide health care for patients in a wide variety of settings. This broad base of comprehension and clinical expertise enables them to effectively participate and lead within clinical, community and academic arenas.
Career examples include:
- business owner
- community advocate
- nurse practitioner
- professor
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation
|
HLTHN 301
nursingandhealth@asu.edu
602-496-0937
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
