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If you hold a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), a DNP specialist certificate is a great option for upgrading or expanding your credentials. Likewise, a post-master’s certificate is a wonderful option for those with a master’s degree in nursing. We offer certificates in the following areas:

• Acute Care Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
• Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Educator (available on campus and completely online)
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner 

How the program works

In most cases, students are required to complete only the courses essential for competence in the new area, or that are required to sit for a certification exam. Classes meet on Tuesdays to accommodate students who are combining work, home, and school. Full-time and part-time enrollment options can be customized to fit your life.

Any student wishing to complete clinical experiences outside the State of TN must verify that State is a member of NC-SARA and seek permission from that State Board of Nursing. Clinical placements in some States may not be able to be accommodated due to specific State Board of Nursing regulations.

To get an inside look at Southern’s nursing programs, download The Complete Guide to Advanced Nursing Degrees at Southern Adventist University.

Eligibility and prerequisites

• Master's degree:  A master's degree in nursing from an accredited program
• GPA requirement:  A minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0
• Course in statistics:  An undergraduate or graduate course in statistics (3 credit hours)
• Licensure:  Current RN licensure in the state or country of practice
• Work experience:  A minimum of two years (4,000 hours) of current nursing experience
• Acute-care emphases: Applicants should have substantive experience in critical care or a related area and submit documentation of critical-care skill set with application.

Application deadlines

All application steps are to be fully completed by the dates listed.

Term	U.S. Residents	International
Fall	April 1	March 1
Winter	October 1	August 1

Admission process

1. Graduate application:  Submit a graduate application (with non-refundable fee of $40). Apply now
2. Transcripts:  Submit official college and university transcripts. Many institutions subscribe to the convenient transcript-request service at National Student Clearinghouse, or you may also contact your institution directly. Have your transcripts sent to the Graduate Studies office (gradtranscripts@southern.edu). If you earned your prerequisite degree at Southern, you do not need to complete this step.
3. Recommendations:  Submit three recommendation forms (completed by work supervisors or professors). This should be done as part of the online application process.
4. Written statement:  Submit a statement describing your purpose and goals for pursuing this degree. Your statement should be thoughtfully written to demonstrate your writing skills. It should be submitted through your Application Status Page.
5. Resumé:  Submit your current resumé through your Application Status Page.
6. Interview:  Schedule a faculty interview after completing your Graduate application from your Application Status Page.

Once you are accepted

Before enrolling, we will need acceptable documentation of these items. Upload them through your Application Status Page.

• Personal Health Assessment and Physical Exam Download form
• Criminal background check Download Form
• Medical-information disclosure consent Download Form
• Drug-Screen
• Current health information and immunizations Download Form
• CPR/BLS certification from the American Heart Association
  
• Current Nursing License

International students

Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States are considered international students and must meet additional requirements for admission.

• View international-student admission requirements »

  1. Applicants from non-English institutions must submit certified English translations and evaluations of official university records, including demonstration of the equivalency of a bachelor's degree.
     Transcript evaluations must be submitted directly to Southern from one of the following agencies:
  • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.: ece.org »
  • Foreign Credits: foreigncredits.com »
  • World Education Services: wes.org »
    
    
  2. Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must provide a Certification of English proficiency.
     Unless an applicant is a native English speaker, s/he must have a minimum TOEFL score of 100, or the TOEFL equivalent Duolingo English Test score. Scores are valid for two years from the test date. Learn more at:
     • ets.org/toefl »
     • englishtest.duolingo.com/en »
  3. Submit Declaration of Finances.
     International students must have financial resources sufficient to support themselves for the calendar year, in addition to an international-student deposit of $3,000 (USD). Download Form

  • • To be issued an I-20 Form, students must also provide a letter from financial sponsors (including their name and address), as well as copies of bank statements for the last three months showing the balance history for the student's account or the financial sponsor's account.

International students who will be coming to Southern's campus need some additional information about travel documents and living on campus.

More Information

Explore Career Paths, Compare Degrees, and Hear from Alumni

Check out our blog posts for some awesome content on the world of nursing, which career paths you can take with different degrees that Southern offers, and what our Alumni found most valuable about their experiences.

Nursing Student Spotlight

Don't just take our word for it—hear directly from our nursing students and alumni about their experiences with Southern and how it helped their nursing careers.

• Diana Taylor, BSN to DNP, Acute Care
• Julie McBride, BSN to DNP, Psychiactric Mental Health
• Julie McKinney, BSN to DNP, Lifestyle Medicine and Family Practice

Faculty