Expanding Your Skills Through Certificates in Specific Areas of Study
Did you know you can expand your skills by earning a graduate-level certificate or post-graduate certificate in specialized areas of study? Certificates are one of the fastest-growing postsecondary credential awarded over the past several decades, providing competency-based skills to enhance your knowledge and value to an organization.
Post-Graduate Certificates For those of you who already have a Master of Science in Nursing degree, our post-graduate certificates are the right option for you expand your skills and advance in your chosen profession. Nursing students may seek a post-graduate certificate for many reasons, including the ability to specialize in multiple areas within the nursing profession without having to pursue a DNP or another advanced degree as a step to taking on a new area of specialty when seeking a additional education. The program of study for the post-graduate certificate is determined by an evaluation of the student's previous course work against the required MS (indirect care only) or BS-DNP competencies, including those specified by external certification and accrediting bodies. Each student’s course work is evaluated on an individual basis. To see what courses are required, view the MS or BS-DNP option for which you are interested in pursuing a post-graduate certificate. You will only have to complete the courses for which you have not yet received credit in your chosen specialty option. Enrollment is on a space-available basis. Graduates of specialty tracks are eligible to apply for national certification by examination. You will learn more about the certification organizations appropriate for this specialty during the completion of your program. Upon successful completion of the certification examination, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwives, and CNS specialties may apply for licensure in all 50 states, including Colorado (visit the Colorado Board of Nursing APRN application forms page), where licensure is granted as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and is required for practice.
Our 12 Specialty Tracks:
- Adult-Gerontology
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Health Care Informatics
- i-LEAD Nursing Leadership and Health Care Systems
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Veteran and Military Health Care
- Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
Graduate-Level Certificates consist of academic credit offerings focused on a specialized area of study with defined outcomes. They are designed to provide extended study education to graduate-level and post-graduate-level professionals. The College of Nursing offers graduate-level certificates in the following areas:
- Health Care Informatics Certificate This certificate provides an opportunity for health care professionals, particularly those health care professionals without a BS in nursing, to acquire knowledge and skills in the rapidly progressing field of informatics. With the recent movement toward the adoption of the electronic health record and the need for IT infrastructure to increase patient safety and facilitate evidence-based practice, there is a growing need for more informatics specialists. This certificate provides opportunities for those new to the field and those who may be practicing in the field and need a professional update.
- Nursing Education Certificate Explore best practices in evidence-based teaching and learning through a flexible, online format. Broaden your nursing career options; take the next step to prepare yourself for a role in nursing education. Combine clinical expertise with nursing education to pursue career opportunities in patient education, nursing education programs, and community education. Program content facilitates learning through evidence-based teaching and learning strategies, focusing on practical nursing application and emerging practices in nursing education. Emphasis is on the knowledge and skills needed to develop curricula, teaching skills, evaluation strategies, and integrating technology in the classroom, clinical, and online environments. Complete the certificate in one year or take as individual courses. The 9-credit Nursing Education Certificate Program consists of three required courses, each 3 semester credit hours.
- Veteran and Military Health Care Certificate Geared to the unique attributes of the veteran and military service member population, this certificate addresses the specific needs of this population including an understanding of veteran and military culture, family dynamics, the invisible and visible consequences of war, service-connected conditions, environmental exposures, diversity, resiliency, reintegration, and making change in federal health care delivery systems. This Graduate Certificate program prepares nurses and other health care professionals to be leaders, care coordinators, and innovators in the Veterans Administration, Military Health System, and civilian community for this vulnerable population.
The Graduate Certificate curriculum consists of four of the six VMHC specialty courses. All courses are online and are available as stand-alone courses to non-degree students in all professions, as well as current CU degree seeking students. Each course is worth 3 graduate-level credits.
For further information, including application deadlines and application link, please visit: https://nursing.cuanschutz.edu/academics/graduate-certificates.
Post-Masters Certificates
Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 5981 | AGACNP Practicum I 2 Clinical credits, 90 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6600 | Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner I 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5982 | AGACNP Practicum II 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6620 | Adult Gero Acute Care NP Diagnostics & Therapeutics 2 Didactic credits | 2 |
| NURS 5983 | AGACNP Practicum III 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 4 |
| NURS 6610 | Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner 2 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Total Didactic Credits: 8
Total Clinical Credits: 8
Total Clinical Hours: 360
Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 5971 | AGPCNP Practicum I 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6819 | AGPCNP Primary Hlth Care I:Hlth Promotion & Prevention 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5972 | AGPCNP Practicum II 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6882 | Foundational Clinical Skills Adv Pract NP 1 Didactic credit | 1 |
| NURS 6829 | Primary Care II: Diagnosis and Management I 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5973 | AGPCNP Practicum III 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6839 | Primary Care III: Diagnosis and Management II 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5974 | AGPCNP Practicum IV 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6849 | PC IV: DM III Care for Complex Older Adult 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| Total Hours | 25 | |
Total Didactic Credits: 13
Total Clinical Credits: 12
Total Clinical Hours: 540
Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 5901 | AG CNS Advanced Practicum I 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 1-3 |
| NURS 6740 | ADULT-GERONTOLOGY CNS WELLNESS TO ILLNESS 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5902 | AG CNS Advanced Practicum II 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 1-3 |
| NURS 6742 | Adult-GerontologyCNS AdvancedPractice AcuteCareNursing 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5903 | AG CNS Advanced Practicum III 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 1-3 |
| NURS 6746 | Adult-Gero CNS Complex patient management 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5904 | AG CNS Advanced Practicum IV 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 1-3 |
| Total Hours | 13-21 | |
Total Didactic Credits: 9
Total Clinical Credits: 12
Total Clinical Hours: 540
Family Nurse Practitioner
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6640 | FNP Hlth Promotion, Prevention, Screening 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 6434 | FNP Care of the Pediatric Patient 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 6739 | Ob-Gyn Essentials for the FNP 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5931 | FNP Practicum I 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6882 | Foundational Clinical Skills Adv Pract NP 1 Didactic credit | 1 |
| NURS 6549 | FNP Adv. Clinical Skills 1 Didactic credit | 1 |
| NURS 5932 | FNP Practicum II 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6528 | FNP DM Physio & Psych Health I 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5933 | FNP Practicum III 4 Clinical credits, 180 Clinical hours | 4 |
| NURS 6529 | FNP DM Physio & Pysch Health II 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5934 | FNP Practicum IV 4 Clinical credits, 180 Clinical hours | 4 |
| NURS 6950 | Synthesis/Integration/Transition into FNP Practice 2 Didactic credits | 2 |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
Total Didactic Credits: 19
Total Clinical Credits: 14
Total Clinical Hours: 630
Health Care Informatics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6794 | Decision Support and Data Management | 3 |
| NURS 6274 | Semantic Representation | 3 |
| Select 2 Courses from the Specialty Options below: | ||
| NURS 6279 | Knowledge Management | 3 |
| NURS 6284 | Digital Tools for Connected Health | 3 |
| NURS 6285 | HCI Design Principles | 3 |
| NURS 6286 | Foundations Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 6293 | Database Mgmt Systems | 3 |
| Total Hours | 21 | |
i-LEAD Nursing Leadership and Health Care Systems Certificate
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6790 | Systems and Leadership Theory | 3 |
| NURS 6793 | Relational Communication | 3 |
| NURS 6794 | Decision Support and Data Management | 3 |
| NURS 6973 | State of Science: Healthcare Systems | 3 |
| NURS 6603 | Health Systems and Management | 3 |
| NURS 6795 | i-LEAD Administrative Internship | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Nurse-Midwifery
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6377 | Foundations of Midwifery Care 2 Didactic credits | 2 |
| NURS 6376 | Reproductive Physiology 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 6344 | NMW Gynecologic Care 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5941 | NMW Advanced Practicum I 4 Clinical credits, 180 Clinical hours | 4 |
| NURS 6378 | Care of the Childbearing Family I 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 6850 | NMW Primary Care of Women 2 Didactic credits | 2 |
| NURS 6374 | NMW/WHNP Adv Clinical Skills - Outpatient 1 Clinical credit | 1 |
| NURS 5942 | NMW Advanced Practicum II 4 Clinical credits, 180 Clinical hours | 4 |
| NURS 6379 | Care of the Childbearing Family II 4 Didactic credits | 4 |
| NURS 6375 | NMW Advanced Clinical Skills - Inpatient 1 Clinical credit | 1 |
| NURS 5943 | NMW Advanced Practicum III: Integration 8 Clinical credits, 360 Clinical hours | 8 |
| Total Hours | 35 | |
Total Didactic Credits: 17
Total Clinical Credits: 18
Total Clinical Hours: 720
Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6376 | Reproductive Physiology 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 6344 | NMW Gynecologic Care 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5961 | WHNP Advanced Practicum I 4 Clinical credits, 180 Clinical hours | 4 |
| NURS 6374 | NMW/WHNP Adv Clinical Skills - Outpatient 1 Clinical credit | 1 |
| NURS 6378 | Care of the Childbearing Family I 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 6850 | NMW Primary Care of Women 2 Didactic credits | 2 |
| NURS 5962 | WHNP Advanced Practicum II 3 Clinical credits, 180 Clinical hours | 4 |
| NURS 5963 | WHNP Advanced Practicum III 4 Clinical credits, 180 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 5964 | WHNP Advanced Practicum IV 4 Clinical credits, 180 Clinical hours | 4 |
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Total Didactic Credits: 11
Total Clinical Credits: 15
Total Clinical Hours: 540
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 5923 | AC PNP Advanced Practicum III 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6500 | Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner I 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 6450 | Advanced Pediatric Physical Assessment 1 Didactic credit | 1 |
| NURS 6510 | Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner 2 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 6456 | Advance Pediatric Clinical Skills 1 Didactic credit | 1 |
| NURS 6520 | Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner 3 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5924 | AC-PNP Practicum IV 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 5925 | AC PNP Advanced Practicum V 2 Clinical credits, 90 Clinical hours | 3 |
| Total Hours | 20 | |
Total Didactic Credits: 11
Total Clinical Credits: 8
Total Clinical Hours: 360
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 5911 | PNP Advanced Practicum I 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6450 | Advanced Pediatric Physical Assessment 1 Didactic credit | 1 |
| NURS 6478 | Primary Care of Children: Well Child Care 4 Didactic credits | 4 |
| NURS 5912 | PNP Advanced Practicum II 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6456 | Advance Pediatric Clinical Skills 1 Didactic credit | 1 |
| NURS 5913 | PNP Practicum III 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6488 | Pediatric Minor and Acute Illness 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5914 | PNP Advanced Practicum IV 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6496 | Pediatric Chronic Illness and Disability 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| Total Hours | 24 | |
Total Didactic Credits: 12
Total Clinical Credits: 12
Total Clinical Hours: 540
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6664 | Integrated Behavioral Healthcare & Common Psychiatri 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 6659 | Adv Assess,Neurobiology&Psychopharm AcrossLifespan 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5991 | PMHNP Advanced Practicum I 2 Clinical credits, 90 Clinical hours | 2 |
| NURS 6661 | Diagnosis and Management/Adults PMHNP 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 6665 | PsyTherapy, BehavioralChange & HP Lifespan 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5992 | PMHNP Advanced Practicum II 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 6662 | Diagnosis and Management/Children and Older Adult PMHNP 3 Didactic credits | 3 |
| NURS 5993 | PMHNP Advanced Practicum III 3 Clinical credits, 135 Clinical hours | 3 |
| NURS 5994 | PMHNP Advanced Practicum IV 6 Clinical credits, 270 Clinical hours | 6 |
| Total Hours | 29 | |
Total Didactic Credits: 15
Total Clinical Credits: 14
Total Clinical Hours: 630
Veteran and Military Health Care
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6018 | Home from the Battlefront: Psychological Health Care 45 Didactic Hours | 3 |
| NURS 6023 | Veteran and Military Health Care Systems 45 Didactic Hours | 3 |
| NURS 6015 | Women & War 45 Didactic Hours | 3 |
| NURS 6017 | On the Home Front: Supporting Vet & Military Families 45 Didactic Hours | 3 |
| NURS 6019 | Wounds of War: Military & Veteran Disability Evals 45 Didactic Hours | 3 |
| NURS 6024 | Caring for Veterans: Aging, Chronicity, & End of Life 45 Didactic Hours | 3 |
| NURS 6025 | Veteran and Military Health Care Admin Internship 90 Practicum Hours (including seminar) | 2 |
| Total Hours | 20 | |
Total Didactic Hours: 270
Total Practicum Hours: 90
Graduate Certificates
Health Care Informatics Certificate - 16 credits required for the certificate.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6794 | Decision Support and Data Management | 3 |
| NURS 6274 | Semantic Representation | 3 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
Specialty Options (Select 2)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6279 | Knowledge Management | 3 |
| NURS 6284 | Digital Tools for Connected Health | 3 |
| NURS 6285 | HCI Design Principles | 3 |
| NURS 6286 | Foundations Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 6293 | Database Mgmt Systems | 3 |
Veteran and Military Health Care Certificate - 12 Credits required for the certificate.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6018 | Home from the Battlefront: Psychological Health Care 45 Didactic hours | 3 |
| NURS 6023 | Veteran and Military Health Care Systems 45 Didactic hours | 3 |
| NURS 6015 | Women & War 45 Didactic hours | 3 |
| NURS 6017 | On the Home Front: Supporting Vet & Military Families 45 Didactic hours | 3 |
| NURS 6019 | Wounds of War: Military & Veteran Disability Evals 45 Didactic hours | 3 |
| NURS 6024 | Caring for Veterans: Aging, Chronicity, & End of Life 45 Didactic hours | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Nursing Education Certificate - 9 Credits required for the certificate.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 7865 | Outcome-focused Curriculum and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| NURS 7862 | Best Practices to Enhance Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| NURS 7864 | Evolving Nursing Educ Sci and Nurse Educator Roles | 3 |