Post-Master’s Certificate Admissions

​​Application Deadline

Application Deadline	Post-Master’s Certificate Program
March 1st for Fall	Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
March 1st for Fall	Family Nurse Practitioner
March 1st for Fall	Nurse Midwifery
March 1st for Fall	Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
October 15th for Summer	Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
October 15th for Summer	Family Nurse Practitioner in Emergency Care
October 15th for Summer	Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Admission Criteria

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing and advanced practice degree (MSN or DNP) from nationally accredited programs
• GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• Current unencumbered RN license. A NJ or Compact State RN license will be required after acceptance to the program and within the first semester of study. Students are required to maintain current licensure throughout the program.
• Successful completion of an undergraduate descriptive/inferential statistics course and physical assessment course

• Personal and Goal statements ‐ Applicants are expected to submit a concise essay (no more than 2 pages) addressing the following:
  • How have your personal qualities and experiences influenced your career choice and how will they contribute to attaining this certificate?
  • Discuss your reasons for choosing this specialty in relation to your career goals. How will this certificate impact your care of the population you expect to serve after graduation?

• Two letters of reference that attest to the applicant’s academic ability, professional competency, and personal character. The letters should be provided by a former faculty or a professional colleague and at least one letter should be from an individual in a supervisory role.
• Resume/CV
• Official transcript(s) of all prior college work
• Fully submitted online application including paid application fee
• If necessary, an interview may be offered to qualified applicants.

*Please note that GRE testing is not required.

Requirements for Certain Specialties

• Post-Master’s Certificate Nurse Practitioner students who did not complete Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, and/or Advanced Physical Assessment during their previous graduate studies or prior to admission will be required to take these courses. A gap analysis to determine what/if any additional courses are required for the respective program will be completed by the Specialty/Program Director upon admission.
• The Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate requires current certification as an PNP/FNP from PNCB or ANCC as well as a current APRN license in NJ. Applicants should already have an MSN or DNP degree as a Pediatric or Family Nurse Practitioner.
• For the Nurse Midwifery application, a Personal Statement, limited to one page which includes the following:
  • Describe your personal experiences and qualities that demonstrate your interest in and dedication to working in midwifery.
  • What are your professional goals as a midwife and how will the Rutgers program further your achievement of those goals?

Application Tips

• Applicants can view their most current admissions status through the online application system.
• The online application contains an admissions checklist which must be completed in order to be considered for admission to the program.
• Applicants are required to submit admission documents through the online application system (the applicant checklist).
• Applicants are required to submit official transcripts for all previous college work.
  • Electronic transcripts (recommended) can be sent to transcripts_nursing@gradadm.rutgers.edu
  • Paper transcripts can be sent to Office of Admissions & Recruitment – School of Nursing, 65 Bergen St. (Room 601), Newark, NJ 07107

Once the admissions process begins, applicants with fully completed applications (all supporting documentation received) generally receive their admissions decision within 2-3 weeks.

Gap Analysis

Upon admission to the program, a gap analysis will occur to determine the proper plan of study based on previous credits/degrees earned. In some cases, prospective post-master’s certificate students may be advised to pursue an alternate path, such as an MSN or DNP program at Rutgers SON, to reach their certification goals.

International Applicants

In addition to the criteria and requirements above, you must submit an official review of your transcript by either World Education Services or CGFNS International, Inc., as well as your IELTS results. 

Even if you hold a master’s-level degree from the U.S. or another English-speaking country, you are still required to take the TOEFL or IELTS. Your scores must be current within two years of the semester you’re applying for, and you must have at minimum the following scores:

• Paper-based TOEFL: 550
• Computer-based TOEFL: 213
• IBT internet-based TOEFL: 22 in writing, 23 in speaking, 21 in reading, and 17 in listening

Learn more about your application process.

• Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum