Post-Master’s Certificate Admissions

​​Application Deadline

Application Deadline	Post-Master’s Certificate Program
April 15th for Fall	Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
April 15th for Fall	Family Nurse Practitioner
April 15th for Fall	Nurse Midwifery
April 15th 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

We consider the following elements in your application:

• 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 RN license in NJ
• Successful completion of an undergraduate descriptive/inferential statistics course and physical assessment course.
• 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.

Application Requirements

When applying, make sure you submit the following:

• Completed online application including personal statement, resume, and proof of RN licensure
• Official transcript of all prior college work
• Two scholarly papers in which you’re the main author, like a published article, book chapter, or paper completed for school
• Two letters of reference from graduate-prepared nurses or faculty
• Paid application fee

If necessary, we will contact you to schedule a faculty interview.

For the Nurse Midwifery application, the personal statement should be limited to one page and include the following:
– What interests you specifically about the midwifery program at Rutgers School of Nursing?
– How would your individual experiences, qualities, and contributions enrich the program?
– Describe your personal experiences and qualities that demonstrate your dedication to working specifically 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

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