Nurse practitioner in a pediatric clinic as he checks a young patient in the examining room

Your Path to Nurse Practitioner School

According to the American Nurses Association, approximately 60% to 80% of primary and preventive care can be performed by nurse practitioners. To achieve this level of expertise, nurse practitioners complete master’s or doctoral studies and pass licensing exams.

The Post-Bacc Pre-Nurse Practitioner program courses outlined below will help you meet the undergraduate course requirements for admission to a Nurse Practitioner program.

Sample Post-Bacc Pre-NP Curriculum:

  • 2 semesters Human Anatomy & Physiology, 8 credits
  • 2 semesters Chemistry with lab, 8 credits
  • 1 semester Microbiology with lab, 4 credits
  • 1 semester Human Nutrition, 3 credits
  • 1 semester Statistics, 3 credits
  • 1 semester Human Development (across the lifespan), 3 credits

Recommended:

  • Courses in Biology, Psychology, Sociology, and English

Curriculum Tracks for NP Programs

Researching programs of interest and summarizing the courses required will be necessary before you can determine your specific needs. Our advisor is available to assist you regarding your plan. These plans include more courses than some programs require. Also, you may have recently completed some of the required courses as part of your undergraduate degree, thereby reducing the number of courses needed.

Option A: Summer Term Start

Summer Term

  • 2 Anatomy and Physiology with labs: ANPS 19 & ANPS 20, 4 credits each (also available during the academic year)

Fall Term

  • 1 Principles of Biology, BIOL 001, 4 credits
  • 1 General Chemistry: Outline of General Chemistry, CHEM 23, or General Chemistry, CHEM 31, 4 credits
  • 1 English, 3 credits
  • 1 Abnormal Psychology, PSYS 170, 3 credits
  • Prep for and/or take GRE

Spring Term

  • 1 Principles of Biology, BIOL 002, 4 credits
  • 1 Outline of Organic & Biochemistry, CHEM 26, 4 credits, or Outline of Organic Chemistry, CHEM 42, 4 credits, or General Chemistry 2, CHEM 32, 4 credits. NOTE: Some more selective programs require two General Chemistry courses (CHEM 31 & 32) plus a biochemistry. Please discuss which level of chemistry with your advisor.
  • 1 Statistics, STAT 111, 3 credits
  • 1 Nutrition, NFS 43, 3 credits

Summer Term

  • 1 Genetics, BCOR 101, 3 credits
  • 1 Sociology, Social Organization of Death & Dying, SOC 154, 3 credits

Option B: Fall Term Start

Fall Term

  • 1 Human Anatomy & Physiology, ANPS 19, 4 credits
  • 1 General Chemistry: Outline of General Chemistry, CHEM 23, or General Chemistry, CHEM 31, 4 credits. Please discuss which level of chemistry with your advisor.
  • 1 English, 3 credits

Spring Term

  • 1 Human Anatomy & Physiology, ANPS 20, 4 credits
  • 1 Outline of Organic & Biochemistry, CHEM 26, 4 credits, or Outline of Organic Chemistry, CHEM 42, 4 credits, or General Chemistry 2, CHEM 32, 4 credits NOTE: Some more selective programs require two General Chemistry courses (CHEM 31 & 32) plus a biochemistry. Please discuss which level of chemistry with your advisor.
  • 1 Statistics, STAT 111, 3 credits
  • 1 Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, PSYS 170, 3 credits

Summer Term

  • 2 Principles of Biology courses with labs, BIOL 001 & 002, 4 credits each

Fall Term

  • 1 Biochemistry, Agricultural Biochemistry, PBIO 185, 3 credits
  • 1 Microbiology, Microbiology & Infectious Disease, MMG 101, 4 credits
  • 1 Nutrition, NFS 43, 3 credits
  • Between terms prepare and/or take GRE

Spring Term

  • 1 Genetics, BCOR 101, 4 credits
  • 1 Psychology, 3 credits
  • 1 English, 3 credits

A Note from Your Advisor:

Nurse Practitioner programs for students with a bachelor’s degree other than nursing vary widely in terms of requirements. The minimum course requirements may not equal those of the competitive applicant, so additional science background is recommended.

Contact an advisor

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