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School of Health Sciences

Nursing Education

Online Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education

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$0 Transfer Credit Evaluation

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No GRE/GMAT Required

About This Nursing Education Certificate Program

Prepare to support the critical need for nurse educators by earning your graduate certificate in Nursing Education online from American Public University (APU).

This 18-credit nursing education certificate program focuses on curriculum design, assessment, and teaching and learning practices. It is intended for master’s-level nursing professionals who wish to teach at community colleges or universities or become a clinical nurse educator. Study in the program concludes with an on-site practicum in nursing education.

If you already hold an MSN in another specialty area, this graduate certificate is designed to assist in meeting eligibility criteria to seek professional certification as a Certified Nurse Educator or Certified Clinical Nurse Educator.

NOTE: This program has specific admission requirements and is currently not open for admission to residents of Washington, D.C., or Washington state. Completion of this program does not award any professional certifications.

What You Will Do

This graduate certificate in nursing education program provides students with the opportunity to develop essential skills to help with preparation for an academic or clinical nurse educator role. As a student, you will:

  1. Learn to apply program objectives to the role of a nursing faculty member in healthcare and academic settings
  2. Create effective educational and curricular materials for various audiences, meeting all relevant standards for quality care
  3. Evaluate teaching strategies and methods for their effectiveness within the context of healthcare and higher education

Program at a Glance

Number of Credits
18
Transfer up to 9 credits1
Cost Per Credit
$455 | $250*
$386.75** | $409.50***
*with Preferred Military Rate
**with Veteran Grant
***with APUS Opportunity Grant
Nursing Courses Start Every Other Month
Online
and vary from 8 to 16 weeks

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Program Requirements Printable Catalog Version

Must take all courses for this section.

Course ID: 4794

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This course builds on the undergraduate foundation in health assessment and provides the foundation for the advanced assessment skills required by the Nurse Educator. Teaching methodologies will facilitate the development of skills in conducting comprehensive and systematic assessments of patients throughout the lifespan. This will include physical and psychosocial assessment, risk assessment and functional assessments in various populations.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
03/31/25 - 08/29/25 09/01/25 - 10/26/25 Summer 2025 Session D 8 Week session
05/26/25 - 10/31/25 11/03/25 - 12/28/25 Fall 2025 Session I 8 Week session
07/28/25 - 01/02/26 01/05/26 - 03/01/26 Winter 2026 Session B 8 Week session

Course ID: 5011

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This course builds on the undergraduate knowledge of pharmacology and the relationship of pharmacological therapies to patient health and outcomes, as well as pathophysiological conditions. Students study the actions and effects of medications as well as complementary and alternative therapies on the human system across the life span. Using a variety of theories and frameworks, students use clinical reasoning to evaluate ambiguous and complex clinical presentations. Students discuss the role of the advanced practice nurse educator in ensuring safe medication practice in a variety of settings.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
03/31/25 - 08/29/25 09/01/25 - 10/26/25 Summer 2025 Session D 8 Week session
05/26/25 - 10/31/25 11/03/25 - 12/28/25 Fall 2025 Session I 8 Week session
07/28/25 - 01/02/26 01/05/26 - 03/01/26 Winter 2026 Session B 8 Week session

Course ID: 4843

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This course will provide the student with the theoretical basis of curriculum development, assessment and evaluation. Students will focus on the process of curriculum design and development; integrating these concepts into the economic, social, regulatory, technological, and ethical influences and trends which impact current nursing practice. (Prerequisite: ALL CORE COURSES IN THE PROGRAM and NURS601 and NURS604)
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
03/31/25 - 08/29/25 09/01/25 - 10/26/25 Summer 2025 Session D 8 Week session
05/26/25 - 10/31/25 11/03/25 - 12/28/25 Fall 2025 Session I 8 Week session
07/28/25 - 01/02/26 01/05/26 - 03/01/26 Winter 2026 Session B 8 Week session

Course ID: 4797

|
The nurse educator must be proficient in developing and designing curriculum supportive of various learners in a variety of settings. This course introduces students to theoretical models and teaching methodologies to create stimulating learner-centered environments in both clinical and academic settings. This course explores the pedagogy of delivering effective nursing curricular content in learning environments that combine face-to-face and distance formats (blended learning) and those that deliver instruction completely online.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
03/31/25 - 08/29/25 09/01/25 - 10/26/25 Summer 2025 Session D 8 Week session
05/26/25 - 10/31/25 11/03/25 - 12/28/25 Fall 2025 Session I 8 Week session
07/28/25 - 01/02/26 01/05/26 - 03/01/26 Winter 2026 Session B 8 Week session

Course ID: 4798

|
The evaluation of learning is a critical component of advanced practice nursing education. This course explores the strategies and models that nurse educators use to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching. Students use evaluation data to improve and revise curriculum. Content in this course is applicable to audiences in both academic and clinical education environments.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
03/31/25 - 08/29/25 09/01/25 - 10/26/25 Summer 2025 Session D 8 Week session
05/26/25 - 10/31/25 11/03/25 - 12/28/25 Fall 2025 Session I 8 Week session
07/28/25 - 01/02/26 01/05/26 - 03/01/26 Winter 2026 Session B 8 Week session

Course ID: 5012

|
This practicum provides nurse educator students the opportunity to apply specialized learning essential to strengthen and advance their own nursing practice in a particular area or focus in a direct care role. Students work with the practicum coordinator and faculty to identify a qualified preceptor and to select the practicum site for a wide variety of clinical practice settings consistent with AACN®’s Master’s Essentials (2011). 160 hours of clinical practice are required for completion of this practicum. All core and specialty courses must be completed before taking this course. This course requires an additional cost for the use of Typhon student practicum tracking software, to be purchased by the student prior to the start of the practicum.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
03/31/25 - 08/29/25 09/01/25 - 12/21/25 Summer 2025 Session C 16 Week session
05/26/25 - 10/31/25 11/03/25 - 02/22/26 Fall 2025 Session K 16 Week session
07/28/25 - 01/02/26 01/05/26 - 04/26/26 Winter 2026 Session A 16 Week session

Frequently Asked Questions

Earning a nurse educator certificate and obtaining certification as a nurse educator are two different things. 
The National League for Nursing oversees the process for gaining certification as a nurse educator (CNE®). Successful completion of an exam is required to attain certification.

A nurse educator certificate is designed to prepare nurses to build the knowledge and skills necessary to teach in community colleges and university settings. A certificate may provide many unique benefits, including access to cutting-edge knowledge and the opportunity to:

  • Conduct research and publish articles in professional journals
  • Speak at nursing conferences and serve as consultants to healthcare institutions
  • Write grant proposals, shape public policy, and participate in community service
  • Design and teach nursing education courses 
  • Oversee assessment and evaluation strategies for curriculum development

The number of years required to earn a nursing certificate depends on many factors. For students who are just starting down the professional nurse path, it could be two to three years before they are eligible to enroll in a post-master’s nursing certificate program. However, bachelor’s- or master’s-prepared nursing professionals may be able to earn a nursing certificate much faster. Completion time is dependent on transfer credits accepted and the number of courses completed each session. 

Finishing a certificate program in nursing means you have successfully completed courses that are geared toward those wishing to explore roles as a clinical or academic nurse educator or other nursing faculty roles.

The Certified Nurse Educator (CNE®) certification is a designation that was developed by the National League for Nursing to establish nursing education as a distinct professional specialty and provide an avenue for faculty to showcase their expertise in this area.

There is no single definitive pathway to becoming a nurse educator. Nevertheless, many nurse educators have obtained advanced training in specialized MSN programs with a concentration in nurse education. Another option is to enroll in a post-master’s certificate program that may prepare you to demonstrate your qualifications and expertise as a nurse educator and prepare you to take the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE®) exam administered by the National League for Nursing.

CNE® or Certified Nurse Educator is a certification that can be obtained by successfully completing an exam developed by the National League for Nursing. In nursing, CNE may also refer to Continuing Nursing Education, which the American Nurses Credentialing Center defines as education that “builds upon the educational and experiential bases of the Registered Nurse for the enhancement of practice, education, administration, research, or theory development, to the end of improving the health of the public.”

CNE® is a registered trademark of the National League for Nursing, Inc.

Admission Requirements

In order to be eligible for this post-master's certificate, the following documentation is required and must be provided prior to course registration:

  • Official transcripts showing a conferred Master of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited program or a BSN degree in nursing and master’s degree in a closely related field
  • Current and active unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license in state where practicums will be conducted
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for the Master of Science degree
  • Current resume/CV
  • Signed statement of understanding (SOU)

NOTE: This program has specific admission requirements and is currently not open for admission to residents of Washington, D.C., or Washington state. Completion of this program does not award any professional certifications.

Materials Cost

Most courses in this program use Open Educational Resources (OER). These teaching, learning, and research materials are made available to you at no cost, meaning there are minimal book costs associated with earning this certificate. There will be a one-time fee for the Typhon student practicum tracking software. This fee will be paid directly to the Typhon group. Technology fee: $85 per master's-level course.

 

Need Help?

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Consumer Information

Disclosures

Maryland Residents learn more about costs, completion rates, median debt, and more.

 

1The University reserves the right to accept or deny credits according to policies outlined on our University website. Please see the University's transfer credit policy webpage for complete information.

*Cost Per Credit Hour

The Preferred Military Rate is $250 per credit hour for undergraduate and master's-level courses. This rate is available to all U.S. active-duty servicemembers, National Guard members, Reservists, and military families, including parents, spouses, legal partners, siblings, and dependents.

See all military student benefits.

Cost of Attendance

Learn more about American Public University's cost components and full cost of attendance. 

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