The UT College of Nursing offers clinical graduate certificate programs for Family, Psychiatric Mental Health, Pediatric Acute, and Pediatric Primary specialties. Each certificate provides education and training in the delivery of care, management of resources, interdisciplinary collaboration, and application of technology, information systems, knowledge, and critical thinking.
Please note the program of study will be changed as the College of Nursing Graduate Programs transition into a competency-based curriculum to reflect the new AACN essentials and NTF standards. Due to the changes to the Programs of Study, we will not be accepting clinical graduate certificate applications for the Summer 2025 start date. The application cycle for the Spring 2026 start date will open in August of 2025 with an application deadline of October 15th.
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PROGRAMS OFFERED
Family Nurse Practitioner: The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) graduate certificate prepares Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to provide care across the lifespan. Prospective applicants can review the current Program of Study to learn more about the sequencing of courses and timeline for the program.
Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) graduate certificate prepares Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to provide care in the primary pediatric care role. Prospective applicants can review the current Program of Study to learn more about the sequencing of courses and timeline for the program.
Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: The Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner prepares the Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to provide care in the pediatric acute care role. Prospective applicants can review the current Program of Study to learn more about the sequencing of courses and timeline for the program.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) graduate certificate prepares Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to provide mental healthcare across the lifespan. Prospective applicants can review the current Program of Study to learn more about the sequencing of courses and timeline for the program.
ADMISSION
The application deadline for the Spring 2026 Semester is October 15, 2025. The graduate certificate programs at the College of Nursing use a holistic admissions process in which the applicant’s essay are given priority. These items are used to assess the applicant’s previous educational and work-related accomplishments and their readiness for the certificate program.
Eligibility
- Hold a master’s degree (MSN or MS) in nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA) or the Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education (CCNE).
- Completed the prerequisite courses (advanced pathophysiology, advanced physical assessment, and advanced pharmacology) within the past five years. Students who need to complete prerequisites are welcome to complete them at UT. More information is below under “Prerequisites”
- Acute Care Pediatric Graduate Certificates only: Must be a certified primary care pediatric nurse practitioner.
Application Requirements
All applicants must apply for the certificate by submitting an online application through the Office of Graduate Admissions. A completed application will consist of
- Official transcripts from all Graduate programs and courses attended. Transcripts must be submitted directly to Graduate Admissions at prior to the application deadline
- RN license in the state in which you intend to complete clinicals
- APRN license, if applicable
- Essay addressing College of Nursing essay prompts
- Recommendations from two previous nursing faculty, supervisors, or health care providers with a master’s degree or higher.
- Official transcripts from all Graduate programs and courses attended. Transcripts must be submitted directly to Graduate Admissions at prior to the application deadline
PREREQUISITES
The following prerequisite courses must be taken within the last 5 years or will need to be retaken prior to entering the concentration courses.
- N639 – Advanced Health/Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
- N648 – Advanced Clinical Pharmacology
- N649 – Advanced Pathophysiology for Nursing Practice
Students who need to complete prerequisites are welcome to complete them at UT. To enroll in the perquisite courses, applicants must apply as a Non-Degree seeking student and be accepted. Prospective students will need to apply for the Certificate Program during a different cycle in order to complete the prerequisites. If you would like to take one of the prerequisite courses above, please reach out to congrad@utk.edu for more information about course availability.
If the prerequisite courses were taken outside of UT, transcripts must be reviewed, and courses verified to ensure compliance with prerequisite requirements. Prospective students can send the syllabi of the courses to congrad@utk.edu to be reviewed.
REQUIRED ON-SITE VISITS
The clinical graduate certificates at the College of Nursing have mandatory clinical on-site sessions consisting of full-day experiences such as clinical labs or simulations.
On-site requirements provide opportunities for networking with peers, formative learning, and summative assessments of advanced clinical skills within the College of Nursing’s high-fidelity simulation center. These days cannot be missed, made up, or substituted with other types of assignments.
RESIDENCE AND LICENSURE
Special note for prospective students with residence and licensure outside of Tennessee. Graduate students may only complete clinical hours in the state of their official residence and licensure. Students wishing to complete clinical hours in a state other than Tennessee are responsible for ensuring the University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Nursing has a state authorization with the Board of Nursing in their state of residence. Additionally, Students who reside outside of Tennessee and plan to complete clinical hours in a state other than Tennessee, will need to take additional steps to comply with the requirements of that state.
CLINICAL PRACTICUM
Beginning Spring 2026 students will complete a minimum of 840 hours of direct patient care clinical hours.
Identification of clinical sites and preceptors involves a collaboration between the student and college faculty and staff. Students are encouraged to identify potential clinical sites and preceptors. Concentration Coordinators have ultimate approval of all clinical placements. Students desiring to complete clinical rotations outside the state of Tennessee must be familiar with their state Board of Nursing requirements for graduate clinical placements. Questions should be directed to the assistant dean of graduate programs.
PROGRAM FEES
Fees are an estimate for each specific program. The required number of credits for a chosen certificate program will vary depending on the student’s academic record, clinical experience, and objectives. Please contact confinance@utk.edu with any questions regarding fees.
Family Nurse Practitioner Fees
Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Fees
MORE INFORMATION
You can read more about our programs in our Graduate Handbook. For any questions, please contact us below.