Online Programs for Becoming a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

A few colleges and universities around the United States offer pediatric nurse practitioner degree programs online.

These are sometimes general pediatric nurse practitioner programs, and sometimes they focus either on primary care or acute care.

We've listed the top online programs for becoming a nurse practitioner below in alphabetical order.

All programs listed are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

1. Drexel University

Drexel University is a private research university in Philadelphia, PA. It offers online pediatric nurse practitioner Master of Science programs.

Students can earn either a pediatric acute care nurse practitioner or pediatric primary care nurse practitioner Master of Science degree. Both prepare students for advanced nursing roles.

The acute care degree requires 57 credits, while the primary care degree requires 52. Both programs include courses like:

• Advanced Ethical Decision Making in Health Care
• Episodic Care of Infants, Children, and Adolescents in Primary Care
• Pharmacology for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
• Primary Care of Infants, Children and Adolescents

Though courses are offered online, students will be required to attend a handful of on-campus events and participate in on-site clinicals at a location of their choosing.

2. Duke University

Duke University is a private research university in Durham, NC. It offers Master of Science in Nursing programs in both acute and primary pediatric nursing practice.

The pediatric acute care program prepares students to work with patients and families in a variety of acute care settings. It includes courses like:

• Advanced Practice Nursing: Pediatric Primary Care Essentials
• Advanced Practice Nursing in Acute Care Pediatric Patients
• Clinical Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice
• Physical Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning in Advanced Practice Nursing

The pediatric primary care program prepares pediatric nurses to provide comprehensive primary health care to children of all ages. Courses in this curriculum include:

• Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan: A Conceptual Approach
• Advanced Practice Nursing in Primary Care Pediatric Patients
• Infant, Child, and Adolescent Advanced Development & Behavioral Health
• Population Health in a Global Society

Both programs require a total of 43 credits and take an average of two and a half years to complete. Students may need to come to campus occasionally for incentives.

The program also includes clinical experiences, which are completed near the student at one of Duke University's over 2,000 nationwide sites.

3. Maryville University

Maryville University is a private university in Town and Country, MO.

The pediatric nurse practitioner Master of Science program is a 44-credit program that can be completed in as little as 28 months.

Additionally, students with a Master of Science in Nursing can specialize by taking a 32-credit pediatric primary care nurse practitioner certificate.

Students can also earn Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees in pediatric nursing practice. Those entering with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing can earn their DNP in as few as 40 months.

All pediatric nurse practitioner programs include courses like:

• Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing
• Health Promotion of the Pediatric Population
• Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis
• Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice

All courses for these programs are online, with no on-campus visits required. In-person clinicals can be completed locally in a setting of your choice.

4. Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University is a public research university in Stony Brook, NY. It's part of the State University of New York system.

It offers an online pediatric primary care nurse practitioner Master of Science through its school of nursing.

It prepares nurses as expert providers of primary health care for children and their families.

A total of 45 credits are required for this program. The curriculum includes courses such as:

• Advanced Health Assessment Child Health
• Advanced Theory & Clinical Practice in Pediatric Nursing Across the Continuum
• Health Care Policy and Advocacy
• Pediatric Pathophysiology

Students will need to participate in on-site clinical practice experiences but may be able to secure a clinical site near their homes.

5. University of Texas at Arlington

The University of Texas at Arlington is a public research university in Arlington, TX. It offers Master of Science in Nursing programs in acute and primary care pediatric nursing practice.

Both degree programs include courses such as:

• Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
• Pediatric Primary Care
• Primary Complex Chronicity
• Role of the Nurse in Advanced Practice

The pediatric acute care nurse practitioner program prepares students to work with children with complex, high-acuity healthcare needs. It requires 45 credits and can be done in 31 months.

The pediatric primary care nurse practitioner program prepares students to provide expert, evidence-based care for children. It requires 41 credits and can be completed in 29 months.

In-person clinical experience is required, but students can choose an approved clinical site near their location.