Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Application Process and Requirements
- I just graduated nursing school, how soon can I apply?
- How many classes do you accept per year?
- I need help with the admission process.
- What are the prerequisites (Admissions Criteria) for the program?
- What do I need to do for BSN completion? Does work experience count?
- I have my MSN from another University and am wondering what credits apply towards this program.
- I have some graduate credits, can I transfer any to Frontier?
- Is there a program for students who have a bachelor's in non-nursing field to get masters degree?
- Do I need to get a master’s degree to enter the nurse-midwifery track?
Distance Education
- How do I accomplish this program through distance learning, and what type of timetable I expect?
- Is the distance education an option only for those within a certain radius of the school?
- How many times do I have to come to Hyden KY?
Financial Aid
- Is financial aid available?
- Are there scholarships?
- Can you tell me the estimated income of a CNM or FNP?
Program
- Is this program accredited?
- What does CNEP stand for?
- What is the pass rate on the certification exams?
- Is it possible to obtain both FNP and CNM through this program?
- How well prepared will I be after completion of the program?
- I am now 60 years old.... is this still an acceptable age to begin such a demanding program?
- Do I need to get a master’s degree if I already have one in nursing?
- I would like to know more about preceptors. Do they have to be NPs? Or can they be a combination of NP & MD/DO?
Application Process & Requirements
I just graduated nursing school, how soon can I apply?
One of the Admissions Criteria is that you have one year of nursing experience. Keep in mind that the Admissions Committee may waive this criterion if you have other relevant experience in health care. For nurse-midwifery applicants this would include working as a doula, lactation consultant, or childbirth educator.
How many classes do you accept per year?
We currently accept 8 classes and 4 ADN to MSN Bridge classes. Also we admit 2 DNP classes a year. The number of classes may change to meet the needs of admissions. Click here for the Admissions Calendar
I need help with the admission process.
Our Student Services department is happy to assist you. Please call 606-672-2312 and ask for Student Services
What are the prerequisites (Admissions Criteria) for the program?
What do I need to do for BSN completion? Does work experience count?
If you are a RN without a bachelor's degree, you may apply to our ADN to MSN Bridge program or enroll in a BSN completion program. Requirements to complete the BSN will vary by program. See options at www.allnursingschools.com
If you are a RN, with a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field, then you may apply to our MSN program and complete a portfolio with your application. Instructions for completing the portfolio can be viewed on the last page of the application. The portfolio takes work experience into consideration.
I have my MSN from another University and am wondering what credits apply towards this program.
If you have an MSN, we will review your transcripts and develop an individualized program plan for your.
I have some graduate credits, can I transfer any to Frontier?
FNU allows student to transfer up to 12 credits from a regionally or professional accredited school. Courses will be eligible for transfer credit if the student can demonstrate that they have had similar content in a prior academic graduate program in the past five years. For more information on transferring in courses please click here.
Is there a program for students who have a bachelor's in non-nursing field to get masters degree?
Yes, applicants who are a RN, but have their bachelor's in a non-nursing field need to submit a portfolio with their application. Instructions for completing the portfolio are available in the last page of the application.
Do I need to get a master’s degree to enter the nurse-midwifery track?
No, you need a baccalaureate degree to enter the MSN midwifery specialty or if you have an associate degree in nursing you can apply to our AND to MSN Bridge option.
Distance Education
How do I accomplish this program through distance learning, and what type of timetable I expect?
FNU courses are taught in eleven (11) week terms. All courses are designed in an asynchronous format which allows students great flexibility in designing their own study schedule. All courses are offered each term. Full-time students are expected to complete the program in 24 months and part-time in 36 months. To accomplish this there are a certain number of credit hours that need to be met every six months. Click Here for Time Frames and Program Design. These credit hour goals will allow you to complete the program in a timely manner depending on your academic plan. Your Student Advisor will assist you in developing a timeline at Frontier Bound orientation session that will meet your specific needs.
Orientation (Bridge Bound, Frontier Bound or DNP Bound), prepares you to be a student at a distance. At FNU faculty provide guidance using a variety of modes such as computer forums, e-mail and telephone. Many assignments are designed to encourage interaction in your home community. Interaction with the school community is fostered through our web portal communication system. Support, explanations, and information are also just as close as your e-mail or telephone. After completing the majority of didactic course work, you return to Hyden for a two-week intense learning experience focused on clinical skills. Upon completion of this session, you are ready to begin your clinical learning experience.
Clinical preceptors are sought in your home community whenever possible. The goal is always to keep the you as close to your home community as possible. At times, due to lack of appropriate clinical practice sites, students may be required to travel to a clinical site for part or all of their clinical experiences.
Is the distance education an option only for those within a certain radius of the school?
No, FNU is an option for anyone, anywhere. We have had students in every state in the United States and even in foreign countries such as Canada, Germany, Japan and Costa Rica.
How many times do I have to come to Hyden KY?
Students are required to travel to the FNU campus in Hyden Kentucky twice during the program. The first trip is for Frontier Bound, a 3-day orientation where students meet faculty, staff and fellow students (those traveling via air will leave on the 4th day by 8:00 a.m. to return to the Lexington airport). Time is spent learning skills needed for distance learning, making life-long friends, reviewing curriculum and program plan, asking questions, and beginning to plan how to be a Frontier School student after returning home. The second required trip to campus if for Clinical Bound, which is a 2-week intensive training for the clinical practicum.
Students in the ADN-MSN Bridge program are required to travel to the FNU campus in Hyden, Kentucky three times during the program. The first trip is for Bridge Bound (see above). After completion of the Bridge course sequence, students will return to campus for an intensive session entitled Crossing the Bridge, which starts the coursework in their chosen clinical specialty track. After completing this coursework, the students then return for Clinical Bound, which is the 2-week intensive training for the clinical practicum.
Students in the DNP are required to travel to the FNU campus in Hyden, Kentucky twice during the program. The first is a three-day orientation to the program called DNP Bound. The second on-campus experience is at the midpoint of the program, when students will attend a three-day residency during which they will present their proposed projects to their student colleagues and faculty.
Financial
Yes, FNU students can apply for Federal Stafford Loans and Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. Please visit the Financial Aid section.
If you have more financial aid questions, please contact the FNU Financial Aid Officer at 859-253-3637.
Yes, there are several scholarship opportunities. Please see the scholarship website.
Can you tell me the estimated income of a CNM or FNP?
This varies by location, but on average the annual income for either specialty is between $60,000-$80,000.
For more financial aid questions, please visit the financial aid FAQ.
Program
Yes. For complete accreditation information, please visit the accreditation page.
CNEP = Community-based Nurse-Midwifery Education Program which was the name used when the distance option was developed in 1989.
CFNP = Community-based Family Nurse Practitioner Program
CWHCNP = Community-based Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program
What is the pass rate on the certification exams?
The American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) certification exam first time pass rate for CNEP graduates in 2009 was 96%
The American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification exam first time pass rate for CFNP graduates in 2009 was 97%
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) certification exam first time pass rate for CFNP graduates in 2009 was 97%
The National Certification Council (NCC) certification exam first time pass rate for CWHCNP graduates in 2009 was 100%
Is it possible to obtain both FNP and CNM through this program?
Yes, FNU has a consecutive program plan that allows students to complete the MSN with one specialty option followed by the other specialty option with minimal overlap. For more information, click here.
How well prepared will I be after completion of the program?
You will have a solid preparation to be a beginning practitioner as a CNM, or FNP, or WHCNP. Your preceptor will have signed a declaration of safety to this effect before you may complete your clinical courses. Our annual graduate surveys and employer surveys reveal that graduates are well prepared to enter clinical practice. This is further supported by the excellent outcomes on the national certification exams.
I am now 60 years old.... is this still an acceptable age to begin such a demanding program?
Our students range in age from 23 to 62. Many of our students are very experienced nurses with a rich background in caring for families. For them, this is the next step in their career.
Do I need to get a master’s degree if I already have one in nursing?
No, you may enroll in the post-masters certificate program.
I would like to know more about preceptors. Do they have to be NPs? Or can they be a combination of NP & MD/DO?
Your primary FNU preceptor must have national certification in the specialty area in which you are studying. For example, a nurse-midwifery student must have a CNM preceptor, family nurse practitioner student must have a FNP preceptor, and women’s health care nurse-practitioners can use either a CNM or NP as a preceptor. For the FNP and Women’s health track, MDs can participate as a preceptor but should not be the primary preceptor. Click here to download the Application Packet