Dordt University launches Family Nurse Practitioner Program
“Our mission is to equip advanced-level nursing students for Christ-centered service. We want graduates to be excellent clinicians who approach their work with discernment, compassion, and a commitment to whole-person care.”
Dordt University has launched a new Master of Science in Nursing–Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) program, with the first cohort beginning in fall 2026. This online graduate program equips registered nurses to provide comprehensive, family-focused primary care at a time when many communities—especially rural ones—face growing shortages of primary care providers.
“Nurse practitioners are among the most rapidly growing provider groups in today’s healthcare workforce,” says Dr. Kate Vander Veen, professor of nursing and director of the MSN-FNP program. “With rising rates of chronic disease and limited access to primary care, FNPs play a vital role in helping patients manage their health across all stages of life.”
The 48.5-credit program combines online coursework with 750 clinical hours completed in students’ home regions under qualified preceptors. Students may choose either an accelerated two-year sequence or a part-time four-year pathway. Graduates will be prepared to sit for national board certification as advanced practice registered nurses.
“Our mission is to equip advanced-level nursing students for Christ-centered service,” Vander Veen adds. “We want graduates to be excellent clinicians who approach their work with discernment, compassion, and a commitment to whole-person care.”
National labor forecasts underscore the need for more providers, with nurse practitioner positions projected to grow 40% between 2024 and 2034. Dordt’s program will help meet this demand while offering nurses a flexible, faith-integrated option for advancing their careers.
About Dordt University
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
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