The certificate program for the adult gerontology nurse practitioner specialty is an advanced nursing practice program. It is designed for board-certified nurses in a different advanced practice registered nursing specialty who seek additional certification as an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, and for doctorate-level nurses who seek an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner position. This program prepares graduates to provide holistic, client-centered primary care to adolescents, adults and geriatric patients in a variety of settings.

This is a hybrid program, a blend of in-person and online learning. Students are required to travel to campus for orientation once and for immersions two or three times per semester.

Core courses include pharmacology, advanced pathophysiology and advanced health assessment across the life span. Specialty courses focus on assessment, screening, diagnosis and evidence-based management of common, chronic and complex health conditions in adolescents, adults and geriatric patients. Content including epidemiology, differential diagnosis, sociocultural variations in evidence-based treatments, health promotion and case management is emphasized. Adult gerontology-focused theory and clinical courses include theories, principles and clinical skills in the care of adolescents and adults across the life span in a variety of settings, including private practice, ambulatory clinics, long-term care facilities and patients' homes. Practicing faculty with clinical experience teach the specialty coursework and clinical experiences. Any deficiency courses determined by the student's unique gap analysis must have been completed within the past five years to be eligible for credit.

Focused clinical experiences are arranged for students residing in Maricopa County, Arizona. Students should expect to travel throughout Maricopa County and, in some cases, surrounding counties to complete their assigned clinical placement.

Students residing outside of Maricopa County are responsible for identifying the required number of clinical sites in their area of residence and for identifying preceptors and sites willing to accommodate clinical rotations. Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation must approve these sites before students start any clinical experience; the doctorate program office does not guarantee a clinical placement site for any student outside Maricopa County. If, during the program, faculty determine that the student needs additional supervision for clinical progress in the program, the student must complete clinical experiences in the Phoenix area.

The program offers practicum experiences (clinical rotations) in health profession shortage areas throughout the state, in both urban underserved and rural areas, providing students multicultural experiences to enhance professional development.

As a participating National Council for State Authorization reciprocity agreements member, Arizona State University is authorized to offer distance education to persons located in individual state authorization reciprocity agreement member states in accordance with the council's established policies and standards. California is not a state authorization reciprocity agreement member; the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education does not regulate out-of-state public institutions offering online education to students in California, or in-person education in Arizona to students from California. ASU may offer educational activities in California. There are some exceptions for specific programs at Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation; these are noted on the ASU state authorizations website.