North Carolina Nurse Practitioner Programs

Jennifer Trimbee

Written by Jennifer Trimbee

BA Duquesne University, Nursing Diploma UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing

Updated & Fact Checked: 11.30.2024

Nurse practitioners play an essential role in providing much-needed medical care, particularly in the state of North Carolina. 

The U.S. is projected to have a significant physician shortage by 2030; North Carolina is projected to be short 7,725 doctors and currently ranks in the bottom half of states for physician availability and primary care. In this state, nurse practitioners can enter into collaborative practice agreements with physicians and help close these widening care gaps.

Program Overview:
Duke University’s School of Nursing opened its doors in 1931. It began offering bachelor’s programs in 1938 and, in 1958, became one of the first schools in the country to offer a graduate nursing program. Since then, the school has added many specialties and received many distinguishing awards. It offers the following five nurse practitioner programs.

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Program Overview:
UNC is the oldest university in North Carolina, chartered in 1989. The school is currently building a new home for its nursing program. The as-yet-unnamed building will add 20,000 square feet to the school’s overall space and enable it to educate even more nurses every year. UNC offers the following three nurse practitioner programs.

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Program Overview:
UNC Charlotte, known as North Carolina’s urban research university, started its four-year bachelor’s of nursing program in 1964. Today’s nursing students learn in the school’s state-of-the-art simulation lab, where they can put their problem-solving and teamwork skills to use, providing care for simulated patients in a variety of demographics. UNC Charlotte offers two options for nurses wishing to pursue a degree as a nurse practitioner.

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Program Overview:
The School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro features a simulation lab with suites dedicated to various patient settings, with a 16-bed hospital lab, five high-fidelity simulators, low-fidelity simulators, and task trainers. UNC Greensboro offers a DNP program for nurses interested in pursuing a terminal degree as an AGNP.

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Program Overview:
UNCW started in 1947 as a center to educate those returning from the war, becoming a junior college in 1952, a four-year university in 1963, and a part of the UNC system in 1969. The Simulation Learning Center in McNeill Hall features high- and low-fidelity simulation manikins that students can use to gain hands-on experience to develop confidence in their skills before clinical and professional practice.

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Program Overview:
Western Carolina University is the westernmost university in the state, surrounded by the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Its School of Nursing was established in 1969, with its first BSN class graduating in 1973. Since then, the school has grown to offer a wide range of   The FNP DNP program at WCU features a 100% pass rate for graduates.

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Program Overview:
Winston-Salem State University is an HBCU founded in 1892 and a part of the University of North Carolina system. It started as a one-room structure with 25 students and one teacher and has grown into a world-class university. The School of Nursing was established in 1953. Today it offers multiple advanced degree options, including the following two family nurse practitioner programs:

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