Professional designations such as "licensed," "registered," and "certified" are a type of formal acknowledgment of competence in a given occupation or profession and may or may not be required for employment in a given field. These designations are typically conveyed to a person by a regulatory body or professional association, and individuals must complete various requirements to become eligible to receive and maintain the designation. Eligibility for professional designations varies by occupation and location, and often involves more than successful degree completion (such as submitting an application, passing an examination, paying an entrance/application fee, or providing evidence of work experience). Some professional designations do not require degree completion to obtain. 

Please see below for more information. Please note: Not all professional licensure programs are open for enrollment in every state, please see the State Authorization Map above for program availability.

Professional Licensure Programs

A professional license is typically regulated by state laws and is required for graduates of these programs to practice, to use the professional designation in their title, and/or gain employment in certain occupations.

Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Track

Franklin University's Master of Science in Nursing program's Family Nurse Practitioner Track is designed to prepare students for a career as a licensed advanced practice registered nurse.

National Certification
Graduates of the FNP track of Franklin University's MSN program are eligible to apply to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner certification examinations offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

State Licensure
Requirements for advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) licensure vary by state and may involve more than successful degree completion. Graduates who apply for licensure may need to satisfy other requirements, such as passing an examination to obtain certification from a national agency, completing an application, pay a fee, and holding an active RN license in the state. States also have varying requirements and scope of practice restrictions for APRNs to prescribe medications that are separate from requirements to obtain an advanced practice nursing license. Educational requirements for APRN licensure can include specifications for the applicant's type of academic degree, type of educational institution where the academic program was completed, and curriculum content within the academic program. Some states offer multiple pathways to APRN licensure, including accepting the results of a national certification exam, or recognizing a license earned in another state. The lists below pertain only to the educational requirements to obtain an initial state license as an advanced practice nurse. Alternative pathways to licensure and additional requirements, other than educational, are not considered in these lists.

Franklin University makes every effort to ensure the information provided on educational requirements for licensure is accurate and up-to-date; however, these requirements are subject to change at any time. Students who will be seeking licensure as an advanced practice nurse are strongly encouraged to visit the associated agency website (linked in the lists below) in the state in which they intend to practice to review all requirements to obtain licensure.

Master of Science in Accounting

Depending on the student’s undergraduate program, Franklin University’s Master of Science in Accounting can provide the foundational knowledge to prepare graduates to pursue licensure as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). While CPA licensure is not required to work as an accountant, there are some accounting duties that can only be completed by an accountant who holds active CPA designation.

State Licensure 
Requirements for CPA certification vary by state and may involve more than successful degree completion. Graduates who apply for CPA certification may need to satisfy other requirements such as completing an application, passing applicable sections of the Uniform CPA Exam, passing a state-required ethics exam, and providing evidence of work experience. Educational requirements for CPA certification can include specifications for the applicant’s type of academic degree, type of educational institution where the academic program was completed, and curriculum content within the academic program. States have varying requirements for the number of semester credit hours needed to sit for the Uniform CPA Exam, as well as for CPA certification. This may include minimum semester hour requirements in specific accounting and/or business content areas such as business law, marketing, finance, auditing, taxation, management/cost accounting, not-for-profit accounting, etc. Additional coursework beyond accounting and business related subjects may be required in some states.

Applicants for CPA certification must have earned 150 semester credit hours at the college level. Depending on the student’s prior education, completion of Franklin University’s Master of Science in Accounting program may meet the educational requirements for certification. As the calculation of applicable credit hours is unique to each student, the University cannot determine if completion of the Master of Science in Accounting program will provide graduates with the required minimum number of semester credit hours to be eligible to apply for CPA certification in a given state.

Franklin University makes every effort to ensure the information provided on educational requirements for licensure is accurate and up-to-date; however, these requirements are subject to change at any time. Students who will be seeking licensure as a CPA are strongly encouraged to visit the associated agency website (linked in the lists below) in the state in which they intend to practice to review all requirements to obtain licensure.

Educator Preparation Programs

Franklin University's post-baccalaureate educator preparation programs are designed to prepare students for careers as licensed teachers.

State Licensure
Requirements for teacher licensure vary by state and may involve more than successful degree completion. Graduates who apply for a license may need to satisfy other requirements, such as passing an examination, completing an application, and submitting to a background check. Some states have different processes and requirements for applicants who have completed their academic program in a different state.

Educational requirements for teacher licensure can include specifications for the applicant's type of academic degree, type of educational institution where the academic program was completed, and curriculum content within the academic program. Some states offer multiple pathways to teacher licensure, including recognizing a license earned in another state or providing options for qualified professionals who wish to transition into the education field. The lists below pertain only to the educational requirements to obtain an initial state teaching license. Alternative pathways to licensure and additional requirements, other than educational, are not considered in these lists.

Franklin University makes every effort to ensure the information provided on educational requirements for licensure is accurate and up-to-date; however, these requirements are subject to change to any time. Students who will be seeking licensure as a teacher are strongly encouraged to visit the associated agency website (linked in the lists below) in the state in which they intend to teach to review all requirements to obtain licensure.

Please note: Students enrolled in the University's educator preparation programs are only approved to participate in field experiences and/or student teaching in the state of Ohio.

Post-Baccalaureate Early Childhood Education

Post-Baccalaureate Middle Childhood Education

Post-Baccalaureate Adolescence to Young Adult Education

Post-Baccalaureate  Intervention Specialist: Mild to Moderate

Optional/Industry Professional Certifications/Designations

Optional/industry professional certifications/designations are not required by states for graduates to be employed in their field. Eligibility for these professional designations varies by occupation and location, and often involves more than successful course or degree completion (such as submitting an application, paying an entrance/application fee, or providing evidence of work experience). An overview of some of the option/industry professional certifications/designations that can be pursued by students enrolled at Franklin University are listed below.

If you are considering applying to one of these programs, please select the program below for more information regarding optional/industry professional certifications/designations.