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Herzing University

By completing our post master’s certificate program, you will earn a foundational education in holistic and integrative nursing methods which help you prepare for key nursing coaching certifications from the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC):

• AHNCC Nurse Coach (NC-BC)
• AHNCC Health and Wellness Nurse Coach (HWNC-BC); this certification also requires a holistic nurse certification as a prerequisite

After earning education and potentially certification, keep your job search broad, looking for listings such as “RN Health and Wellness Coach,” “Care Manager,” “Clinical Educator,” and other types of general references. Naming conventions, as well as educational/experience requirements, can vary significantly by employer in a developing nursing specialty.

Tuition, fees, and expenses varies widely by program. After determining your program of interest, you can use our Tuition Wizard to find an initial estimate.

You are never alone! We offer many possibilities for financial aid for those who qualify, including scholarships and grants, loan options, VA/military benefits, and much more.

Students may choose to complete an internship in place of a capstone project, depending on program requirements and state availability. Internships are designed to help students apply classroom learning in a real-world business or finance setting while building professional experience before graduation. 

Students are generally responsible for securing an internship site, with guidance and support from the university throughout the process. Some internships may also lead to future employment opportunities, although employment is not guaranteed.

There are general education courses in math you may need to complete depending on your prior education.

However, mathematics is not a significant part of a career in cybersecurity, and our core cybersecurity curriculum does not include any math courses.

No, we are not a for-profit university. Herzing University is a nonprofit educational institution as of 2015.

No, you don’t need a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to begin working towards a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Current licensed registered nurses who hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing may apply for our BSN to DNP program in a specialization of their choosing and begin working toward a DNP right away – without having to earn an MSN first.

There are a few considerations to keep in mind:

1. If your primary goal is to pursue a specialization such as Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), earning a DNP is not currently required. You can choose an MSN-FNP program and earn the master’s degree education you need to become an FNP.
2. It takes more time to complete a BSN to DNP curriculum compared to an MSN alternative. In the case of FNP, the MSN-FNP program takes 20 months compared to 32 months in the BSN to DNP-FNP program.¹
3. If your primary goal is to earn the terminal degree in nursing and reach the top of the field, a BSN to DNP program offers less time and lower cost than earning an MSN and DNP separately. Once again using the case of FNP, a BSN to DNP-FNP program takes less time (32 months) than earning an MSN-FNP and DNP separately (20 months each = 40 total months).

Contact our admissions team and we can help you determine what degree pathway is right for your lifestyle and overall career goals.

1. All program length estimates reflect average time to complete for full-time students and may vary. We strive to help you learn at a pace that’s right for you.

A nurse coach is a nurse who uses a structured, relationship-based coaching approach to help people identify goals, build healthier habits, and make meaningful changes that support their overall well-being. Rather than only providing instructions, a nurse coach often guides reflection, asks thoughtful questions, and helps patients become more engaged in their own health and healing.

Compared with a holistic nurse, a nurse coach is more specifically focused on the coaching process. A holistic nurse takes a broad whole-person approach to care, considering physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural, and relational needs. A nurse coach may work from that same holistic philosophy, but their role centers more directly on helping people create change, strengthen self-care, and strive for personal health and wellness goals. In that sense, nurse coaching can be viewed as one focused aspect of the broader concept of holistic nursing.

Yes, you can enroll part-time. We can help you design a plan to complete the program at a pace that’s right for you.

General roles and responsibilities of a holistic nurse may include:

• Creating person-centered care plans that reflect the individual’s values, preferences, and overall well-being, rather than focusing only on the disease process
• Building therapeutic relationships so patients feel heard, respected, and actively involved in their care
• Supporting healing environments that promote comfort, trust, safety, and a stronger sense of connection in care
• Incorporating mind-body-spirit perspectives into care, with attention to how mental, emotional, and spiritual factors may influence health outcomes
• Conducting whole-person assessments that may include physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural, and energy dimensions
• Practicing with cultural humility and recognizing how identity, background, beliefs, and lived experience shape each patient’s healthcare needs
• Providing trauma-responsive, relationship-centered care that takes into account how past experiences may affect trust, communication, and healing
• Educating patients on ways to support health and wellness, including self-care, stress management, nutrition, and other appropriate lifestyle strategies
• Applying knowledge of nutrition and plant-based medicine concepts to support health, vitality, and prevention-focused care where appropriate
• Using advanced communication and coaching-style skills to support reflection, behavior change, and goal-setting in practice, education, or leadership settings
• Collaborating with other professionals to support safe, inclusive, and equitable care for diverse individuals, families, and communities
• Demonstrating professional presence, self-reflection, accountability, and self-care as part of a sustainable nursing practice

In short, a holistic nurse does many of the same core things any nurse does, but with a wider lens. They combine clinical nursing care with whole-person support, helping patients heal in ways that are more individualized, relational, and responsive to whole-person health.

Yes, nurse coaching is legitimate. It is a structured, relationship-based approach developed within nursing that focuses on helping people make meaningful changes related to health, well-being, and self-care.

The American Holistic Nursing Certification Corporation (AHNCC) strengthens the legitimacy of nurse coaching by establishing recognized standards within the profession and defining formalized certification pathways.

Nurse coaching is legitimate, but like many specialized nursing roles, its value depends on proper training, staying within scope of practice, and using evidence-informed approaches.