Frontier Nursing University’s (FNU) mission is built on nearly 100 years of experience in nurse-midwifery and family care. FNU was founded in 1939 as the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery by the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS), a group of nurses and nurse-midwives who served rural areas of Kentucky dating back to 1925. FNU has since grown to become one of the largest nonprofit universities in the United States for advanced nursing and midwifery education.
As a pioneer in graduate nursing and nurse-midwifery education, FNU remains at the forefront of innovation and technology with top-ranked, accredited programs delivered via community-based distance education. Our graduate programs lead to a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), a Post-Graduate Certificate or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). FNU also offers a Post-Master's DNP for certified nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners who already hold a national certification and want to pursue a DNP.
FNU seeks to meet the needs of prospective nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners who do not want to leave their home communities to obtain a graduate education to fulfill their professional goals. Students complete web-based didactic coursework with the encouragement and support of academic advisers, classmates, a strong curriculum, and active and engaged faculty. FNU’s distance education model is taught by more than 150 faculty members who are national leaders in advanced practice nursing and midwifery education. Working with clinics, hospitals and preceptors in their own communities, students gain the hands-on clinical experience required for these exciting health care professions.
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Nearly 100 years of experience in nurse-midwifery and family care.
- Oldest and largest continually operating nurse-midwifery education program in the United States.
- First family nurse practitioner program in the country.
- Pioneered the first midwifery community based distance education program in the United States in 1989.
- More than 10,000 alumni and 2,500 students.
- Students and alumni represent every U.S. state and many foreign countries.
- FNU received the 2023 award for Inclusive Excellence, Belonging, and Sustainability in Nursing Education, presented by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
- FNU was named the academic honoree for the 2024 Healthy Work Environment Award presented by Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma).
FNU’s efforts to increase and emphasize diversity have been recognized by several news outlets and organizations focused on diversity in nursing and healthcare. One of its greatest honors is being awarded the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education, recognized 2018-2024.
FNU is recognized as a Great College to Work For in 2024 for the fourth year in a row. The Great Colleges to Work For program is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. FNU is a great place to work because of the outstanding people who are fully committed to our students and our mission.
We are committed to promoting social mission in nursing education. “Social mission” refers to the contributions a school makes to health equity and addressing the health disparities of the society in which it exists.
The Age-Friendly Global Network serves as a collective platform for institutes of higher education committed to creating inclusive and supportive environments across the lifespan.
CULTURE OF CARING
At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. We are inspired by a culture of caring and focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations. Learn more about our:
FRONTIER NURSING SERVICE
Frontier Nursing University started as the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS). Founded in 1925 by Mary Breckinridge in Leslie County, Kentucky, FNS introduced the first nurse-midwives to the U.S. Riding horses up mountains, through fog, flood or snow, the FNS nurses brought modern healthcare to one of the poorest and most inaccessible areas in the U.S.
Mary Breckinridge demonstrated that care provided by nurse-midwives acting as nurses to the family would drastically cut infant and maternal mortality, as well as morbidity and mortality in the community. This work continues today through the work of the FNU faculty, students and graduates across the nation. Learn more here.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Frontier Nursing University evaluates student achievement through an ongoing evaluation of degree attainment, certification examination results and job placement in rural and underserved areas. Learn more here.
FNU Student Experience
FNU offers distance education programs where students complete coursework online and a clinical experience in their own communities. One to two campus immersion experiences are part of the FNU journey. Learn more about the overall student experience and FNU's campus immersion experiences here.
Campus Safety
For the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report and other safety information about our Versailles, Ky., campus, please visit our Campus Safety page.