Online certified nurse midwifery/women’s health nurse practitioner programs

Should I pursue a CNM/WHNP dual degree?

The CNM/WHNP dual degree offers students the opportunity to complete the coursework and clinical requirements toward eligibility for national certification in both APRN specialties — which for many students is a huge incentive — though graduates must still separately meet each certifying body's exam and licensure requirements.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 15.5% of women aged 18 and above are in fair or poor health, per 2024 data. Globally, an estimated 260,000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2023, according to the World Health Organization. Graduates of a master's CNM/WHNP degree program are poised to provide comprehensive care and support to at-risk women in primary and clinical care settings, and beyond.

As a nurse midwife or a women's health nurse practitioner, you can pursue lucrative positions while having a positive impact on women's health. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for nurse midwives was $134,040 in May 2025, while nurse practitioners — the broader occupational category that includes WHNPs — earned a median annual wage of $132,300 in the same period.

Whichever route you decide to take, you can expect to complete the same or similar lessons as students with a sole focus enrolled in either a women's health nurse practitioner program or a certified nurse midwifery program.

What to expect from a CNM/WHNP program

Because the curriculum of CNM and WHNP programs are closely related, the dual master's program commonly covers many core areas typically addressed in both, including clinical pharmacology, physiology and pathophysiology, the ethics of healthcare, health assessment, medical research guidelines, and more, drawing on the general midwifery-education competencies described by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. The program goes even further, offering specialized instruction in women's reproductive health, primary care, intrapartum and postpartum care, newborn care, and more.

Education requirements

Individuals interested in enrolling in a dual CNM/WHNP master's degree program must meet specific academic and experiential requirements. According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives, all ACME-accredited midwifery programs require a bachelor's degree for entry, and many also require applicants to be registered nurses. While admission requirements vary across different programs, many typically expect students to have, at a minimum:

• A current registered nurse (RN) license
• A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited institution

In addition, many programs seek candidates who demonstrate a keen interest in women's health and other related aspects of the dual degree. Beyond the baseline RN/BSN requirements above, specific admissions criteria — such as any GPA minimum, standardized test expectations, required years of clinical experience, or letters of recommendation — vary by school and are set by each individual program rather than by a common industry standard.

It's best to check with the admissions office of your desired university and program to confirm admissions requirements.

It's also worth noting that some nursing organizations, including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, have called for advanced practice nursing education to move from the master's level to the doctoral (DNP) level. Master's-level preparation remains an accepted qualifying pathway for CNM/WHNP dual-credentialed roles under both the American Midwifery Certification Board's and National Certification Corporation's current eligibility requirements, though prospective students may also encounter DNP-track dual-focus programs and should confirm which degree level a given program awards before applying.

Curriculum

Focusing on expectant and new mothers along with their newborns, CNM/WHNP dual degrees equip students with comprehensive knowledge of reproductive health and primary care for women. Once certified, nurses with this degree are able to provide care to women across various life stages and to newborns.

The core curriculum of a dual CNM/WHNP master's degree program commonly includes coursework in areas such as:

• Advanced patient health assessment
• Medical ethics
• Clinical trials and research
• Clinical pharmacology
• Physiology and pathophysiology
• Women's health and prenatal care

With an emphasis not only on expectant and new mothers but also their newborns, those who complete their CNM/WHNP dual degrees may expect to gain comprehensive, in-depth knowledge on primary care for women and reproductive health. Distance-learning programs typically combine online coursework with required in-person clinical training alongside a practicing CNM or WHNP preceptor in the student's home community, per the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Where CNM/WHNP nurses practice

Certified nurse-midwives provide care across a range of clinical settings. According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the vast majority of CNM/CM-attended births in 2022 took place in hospitals (94%), with the remainder occurring in freestanding birth centers (3%) and at home (3%). Nurses with a dual CNM/WHNP credential can apply this same range of practice settings — hospitals, birth centers, and community or home-based care — to their combined women's health and midwifery practice, in addition to the outpatient primary and gynecologic care clinics commonly associated with the WHNP role.

Program accreditation

Nurse-midwifery programs in the United States are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME). Students hoping to receive a credential in this discipline need to graduate from an ACME-accredited program and sit for the CNM exam administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board.

Nurses enrolled in a CNM/WHNP dual degree program accredited by ACME may also sit for the Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner exam administered by the National Certification Corporation. Completing a dual CNM/WHNP degree does not by itself satisfy NCC's eligibility requirements; each certifying body's criteria must be met independently.

Prospective WHNP candidates should also note that the National Certification Corporation is phasing in a higher direct patient care clinical-hour requirement. Nurses graduating before January 1, 2029 can qualify under the current 600-hour standard, provided they register and test within 8 years of graduation and no later than December 31, 2033. Nurses graduating between January 1 and December 31, 2029 can still qualify under the 600-hour standard, but must register and test within 5 years of graduation. Nurses graduating on or after January 1, 2030 will need to complete 750 direct patient care clinical hours and register and test within 5 years of graduation. After December 31, 2033, all applicants must meet the 750-hour standard and the 5-year testing window regardless of graduation date.

Here are some questions and well-researched answers to help guide you through your search for a dual degree program that aligns with your career ambitions.