The nurse practitioner degree will prepare students for their career in helping individuals in need. A degree in nurse practitioner will provide students with the best knowledge and skills about nurse practitioner so that they can be prepared for the nurse practitioner job market. So, what is the nurse practitioner degree for? The nurse practitioner degree is for those who want to have a sturdy foundational base on which they can build their careers upon. The nurse practitioner degree program will provide courses such as statistics, health care policy, foundations in nursing, advanced pathophysiology, advanced physical assessment, chronic and complex problems, etc. These courses, when completed, will allow the students to know a set of general knowledge about nurse practitioner and will be useful when they actually embark on their separate career post-graduation. Getting a nurse practitioner degree is especially important in this day and age because of the scarcity of jobs, so it would be wise for any student interested in this field to obtain this degree and even pursue getting an online PhD in nursing practice. Online nurse practitioner degrees will benefit them most when they graduate from an online nurse practitioner college and begin to compete in the tough job market and if you decide to go on to get the MS, the master's nurse practitioner degree, you will be able to diagnose/treat patients in your private practice or in health centers anywhere.