Nursing — MS Program
The MS Program in Nursing prepares its students for advanced practice nursing. Each student chooses one of three tracks: Acute/Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, or Family Nurse Practitioner.
The program's capstone experience is a comprehensive master's paper of publishable quality that synthesizes the student’s educational experience. The comprehensive master's paper is submitted at the end of the last semester of study.
The MS program is designed for the baccalaureate-prepared registered nurse with a strong professional clinical background and is tailored to meet the needs of the busy professional. The majority of theory courses meet once per week in the evening. Clinical practica are usually conducted during the day on schedules arranged between students and preceptors. The program can be completed in four semesters of full-time study. Part-time enrollment is also possible in the Clinical Nurse Specialist track, and a Three-Year Option is available in both Nurse Practitioner tracks. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The Clinical Nurse Specialist track was developed in accordance with guidelines established by the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. Graduates of this track are eligible to take credentialing examinations as Acute Care and Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialists offered by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses or by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center. The Nurse Practitioner tracks were developed in accordance with guidelines established by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF). Graduates of these two tracks are eligible to take credentialing exams that lead to licensure in advanced practice nursing.
Degree Requirements
A total of 48 credits is required for all tracks, distributed as follows:
Core Courses
To be taken by students in all three MS tracks:
- NURSNG 601 (Advanced Nursing Concepts in Theory and Practice), 3 credits
- NURSNG 613 (Human Diversity in Health Care)
- NURSNG 614 (Advanced Pathophysiology)
- NURSNG 615 (Advanced Health Assessment)
- NURSNG 616 (Utilization of Nursing Research for the Advanced Practice Nurse)
- NURSNG 618 (Health Policy, Finance, Ethics)
- NURSNG 631 (Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse)
- NURSNG 634 (Advanced Pharmacology)
For courses in the three tracks select: