Nursing - M.S.N.

The Master of Science in Nursing degree meets the educational eligibility requirements for national certification in the respective area of study. The degree program can be completed in four to five semesters (two full academic years) for full-time students. Part-time students typically take three to four years to complete the program. Completion of a thesis is optional.

The Nursing major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner concentration allows students to attain advanced practice nursing competencies in providing evidence-based care to adults and older adults with complex acute and chronic illnesses. Clinical experiences occur in a variety of acute care settings, including general medical care, emergency care, critical care and specialty practice. Through clinical practicums, students provide direct patient care in collaboration with a team of health professionals to diagnose and treat patients across the continuum of health care services.
• The Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist concentration fosters acquisition of the needed competencies to care for patients spanning the entire adult to older-adult spectrum. Class and clinical experiences focus on providing advanced nursing care across the health continuum, from wellness to acute care. Students develop competencies across the three spheres of impact: patient/direct care, nurses/nursing practice and organizations/systems.
• The Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner concentration allows students to develop advanced practice nursing competencies in health promotion, risk detection, illness prevention and management of acute and chronic illnesses in adults and older adults. Clinical experiences involve direct care in collaboration with other health professionals to maximize the effectiveness of community and health care system services. Clinical practicums include primary care offices, such as internal medicine and family practice clinics, managed care offices, emergency departments, free clinics and long-term care and occupational health settings.
• The Family Nurse Practitioner concentration allows students to acquire advanced practice nursing competencies to provide continuity of health care to persons across the life span, as well as to maximize the effectiveness of community and health care system services through collaboration with other health professionals. Clinical experiences are offered in a variety of ambulatory care settings and specialty clinics in primary care offices, including family practice, internal medicine, managed care offices, emergency departments, long-term care facilities and academic and occupational health settings.
• The Nurse Educator concentration allows students to develop in-depth knowledge and expertise in selected areas of nursing practice and the role of the nurse educator. Emphasis of the nurse educator role focuses on best practices in curriculum development, instruction and evaluation that prepare students for teaching within a variety of learning environments in academic and staff professional development settings. Students engage in individualized practicum experiences where they apply content learned throughout the graduate curriculum in both their area of nursing practice and the nurse educator role.
• The Nursing Administration and Health Systems Leadership concentration integrates management, leadership and nursing knowledge for students to develop skills and competencies in administration, systems leadership and advanced nursing.
• The Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner concentration focuses on health promotion, illness prevention, risk identification and acute and chronic care of infants, children and adolescents in the primary care setting. Practicum experiences take place in outpatient primary care and specialty settings; the experiences offer the opportunity for students to provide individualized and culturally competent advanced practice nursing care to children within the context of their families.
• The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner concentration builds on core advanced practice nursing knowledge. The program focuses on knowledge and skill development in mental health assessment and diagnostic reasoning, prescribing and medication management and advanced therapeutic modalities such as individual, group and family psychotherapy.
• The Women's Health Nurse Practitioner concentration prepares students to provide the highest level of primary nursing care for women involving health promotion and disease prevention. Students gain competency in advanced nursing management of common acute and chronic conditions. Students practice in direct care and in collaboration with other health care professionals. Practicum experiences foster development of clinical judgment and primary care skills through faculty mentorship and clinical preceptors in a variety of ambulatory care settings and specialty clinics.