The Master of Science in Community Health Nursing program allows the graduate student to focus on the specialty area of his or her choice and apply it to community health nursing. The MSN prepares a nurse to serve as a clinical nurse specialist community health nursing. Each candidate also receives functional preparation in education, administration, or in integrative health. The program incorporates individualized clinical experiences into the curriculum, and students are taught by full-time, doctorally prepared faculty.
The curriculum prepares professional nurses for careers in specialized community health care fields. The graduate will have developed the expertise of the a clinical specialist, the investigative skills of a nurse researcher, and the leadership skills needed to influence health care systems and policy development. Graduates of the program may choose employment in such areas as case management, birthing centers, hospice care, home health agencies or in integrative (complementary/alternative) health care settings.
All graduate students take the 18-credit community health nursing core and the 6-credit research course sequence. These courses include:
* HEA 520 Public Health I
* NSG 501 Nursing Theories and Issues
* NSG 502 Perspectives of Community Health Nursing
* NSG 503 Principles and Practice of Community Health Nursing
* NSG 504 Advanced Concepts of Community Health Nursing
* NSG 505 Nursing Research I
* NSG 506 Nursing Research II
The functional component requires completion of 12 credits in administration, education, or integrative health courses. Relevant electives also are required in order to support the academic focus within the chosen functional area and will complete the required 39 semester hours.
Prior to the beginning of each of the three clinical courses, students must provide the graduate program coordinator with evidence of current Pennsylvania RN licensure, current liability insurance, and a completed health assessment form.
The curriculum may be completed on a full-time or a part-time basis; however, all requirements for the degree must be completed in six years or less.
