Nursing
The Decker School of Nursing provides excellent preparation in nursing education, scholarship and practice, and offers graduate level programs of study ranging from certificates to the PhD. The Decker School of Nursing graduate nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) through June 19, 2019.
In the Master of Science program (MS), students select one of four functional roles to pursue as a clinical nurse specialist, administrator, educator or nurse practitioner. Dual roles are also available for additional credit.
The Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed to prepare Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists to respond more efficiently to changes in health care delivery and emerging health care needs. The DNP focuses on providing leadership for evidence-based practice, and will incorporate the advanced practice content currently included in the master's program.
Recent Doctorate in Nursing Practice graduate placements include: Nurse Practitioner for New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, Family Nurse Practitioner for Vestal Medical Associates, Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, DNP-Family Nurse Practitioner at Columbia University Medical Center. Furthermore, our graduates pioneer in research, development, and new initiatives, such as one of our 2012 graduates who initiated an independent Nurse Practitioner primary care practice, Blue Ridge Medical Center.
Graduate Degrees Offered
MS in Nursing in the following specialty areas (Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Educator/Nurse Administrator programs available):
- Community Health Nursing
- Family Nursing
- Adult-Gerontological Nursing
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
Adult-Gerontological nursing provides students with an in-depth understanding of health and illness in the adult and older adult populations. They are prepared to provide advanced nursing care to well adults/elders, acutely and chronically ill adults/elders, and frail older persons in community or institutional settings.
Students choose functional preparation in one of four functional roles:
- Nurse Practitioner
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Nurse Educator
- Nurse Administrator
All applicants must submit the following:
- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university you have attended
- Two letters of recommendation (three letters of recommendation for DNP applicants)
- Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Official GRE scores
- Nursing licensure
And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores
Depending on your desired program, you must also meet the following requirements:
MS:
- Undergraduate degree in nursing from an NLNAC or CCNE accredited school of nursing
- Previous, successful completion of a course in descriptive statistics
- Computer literacy skills
- A current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse
- One year of full-time employment as a registered nurse is strongly encouraged (Candidates without one year of previous full-time employment may wish to consider enrolling in a part-time program while they acquire the needed work experience)
- Note: all applicants are required to have taken and passed the NCLEX examination prior to the start of clinical courses
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