The MPA + MS Nursing Dual-Degree Program prepares students for nursing administrator positions in hospitals, health care facilities and community health agencies. Nurses who advance to administrative positions often find themselves struggling with their new responsibilities related to budgetary, human resources, organizational, policy and management matters. The dual-degree program is designed to ensure that students not only advance their professional nursing credentials, but also develop knowledge and skills for effective management. The dual-degree program is targeted specifically to students in the Community Health Nursing program who have selected the Nurse Administrator role.
By carefully structuring the sequence of courses, recognizing comparable course offerings, and using courses in one program to count as electives in the other, students are often able to complete both degrees in three years of full-time study without compromising the professional standards of either program.
Successful completion of the dual-degree programs results in two degrees: a Master's in Public Administration (MPA) and a Master of Science (MS) in Nursing.
The MPA-MS Nursing Dual Degree Program
The Master of Public Administration (MPA) housed in the College of Community and Public Affairs and Master of Science in Nursing (MS Nursing) housed in the Decker School of Nursing offer a dual MPA-MS Nursing degree program to provide students at Binghamton University with a unique opportunity. By carefully structuring the sequence of courses, recognizing comparable course offerings and using courses in one program to count as electives in the other, the MPA-MS Nursing dual degree program allows students to complete both degrees in three years of full-time study, without compromising the professional standards of either program. The 42-credit hour MPA program and the 48-credit hour MS Nursing program can be completed as part of a 68-credit hour program (rather than 90 credit hours required to complete the two programs without the benefit of the dual degree structure).
The MPA-MS Nursing Dual Degree Program prepares students for nursing administrator positions in hospitals, health care facilities and community health agencies. Nurses who advance to administrative positions often find themselves struggling with their new responsibilities related to budgetary, human resources, organizational, policy and management matters. The dual-degree program is designed to ensure that students not only advance their professional nursing credentials, but also develop knowledge and skills for effective management. The dual-degree program takes advantage of the complementary foci of the two degree programs. Both programs have a clear commitment to preparing students to help their communities through advanced professional knowledge and skills. Accordingly, the dual degree emphasizes community health and professional management to prepare nurses to be effective administrators. The dual degree is targeted specifically to students in the Community Health Nursing program who have selected the Nurse Administrator role.
Students must apply and be admitted to both the MPA program and the MS Nursing program. These are separate applications and each requires an application fee to the Graduate School. Students who begin one program and then apply to the other program later will need to meet with the appropriate advisors for both programs to develop a customized program of study; completion within three years may not be possible for students who do not begin the programs in the same semester.
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
- 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. GMAT scores may be submitted in lieu of GRE scores.
And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores
Applicants must also meet the following program-specific requirements:
MPA:
- Letters of recommendation
Letters of recommendation should be from individuals who know the applicant in a professional capacity, such as professors, work supervisors, and professionals from organizations where the applicant has served as a volunteer or in another capacity. When evaluating the letters of recommendation, the admissions committee looks for evidence of academic achievement, community involvement, and personal characteristics that suggests the applicant has the capacity to foster an institutional culture that advances democratic administration and governance.
- Personal statement
The personal statement should be no more than 500 words or two (2) double-spaced, typed pages and should answer the question,"Why do I want an MPA?" You may wish to describe your reasons for pursuing graduate studies in public administration, 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. In the personal statement, the committee assesses the student's commitment to public and/or nonprofit administration as well as his/her ability to communicate in writing.
- Significant work experience (5 or more years in the public and/or nonprofit sectors) can earn applicants a positive adjustment to their admissions scores. However, the lack of work experience does not result in a penalty.
MS Nursing:
- Undergraduate degree in nursing from a program which is accredited by a nursing accreditation organization
- Previous (successful completion of a) course in descriptive statistics
- A license to practice as a registered professional nurse
- Passing completion of the NCLEX examination (must be completed prior to the start of clinical courses)
- 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)
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