Pennsylvania State University Park Campus

The graduate programs emphasize productive scholarship and research in the development of nursing knowledge and the translation of knowledge into practice. Advanced study is in human health and development throughout the life span, and in nursing’s role in providing health services to individuals, families, and communities.

The Ph.D. program, the dual-title Ph.D. program in nursing and bioethics, and the dual-title Ph.D. program in nursing and clinical and translational sciences prepare scientists to provide leadership in nursing education, practice and research. Individualized curricula prepare graduates to assume positions as faculty, researchers and leaders in educational, community, governmental, or institutional settings.

The D.N.P. degree program consists of a base program and four options. The options include:

• Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner
• Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• Leadership

The Nurse Practitioner options are designed to help prepare the professional nurse to function in an expanded nursing role providing direct care to specific groups of clients in a variety of health care settings. Since that practice is inherently interdisciplinary in nature, advanced knowledge and research from nursing is combined with knowledge from science, medicine, and related disciplines. The Nurse Practitioner may also function in supervisory, consultative, education, and research roles.

The Leadership option prepares nurses to assume leadership roles in practice settings in the community, governmental agencies, or healthcare institutions.

The M.S.N. and D.N.P. degree programs in Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The M.S.N. degree in Nursing consists of a base program and two options. The options include:

• Nurse Administrator
• Nurse Educator

The Nurse Administrator option enables the student to acquire advanced knowledge of organizational leadership, health policy, and evidence-based health care delivery. The program is designed to prepare students for leadership and administrative roles in a variety of health care settings.

The Nurse Educator option enables the student to acquire advanced knowledge of evidence-based teaching and learning principles, curriculum development, and evaluative techniques. The program is designed to prepare students for educator roles in a variety of academic and health care settings.