Academic Year:
MSN PROGRAM
Telephone (302) 831-1255 http://www.udel.edu/nursing/graduates/index.html
Faculty Listing: http://www.udel.edu/chs/facultystaff/index.html#nursing
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission, applicants are expected to have a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an NLNAC or CCNE accredited school of nursing. Applicants are evaluated on the following criteria: (1) satisfactory performance in undergraduate academic work as well as in upper-division nursing courses; (2) three satisfactory academic and/or professional references; (3) licensure as a registered nurse in Delaware or in the state where clinical practice is to be arranged; and (4) an interview with a faculty member from the graduate program. For international students, a minimum score of 600 on the paper Test of English as a Foreign Language or 250 on the equivalent computer-based test is required.
One year of recent clinical experience is recommended prior to starting the clinical courses for the CNS and NP students; one year management experience in a health related field or three years experience in a professional health related practice for HSAD students. Admission to the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty requires an interview with NNP faculty. All applicants are considered on an individual basis.
Admission is selective and competitive based on the number of well-qualified applicants and the limits of available faculty and facilities. Those who meet stated minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths. See Graduate Admissions for more information.
Students are required to meet all immunization, safety, criminal background checks, drug screenings, and CPR requirements prior to clinical coursework and direct patient care. Additional requirements for the clinical education may be required by the healthcare agency to which a student is assigned. Students are expected to provide their own transportation to all required clinical experiences.
Requirements For The Degree
Students in the Clinical Nurse Specialist and Health Services Administration concentrations must complete 34 and 37 credit hours of graduate study respectively for the MSN Those pursuing the Family Nurse Practitioner specialty must complete 46 credit hours. Students in the Adult Nurse Practitioner specialty must complete 43 credit hours. Completion of the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty requires 37 course credits in which the core courses are completed at the University of Delaware and the specialty coursework is completed at Thomas Jefferson University. All students take at least 13 credits of core courses.
Students have the option of writing either a thesis or a non-thesis scholarly project to meet the program requirements or they may complete a Research Application course. Those who choose to write a thesis conduct the necessary research and receive six credits (NURS 869) for the completed study. Students must complete all course requirements within five years of matriculation into the graduate nursing program.
Core Courses for CNS, FNP, ANP, and NNP 22 Credits
| NURS 604 |
Advanced Practice Roles for Health Care Providers |
3 |
| NURS 609 |
Nursing Science: Theory and Research |
4 |
| NURS 620 |
Advanced Health Assessment |
3 |
| NURS 621 |
Advanced Pathophysiology |
3 |
| NURS 622 |
Advanced Pharmacology |
3 |
| EDUC 665 |
Elementary Statistics |
3 |
Choice of one from among the following:
CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST
Additional Course 12 credits
| NURS 686 |
Clinical Nurse Specialist Role Integration |
4 |
(*PSYC 829 Advanced Psychopathology, EDUC 813 Childhood Psychopathology or another approved graduate psychopathology course required for Psychiatric CNS instead of NURS 621)
Required Courses For Each Specialty:
Adult Health
Nursing of Children
Psychiatric Nursing
| NURS 671 |
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing I |
4 |
| NURS 672 |
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing II |
4 |
| TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED |
34 |
FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER 46 Credits
| NURS 616 |
Primary Care in Community Health |
3 |
| NURS 623 |
Management of Women's Health Care |
3 |
| NURS 624 |
Management of Children's Health |
3 |
| NURS 641 |
Primary Care of the Adult- |
3 |
| NURS 642 |
Primary Care of the Adult- |
3 |
| NURS 643 |
Primary Care of the Adult- |
3 |
| NURS 644 |
Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship |
3 |
| NURS 645 |
Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship |
3 |
ADULT NURSE PRACTITIONER 43 Credits
| Additional Courses |
27 |
| NURS 616 |
Primary Care in Community Health |
3 |
| NURS 623 |
Management of Women's Health Care |
3 |
| NURS 641 |
Primary Care of the Adult I |
3 |
| NURS 642 |
Primary Care of the Adult II |
3 |
| NURS 643 |
Primary Care of the Adult III |
3 |
| NURS 644 |
Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship |
3 |
| NURS 645 |
Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship |
3 |
NEONATAL NURSE PRACTITIONER 37 credits
| Additional Courses |
24 |
| NURS 616 |
Primary Care in Community Health |
3 |
| NURS 621 |
Advanced Pathophysiology |
3 |
| NURS 622 |
Advanced Pharmacology |
3 |
Courses from Thomas Jefferson University
| TJU - NUR 662 |
NNP Clinical Course I |
3 |
| TJU - NUR 663 |
NNP Clinical Course II |
3 |
| TJU - NUR 664 |
NNP Clinical Course III |
3 |
| TJU - NUR 665 |
Comprehensive Assessment for Clinical Decision Making |
3 |
| TJU - NUR 666 |
Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics for the NNP |
3 |
HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 37 credits
Core Courses (13 credits: NURS 604, NURS 609, NURS 668, EDUC 665)
| NURS 619 |
Financial Management in Health Services Organizations |
3 |
| NURS 635 |
Health Administration Theories |
3 |
| NURS 637 |
Health Planning Strategies |
3 |
| NURS 638 |
Health Services Evaluation |
3 |
| NURS 664 |
Health Services Administration Practicum |
3 |
| NURS 690 |
Colloquium |
0 |
| UAPP and COMM Selected courses |
6 |
Post Master's Certificate Option
Post Master's Certificate programs are available in all concentrations. The Post Master's Certificate option is designed to provide individuals who already hold a Master of Science in Nursing degree with the core courses and clinical experiences necessary for eligibility for advanced certification. The number of credits varies with the area of specialty and the student's past academic record. Students must complete all course requirements within five years of matriculation into the Post Master's program.
Application Process For Post Master's Certificate Programs
To apply to the post-master's certificate programs, applicants must submit an application and an official transcript of undergraduate and master's degrees to the University of Delaware. An interview with faculty is also required.
Course Requirements:
HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 15 Credits
| NURS 619 |
Financial Management in Health Services Organizations |
3 |
| NURS 635 |
Health Administration Theories |
3 |
| NURS 637 |
Health Planning Strategies |
3 |
| NURS 638 |
Health Services Evaluation |
3 |
| NURS 664 |
Health Services Administration Practicum |
3 |
CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST 21 Credits
All tracks require:
| NURS 620 |
Advanced Health Assessment |
3 |
| NURS 621 |
Advanced Pathophysiology* |
3 |
| NURS 686 |
Clinical Nurse Specialist Role Integration |
4 |
| NURS 622 |
Advanced Pharmacology |
3 |
(*PSYC 829 Advanced Psychopathology, EDUC 813 Childhood Psychopathology or another approved graduate psychopathology course required for Psychiatric Nursing Specialty instead of NURS 621.)
Required courses for each specialty:
Adult Health
Nursing of Children
Psychiatric Nursing
(In addition to core requirements: Total of 18 credits of psychiatric/mental health course work are required to sit for the certification examination)
| NURS 671 |
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing I |
4 |
| NURS 672 |
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing II |
4 |
Choose two of the following:
FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER 33 Credits
| NURS 620 |
Advanced Health Assessment |
3 |
| NURS 616 |
Primary Care in Community Health |
3 |
| NURS 621 |
Advanced Pathophysiology |
3 |
| NURS 622 |
Advanced Pharmacology |
3 |
| NURS 623 |
Management of Women's Health Care |
3 |
| NURS 624 |
Management of Children's Health |
3 |
| NURS 641 |
Primary Care of the Adult I |
3 |
| NURS 642 |
Primary Care of the Adult II |
3 |
| NURS 643 |
Primary Care of the Adult III |
3 |
| NURS 644 |
Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship |
3 |
| NURS 645 |
Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship |
3 |
ADULT NURSE PRACTITIONER 30 Credits
| NURS 620 |
Advanced Health Assessment |
3 |
| NURS 616 |
Primary Care in Community Health |
3 |
| NURS 621 |
Advanced Pathophysiology |
3 |
| NURS 622 |
Advanced Pharmacology |
3 |
| NURS 623 |
Management of Women's Health Care |
3 |
| NURS 641 |
Primary Care of the Adult I |
3 |
| NURS 642 |
Primary Care of the Adult II |
3 |
| NURS 643 |
Primary Care of the Adult III |
3 |
| NURS 644 |
Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship |
3 |
| NURS 645 |
Nurse Practitioner Preceptorship |
3 |
NEONATAL NURSE PRACTITIONER 24 credits
Courses from Thomas Jefferson University
| TJU - NUR 662 |
NNP Clinical Course I |
3 |
| TJU - NUR 663 |
NNP Clinical Course II |
3 |
| TJU - NUR 664 |
NNP Clinical Course III |
3 |
| TJU - NUR 665 |
Comprehensive Assessment for Clinical Decision Making |
3 |
| TJU - NUR 666 |
Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics for the NNP |
3 |
Although every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information in the Catalog,
students and others who use the Catalog should note that the policies, rules, regulations,
requirements for graduation, course offerings, and other materials reproduced in the Catalog change
from time-to-time and that these changes may alter the information contained in this Catalog.
see Legal Statement