MASTERS OF SCIENCE

Graduate studies at the master's level place primary emphasis upon advanced professional nursing practice, theory, research, and health care delivery systems.  Students may select one of four specialty tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Health Care Administration or Nursing Education.

Master's level study provides the student with a basis for further study at the doctoral level.  The graduate program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (61 Broadway, New York, NY  10006; 212-363-5555 ext. 153).

• Graduates in the Family Nurse Practitioner option are eligible to write the national certification examination for advanced professional practice as a family nurse practitioner.
• Graduates of the Health Care Administration option are eligible, after nurse executive practice, to write the national certification exam for advanced nursing administration.
• Graduates of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner option are eligible to write the national certification examination for advanced practice as a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner-adult, or psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner-family.
• Graduates of the Community Health Nursing option are eligible to write the national certification examination for advanced practice as a clinical specialist in community health nursing.  
• Graduates of the Nursing Education track who have had two years of full time academic teaching experience are eligible to take the NLN Certified Nurse Educator Exam.

Admission Requirements
Refer to the 2007-2008Course Catalog for graduate admission requirements and deadlines.  The following application submission deadlines are recommended to ensure full processing of application and transcripts:

• December 15th for March 1st applicants
• August 15th for November 1st applicants

Students applying to the Master of Science, Nursing Science program must also submit documentation of having met the following requirements:  

1. Earned baccalaureate degree in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing (NLN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
2. Undergraduate (and graduate, if applicable) grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
3. Graduate Record Examination scores - Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytic Writing. The analytic writing score must be 3.5 or higher to be considered for the nursing graduate program.
4. Grade of 2.0 ("C" or higher) in an undergraduate research methods course and a statistics course that covers descriptive and inferential statistics.
5. Licensure as a registered professional nurse in the State of Alaska concurrent with enrollment in first clinical course.
6. The School of Nursing graduate admission application must be submitted directly to the School of Nursing.
7. Three letters of professional recommendation submitted directly to the School of Nursing.  References may be contacted by a member of the Admissions Committee.  
8. Minimum of one year of half-time clinical experience as a Registered Nurse.

Application Deadline

Special consideration may be given to candidates with clinical expertise and a proven record of professional contributions.  Such candidates will need to submit documentation of their expertise and contributions along with their request to the Admissions Committee for special consideration.  To the extent that there are limited seats available in the program, preference may be given to residents of the State of Alaska as defined by the University's policy on residency for tuition purposes.

Academic Progress  
Students enrolled in the Graduate Nursing Program must maintain a 3.0 (B) GPA in all required course work.  Students must earn a grade of "B" or higher in all clinical courses.  If a student earns less than a "B" in a clinical course, that student must retake the course (on a space available basis and with instructor recommendation) the next time it is offered.  A clinical course may be retaken only once.  A student's Graduate Nursing Program may include a maximum of two "C" grades.  Grades below a "C" will not be applied to degree requirements.  Non compliance with this policy will result in academic probation, and possible dismissal from the program.

Graduation Requirements
Refer to the 2007-2008 UAA Course Catalog for master's level graduation requirements.

Computer Requirements

Graduate students will need a good computer with internet connectivity. Click on the following link to see what types of systems the University recommends:

http://distanceeducation.uaa.alaska.edu/requirements/

Knowledge of MS Word and typing skills are also critical. You can find tutorials here for MS Office Word 2003, MS Office Word 2007 and Basic Typing. The NRC Computer lab is equipped with Microsoft Office 2007.

Program Requirements

1.  Complete the following required courses (18 credits)

2.  Complete one of the following options (22-32 credits):

A.  Family Nurse Practitioner (32 credits):

B.  Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (32 credits):

C. Health Care Administration Option (22-23 credits):

3.  A total of 40-50 credits are required for the degree.

Candidacy
The student is eligible for advancement to candidacy after demonstration of ability to succeed in graduate study through approval of the thesis proposal by the student's thesis committee and the UAA Institutional Review Board (IRB) OR by approval of the Project proposal and IRB approval (if necessary).  

Thesis or Project Credits
Five credits of thesis or project are required for the degree.  See the graduate handbook for more information on rules regarding the thesis or project.

Part-Time/Full-Time Study
Options are available for full-time and part-time study.  Prior to being formally admitted to graduate study, students may complete up to nine credits of degree applicable course work. Students admitted to the graduate nursing program will have priority in registering for classes. Students who are not yet formally admitted (e.g. non–degree seeking status) will be allowed to register on a space available basis and with instructor permission.  For part-time students, admission to Graduate Study only is recommended, with formal admission to a specialty track being delayed until core course requirements have been completed.  Enrollment in any clinical course requires formal admission to graduate study and to the specialty track.

Additional Requirements
All students enrolled in UAA nursing programs must provide documentation of continuous and current certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for adults, infants, and children; meet certain health requirements; and have a School of Nursing sanctioned background check. Specific details of these requirements can be found HERE.

Scheduling of Courses
Graduate nursing courses are offered in different formats. Core courses are all done on line (via distance delivery). The Nursing Education specialty is also online with the exception of the Advance Physical assessment course. for other classes an alternative scheduling format is utilized, consisting of intensive classroom sessions presented in short time blocks on the UAA campus followed by periodic class meetings throughout the semester that are available via computer and audio-conferencing.  Students may be required to attend the first and last day of class in Anchorage. Thus it is possible for students who reside outside of Anchorage to take advantage of clinical learning opportunities throughout the State, including both urban and rural settings.