Graduate Nursing Programs
Graduate nursing programs are available for those who want to pursue advanced training and education in one of the four primary areas of practice. This includes clinical skills, administration and policy, research or education, plus some programs which offer dual curriculum for nurse practitioners with several interests. The options to study online or on a part-time basis at some schools will enable nurses to completely customize their education according to their personal circumstances.
The following are some of the best graduate nursing programs in the country. The prediction from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that nursing will continue to expand at a much faster rate than the average of 22 % towards 2018. As a result, the nursing prospects will be in higher demand. Therefore, getting your nursing degree from one of the top-rated nursing schools and program will be essential for you to secure one of the lucrative positions.
Yale University
The school of nursing at this university offers programs for master’s degrees in 3 nurse practitioner areas: pediatrics, advanced adult care and combined family/adult/women/geriatric health. Some other master’s levels include psychiatric health, nurse midwifery and nursing leading and management. For nurse practitioners interested in the area of clinical research, there is a doctorate of philosophy program designed for this study. Yale boasts a direct-entry for students to complete the master’s program with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. These students are able to select an area of expertise from the regular master’s program following the first year of study.
University of Pennsylvania
This university has one of the leading medical schools in the country. Therefore, it is not surprising that the graduate program for nursing is rated as the third best at the national level. Penn provides accelerated programs designed for registered nurses who are pursuing their BSN degrees or those with a degree in a different field and would like to enter nursing discipline. Master’s programs include concentrations in adult health, adult acute care, family health, neonatal nursing, gerontology nursing, psychiatric care, pediatric care and women’s healthcare. There are also administration and advanced specialist programs are available. This university differentiates itself at the Ph.D. level, where the nursing students will work along some of the top medical experts at the highly-rated school of medicine. Students could also pursue combined degrees such as masters in Bioethics and Ph.D. in nursing.
University of Pittsburgh
This university offers a graduate program that was ranked 7th overall based on the U.S. News and World Report. Similar to Penn, they also provide accelerated degree programs for non-nursing students and registered nurses. Students are able to pursue a MSN or a Master of Science degree and focus on nursing administration, nursing education, clinical nurse leadership, nursing informatics and research. Some other areas of concentration include the program for nurse practitioner, nurse anesthesia and clinical nurse specialist. This university also provides a Ph.D. in adolescent health, nursing practice, chronic disorders, women’s health, critical care, genetics and technology.
University of Connecticut
This school of nursing provides master’s degrees in patient care administration and services, clinical nurse leadership and two specialties for neonatal health and adult health. Students can get doctorates in nursing theory, practice, science philosophy, advanced statistics or research methods. The nursing school also offers a direct-entry graduate program for individuals with bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field, who might select from any of the master’s levels.
Fairfield University
This university offers a doctorate in nursing practice in addition to master’s degrees for family nurse practitioner, clinical nurse leadership, health care management and psychiatric nurse practitioner. The school also offers master’s program for qualified registered nurse anesthetists, which is one of the two schools located in Connecticut with this particular specialty.
These are just some of the top universities that are currently offering graduate nursing programs, so you can find other options if you want to conduct a thorough research.