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The School of Nursing was established as an independent school of the University by action of the Board of Trustees in April 1939 and was opened in September of the same year. The University conferred the degree Bachelor of Science in nursing education for the first time in August 1939. The University conferred the first Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees in February 1942.
The first graduate degree was awarded in 1944, and the first Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1957.
Mission
The University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, founded in 1939, is one of the oldest programs in baccalaureate and doctoral education in nursing in the United States. As one of the nation's distinguished schools of nursing, the resources of the School constitute an invaluable asset for the intellectual, scientific, and economic enrichment of health care in Pennsylvania, the nation, and throughout the world.
The School of Nursing's mission is to:
- provide high-quality undergraduate education in nursing;
- maintain and develop superior graduate programs in nursing that respond to the needs of health care in general and nursing in particular within Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world;
- engage in research and other scholarly activities that advance learning through the extension of the frontiers of knowledge in health care;
- cooperate with health care, governmental, and related institutions to transfer knowledge in health sciences and health care;
- offer continuing education programs adapted to the professional upgrading and career advancement interests and needs of nurses in Pennsylvania; and
- make available to local communities and public agencies the expertise of the School of Nursing in ways that are consistent with the primary teaching and research functions and contribute to the intellectual and economic development in health care within the commonwealth, the nation, and the world.
Contact Information
- University of Pittsburgh
- School of Nursing
- Student Services Office
- 239 Victoria Building
- Pittsburgh, PA 15261
- 412-624-4586 or 1-888-747-0794
- E-mail: sao50@pitt.edu
- www.nursing.pitt.edu
Applicants for admission should obtain the current application packet from the Student Services Office at the address listed above. Applications are also available online at www.nursing.pitt.edu. Admission criteria are described in the packet and on the school's Web site listed above. When the application is complete, each applicant will be personally interviewed prior to an admission decision. This interview may be done via telephone if distance is an issue. Admission to a particular area of study is granted to qualified applicants on a rolling basis until all available spaces are filled. Part-time students may begin graduate study in any term. Full-time students begin in the fall term.
Admission to the PhD program is assessed through interviews, references, standardized testing, and a written statement of goals. Prerequisites include parametric statistics courses that prepare the student in descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Applicants should obtain the current application packet from the Student Services Office or online at www.nursing.pitt.edu.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Admission Process and Admission Criteria
Admission to the DNP program is assessed through interviews, references, standardized testing, and an essay stating one's philosophy of nursing, career goals, and a potential topic for a capstone project. Applicants should obtain the current application packet from the Student Services office or online at www.nursing.pitt.edu.
Admission of Students from Other Countries
Students from other countries applying to the School of Nursing should apply using the same admissions process and admissions criteria described above. The application should be completed in English and be accompanied by official academic credentials with notarized English translations. Applicants must also have a professional nursing license in a state or country, successfully complete the TOEFL or IELTS if English is a second language, and be eligible to take the licensure examination in Pennsylvania if admitted to the master's program.
Insurance and Healthcare Requirements
All students admitted with full or provisional status are required to participate in a University liability insurance policy annually and to have a physical examination upon admission. Individual students must meet additional health requirements of clinical agencies, such as annual testing for tuberculosis or criminal record checks. CPR certification will be validated in each clinical course. Students are required to carry health insurance for the duration of their study, which will cover payment for treatment and follow-up procedures related to injury or medical problems incurred during graduate study.
The School of Nursing has a commitment to helping students to achieve their educational goals. The following sources of awards and aid are available: professional nurse traineeships, part-time tuition aid, graduate student assistant positions, graduate student researcher positions, teaching assistant positions, teaching fellow positions, school scholarships, pre- and postdoctoral training grant fellowships, federal Stafford Loans, private loans, and emergency aid.
All students in the School of Nursing are governed by School of Nursing and University policies. Therefore, it is essential that students regularly review and familiarize themselves with those policies, both general and graduate. Question about policies should be directed to the academic advisor or to the director of student services for RN options and graduate programs. Policies of particular importance deal with admission criteria, registration processes, transfer of credits, acceptable academic status, warning and probation, readmission, requirements for degree completion, academic integrity, and impaired clinical performance.
Advising
Each new student who is admitted to the graduate program is assigned a faculty advisor from the specific program area to which the student is admitted. The faculty advisor provides some initial orientation to the school, the University, and the program requirements. Each student meets at least once a term with the advisor for course selection and other academic advising, although students and advisors can meet additionally as needed. The advisor is actively involved if there are academic concerns.
Each student also can use the staff in the Student Services Office in the School of Nursing to obtain information about sources of financial aid, scholarships, school policies, registration, course availability, University resources, and community resources for help with personal problems. An online general orientation program is mandatory for all new students.
General Degree Requirements
To earn the Master of Science in Nursing, the PhD in nursing, or the DNP the student must demonstrate satisfactory academic achievement in required coursework prescribed by the curriculum with an overall academic achievement of a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00. Successful completion of a written comprehensive examination is also required for both the MSN and PhD in nursing. The DNP requires a capstone project.
Application for Graduation
Each candidate for graduation must file an official Application for Graduation in the Nursing Student Services Office at least three months before the degree is to be completed. Students are required to be registered for at least 1 credit at the University during the term in which they are graduated.
Major and Degree Options
The School of Nursing offers the following graduate degrees:
- The Master of Science in Nursing with majors and areas of concentration in the following areas:
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Nurse Practitioner
- Areas of Concentration:
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Adult Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Psychiatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Areas of Concentration:
Medical-Surgical Nursing
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
- Nurse Specialty Role
- Areas of Concentration:
Nursing Administration
Clinical Nurse Leader
Nursing Education
Nursing Informatics
Nursing Research
- The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
in nursing (including the BSN to PhD option)
- The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Anesthesia, Nurse Specialty Role, or Nurse Practitioner (including the BSN to DNP and MSN to DNP options)
Special Academic Opportunities/Programs
The School of Nursing offers a variety of special programs within its master's and doctorate programs:
Minors
Students in the master's program have the option of completing a minor in nursing education, nursing informatics, nursing research, nursing administration, or health care genetics using elective credits. Each minor requires 12 credits of study in the area of the minor, including the successful completion of three theory courses and a practicum.
Master's-Level Certificates
Master's certificates are available in nursing education, health care genetics, nursing informatics, nursing research, acute care nurse practitioner, adult nurse practitioner, and psychiatric nurse practitioner. Master's and post-master's students also have the option of enrolling in the School Nurse Certification Program. The nurse practitioner certificate requires a minimum of 15 credits, and will depend on previous graduate course work. All students admitted to a nurse practitioner certificate program must meet all curriculum requirements of the full MSN degree program, either through previous course work or credits earned during the certificate program. Individual review of transcripts will determine the exact number of credits needed to meet curriculum requirements.
Admission criteria include:
- Evidence of successful completion of MSN or other relevant first professional degree
- Relevant work experience
- Three letters of recommendation
- Satisfactory interview with program faculty
- Current Pennsylvania RN license if applicant to nurse practitioner certificate program
The School of Nursing also offers coursework that allows students to obtain level-one school nurse certification through the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
BSN to PhD Program
The School of Nursing offers a BSN to PhD program, in which a student with a BSN can be admitted directly into the doctoral program. In addition to completing all of the requirements for the traditional doctoral program, the BSN to PhD student completes 30-33 credits at the master's level prior to beginning doctoral level course work. Detailed requirements for this program are included in the section describing the Doctor of Philosophy degree. This program is particularly appealing to nurses who wish to pursue a career in nursing research. Interested applicants should contact the Student Services Office at 412-624-4586 for further information.
RN Options
RN to BSN and RN to MSN options provide a quality affordable way for registered nurses to earn their degrees. Courses are individually tailored to meet the specific needs of RNs and are consistent with adult learning principles. Each course focuses on specific knowledge and skills needed in the workplace to keep pace with rapid changes in healthcare. Detailed requirements for these programs are included in the RN option section of the undergraduate bulletin.
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