Graduate Program

The College of Nursing offers four graduate degrees:

Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.)
Post-Master’s Certificate
Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D.)

General information for each of these degrees is available on this page. General information and requirements are also described on this page; see sidebar links for detailed information specific to each degree.

All students seeking admission to graduate studies must meet the University and College of Nursing requirements set forth in this catalog. Please check the College of Nursing Web site for application information.

Graduate Course Work Without a License to Practice Nursing

Students may take graduate courses without a clinical component even if they are not licensed to practice nursing in the state of New Mexico. This may apply to non-degree students prior to application for admission to the program, individuals awaiting licensure by examination or reciprocity, individuals taking Web courses or individuals from other disciplines taking graduate nursing courses as electives. For any course having a required clinical component, the student must be licensed in the state in which they are completing the clinical experience.

Academic Regulations

Graduate students must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0 to remain in good academic standing. No more than 6 credit hours of course work graded C, C+, or CR may be credited toward the graduate degree. Individual graduate nursing concentrations may impose more rigorous academic standards for their clinical courses. Graduate students who do not earn a passing grade or better (as defined by the concentration) in any graduate nursing course on a second attempt are not allowed to progress. Graduate nursing students receiving less than a passing grade in any two nursing courses are also not allowed to progress in the College of Nursing. Students must wait one year before reapplying to the College of Nursing. Courses taken during the year cannot be counted in the program of studies. Prior to repeating a nursing course, the graduate student’s record is reviewed by an academic advisor. Progress will be monitored by an academic advisor.

NOTE: A grade of “B” or better is required for courses taken in non-degree status or at another university in order to be applied to the program of studies.

Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.)

Concentrations: nursing administration, nursing education, community health, acute care nurse practitioner adult/gerontology(ACNP), family nurse practitioner (FNP), pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) and nurse-midwifery (NM). Please see the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) Concentrations section for details on objectives and curriculum requirements, and which concentrations are currently accepting applications.

NOTE: A minimum enrollment is required for a concentration or course to be offered.

The College of Nursing offers the Master of Science in Nursing under either Plan I (with thesis) or Plan II (without thesis). Students must meet the general University requirements for Plan I or Plan II as set forth earlier in this catalog. Plan I requires a minimum of 30 credits (including 6 credits for thesis) in nursing and related subjects. Under Plan II a minimum of 32 credits in nursing and related subjects is required. Under both plans the student must complete the courses required for the chosen concentration. Although some concentrations may require many credits beyond the minimum, individual review of records may allow waiver of some of the concentration courses. The minimum credit requirement for Plan I (30) or Plan II (32) must be met by all degree-seeking candidates regardless of any course waivers. Requirements for individual concentrations are available from the concentration coordinators or the College of Nursing Advisement Office. Some concentrations require full-time study. Students should expect a minimum of three hours per week per credit for clinical involvement when taking clinical nursing courses.

The M.S.N. Program Objectives

Once completed, the graduate will be prepared to:

Analyze theoretical formulations as a basis for nursing practice, education and administration.
Apply and/or participate in research about health/illness and the practice of nursing.
Utilize advanced clinical knowledge and skill to promote, maintain and/or restore optimum wellness to client systems.
Assume leadership roles in nursing practice, education or administration.
Assume responsibility for developing health care policy relative to social, ethical, legal, economic and political issues that impact on nursing.
Organize and develop collaborative relationships for the improvement of health care on an agency, organizational or legislative level.
Synthesize knowledge from the biophysical, social and nursing sciences which affects health/illness behavior or client systems as a basis for nursing practice, education and administration.

Application Deadlines

Spring term Nursing Education: September 15

Summer term (Note: the FNP, PNP, NM, and ACNP concentrations accept applications for summer term only):
ACNP: October 1
FNP: November 1
PNP: November 1
Nurse-Midwifery: October 1

NOTE: Clinical courses cannot be taken until the student is accepted into the program and is eligible to be licensed as a registered nurse in New Mexico and/or state where clinical work will be done.

Admission Requirements

All students seeking acceptance to the College of Nursing graduate program must meet requirements for admission to the University. See the section in this catalog on the Graduate Program for information on University admission requirements.

Applications are only accepted through an online application process. Check the College of Nursing Web site for current application information. This application is in addition to the application for admission to the University as a graduate student.

Screening for admission to the College is conducted at periodic intervals. All applications, fees, official transcripts, and required documents must be received by the deadline. Students should submit applications early to allow for adequate advisement and processing of applications.

To be considered for acceptance into the graduate program, in nursing, applicants must:

Hold a bachelor’s degree (e.g., B.S.N.) from an accredited (N.L.N.A.C. or C.C.N.E.) nursing program, with an upper-division major in nursing. (Graduates from non-accredited programs and R.N.s with a baccalaureate degree in non-nursing fields are considered on an individual basis.) R.N.s with non-nursing baccalaureate have one opportunity to pass a Community Health test prior to the application deadline. Results of the exam must be received within 5 days of application deadline.
Have a minimum grade point average for baccalaureate work of B (3.0) or better.
Submit the application, required academic records, and documents by deadline dates. See the College of Nursing Web site for further details.
Submit evidence of RN licensure (which must be kept current throughout enrollment in the program). If NCLEX results are pending at the time of application, applicant should indicate this in the personal statement, with copy of RN license submitted within the first term enrolled and prior to any clinical experience. Note: Active RN license is required for the state in which any lab or clinical work (inpatient or community) will be done. An active New Mexico RN license is required for students holding teaching or research assistantships.
An interview may be required for admission.

NOTES: Preference is given to New Mexico residents. (See College of Nursing home page for any updates.)
Physical assessment skills are required for clinical nursing courses. An upper-division statistics course is recommended as a prerequisite to the nursing research course (NURS 503).

College of Nursing graduate students can only apply 9 credits of non-degree course work to their program of studies.

Early application is recommended.

M.S.N. Degree Requirements

Core courses for all M.S.N. students:
NURS 501	Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing	3
NURS 503	Research in Nursing	3
NURS 504	Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare	3
NURS 505	Health Care Policy, Systems, and Financing for Advanced Practice Roles	3
	Total M.S.N. Core	12

Required clinical core courses for all students in advanced practice concentrations (ACNP, FNP, PNP, NM)
NURS 526	Pathophysiology in Advanced Practice Nursing	3
NURS 539	Advanced Pediatric Health and Development Assessment (PNP)	4
-or-
NURS 540	Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (ACNP, FNP, NM)	4
NURS 543	Pharmacological Principles of Clinical Therapeutics	3
	Total Clinical Core	10

Students must also complete the requirements for their chosen concentration, as well as a professional paper, applied examination or thesis. If students choose to write a thesis, they will enroll in six credits of NURS 599 Thesis instead of one credit of NURS 596 Professional Paper or one credit of NURS 597 Applied Examination. The paper or examination is completed in the last term of study.

Back to Graduate degree list.

Online Master’s Degree Options

Students may choose to obtain a master’s degree from The University of New Mexico College of Nursing by taking all courses on the Web, in the Nursing Administration and Nursing Education concentrations.

Students will discuss with their concentration advisor clinical requirements during course work. For any clinical experience, including the Fieldwork experience, out-of-state students will submit the resumes of two to three individuals, master’s prepared in Nursing at a minimum, who have expressed willingness to serve as a preceptor. The student and faculty advisor will then decide on the appropriate preceptor and, when necessary, a contract between the College of Nursing and the agency or institution will be prepared in advance.

NOTE: As these contracts sometimes take 12-16 weeks to prepare, advance planning is needed.

If site visits are required for any reason for out-of-state students, costs of such visits will be borne by the student and not the College of Nursing.

Priority for Enrollment in Web Courses

Only students who have been accepted into the College of Nursing degree programs will be allowed to enroll in any of the online core courses. Priority for enrollment in other master’s level Web courses will be given to students who have been accepted into the College of Nursing’s degree programs.

Drop Policy for Master’s Level Courses

At the discretion of the faculty teaching the course, students who do not appear in class or log into a Web course, or who have not made prior arrangements with faculty during the first week of the term may be dropped.

Minor in Nursing (Master’s Level Only)

The minor consists of 12 credits in non-clinical nursing courses, at least 6 credits of which must be core courses. Students may select the remaining 6 credits of non-clinical nursing courses with the approval of a College of Nursing faculty advisor.

Post-Master’s Certificate in Nursing

The Post-Master’s Certificate, also known as the Nursing Certificate Program (N.U.R.C.P.), offers students who hold a master’s degree in nursing an opportunity to specialize in an area of nursing not covered in their initial master’s program.

The program of studies consists of specialty courses in the chosen area (at least 15 graduate credit hours) to be designated by the Concentration Advisor or faculty in the specialty area, with approval from the Executive Dean. Course work must be completed within three years and a 3.0 (B) average is required. Contact concentration coordinator for admission and curriculum details.

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Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)

Program Objectives

The College of Nursing offers the Doctor of Nursing Practice. Graduates of D.N.P. programs are experts in designing, implementing, managing, and evaluating clinical care and health care delivery systems and are prepared to lead at the highest clinical executive ranks. This program’s focus is on the care of vulnerable, rural, and underserved populations.

Graduates of the D.N.P. program will be able to:

Critically examine research and scholarship to support evidence-based clinical practice.
Design and implement processes to evaluate outcomes and systems for health care delivery.
Influence health policy at institutional, local, state, and national levels.
Provide leadership and management of transdisciplinary team performance and outcomes in clinical patient care units and health systems.
Develop interdisciplinary standards.
Formulate strategies to maximize health in patient populations and to resolve health care dilemmas.
Reduce health care delivery disparities.

Application Deadlines

NEOL is the only concentration currently available (application accepted for summer term only).

Summer: NEOL December 1

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for the College of Nursing’s D.N.P. program are:

Master’s degree (M.S.N.) or equivalent (as defined by specific concentrations) from an accredited nursing program (National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education [CCNE] through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing are acceptable).
Completed UNM application.
Grade point average: It is desirable to have a master’s grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. However, all grade point averages higher than 3.0 will be given consideration.
Unencumbered RN license to practice in New Mexico.
A signed statement attesting to basic competency in such computer-based skills as word processing, e-mail, and web-based searching, as well as maintenance of access to the Internet, must accompany the application. The form can be found on the College of Nursing Web site.
Submission of evidence of clinical outcome measurements, scholarly ability, and the potential for clinical and scholarly growth. Examples include, but are not limited to: thesis, published or unpublished scholarly paper, process and quality improvement projects, or creative work.
A one-page statement from the individual reflecting experience in the discipline of nursing and outlining particular experiences with underserved or vulnerable populations.
A letter of intent that addresses individual professional and personal goals.
Brief two- to three-page resume that summarizes the applicant’s background.
Three letters of recommendation directly from persons who know the applicant professionally.
After initial screening, a select group of priority candidates will be interviewed by two faculty members, with the option for a phone interview for those unable to come to campus.
Exceptions to any program admission criterion will be considered on an individual basis and are at the discretion of the D.N.P. program committee with recommendation to the Executive Dean.

Capstone Committee

The D.N.P. Capstone is a final scholarly project. Students identify their project during the D.N.P. Capstone Seminar and continue to develop and implement it through subsequent terms under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The Capstone Project involves the identification and resolution of a practice problem through the scholarship of application; it requires practice inquiry and is grounded in a specific practice setting, with a specific population. The project is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee and carried out over multiple terms.

Core D.N.P. Degree Requirements

The College of Nursing’s D.N.P. program ranges from 34 to 36 academic credits, depending on the clinical concentration. Five concentration have been approved by the University of New Mexico: Nursing Executive Organizational Leadership (NEOL); Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP); Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP); Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP); Nurse Midwifery (NM). Please refer to the College of Nursing Web site (http://nursing.unm.edu/) for the availability of these programs.

The academic credits include didactic and clinical experiences; the minimal required clinical hours for nurses earning a D.N.P. is 500 hours. The core curriculum, below, is taken by all D.N.P. students, regardless of the clinical concentration.

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
NURS 620	Advanced Health Care Statistics	3
NURS 702	Applied Epidemiology in Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 703	Applied Clinical Research in Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 705	Financial Economics and the Business of Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 706	Organizational Systems and Quality Management for Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 795	Residency	1-10
NURS 796	D.N.P. Capstone Seminar	1
NURS 797	D.N.P. Capstone Project	1-8
	Total Core Credits	18-34

Please see the appropriate concentration for information on specific curriculum requirements.

Back to Graduate degree list.

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D.)

Program Objectives

The Ph.D. program prepares individuals who can assume leadership roles in academia, including the scholarship of teaching, research and professional service activities. The program focuses on nursing education and knowledge development in the provision of care for multicultural, rural and underserved populations; the improvement of nursing care outcomes of individuals, families and systems, with a special emphasis on women of all ages and children.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is offered in the College of Nursing; students may follow an individualized plan of study or a concentration in health policy.

The College of Nursing has both a master’s entry option and a B.S.N. entry option to the Ph.D. program. The Ph.D. program in nursing is offered under a part-time plan, requiring students to enroll in 6 credit hours each term (Summer, Fall, Spring), with full-time enrollment available most terms.

The Ph.D. Program is delivered online with attendance at a 1-week summer residency in Albuquerque required the first three years of enrollment in the Ph.D. program. After that time, yearly face-to-face meetings with the student’s Committee on Studies are required until completion of the Ph.D. degree. Attendance at the annual Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) Research Conference is required the first two years of enrollment, with attendance at WIN or another research conference approved by the student’s Committee on Studies each year until completion of the Ph.D. degree. Students are responsible for the cost of conference registration and travel to the meetings.

Note: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nursing and Health Policy Fellows (RWJF Nursing Fellows) follow a full-time plan. RWJF Nursing Fellows have additional meeting/conference requirements and face-to-face time in Albuquerque. (Other students in the Health Policy concentration may follow a part-time plan.) Contact the Director, RWJF Nursing & Health Policy Collaborative for details.

Graduates of the Ph.D. program will be able to:

Assume the role of the Ph.D. prepared nurse in teaching, scholarship, leadership, and service.
Accept the responsibility for self-directed scholarly development in an ongoing research program, focused on patient care improvement, especially for women, children, and families.
Conduct independent, formal inquiry pertaining to health care, reflective caring practice, critical synthesis of existing knowledge, and generation of new knowledge and theory.
Practice nursing reflectively, guided by theory, based on best evidence, and integrating creative and critical thinking.
Cultivate research expertise relative to a particular population, setting, or human response to health or illness.
Evaluate and critique social policy relevant to the organization and delivery of health care.

Students’ dissertation research may fall within the College of Nursing’s identified focus areas of health care needs of underserved and vulnerable populations--especially women, youth, and families--or some area identified by the student. Other College priorities include rural health, disease prevention, and health promotion.

The Ph.D. program is planned for part-time study. The part-time program is expected to take four to five years of part-time study for master’s prepared applicants, with an additional year for students admitted under the B.S.N. option. Students will be required to complete 6 credit hours of prescribed courses each term (fall, spring, summer) until completion of the coursework. Options exist for students who wish to complete the program faster. On acceptance into the program, each student will be required to commit to a program of studies.

Back to Graduate degree list.

Admission Requirements

General requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree are set forth in the University of New Mexico catalog. Specific requirements for the College of Nursing’s Ph.D. program are:

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (B.S.N.) or Master of Science in Nursing degree (M.S.N.) from an accredited nursing program (National League for Nursing or Commission on Credentialing of Nursing Education through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing). Students with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) and a master’s degree in another field will be considered on an individual basis for the master’s entry option.
A grade-point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Preference will be given to students with a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.
A signed statement indicating knowledge of computer literacy skills that include word processing, sending and receiving e-mail communications, and searching Web sites.
Three letters of recommendation from persons who know the applicant professionally and can attest to his/her academic ability. These letters must be submitted through the online application system.
Submission of a writing sample that demonstrates evidence of scholarly ability and the potential for scholarly growth. Examples include, but are not limited to, a thesis, a published or unpublished scholarly paper, or written creative work.
A one-page statement of the applicant’s experiences in the discipline of nursing, which highlights experiences with underserved or vulnerable populations.
A letter of intent that addresses professional and personal goals.
A brief two-to-three page resume that summarizes educational and professional background.
An upper-division or graduate-level statistics course completed within 3 years of the date of admission is highly recommended.
After initial screening, a select group of priority candidates will be interviewed. Interviews for admission will be conducted either in person or through interactive video technology.
Health requirements prescribed by the College of Nursing must be in compliance by the date of enrollment.
A valid R.N. license from any U.S. state, territory, or foreign country, which must be kept current throughout the program. Note that students holding teaching or research graduate assistantships must have an active New Mexico R.N. license (or multistate license).
Exceptions to any program admission criterion will be considered on an individual basis and are at the discretion of the Ph.D. Committee with recommendation to the Research Team Chair.

B.S.N. Entry to the Ph.D. Program

To be considered for the B.S.N. entry to the Ph.D. program, the applicant must have earned the B.S.N. degree prior to the start of classes for the Ph.D. program, and be licensed as a registered nurse within the first term of admission to the Ph.D. program. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program will complete 9 credits of M.S.N. core (501, 503, 505), and an additional 9 credits of graduate coursework focused on substantive nursing content and teaching. These 18 credits of bridge coursework are distinct from the credits required for the Ph.D., making 69 total coursework credits under the B.S.N. to Ph.D. option. The dissertation requirement remains the same at 18 credits (per UNM requirements).

M.S.N. En Route to the Ph.D.

Students admitted directly to the Ph.D. program without a master's degree in nursing may earn the M.S.N. degree en route to the Ph.D. in Nursing. A student earning the M.S.N. en route to the Ph.D. will not have an M.S.N. concentration, unless the student meets the specific M.S.N. concentration requirements. For students with a non-nursing master's degree, Ph.D. level courses will be allowed for all 12 credits of the M.S.N. core on a case-by-case basis. The remainder of the 32 credits for the M.S.N. en route to the Ph.D. (without a concentration) will consist of graduate-level courses approved by the student's Ph.D. Committee on Studies. The student will complete either NURS 596 or NURS 597 (Part 1) for the Plan II examination (or Ph.D. comprehensive examination, if approved by the Committee on Studies).

Ph.D. Committee on Studies/Comprehensive Examination Committee

By the end of the fourth term of enrollment, each Ph.D. student is required to assemble a Committee on Studies (COS). The COS guides the student in developing a plan of study that fosters a fundamental knowledge of the major field, both in depth and breadth. The COS typically consists of three College of Nursing faculty with tenure or tenure-track positions and holding regular graduate faculty approval. The COS serves as the student’s Ph.D. comprehensive examination committee.

The Application for Candidacy (AC) must be approved by the Committee on Studies prior to completion of the Ph.D. comprehensive examination. Once the Ph.D. comprehensive examination is passed and the Dean of Graduate Studies approves the AC, the student is advanced to doctoral candidacy, and must enroll in a minimum of 6 credit hours of dissertation (i.e., NURS 699) each term until the dissertation is completed.

Dissertation Committee

The Dissertation Committee typically includes the members of the Committee on Studies. (See requirements stated earlier in the catalog for steps in appointment of the committee.) One of the members of the COS typically serves as the Dissertation Committee Chair. In addition to the Chair and the two other members of the COS, the Dissertation Committee must include:

A required external member who holds a tenure or tenure-track appointment outside the student’s unit/department. This member may be from The University of New Mexico (must have regular graduate faculty approval) or from another accredited institution (must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies).
Note: An optional fifth member of the committee may be a non-faculty expert in the student’s major research area or a doctorally prepared member of the College of Nursing Clinical Educator Track with regular graduate approval.

Transfer of Courses

A limited number of courses may be considered for transfer to The University of New Mexico. To be transferable, course work must be no more than five years old at the time of application for candidacy and the transfer of credits must be approved by the student’s Committee on Studies.

Keys and Symbols Reference