Graduate Program

Degrees Offered

Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.)
Post-Master’s Certificate in Nursing (NURCP)
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. Priority for enrollment is given to students who have been accepted into the College of Nursing’s degree programs. For any course having a required clinical component, students 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 is 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: ACNP Adult/Gerontology (AG-ACNP), Community Health, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Nurse-Midwifery (NM), Nursing Administration, Nursing Education, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP), and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Please see the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) Concentrations section of this Catalog 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 in the Graduate Program section of this Catalog. Plan I requires a minimum of 30 credit hours (including 6 credit hours for thesis) in nursing and related subjects. Under Plan II a minimum of 32 credit hours 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 credit hours beyond the minimum, individual review of records may allow waiver of some of the concentration courses. The minimum credit hour 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 hour for clinical involvement when taking clinical nursing courses.

The M.S.N. Program Objectives

Once completed, the graduate is 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 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 that affects health/illness behavior or client systems as a basis for nursing practice, education, and administration.

Application Deadlines

The AG-ACNP, FNP, NM, and PNP concentrations accept applications for Summer term only. The PNP concentration is not offered every year. For more information, including the PMHNP concentration application deadline, check the College of Nursing Web site.

Spring Term
Nursing Education: September 15

Summer Term
AG-ACNP: November 1
FNP: November 1
NM: October 1
PNP: November 1 (subject to change)

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 the state where clinical work is to 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 Graduate Program section of this Catalog 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 the 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, the applicant should indicate this in the personal statement, with a copy of the 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) is performed. 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 credit hours of non-degree course work to their program of studies.

Degree Requirements

Core courses for all M.S.N. students:

		Credit Hours
NURS 501	Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing	3
NURS 503	Research in Nursing	3
NURS 505	Health Care Policy, Systems, and Financing for Advanced Practice Roles	3
	Total M.S.N. Core	9

Required clinical core courses for all students in advanced practice concentrations:
(AG-ACNP, Education, FNP, NM, PNP, PMHNP)

		Credit Hours
NURS 526	Pathophysiology in Advanced Practice Nursing	3
NURS 523 -or- NURS 539 -or- NURS 540	Advanced Health Assessment for Nurse Educators (Education) Advanced Pediatric Health and Development Assessment (PNP) Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (AG-ACNP, FNP, NM, PMHNP)	2 3 3
NURS 543	Pharmacological Principles of Clinical Therapeutics	3
	Total Clinical Core	8-9

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 enroll in six credit hours of NURS 599 Thesis, instead of one credit hour of NURS 596 Professional Paper or one credit hour of NURS 597 Applied Examination. The paper or examination is completed in the last term of study.

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Early application is recommended.

Online Master’s Degree Options

Students may choose to obtain an online master’s degree in the Nursing Administration and Nursing Education concentrations by taking all courses on the Web. (Note: the Administration concentration is not currently accepting applications.)

Students discuss with their concentration advisor clinical requirements during course work. For any clinical experience, including the Fieldwork experience, out-of-state students 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 then decide on the appropriate preceptor and, when necessary, a contract between the College of Nursing and the agency or institution is 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 are borne by the student and not the College of Nursing.

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.

Graduate Minor in Nursing

The minor consists of 12 credit hours in non-clinical nursing courses, at least 6 credit hours of which must be core courses. Students may select the remaining 6 credit hours 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 (NURCP), 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. 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 a Post Masters’ Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree. 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.

There are 11 Student Learning Objectives expected of the University of New Mexico College of Nursing D.N.P. graduate:

Assume the role of the doctoral prepared nurse in teaching, scholarship, leadership, and service.
Apply analytic methods to create, evaluate, and adopt effective innovations to improve health.
Analyze, translate, and apply evidence to improve health outcomes.
Engage individuals and communities to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions to address their health disparities.
Facilitate optimal health outcomes through delivery of culturally sensitive care, including clinical prevention strategies, identification of risk, individualized interventions, and formation of therapeutic relationships with clients.
Apply clinical, community, and policy interventions to reduce health inequities.
Evaluate and critique social policy relevant to the organization and delivery of health care.
Integrate and evaluate information systems in patient care technology for clinical, research, and administrative best practices.
Apply leadership and advocacy skills in the development, implementation, and evaluation of health care organizations, delivery of care, and policy.
Utilize effective management and organizational skills to assume a leadership role in health care delivery, policy, and systems.
Practice nursing reflectively, guided by theory, based on best evidence and integrating creative and critical thinking.

Application Deadlines

Clinical concentration applications are accepted only once in a calendar year. The program begins in the summer. Clinical concentration application deadlines are noted on the College of Nursing Web site.

Nurse Executive Organizational Leadership (NEOL) concentration applications are accepted on a rolling admission process October through April. The program begins in the summer.

Admission Requirements for D.N.P. Concentrations

Exceptions to any concentration admission criterion (see below) are considered on an individual basis and are at the discretion of the D.N.P. program committee recommendations with approval by the Academic Dean.

Once admitted, students must fulfill the UNM Health Sciences Center’s (HSC) and College of Nursing deadlines during the first semester, including, but not limited to, immunization records, urine drug screen, background screenings, life support certifications, Bloodborne Pathogens and HSC HIPAA trainings.

Clinical Concentration Admission Criteria

Bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited school or university. (RN’s with baccalaureate degree in non-nursing fields are considered on an individual basis).
Master’s degree as an Advanced Practice Nurse, Certified Nurse Midwife or Clinical Nurse Specialist from a nationally accredited program.
Minimum GPA of 3.0 in nursing courses at the master’s level.
Current and unencumbered Registered Nurse and Advanced Practice or Midwifery license from the state in which the applicant will be completing their practicum, submitted with the application.
Current national certification in their specialty. A copy must be submitted with the application.
Agree to sign a commitment to enroll in the program of study with course sequencing, and must participate in the required annual D.N.P. residency week held on campus the summer semester of each year.
Participate in a personal interview (to be arranged by the D.N.P. Program Admissions Committee) and can be conducted in person, by phone, or Web-based conferencing.
Letter of intent which specifies short and long term professional goals, and a clear statement of how the D.N.P. will advance the applicant's clinical nursing practice.
Current Curriculum Vitae or Resume.
Two to three page essay that identifies a system or population focus and related health problem area the applicant intends to address as part of their D.N.P. program of scholarship.
Three professional references from those who know the applicant's work well and can comment on abilities to succeed in doctoral education and an advanced leadership role. At least one must be from an individual who has evaluated the applicant's work in the past, such as a professor or supervisor.
Official transcripts from each college or university ever attended.

Nurse Executive Organizational Leadership Concentration Admission Criteria

Must have either a B.S.N. or a Master’s degree in a related field (M.B.A., M.P.A., M.P.H., M.S.A.), or a Master's degree in Nursing with a Nurse Administration or related concentration (informatics, health policy, clinical, etc.), and have at least three years of progressive management experience, or the equivalent as determined by the application committee.
Applicants who do not meet the M.S.N. in Nursing Administration requirement are admitted to the D.N.P. NEOL program predicated on passing a compressive exam by the end of the first semester. Should the student not pass the examination, she/he is required to complete an Independent Study designed to address areas for improvement identified in the examination.
Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA at the master’s level (with a 3.5+ GPA preferred).
Minimum of three years in progressive nursing management or leadership practice management.
Must have a graduate level inferential statistics course within the past five years or complete one within the program of studies.
Current and unencumbered RN license from one of the 50 U.S. states or territories; if an advanced practice nurse or certified in a nursing specialty, a copy of the applicant's advanced practice license or certification must be submitted.
Must agree to sign a commitment to enroll in the program of studies course sequencing based on terms and must participate in the required annual D.N.P. residency week held on campus the summer term of each year.
Personal interview is arranged and can be conducted in person, by phone, or Web-based conferencing.
A letter of intent which specifies career goals and a clear statement of how the D.N.P. will advance the applicant’s executive administrative practice.
Current Curriculum Vitae or Resume.
Submission of either a two to three page scholarly document with a description or an example of a specific health care administrative problem that the applicant would like to see changed (preferably the D.N.P. Project idea), or a first-authored scholarly publication.
Three references from those who know the applicant’s work best and can comment on the applicant’s abilities to succeed in a higher level and advanced nursing executive role. These may be from a professor, supervisor, or colleague (no more than one may be from colleagues).
Official transcripts from each college or university attended.
Must have pre-arranged practice site(s) for the residency and capstone courses, and meet all clinical clearances and liability of those site(s). All practice sites, liabilities and clearances must be obtained by end of first term of enrollment.

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 Post Master’s D.N.P. program ranges from 35 to 37 credit hours, depending on the concentration.

The Clinical concentration is open to Nurse Practitioners (Adult-Gero-Acute Care, Family, Pediatric, Psychiatric, and Woman’s Health), Certified Nurse Midwives and Clinical Nurse Specialists.

The academic credit hours include didactic and clinical/practice experiences. The minimum required clinical/practice hours for nurses earning a Post Master’s D.N.P. is 500 hours. The core curriculum, below, is taken by all D.N.P. students, regardless of the concentration.

		Credit Hours
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	The Business and Policy of Practice and Their Influence on the U.S. Health Care System	3
NURS 706	Organizational Systems and Quality Management for Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 795	Advanced Nursing Practice Residency (minimum 2 credits required)	1-10
NURS 796	D.N.P. Capstone Seminar	1
NURS 797	D.N.P. Capstone Project (minimum 5 credits required)	1-8
	Total Core	18-34

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

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Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Nursing

Program Objectives

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program prepares individuals to design, conduct and communicate independent research, to collaborate with others in the conduct of research, and who can assume leadership roles in research, education, health care, and health policy to improve care and to advance the science of the discipline. The program focuses on nursing knowledge development in the provision of care for multicultural, rural, and underserved populations, and the improvement of nursing care outcomes of individuals, families, and systems.

The 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. (Note the Ph.D. program follows the term calendar of UNM.)

The Ph.D. Program is delivered online, with attendance at a one-week summer residency in Albuquerque required the first three years of enrollment in the 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.

Graduates of the Ph.D. program are able to:

Design, conduct, and communicate independent research for the generation of new knowledge and theory to provide creative solutions to health problems.
Demonstrate research expertise relative to a particular population, setting, or human response to health or illness.
Provide leadership in research, education, health care, and health policy to alleviate health disparities and improve care to diverse populations.
Collaborate with interdisciplinary and interprofessional teams to advance the science of health and represent the discipline of nursing.

Students’ dissertation research may fall within the College of Nursing’s identified focus areas of symptom management; child, adolescent, and women’s health; vulnerable populations, rural health, and health disparities; and systems and health policy.

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 are required to complete 6 credit hours of prescribed courses each term (Summer, Fall, Spring) until completion of the coursework. Options exist for students who wish to complete the program faster. On acceptance into the program, each student is required to work with a faculty advisor to develop and commit to a plan of study that will serve as a guide to individual progress.

Admission Requirements

General requirements for the Ph.D. degree are set forth in the Graduate Program section of this Catalog. Specific requirements for the College of Nursing’s Ph.D. program are:

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree or Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree 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 B.S.N. and a master’s degree in another field are 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 is 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 three years of the date of admission is highly recommended.
After initial screening, a select group of priority candidates are interviewed. Interviews for admission are 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 or 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 are considered on an individual basis and are at the discretion of the Ph.D. Committee with recommendation to the Research Chair.

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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 COS 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 COS. (See requirements stated in the Graduate Program section of this 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 credit hours must be approved by the student’s Committee on Studies.

Keys and Symbols Reference