M.S.N. Specializations

Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner Program

The role of a Nurse Practitioner (FNP) is a highly sought level of practice in the nursing profession, and demand is projected to continue increasing. This specialization within the M.S.N. program is designed to be flexible for working nurses, and helps develop expertise in delivery of advanced health services and health promotion through evidence-based practice. Graduates of this specialization will be prepared to provide a wide range of preventive and acute health care services to individuals of all ages.

The M.S.N.-Family Nurse Practitioner program is a 46-credit curriculum with a combination of synchronous online courses and 630 clinical practice hours.

M.S.N Core

  • NUR5000 Transition to Advanced Nursing Practice: Expanded Practice, Communication, and Collaboration
  • NUR5005 Population Health in a Global Society, Legislation and Social Policy
  • NUR6000 Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice

Direct Care Core

  • MED5005 Advanced Clinical Pharmacology
  • MED5000 Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology
  • NUR6010 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (45 clinical hours offsite) 

FNP Clinical Component

  • NUR6030 Primary Care for Adolescents and Adult Patients
  • NUR6035 Clinical I: Advanced Practice Nursing in Adolescents and Adults Care (180 clinical hours offsite with 2 onsite simulations)
  • NUR6040 Primary Care for Geriatric Patients
  • NUR6045 Clinical II: Advanced Practice Nursing in Geriatric Care (135 clinical hours offsite)
  • NUR6050 Primary Care for Pediatric Patients
  • NUR6055 Clinical III: Advanced Practice Nursing in Pediatric Care (90 clinical hours offsite)
  • NUR6060 Primary Care for Maternal-Child
  • NUR6065 Clinical IV: Advanced Practice Nursing in Women’s Health and Perinatal Care (90 clinical hours offsite)
  • NUR7035 Advanced Practice Nursing in Family Practice Capstone (90 clinical hours offsite)

SAMPLE PROGRAM SEQUENCE - FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER - PART-TIME

SAMPLE PROGRAM SEQUENCE - FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER - FULL-TIME

The Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner specialization track is designed for clinicians who have experience in direct patient care, defined as nursing care provided to individuals or families intended to achieve specific health goals or achieve selected health outcomes. Direct care may be provided in a wide range of settings, including acute and critical care, long-term care, home health, community-based settings, and educational settings. Nurses who work in indirect patient care are not eligible for this specialization track. Indirect patient care refers to nursing decisions, actions, or interventions that are provided through or on behalf of individuals, families, or groups and while they may be responsible for nurses providing direct care, they do not provide direct care themselves, making them ineligible for the program. The following will be the admission requirements for the M.S.N Family Nurse Practitioner specialization track. The admission requirements are used to identify those students who are most likely to complete the program.

  1. Applicants must provide authorization for a criminal background check prior to being accepted into the program. In instances where a student’s criminal background check contains information related to past criminal activity, Berkeley College may not make an offer of Admission into the program or guarantee that it will find suitable clinical placement(s) since the decision to allow students to complete clinical rotations is at the sole discretion of the clinical affiliate.
  2. Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree, including course work in statistics, research, and physical assessment.
  3. GPA 3.0*: Minimum GPA of 3.0 from all previous institutions attended for undergraduate degree, including if they attended Berkeley College, (but all transcripts are reviewed regardless of the program) and past performance in sciences are strong indicators.
  4. Possess a current unencumbered, unrestricted license as a registered nurse (RN) in the state of residence or APRN certification in states where the APRN is an upgrade of the RN license resulting in only one license that is both an RN and an APRN license.
  5. A personal Goal Statement to reflect personal and professional career goals for graduate education (rationale and goals for the selected area of advanced practice must be included).
  6. Two letters of recommendation from professionals at the Master's or Doctoral degree level, such as a nurse or physician, who can attest to the applicant’s ability to be successful in our program, aligning with program outcomes.
  7. Applicants must submit a recent curriculum vitae (CV) listing all professional experience showing a minimum of one year of full-time work experience as a registered nurse (RN) within the last three years, related to the area of specialization. Applicants must be employed in direct patient care settings at the time of application.
  8. Current BLS, ACLS and PALS certification.
  9. Final acceptance into the program will be determined by the Graduate Nursing Programs Admissions Committee composed of nursing and School of Health science faculty, nursing administrators, and M.S.N. Admission Director.

An offer of admission will be valid for 12 months from the start date of the program. Applicants denied admission will be allowed to reapply after 180 days. 

* Applicants not meeting GPA requirement of 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission with the following provision: Student will take six (6) credits of graduate courses at Berkeley College. Students will be required to demonstrate successful graduate work with a GPA of 3.0 at the end of the first semester in order to progress in the program. Students not achieving a 3.0 GPA at the end of the first semester will be dismissed from the program.

Master of Science in Nursing - Leadership and Management

The M.S.N. - Leadership and Management specialization educational curriculum is designed to prepare nurse generalists to function at a high level as nurse administrators, nurse managers and quality/risk managers, and as effective clinical leaders in various healthcare settings. The M.S.N. - Leadership and Management specialization explores a wide variety of essential topics and the role of the nurse leader in promoting health, reducing risk, and improving point-of-care outcomes. The program is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to guide strategic initiatives within the healthcare system and advance their nurse leadership career.

The M.S.N. Leadership and Management program is designed as a flexible, 37-credit curriculum that can be completed in an online synchronous format.

M.S.N. Core

  • NUR5000 Transition to Advanced Nursing Practice: Expanded Practice, Communication, and Collaboration
  • NUR5005 Population Health in a Global Society, Legislation and Social Policy
  • NUR5015 Effective Leadership in Healthcare Organizations
  • NUR6000 Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice

Direct Care Core

  • MED5000 Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology

Leadership and Management

  • HEA6000 Managing Complex Healthcare Systems
  • HEA5000 Healthcare Informatics and Data Analytics
  • HEA6005 Health Care Economics and Policy
  • NUR6005 Evaluation of Health and Clinical Outcomes
  • HRM5000 Human Resources Management in Healthcare Organizations
  • NUR7000 Advanced Nursing Practice Leadership Role Synthesis: Capstone
  • NUR7005 Application of Advanced Nursing Leadership Strategies: Practicum (90 hours off-site) Practicum hours can be completed in any State. The facility needs to be approved.

     

SAMPLE PROGRAM SEQUENCE - LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT - PART-TIME

SAMPLE PROGRAM SEQUENCE - LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT - FULL-TIME

The following will be the admission requirements for the M.S.N.-Leadership and Management specialization track. The admission requirements are used to identify those students who are most likely to complete the program.

  1. Students must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree, including course work in statistics, research, and physical assessment.
  2. GPA 3.0*: Minimum GPA of 3.0 from all previous institutions attended for undergraduate degree, including if they attended Berkeley College, (but all transcripts are reviewed regardless of the program) and past performance in sciences are strong indicators.
  3. Possess a current unencumbered, unrestricted license as a registered nurse (RN) in the state of residence or APRN certification in states where the APRN is an upgrade of the RN license resulting in only one license that is both an RN and an APRN license.
  4. A personal Goal Statement to reflect personal and professional career goals for graduate education (rationale and goals for the selected area of advanced practice must be included).
  5. Two letters of recommendation from professionals at the Master’s or Doctoral level, such as a registered nurse or physician, who can attest to the applicant’s ability to be successful in our program, aligning with program outcomes.
  6. Final acceptance into the program will be determined by the Graduate Nursing Programs Admissions Committee composed of School of Health Studies faculty, nursing administrators, and M.S.N. Admission Director.

Applications are accepted on a rolling admission for all options except Family Nurse Practitioner. An offer of admission will be valid for 12 months from the start date of the program. Applicants denied admission will be allowed to reapply after 180 days. 

* Applicants not meeting GPA requirement of 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission with the following provision: Student will take six (6) credits of graduate courses at Berkeley College. Students will be required to demonstrate successful graduate work with a GPA of 3.0 at the end of the first semester in order to progress in the program. Students not achieving a 3.0 GPA at the end of the first semester will be dismissed from the program.

Master of Science in Nursing - Nurse Educator

The M.S.N. Nurse Educator specialization track provides advanced graduate nursing education for academic and/or clinical practice nurse educator roles. The Nurse Educator specialization curriculum is designed to develop foundational knowledge in program and curriculum development, teaching, and evaluation for academic and clinical settings. The program provides students with opportunities to explore the intersection of curriculum and instructional design technology-infused 21st century teaching and learning environments. Students learn how to develop effective nursing curricula and instruction that cultivate interactive classrooms and enhance student learning.

The M.S.N. Nurse Educator program is designed as a flexible, 36-credit curriculum that can be completed in an online synchronous format with 2 full days on campus.

M.S.N. Core

  • NUR5000 Transition to Advanced Nursing Practice: Expanded Practice, Communication, and Collaboration
  • NUR5005 Population Health in a Global Society, Legislation and Social Policy
  • NUR5015 Effective Leadership in Healthcare Organizations
  • NUR6000 Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice

Direct Care Core

  • MED5005 Advanced Clinical Pharmacology
  • MED5000 Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology
  • NUR6010 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (45 hours simulated training with 2 full days on campus)
Nursing Education Courses
  • NUR6015 Curriculum Development, Evaluation, and Outcomes Assessment in Nursing Education
  • NUR6020 Student-Centered Learning: Classroom Teaching Strategies
  • NUR7010 Clinical Teaching Strategies and Evaluation
  • NUR7015 Advanced Nursing Educator Role Synthesis-Capstone
  • NUR7020 Application of Advanced Nursing Educator Role: Practicum (90 hours offsite) Practicum hours can be completed in any State. The facility needs to be approved. 

SAMPLE PROGRAM SEQUENCE - NURSE EDUCATOR - PART-TIME

SAMPLE PROGRAM SEQUENCE - NURSE EDUCATOR - FULL-TIME

The following will be the admission requirements for the M.S.N.-Nurse Educator specialization track. The admission requirements are used to identify those students who are most likely to complete the program.

  1. Students must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree, including course work in statistics, research, and physical assessment.
  2. GPA 3.0*: Minimum GPA of 3.0 from all previous institutions attended for undergraduate degree, including if they attended Berkeley College, (but all transcripts are reviewed regardless of the program) and past performance in sciences are strong indicators.
  3. Possess a current unencumbered, unrestricted license as a registered nurse (RN) in the state of residence or APRN certification in states where the APRN is an upgrade of the RN license resulting in only one license that is both an RN and an APRN license.
  4. A personal Goal Statement to reflect personal and professional career goals for graduate education (rationale and goals for the selected area of advanced practice must be included).
  5. Two letters of recommendation from professionals at the Master’s or Doctoral level, such as a registered nurse or physician, who can attest to the applicant’s ability to be successful in our program, aligning with program outcomes.
  6. Final acceptance into the program will be determined by the Graduate Nursing Programs Admissions Committee composed of School of Health Studies faculty, nursing administrators, and M.S.N. Admission Director.

Applications are accepted on a rolling admission for all options except Family Nurse Practitioner. An offer of admission will be valid for 12 months from the start date of the program. Applicants denied admission will be allowed to reapply after 180 days. 

* Applicants not meeting GPA requirement of 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission with the following provision: Student will take six (6) credits of graduate courses at Berkeley College. Students will be required to demonstrate successful graduate work with a GPA of 3.0 at the end of the first semester in order to progress in the program. Students not achieving a 3.0 GPA at the end of the first semester will be dismissed from the program.

Master of Science in Nursing - Public Health and Emergency Management

The M.S.N. in Public Health and Emergency Management specialization track is designed to train students to serve in the role of public health nursing. The roles of public health nurses center around the prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks through screening and early detection initiatives, promoting the health of new mothers and their babies through pre-and post-natal care, and preventing domestic violence and child abuse through education and awareness campaigns. Students will learn to use systems-thinking clinical approaches to advocate for resources and policies to improve the health of all populations, locally and globally. This specialization track curriculum offers a blend of advanced public health foundational knowledge, community health administration and research, and emergency preparedness and disaster response.

The M.S.N. in Public Health and Emergency Management program is designed as a flexible, 37-credit curriculum that can be completed in an online synchronous format.

M.S.N. Core

  • NUR5000 Transition to Advanced Nursing Practice: Expanded Practice, Communication, and Collaboration
  • NUR5005 Population Health in a Global Society, Legislation and Social Policy
  • NUR5015 Effective Leadership in Healthcare Organizations
Public Health and Emergency Management Courses
  • NUR6000 Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice
  • PBH5000 Public Health Foundations and Systems
  • PBH6000 Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Response
  • SCI6000 Epidemiological Assessment Strategies
  • PBH6005 Populations at Risk: Collaboration with Vulnerable Populations

Nursing Public Health Courses

  • NUR6070 Public Health Nursing Interventions
  • NUR6005 Evaluation of Health and Clinical Outcomes
  • NUR7025 Advanced Nursing Practice in Population Health-Capstone
  • NUR7030 Application of Advanced Nursing Strategies: Population Health Practicum (90 hours offsite) Practicum hours can be completed in any State. The facility needs to be approved.

     

SAMPLE PROGRAM SEQUENCE - PUBLIC HEALTH AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT - PART-TIME

SAMPLE PROGRAM SEQUENCE - PUBLIC HEALTH AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT - FULL-TIME

The following will be the admission requirements for the M.S.N.-Public Health and Emergency Management specialization track. The admission requirements are used to identify those students who are most likely to complete the program.

  1. Students must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree, including course work in statistics, research, and physical assessment.
  2. GPA 3.0*: Minimum GPA of 3.0 from all previous institutions attended for undergraduate degree, including if they attended Berkeley College, (but all transcripts are reviewed regardless of the program) and past performance in sciences are strong indicators.
  3. Possess a current unencumbered, unrestricted license as a registered nurse (RN) in the state of residence or APRN certification in states where the APRN is an upgrade of the RN license resulting in only one license that is both an RN and an APRN license.
  4. A personal Goal Statement to reflect personal and professional career goals for graduate education (rationale and goals for the selected area of advanced practice must be included).
  5. Two letters of recommendation from professionals at the Master’s or Doctoral level, such as a registered nurse or physician, who can attest to the applicant’s ability to be successful in our program, aligning with program outcomes.
  6. Final acceptance into the program will be determined by the Graduate Nursing Programs Admissions Committee composed of School of Health Studies faculty, nursing administrators, and M.S.N. Admission Director.

Applications are accepted on a rolling admission for all options except Family Nurse Practitioner. An offer of admission will be valid for 12 months from the start date of the program. Applicants denied admission will be allowed to reapply after 180 days. 

* Applicants not meeting GPA requirement of 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission with the following provision: Student will take six (6) credits of graduate courses at Berkeley College. Students will be required to demonstrate successful graduate work with a GPA of 3.0 at the end of the first semester in order to progress in the program. Students not achieving a 3.0 GPA at the end of the first semester will be dismissed from the program.