Specialization in Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Specialization in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
Specialization in Family Nurse Practitioner
Specialization in Nursing Education
Check departmental information for any additional requirements.
A minimum of four semesters is required for completion of the M.S. in nursing program. Graduates are prepared for the nurse educator role or for an advanced practice role as either a nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist in a selected field of specialization and are eligible to sit for national examinations for certification as a family nurse practitioner, an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, or an adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist by completing the program with the appropriate specialization.
Current licensure with no encumbrance as a registered nurse in Illinois is prerequisite to enrollment in all nursing courses unless otherwise specified. Registered nurses who hold the baccalaureate in nursing may enroll in graduate nursing courses as students-at-large. With the approval of the student’s faculty adviser, a maximum of 9 semester hours of student-at-large credit may be applied to degree requirements. However, students-at-large who have not been admitted to a nursing program are not permitted to enroll in NURS 615 and NURS 618 and admitted students receive priority over students-at-large in registering for courses. (See “Admission” below.) Enrollment in the internship courses (NURS 677, NURS 678, NURS 679, NURS 643, and NURS 644) requires that planning be completed with appropriate faculty during the semester preceding each internship experience and that an intent to enroll form is completed one year prior to enrollment in the first internship.
To maintain enrollment in the graduate program, all clinical requirements are to be maintained throughout the nursing program as outlined in the Graduate Nursing Student Handbook.
All internship courses are permit courses. In order to receive a permit for the course a student must complete the appropriate prerequisite courses and submit documentation of compliance with clinical requirements to the College of Health and Human Sciences, Wirtz 227F. Clinical requirements include evidence of current registered nurse licensure, professional liability insurance, appropriate CPR certification, and required immunizations.
The graduate faculty may determine that a student not continue in the master’s program in nursing for failure to maintain professional standards.
Graduate students plan their program of study in consultation with an assigned adviser. With the advice and consent of the adviser, a student may elect a thesis option, which requires completion of an additional 3 semester hours. A maximum of 6 semester hours of credit may be transferred from another college or university.
The student learning outcomes for this degree are located at http://www.niu.edu/assessment/clearinghouse/outcomes/index.shtml.
Criminal Background Checks and Drug Screening
Students in nursing and the M.A.T. are required to undergo criminal background checks and drug screening. The nursing program and the M.A.T. with a specialization in health education may be unable to place students in a clinical or student teaching settings if they have a positive drug screen or if the student has a prior criminal record; therefore, the student may not be able to complete the program of required courses.
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