Specialization as an Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Specialization as an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
Specialization as an Family Nurse Practitioner
Specialization in Nursing Education
Check departmental information for any additional requirements.
A minimum of five semesters is required for completion of the M.S. in nursing program. Study in the M.S. program may be full or part time. 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 population-focused area. Students in the advanced practice specializations are qualified to take 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 for the specialization to which admitted.
Current licensure with no encumbrance as a registered nurse in Illinois is prerequisite to enrollment in all nursing courses unless otherwise specified. Enrollment in the internship courses (NURS 603, NURS 623, NURS 633, NURS 653, NURS 663, and NURS 673) 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. All internship courses are permit courses. To obtain a permit for the course, the internship procedures and course pre- and co-requisites must be followed.
All clinical requirements must be maintained as outlined in the Graduate Nursing Student Handbook.
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 finalize their plan of study in consultation with an assigned adviser. 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.