Academic Programs

Undergraduate

The Sinclair School of Nursing provides three different options to earn your Bachelor of science degree.

Nursing

Bachelor’s

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) curriculum encompasses general, foundational, and professional studies within a liberal arts education. Nursing knowledge is developmental in nature; each course is designed to build on knowledge and skills acquired in previous nursing and non-nursing courses.

Degree paths

Traditional BSN

4-year program for undergraduate students.

Accelerated BSN

15-month, on-campus option for students with a degree other than nursing.

RN-to-BSN Online

14-month, online option for registered nurses looking to complete their BSN.

Graduate

Invest in your future with an online graduate degree from The Sinclair School of Nursing. Our accredited programs are nationally ranked and strategically designed to meet the needs of professionals. Our graduate programs are developed by the same exceptional professors that teach on our campuses, meaning you receive a full-strength education that will transform you for life.

Nursing

Master’s
laptop_chromebookOnline

The Master of Science (Nursing) — or MS(N) degree program — prepares nurses with post-baccalaureate or post-graduate degrees for roles as nurse educators, nurse leaders, and advanced practice nurses.

Emphasis areas

Adult Gerontology

The Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist MS(N) program curriculum prepares nurses as expert clinicians to provide direct patient care from wellness through acute care with a focus on complex and vulnerable adult and older adult populations. The Adult Geriatric Clinical Nurse Specialist student will also be prepared to influence care outcomes by acting as a resource and providing expert consultation for nursing staff and other health professionals by implementing evidence based practice initiatives to support improvements in health care delivery systems.

Family Nurse

Students who pursue the Family Nurse Practitioner MS(N) will be prepared to deliver evidence-based comprehensive primary healthcare to individuals of all ages, from birth through older adulthood, including the diagnoses and treatment of common acute episodic health problems and the management of chronic diseases. The student will utilize current research to provide health education to individuals and families and demonstrate expertise in health promotion and disease prevention. The student will be prepared to work independently and collaboratively to integrate advanced knowledge in the delivery of care to all populations including rural and other under-served communities.

Leadership

The MS(N) Leadership curriculum provides core master’s coursework in combination with leadership specialty courses. Leadership specialty courses focus on principles of leadership within healthcare organizations, management of human resources, health care financial management, and managing quality, safety and performance outcomes.

Nurse Educator

The MS(N) Educator curriculum provides core master’s coursework in combination with leadership specialty courses. Educator specialty courses focus on advanced knowledge in teaching strategies and curriculum development as well as advanced knowledge in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and advanced health assessment

Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist

The Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist MS(N) program curriculum prepares nurses as expert clinicians to provide direct patient care from wellness through acute care with a focus on complex and vulnerable pediatric populations. The Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist student will also be prepared to influence care outcomes by acting as a resource and providing expert consultation for nursing staff and other health professionals by implementing evidence based practice initiatives to support improvements in health care delivery systems.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner area of study will prepare students as primary pediatric nurse clinicians providing comprehensive healthcare from birth through young adulthood by assessment, diagnosis, management, and evaluation of care. Special emphasis is placed on the knowledge, skills, and expertise to emphasize health promotion, injury and disease prevention, and management in coping with chronic illness among children.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner area of study will prepare students to deliver evidence-based advanced primary mental health care to individuals of all ages (e.g., children, adolescents, adults) and their families in a variety of healthcare settings, including in rural and underserved populations.

Doctoral
laptop_chromebookOnline

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program (DNP) prepares nurses to develop clinical programs based on the latest evidence. The student will choose an area of study on which to focus their clinical practice. Successful completion of the program prepares nurses for an advanced clinical practice in primary care, hospital and community settings as well as leadership roles in practice settings and clinical faculty positions.

Emphasis areas

Adult-Gerontology

Students who pursue the Clinical Nurse Specialist area of study will be prepared as expert clinicians in a specialized area of nursing practice (Adult-Gerontology). In addition to providing direct patient care, Clinical Nurse Specialists influence care outcomes by providing expert consultation for nursing staff and by implementing evidence-based practice initiatives to support improvements in health care delivery systems.

Family Nurse Practitioner

Students who pursue the Family Nurse Practitioner area of study will be prepared as primary care nurse clinicians providing comprehensive healthcare from birth through older adulthood. Family Nurse Practitioners diagnose and treat common acute episodic health problems, manage chronic diseases, provide health education to individuals and families with expertise in health promotion and disease prevention.

Nursing Leadership & Innovations in Health Care

Students who pursue the Nursing Leadership and Innovations in Health Care emphasis area will be prepared to take on roles as advanced nursing leaders, impact systems by providing quality outcomes and the ability to lead change within the clinical, political or academic environments.

Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist

Students who pursue the Clinical Nurse Specialist area of study will be prepared as expert clinicians in a specialized area of nursing practice (Pediatric). In addition to providing direct patient care, Clinical Nurse Specialists influence care outcomes by providing expert consultation for nursing staff and by implementing evidence-based practice initiatives to support improvements in health care delivery systems.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care

Students who pursue the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner area of study will be prepared as primary pediatric nurse clinicians providing comprehensive healthcare from birth through young adulthood by assessment, diagnosis, management, and evaluation of care. Special emphasis is placed on the knowledge, skills, and expertise to emphasize health promotion, injury and disease prevention, and management in coping with chronic illness among children.

Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Students who pursue the Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner area of study will deliver evidence based advanced primary mental health care to individuals of all ages including children, adolescents and their families in a variety of healthcare settings. PMHNPs engage in independent and interdependent decision making, manage psychotropic medications, and deliver psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational interventions.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) program prepares clinical scholars, educators, and researchers for leadership roles in a variety of academic, industry, and healthcare settings. Because the knowledge and skills needed to produce excellent health-related research is not discipline specific, the PhD program does not require a prior degree in nursing. Indeed, we have had PhD students with academic preparation in health administration, health education, medical ethics, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, public health and social work.

Degree paths

Online PhD Program

laptop_chromebook

Our PhD Online program prepares clinical scholars, educators, and researchers for leadership roles in a variety of academic, industry, and healthcare settings. Because the knowledge and skills needed to produce excellent health-related research is not discipline specific, the PhD program does not require a prior degree in nursing.

International Residential PhD

Students who pursue the Nursing Leadership and Innovations in Health Care emphasis area will be prepared to take on roles as advanced nursing leaders, impact systems by providing quality outcomes and the ability to lead change within the clinical, political or academic environments.

Minor

The Minor in Nursing Education is open to graduate students in the Sinclair School of Nursing as well as nurses interested in teaching in a school of nursing who are graduate students in other departments on campus. This Minor prepares students in curriculum development, teaching strategies and skills in evaluating Healthcare strategies.

The Minor in Health System Innovations is open to graduate students who have a desire to understand growing innovative trends, who want to learn how to integrate innovation into health system organizations and who want to determine which innovative practices are financially viable to support health care institutions.

Certificates

An advanced nursing degree is not required for a Participatory Health Research certificate.

The Participatory Health Research Certificate is for graduates wanting to expand professional expertise in community partnerships, professional networking, Epidemiology and evaluating approaches for Health Systems.

Advanced Practice Certificates

For individuals who have already completed a graduate degree and are currently certified as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN).

The Family Nurse Practitioner Graduate Certificate – is for graduates certified as advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) wanting to deliver evidence based comprehensive primary healthcare to individuals of all ages, from birth through older adulthood.

The Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Certificate is for APRNs seeking skills as expert clinicians to provide direct patient care from wellness through acute care with a focus on complex and vulnerable adult and older adult populations. This certificate will also prepare students to influence care outcomes by acting as a resource and providing expert consultation for nursing staff and other health professionals by implementing evidence-based practice initiatives to support improvements in health care delivery systems.

The Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist Certificate will prepare APRN students in direct patient care from wellness through acute care with a focus on complex and vulnerable pediatric populations. The Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist student will also be prepared to influence care outcomes by acting as a resource and providing expert consultation for nursing staff and other health professionals by implementing evidence based practice initiatives to support improvements in health care delivery systems.

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) Certificate will prepare APRN students as expert clinicians to deliver evidence based advanced primary mental health care to individuals of all ages (e.g., children, adolescents, adults) and their families in a variety of healthcare settings, including in rural and underserved populations.