Master of Science in Nursing

For information on admissions requirements and deadlines, click here.

For additional information, you can contact the Graduate Student Services Coordinator Mrs. Lynne McGuirt, MA, at (864) 250-8881 or via email at lgm@clemson.edu

The Master of Science degree program with a major in nursing is designed to build upon the first professional degree. The student may select one of the six study options:

• Child/adolescent nursing (CNS): Prepares nurses to practice at an advanced level with clinical expertise in maternal/child/adolescent nursing.
• Adult/gerontological nursing (CNS): Includes a clinical focus on the primary care of adults and elderly clients. Graduates are eligible to sit for national certification examination in their speciality.
• Family nurse practitioner (FNP): Focuses on primary care of individuals and families. Students receive a concentration of clinical experiences for each age group, culminating in a final practicum where students synthesize knowledge for application across the lifespan. Upon completion of the program, students are eligible for national certification as Family Nurse Practitioners. The post-master's option is designed for master's-prepared nurses who want to obtain knowledge, skills, and certification as Advanced Practice Nurses or Family Nurse Practitioners to expand their options in a changing health care system.
• Gerontological nurse practitioner (GNP): Focuses on primary care of older adults and features courses in mental health and nursing informatics. Graduates are eligible for national certification as Gerontological Nurse Practitioners. Nurses choose to work in gerontology for many reasons. First, there are expanding career opportunities. More people are living longer, resulting in a demand for nurses with knowledge and expertise in aging. Second, gerontology is very diverse, offering many different employment opportunities, such as working with health and active older adults or the frail elderly, or starting your own business in home health care. Third, the field offers multidisciplinary opportunities to work with professionals from many other disciplines. Fourth and finally, gerontology offers the potential to make a difference in the lives of older adults.
• Nursing administration: Designed to meet the needs of nurses in administration and management positions in a variety of health care settings. The curriculum focuses on the knowledge and skills of leadership development, organizational development and change, social, political, ethical and economic issues, as well as budgetary considerations. The program was recently revised with input from key nursing administrators in the region.
• Nursing education: Designed to prepare nurses as college teachers of nursing and for staff development and continuing education. The courses address curriculum development, current issues, and research in teaching and learning, including a variety of classroom and clinical teaching and learning styles. The educational technology course allows nurse educators to master technology in order to create an optimal learning environment. The education option is offered in conjunction with the clinical specialties (CNS or NP) or administrative majors.

The nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist options articulate with the baccalaureate program in the continued acquisition of advanced nursing knowledge and skills of the specialist. This specialization builds toward advanced nursing practice in selected clinical practice and role areas. Theory, research and role development are emphasized to enable the graduate to participate in the development of nursing knowledge and contribute to the advancement of the nursing profession.

Selected program offerings are available to off-campus students at the University Center in Greenville, South Carolina.

Resources

Clemson University's Graduate School

Objectives

The objectives of the Master of Science degree program with a major in nursing are to provide graduates with the ability to:

1. integrate advanced knowledge from nursing and related disciplines into a specialized area of nursing practice,
2. demonstrate competence in a selected functional role (clinical specialist, nurse practitioner, nursing administration, or nursing education),
3. evaluate and apply research findings from nursing and related disciplines to advanced nursing practice,
4. participate in the development of nursing knowledge by identifying researchable nursing problems, conducting research, and selectively integrating research findings in advanced nursing practice;
5. utilize leadership, management, teaching knowledge, and competency to influence nursing practice,
6. participate as a leader to influence health policy and improve healthcare delivery systems, and
7. contribute to the advancement of the nursing profession.

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting University admission requirements, applicants should:

1. be graduates of a nationally accredited baccalaureate nursing program,
2. have completed an undergraduate statistics course,
3. demonstrate evidence of current basic client assessment skills, and
4. have documented, recent, significant clinical practice (defined as 600 hours during the 12 months prior to acceptance into the program).

To comply with clinical agency contract requirements and South Carolina law, students enrolled in nursing courses with a clinical laboratory must meet specific requirements listed in the School of Nursing Student Handbook.

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