This article is written primarily for those who have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and are now looking to study for a master’s. The schools covered were given the highest rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Most offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctor’s degrees in nursing, and all their programs require that candidates take as prerequisites courses not only in biology, but in English and social sciences. Those working towards a bachelor’s degree study the basics; courses in the master’s and doctor’s are naturally more complex and advanced. There are two doctorates in nursing— Doctor of Science in Nursing (D.S.N.), for advancing the practice, and Ph.D., for advancing the science.
John Hopkins University in Baltimore (rated 4.6 — the highest in the nation)
Prerequisites for the baccalaureate are courses in the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, and statistics, plus electives from any academic discipline. Optionally, students can take a 13½- month accelerated program, in which all the subjects covered in the traditional program are compressed into a shorter time period. Classes include: Professional Concepts and Issues; Principles of Pathophysiology; Patient- Centered Care; Issues in Aging; and Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. Upon completion of this program, students may take the National Council Licensure Examination and receive their registered nurse licenses.
Courses for a master’s include Philosophical, Theoretical and Ethical Basis for Nursing; Advanced Health and Measurement; and Advanced Practice in Primary Care— Adult (I and II). The doctor’s degree program involves both the two degrees mentioned in the introduction. Students wishing to study online may take the Clinical Nurse Specialist or Health Systems Management (both master’s programs), or an Applied Health Informatics Program, a Nurse Educator Certificate, or a Forensic Nursing Certificate.
John Hopkins also offers an Accelerated BS to MSN with Paid Clinical Residency to prepare students for a career as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. Under this system, the student who has completed the Accelerated Baccalaureate Program can work at a hospital affiliated with the university, while continuing to study part- time for a master’s degree. There is also an individualized program called the Combined BS to MSN Option, whereby students can study as much as is necessary for both the bachelor’s and master’s, within the time required to complete only the latter.
The University of California at San Francisco (rated 4.5)
The University of California- San Francisco has the master’s and Ph.D. programs only. There are many master’s specialty areas, including Critical Care/ Trauma Nursing, Cardiovascular Nursing, Midwifery/ Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, Gerontological Nursing, Oncology Nursing, and Family Nurse Practitioner; and each has a core curriculum and a specialty curriculum.
For example, Oncology Nursing’s core courses include Advanced Scholarship in Research and Program Development & Management, while its specialty courses include Cancer Prevention & Early Detection and Common Problems in Cancer Care. Students can also minor in genomics, HIV/ AIDS, health policy, and psychiatric mental health nursing.
The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (rated 4.4)
The baccalaureate in nursing program may be either a traditional B.S.N. or an Accelerated Second Career. Again, the latter compresses the course material temporally. Those enrolled in it may benefit from the Second Career Alumni Mentoring Program. The master’s can be taken through Acute, Critical & Long-Term Care Programs, Nursing Business & Health Systems, Health Promotion & Risk Reduction, or a certificate program. And in addition to the doctor’s program, the U of M at Ann Arbor offers post- master’s certification options.
Specialties in nursing
Most nurses work in hospitals, but some are privately hired. Others work in factories, banks, stores or as nursing practitioners.
