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#The College of Nursing at Penn State

In Memoriam: Laurie Martin Gunter

The College of Nursing notes with sadness the passing of Laurie Martin Gunter, professor emeritus and former head of the Department of Nursing, on June 15, 2015.

Kitko chosen as 2015 Macy Faculty Scholar

Programs of Study

The College of Nursing features a complete range of undergraduate and graduate programs in nursing.

Associate Degree

The associate degree program (final class admitted fall 2014 ) prepares graduates for the registered nurse licensure examination and for employment in a variety of acute and long-term care settings.

Baccalaureate Degree

• the B.S.. for those students who are entering the four-year program of study for an initial professional degree
• the Second Degree program for those who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field
• the RN to B.S. for RNs who wish to complete the B.S. degree

Revised B.S. Nursing Admission Process Effective Fall 2012

The four-year General B.S. program in Nursing at University Park is through first-year admission only. Non–University Park campuses offer two points of entry to the General B.S. program: (1) first-year admission, and (2) a sophomore gateway review process. Students may not change majors into the four-year program. See the B.S. Program page for more information.

Master’s Degree

Our master's degree programs include an M.S.N. program with options for advanced nursing roles. Two options—Nurse Administrator and Nurse Educator —are offered fully online through Penn State World Campus. Nurse Practitioner options offered are Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP).

A B.S.–Ph.D. program incorporates an M.S. degree as preparation for the Ph.D.

Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program and Dual-Title Ph.D. in Nursing and Bioethics

The interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Nursing develops clinical scholars, faculty, and researchers who can teach and provide leadership through scientific inquiry and innovative practice. Individualized plans of study allow each student to develop depth of expertise and research capability within a specialized area that promotes career goals.

The purpose of the dual-title Ph.D. in Nursing and Bioethics is to provide nursing Ph.D. students with the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct research and the perspective necessary to fully engage ethical issues within the discipline of nursing, conduct original bioethics research, and produce bioethics-related scholarship.

The first two years of the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program are fully funded.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program (D.N.P.)

The D.N.P. program prepares nurse leaders for the highest level of clinical nursing practice. The core D.N.P. essentials include translation of research into practice, transformational leadership, and advanced expert nursing practice. Depending on educational background, the D.N.P. program has two entry options: directly from the B.S. (nursing) for nurse administrators, or post-M.S.N. for nurse administrators and advanced practice nurses.

College of Nursing Highlights

– Offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs to more than 2,500 students annually at 13 Penn State campuses

– Prepares more students each year for nursing careers than any other program in Pennsylvania

– 1 of 9 schools nationwide selected to host a John A. Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence

Research and Graduate Program

– Ranked in top 40 nursing graduate programs by U.S. News World Report (2015)

– Ranked at 22nd in National Institutes of Health (NIH) research dollars awarded to schools of nursing nationwide

– 25% of Ph.D. students have predoctoral fellowships

– All full-time Ph.D. students eligible for funding

– 65% of primary care nurse practitioner students receive full or partial funding for their education

– Totally online M.S.N. and certificate options for Nurse Administrator and Nurse Educator

– Penn State's first online doctoral program (D.N.P.)

Undergraduate Programs

– Online RN to B.S. program offered through Penn State World Campus, ranked No. 1 for best online bachelor's degree programs by U.S. News World Report (2015)

– Overall 96% NCLEX pass rate for 2013–14 (includes General B.S. and Second Degree programs)

– Highest incoming-class GPA among all Penn State colleges