Nursing, MS (Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist track)

The clinical nurse specialist track was developed in accordance with guidelines established by the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. Graduates of this track are eligible to take credentialing examinations as Acute Care and Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialists offered by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses or by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center.

The MS Program in Nursing is designed for the baccalaureate-prepared registered nurse with a strong professional clinical background and is tailored to meet the needs of the busy professional. Courses are offered both in the classroom and online, and classroom courses generally meet in the late afternoon or evening. Students complete clinical hours with preceptors in academic medical centers, community based practices, and other institutional settings. The program can be completed in two years full time or three to four years part-time. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

The program’s capstone experience consists of a mutually agreed upon format between the student and his/her adviser and may be a comprehensive paper, an evidenced based project, or a poster or paper presentation.

Core Courses

Specialty Courses

Admission Requirements

Please see the general statement of admission requirements for all graduate studies programs in the “Admissions” section of this publication. Prospective MS in Nursing students must also meet the following criteria for admission:

A baccalaureate degree in nursing from an NLNAC- or CCNE-accredited program.
Undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75.
A current unrestricted Massachusetts license in nursing.
Evidence of one or more years of recent professional practice.
Completion of a college-level course in introductory statistics.
Recent completion of a college-level course in health assessment.
Strong scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) aptitude tests. Looked at together, GRE scores and the grade point average (GPA) should indicate strong verbal, quantitative, and analytical potential.