Nursing

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Master of Science with a Major in Nursing
 

Maria Fletcher, R.N., Ph.D., C.N.E., Associate Dean 
 

Program Description

Designed for working professionals, the Master of Science Degree with a Major in Nursing can be completed in seven semesters of part-time study. The graduate curriculum, which consists of a core and specialty concentrations, builds on the knowledge base and practice competencies of the baccalaureate-prepared nurse and prepares the graduate for advanced professional practice.

The program offers a choice of two concentrations: Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Gerontology, and Nursing Education. Graduates of the C.N.S. concentration (42 credits) will be prepared to actualize the multi-faceted role of the C.N.S. in a variety of health care settings reflecting the three spheres of patient/client, nurses and nursing practice, and organization/systems. Graduates of the Nursing Education concentration (37 credits) will be prepared to assume nurse educator positions in either academic or service settings or in patient education.

The graduate nursing program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.

Each graduate class enters, in the Fall semester only, as a cohort group, attending classes one day per week during the Fall and Spring semesters and one summer. Additional hours are required for clinical/practicum courses and are specified in course descriptions.

Admissions to the Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist concentration have been suspended as of Fall 2013. The Nursing Department is revising the curriculum to align with a national mandate requiring all adult health advanced practice programs to be re-registered as Adult Gerontology.

Current students in the Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist program must complete program requirements by Spring 2015. All graduates who intend to seek certification as an Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist must register for the certification exam no later than December 2014 and complete the process by December 2015. 

Mission and Goals

The Mission of the Department of Nursing is to provide professional nursing education at the undergraduate and graduate levels that:

• encourages students to think critically and to utilize nursing theory, related sciences and humanities to improve their practice;
• assists student to internalize professional values and standards of practice;
• provides learning experiences that acknowledge the needs of a diversified student population with varied nursing practice experience;
• encourages students to actively participate in all aspects of their educational experiences;
• promotes tolerance and acceptance of diversity in individuals, groups and organizations;
• facilitates student development of a spirit of inquiry, personal satisfaction, and a commitment to lifelong learning;
• supports the advancement of knowledge and the nursing profession through scholarly, and creative endeavors;
• reflects socially responsible standards of professional nursing.

Program Outcomes:

Graduates will:

1. Demonstrate a philosophy of nursing that is holistic, compassionate and sensitive to culture, race and ethnic diversity in health practices.
2. Synthesize theoretical and empirical knowledge from nursing and the human and natural sciences to provide rationale for Advanced Practice Nursing.
3. Demonstrate the ability to analyze implications of legal and ethical accountability of the Advanced Practice Nurse.
4. Assume ethical accountability for the quality of one’s own Advanced Practice.
5. Engage in scholarly inquiry to improve nursing education and practice; provide quality health care and initiate change.
6. Prepare to function in the role of the Advanced Practice Nurse upon graduation to serve as leader/change agent in advancing the practice of nursing and nursing education to achieve desired outcomes.
7. Formulate a commitment to continued professional development and lifelong learning in the pursuit of excellence in the Advanced Practice role.

Program Purposes:

1. Builds on the knowledge base and practice competencies of the baccalaureate-prepared nurse, and prepares the graduate for advanced professional practice.
2. Graduates of the Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist concentration will be prepared to actualize the multi-faceted role of the CNS in a variety of health care settings reflecting the three spheres of patient/client, nurses and nursing practice, and organizations/systems.
3. Graduates of the Nursing Education concentration will be prepared for nurse educator positions in either academic or in service settings or in patient education.
4. The program provides a foundation for doctoral education in nursing.
5. The program provides the knowledge base and experiences that will support the transition to advanced practice nursing.

Admission Procedures

Application Procedures:

Applicants for admission to the graduate program must meet the following requirements:

1. Possess a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program (ACEN, NLNAC or CCNE).
2. Have completed one year of professional clinical practice prior to admission.
3. Provide proof of New York State R.N. licensure and current professional registration.
4. Demonstrate an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Preference will be given to applicants with a GPA of 3.3 or above.
5. Provide proof of certification in basic life support prior to entering the clinical practicum.
6. Meet all current University and program health requirements and provide documentation. New York State requires all students born on or after January 1, 1957 to be immunized against measles, mumps and rubella. Proof of immunity must be submitted to the Department of Nursing office prior to enrollment. In addition, students must complete a Meningococcal Meningitis Vaccination Response Form as required by New York State Public Health Law. Please note that additional requirements will apply to clinical practicums. These requirements are addressed under the practicum component of courses and include health clearance, proof of malpractice insurance, CPR certification and documentation of health insurance. Additional malpractice fees also apply. Students will also be required to meet criteria determined by the clinical agencies to which they are assigned.
7. Submit a current curriculum vitae and personal statement.
8. Submit two letters of recommendation. At least one letter of reference must be from a current or recent clinical supervisor who can address clinical competence. It is also preferable to include one letter of reference from an academic source.
9. Submit official transcripts of undergraduate course work.
10. Complete a pre-admission interview.
11. Applicants must also have completed prerequisite courses, including an undergraduate health assessment course and an undergraduate statistics course.

Admission Process

Applicants are admitted in the Fall semester only.

Candidates must submit the following documents together in this self-managed application process. No application will be reviewed if it is incomplete.

Completed packets will contain:

Checklist form
Letters of reference in signed/sealed envelopes
Official transcripts in sealed envelopes
Verification of Employment form
Current Curriculum Vitae
Application with personal statement
Proof of RN registration
Proof of Malpractice Insurance
A $25.00 non-refundable application fee made payable to St. Joseph’s University

Submit the completed packet with the checklist form in the envelope provided to the Office of Professional and Graduate Studies Admissions. Further information can be obtained on the University website (www.SJNYny.edu).

Under special circumstances, the admission committee may consider a conditional admission to the graduate nursing program.

1. Students admitted with an overall undergraduate GPA below 3.0, will be admitted on a Conditional Status basis. The student must complete the first two semesters with a grade of B (3.0) or above in each course and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above per semester in order to meet the academic requirements of the Graduate Nursing Program. Failure to meet these requirements will result in dismissal from the Graduate Nursing Program. After meeting the specific academic requirements, the graduate nursing student will achieve full matriculation status in the Graduate Nursing Program.
2. Students admitted who have graduated from a non-accredited (ACEN,NLNAC or CCNE) undergraduate program will be admitted on a Conditional Status basis. The student must complete the first two semesters with a grade of B (3.0) or above in each course and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above per semester in order to meet the requirements of the Graduate Nursing Program. Failure to meet these requirements will result in dismissal from the Graduate Nursing Program. After meeting the specific requirements, the graduate nursing student will achieve full matriculation status in the Graduate Nursing Program.

Deferment of Admission

If a graduate nursing student is admitted into the Graduate Nursing Program and cannot matriculate in the entering cohort class, a request for deferment of admission must be submitted. Deferments are only granted for one year. Request for deferment of admission must be sent in writing to the Director, Department of Nursing, and must specify the reason for seeking the deferment. Each request is reviewed on its individual merits, and deferments are not granted automatically. Requests for deferment must be submitted between the time of admission to the program and registration. Graduate nursing students who wish to activate their deferred admission should write to the Director, Department of Nursing, by June 1st, two months before the beginning of the Fall semester. Failure to do so will result in having to re-apply to the Graduate Nursing Program

St. Joseph’s University, Department of Nursing, reserves the prerogative to adjust admission and program requirements in response to changes in accreditation or credentialing/registration criteria.

Transfer Credit

Students who are accepted as transfers from another graduate program may be allowed to transfer in a maximum of 6 credits in equivalent course work. Equivalence will be determined by the Office of the Registrar in consultation with the Director, Department of Nursing.

St. Joseph’s University reserves the right to accept credit in a way best calculated to preserve the integrity of its own degree.

Attendance

Students will not be permitted to register for a class after the first class session. If students have registered in advance but have missed the first two class sessions, they will be encouraged to withdraw from the class. The reason for this is the compressed nature of the Master of Science with a Major in Nursing scheduling configuration and the difficulty encountered by students attempting to make up missed work.

Students should understand that if they insist on staying in the class under these circumstances, they accept the responsibility of their decision. They should also understand that it will be difficult for them to make up the missed work, as the instructor is under no obligation to help them make up the missed material, and that their final grades may be affected both from the standpoint of material missed and class participation opportunities forfeited.

Change of Concentration

A change of program concentration may be approved prior to March 15th of the first year in the Nursing Graduate Programs. The change can be granted only if there is space available in the desired concentration; the concentration contains the minimum number of students to go forward and the student is in good academic standing.

The procedures for a change in concentration require that the student:

1. complete required advisement with the assistant chair on their campus
2. complete a written request for permission to change concentration.
3. sign the request form and submit it to the Director, Nursing Department nor later than March 15th of the student’s first year in the program.

Requests for changes in concentration will be reviewed by the assistant chair on the student’s respective campus and must be approved by the Program Director.

Procedures for Incomplete Coursework

The following procedures regarding incomplete coursework/clinical or practicum components will be strictly enforced. An extension of time to complete coursework, clinical components, or practicum experiences will be granted only when very unusual, extenuating circumstances exist, and only after consultation with the course instructor. Approval will also be required from the Coordinator of Graduate Nursing Studies on the respective campus as well as from the Director of the Nursing Department. Proof of extenuating circumstances will be required when the request for an incomplete is made.

An incomplete in either coursework or the clinical or practicum components may result in the need to withdraw from the original cohort group unless the incomplete is resolved prior to the beginning of the next semester. Due dates for the completion of incomplete coursework/clinical/practicum hours are specified in the Graduate Nursing Program Student Handbook and on the Incomplete request form.

If approval is granted for an incomplete, the incomplete form will be signed by the student, by the course instructor, by the Coordinator of Graduate Nursing Studies, and by the Nursing Program Director. It will then be submitted to the Registrar’s office. It is the responsibility of the student for whom such an exception has been granted to submit all missing coursework or clinical practicum documentation by the date indicated on the incomplete form. Failure to comply with the above procedures and specified time lines will result in a student receiving a zero (coursework) or failure (clinical/practicum components) for the missing work. Students with incomplete grades will not be permitted to register for the subsequent semester until the outstanding incomplete grade is removed.

The instructor reserves the right to reduce the grade on incomplete coursework or clinical/practicum components in addition to any other reduction in grade already imposed for the late submission of coursework/clinical/practicum components.

An Incomplete grade in the clinical/practicum components of a course will result in the imposition of a $500.00 fee for continued faculty supervision.

Grade Appeal Procedure

1. If a student in the graduate nursing program wishes to appeal a grade, the appeal should be directed to the Director of the Nursing Department within five (5) days of the posting of the grade. The student will be encouraged to meet with the involved faculty member.

2. In the event that the student and the instructor do not confer, or the matter cannot be resolved through discussion, an Ad Hoc nursing faculty committee will be convened by the Director. The Coordinator of the Graduate Program, SJNY Brooklyn and SJNY Long Island, will chair this Ad Hoc committee. In the event that the Coordinator is the instructor for the course grade in question, the Coordinator on the opposite campus will assume chairmanship of the Committee.

3. The student will submit the appeal in writing to the Ad Hoc faculty committee within seven (7) days subsequent to the meeting with the instructor. All relevant materials should be submitted at this time.

4. The Ad Hoc faculty committee will obtain all tests, papers, grade breakdowns, preceptor evaluations (if applicable), the course outline and all other relevant course materials.

5. The Ad Hoc faculty committee will review all submitted materials and consult with the faculty member and preceptor (if applicable). A change in or retention of the grade will be the responsibility of the faculty member. The student will be contacted at the completion of this process.

6. If, however, the matter cannot be settled by agreement between the faculty member and the Ad Hoc committee, or if the student disagrees with the decision reached in the step above, the decision may be appealed to the Director, who may seek consultation with objective parties as needed.

7. If the student disagrees with the decision reached by the Director, the student may appeal, in writing, the decision of the Director to the Dean within 7 (seven) days of the Director’s decision.  The Dean or his designee will meet with the student.  If the student disagrees with the decision reached by the Dean, the student may appeal to the Provost.  The Provost’s decision will be final.

Repeated Courses

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required each semester as well as a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 for graduation.

A grade of B (83.0 or above) must be achieved in all courses. Failure to achieve a grade of B in a graduate nursing course prohibits students from enrolling in the subsequent nursing course.

If a grade below B (83.0 or above) is received in a graduate nursing course, the course may be repeated once upon recommendation of the nursing faculty. A grade of B (83.0) or higher must be earned the next time the course is offered.

Clinical practicums are graded on a Pass/Fail basis. A failing grade in a clinical practicum will result in dismissal from the program for academic reasons. No repeat will be allowed in clinical practicums.

Degree Requirements

1. Completion of approved program of study with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 required for graduation.
   1. A minimum of 42 credits for the CNS in Adult Health concentration; including 525 clinical hours on a Pass basis.
   2. A minimum of 37 credits for the Nursing Education concentration; including 100 practicum hours on a Pass basis.
2. Completion of the program of study within a minimum of seven semesters.
3. Successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination with a grade of B (3.0) or above.
   All students must successfully pass a comprehensive examination with a grade of B (83.0) or higher to graduate from the program. This examination will be administered during the last semester of the program. Any student who fails this comprehensive examination may be allowed one retake at the discretion of the nursing faculty. A grade of B (83.0) or higher must be achieved on the retake. Failure to achieve a B or higher will result in academic dismissal from the program.
4. Graduate students must complete the Application for Graduation form and submit to the Registrar’s Office in the semester previous to when they expect to receive their degree.

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