Graduate

School Nurse Certification

Students who complete this program, hold a valid RN license in Pennsylvania, and have a bachelors degree in nursing, are eligible to apply for the School Nurse Certificate (Education Specialist I) issued by the Pennsylvania (PA) Department of Education.

The School Nurse Certification program is a 14-credit, post-baccalaureate program that prepares students for initial Pennsylvania Department of Education certification as an Educational Specialist I – School Nurse. This program prepares registered nurses to meet the health needs of children and adolescents in schools, pre-K to Grade 12.

Required courses are NSG 502 (School Nurse Practicum), NSG 512 (Legal Mandates of School Nursing), NSG 533 (Health Assessment), and EDA 542 (Foundations of Special Education).

Please check the Graduate Catalog for complete descriptions of the School Nurse curriculum, courses, and requirements.

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

The MSN program will offer two options: Nursing Education and Adult-Gerontology CNS. Students can complete the MSN curriculum on a full-time or a part-time basis; however, all requirements for the degree must be completed in six years or less. The course format for both MSN programs offers a mixture of hybrid and online learning. On-campus courses are held in the late afternoon or evening hours. The online courses offer synchronous and asynchronous formats to enable working professionals the flexibility to pursue a graduate degree while still maintaining their full-time employment.

Graduates of this program may seek employment in educational settings, acute or long-term care settings, or community health care agencies. The MSN curriculum of West Chester University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) through 2019.

Please check the Graduate Catalog for complete descriptions of the MSN curriculum, courses, requirements and program outcomes.

Admissions Process:
The MSN program accepts applications for both the fall and spring semesters. Completed applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants should submit the following materials to the Office of Graduate Studies:

• Completed graduate application, including goals statement. Apply Online.
• Official academic transcript(s) from all colleges and universities attended, demonstrating a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.8 or better, with successful completion of the B.S.N. and courses in statistics and physical assessment
• Documentation of current clinical experience and current RN license
• Two letters of recommendation
• Application fee

RN applicants with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Please go the Graduate Studies page for more information on our program and how to apply.