The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) has one of the top medical schools in the nation. It should come as no surprise, then, that the university's graduate nursing program is among the best in the nation as well. "U.S. News and World Report" ranked Penn's program as the third-best in the nation. Penn offers accelerated programs for registered nurses pursuing BSN degrees or for those with a degree in another field wanting to break into the nursing field. Master's degree programs include concentrations in adult acute care, adult health, family health, gerontology, neonatal nursing, pediatric care, psychiatric care and women's health care. Advanced specialist programs and administration programs are also available. Penn distinguishes itself at the Ph.D. level. Nursing students work alongside top medical professionals in the university's highly-rated medical school. Students can also pursue joint degrees--for example, a Ph.D. in nursing with a master's in Bioethics or with an MBA from the top-rated Wharton School of Business.
University of Pennsylvania
School of Nursing
420 Guardian Drive
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6096
215-898-8281
nursing.upenn.edu
The University of Pittsburgh's (Pitt) graduate nursing program was rated seventh overall by "U.S. News and World Report." Like Penn, Pitt offers accelerated degree programs for registered nurses and non-nursing students. Students can pursue a Master of Science degree and specialize in nursing administration, clinical nurse leadership, nursing education, nursing informatics and nursing research. Other areas of emphasis include the nurse practitioner program, nurse anesthesia and a program to be a clinical nurse specialist. The university also offers a Ph.D. in nursing practice, adolescent health, chronic disorders, critical care, women's health, technology and genetics.
University of Pittsburgh
School of Nursing
Victoria Building
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
412-624-4586
nursing.pitt.edu
At 47th in the nation, Villanova University's graduate nursing program is the third-highest rated program in Pennsylvania. Master's degree programs include concentrations in adult nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, geriatric practitioner, nurse anesthesia, nursing education and health care administration. Post master's degree certificates are also available for practicing nurses. Villanova also offers a Ph.D. that will qualify you to teach nurses at the collegiate level. One of the innovative aspects of the program is its distance-learning format that allows students to do the majority of their coursework from a laptop with a high-speed Internet connection. Students only need to attend on-campus classes during the summer session.
Villanova University
College of Nursing
800 Lancaster Ave.
Villanova, PA 19085-1690
610-519-4900
nursing.upenn.edu/academic_programs/grad/