To attend any postgraduate program of study in nursing, students need to have a valid registered-nurses license, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and relevant experience required by the program chosen. Relevant experience varies considerably among universities and individual programs. Some universities may require experience working in the type of settings the student wants to specialize in, while other universities will only require an earned BSN or master's degree.
The first track of study at the graduate level in nursing is the master's degree. Almost all master's degrees in nursing are professional degrees leading to a specialization. The most popular areas of specialization include administration, management, systems administration and case management that do not lead to additional licenses and certifications. Students in these programs take courses in advanced nursing theory, nursing planning, nursing administration, health care management, health care delivery systems, case management theory and practice and advanced care planning theory. The objective of these programs is to prepare the student to take on high-level management and administration roles in nursing and health care delivery environments. Programs typically range from 30 to 46 hours for credit completion.
More specialized roles in nursing that require addition certifications and licenses include pediatrics, adult nurse practitioner, gerontology and psychiatric nursing. These specialized degrees prepare students for certification and licensure to work as nurse practitioners, pediatric nurses, gerontological nurses and psychiatric nurses. Courses taken for each specialization vary considerably among the programs due to their specialized nature.
Students seeking to work in nursing education take a Master of Arts (MA) in Nursing Education program. Students wanting to enter this field of study already need an MSN degree to apply at most universities. This program differs from other postgraduate nursing programs in that it is an academic degree, rather than a professional degree, requiring a dissertation or thesis at the culmination of study.
Students take courses focused on teaching nursing courses to undergraduate students and conducting research in the field of nursing. Student courses include education planning, curriculum design and research techniques. The program takes about 36 hours of credits to complete, depending on the institution.
In addition to the MA degree, students who already have an MSN in one specialization may also take postgraduate certificate programs to earn other specializations, such as pediatrics.
Students wanting to take on advanced roles in nursing leadership or to serve on university staffs as professors in nursing, while conducting pioneering research in the field, will need to advance to the doctorate level.
There are two degrees available at the doctorate level in nursing. The Doctor of Nursing Practice is a professional doctorate, allowing students to take on roles in nursing involving policy planning and standards, analysis of health care systems and applying research to the health care setting. The program usually involves clinical practice, along with a scholarly project at culmination of studies, and the hours vary among universities.
The Ph.D. program, on the other hand, is aimed at preparing students for a career dedicated to conducting research in the field of nursing, rather than application. Students in this program take a variety of courses related to conducting research in the nursing environment and then conduct a research project culminating in a dissertation that requires defense before a committee. The main focus of research is on clinical outcomes, administration and policy environments or academics.
Both programs required an MSN degree for admission consideration and require 36 to 45 hours for completion, depending on the university. Unlike in many other fields, a nursing student cannot go directly from a bachelor's degree to a doctorate program.