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College of Nursing

Undergraduate Academic Advising Offices:
113 and 216 Henderson Hall
330-672-7930
http://www.kent.edu/nursing

Graduate Academic Advising Offices:
214 Henderson Hall
330-672-2234
http://www.kent.edu/nursing

INTRODUCTION

The Kent State University College of Nursing provides a course of study at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral level. After completion of the required course of study in the arts and sciences and professional nursing, graduates receive the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing and are eligible to apply to take the state licensing examination to become professional registered nurses. Additional successful study leads to the degree of Master of Science in Nursing with clinical focus in acute care, adult, family, geriatric, healthcare management, pediatric, psychiatric mental health or women's health, and role-function options in administration, education, clinical specialization or nurse practitioner. An accelerated combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Nursing allows qualified undergraduate students to substitute selected master’s core courses after completing 60 semester hours.

ACCREDITATION

The baccalaureate and master’s programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The baccalaureate nursing program is approved by the state of Ohio Board of Nursing.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

The specific purposes of the baccalaureate nursing program are to prepare practitioners for the beginning practice of professional nursing; to provide a base for the continuing development of the students as individuals, as citizens and as professional practitioners of nursing; and to provide a foundation for graduate study in nursing.

The College of Nursing is committed to the education of professionals in nursing within the perspective of today’s society. The faculty believes that the foremost aim of such education is the acquisition of knowledge and unique specialized skills of the nursing profession. Professional education for nursing lays a foundation for the proficient and competent performance of nursing practice, based on scientific principles and entailing self-directed activities and discriminative judgments.

The faculty believes that professional education in nursing stresses the development of high ethical standards and moral values, which enable future practitioners to make essential contributions to public welfare and social progress. Professional education in nursing strives to develop communication skills and personality traits for effective interpersonal relationships and provides a base for continuing study and for personal, social and professional development.

The program in nursing stresses the application of physical, biological and social sciences to professional nursing practice. Throughout the program, students learn to give professional nursing care to children and adults of various age groups in acute care, home and community settings.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

The Kent State University College of Nursing offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)*, the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.), several post-master’s certificate programs and two dual-degree programs in combination with other non-nursing master’s programs at Kent State University. The dual-degree programs offered are the Master of Science in Nursing/Master of Business Administration and the Master of Science in Nursing/Master of Public Administration.

The Ph.D. in Nursing is offered jointly with The University of Akron College of Nursing. The joint program for the Doctor of Philosophy is characterized by excellence through scholarship, integrity and caring. The primary purpose of the program is to produce nurse scholars. This purpose is realized through the development, testing and dissemination of nursing knowledge derived from theories and models of nursing practice as well as from the social, legal, political and economic aspects of health care policies and practices. Interdisciplinary collaboration and community outreach are emphasized throughout the program, and graduates are characterized by the excellence of their leadership, research, teaching, or application of nursing and health care policy.

The Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) incorporates concepts of advanced practice nursing throughout the program. Students are prepared to function in clinical, managerial or leadership roles as dictated by their concentration and role specialties, and to be eligible for doctoral study. The program’s graduates hold leadership positions in a variety of roles in urban and rural settings in Ohio and nationally. Graduates of the advanced practice concentrations at Kent State University are eligible for national certification examination.

The M.S.N. program includes concentrations in the focal areas of acute care, the adult, family, geriatric, health care management, psychiatric-mental health, women’s health and pediatric nursing. The roles of Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and Nurse Practitioner (NP) exist in all the focal areas except health care management; and in acute care, family, and women’s health, only the NP is available. The two roles can be combined or separately pursued in psychiatric-mental health nursing. Psychiatric mental health nursing CNS role is further subdivided into adults or child-adolescent.

The dual-degrees of the Master of Science in Nursing and the Master of Business Administration (M.S.N.-M.B.A.) and the Master of Science in Nursing and the Master of Public Administration (M.S.N.-M.P.A.) are designed for experienced nurses whose career goals include assuming middle- or executive-management positions in health services agencies or companies, or who are interested in starting their own businesses. Practical management knowledge and skills are concurrently integrated with nursing courses and relevant management experiences in the form of practical and internships. Both curricula are cost and time effective for nurses with clear goals and demanding schedules. Clinical courses are not required but may be added if desired.

Graduates of these programs are also prepared to pursue doctoral study.

A BSN-MSN Bridge Option is available for qualified undergraduate KSU nursing students seeking to expedite the transition from undergraduate to graduate studies in nursing. Qualified undergraduate students may take up to 12 credit hours at the masters level and apply those hours toward completion requirements for their undergraduate degrees. Applying for the Bridge Option just prior to junior year of undergraduate studies will give students the greatest opportunity to use up to 12 credit hours of substitute M.S.N. coursework. The college/department determines the undergraduate coursework for which graduate credits may be substituted.

*The D.N.P. is effective spring 2011, pending approval of the Ohio Board of Regents.

EXPENSES AND FINANCIAL AID

In addition to the regular university expenses, estimated undergraduate nursing school costs for the four years may approximate $2500 or more. (Examples of the expenses included are the state licensure application fee, NCLEX-CAT fee, College of Nursing pin, pictures and fingerprinting for licensure, level testing and the NCLEX-CAT review, criminal background checks and course fees.) In addition to the regular university financial aid, nursing students are eligible for financial assistance, exclusively for nursing students.

Federal traineeships for full- and part-time graduate students may be available for financial assistance on an annual basis subject to the amount of federal funds granted to the college. University graduate assistantships and fellowships are also available for students who apply and qualify. Other sources of financial aid are described elsewhere in this Catalog.