Nursing Education Track (18 Credits)

The nurse education specialty examines the current and future roles of nursing education, regardless of the intended population and will enable the nurse to teach nursing in a collegiate setting or provide health care counseling and teaching to either a patient population or to function in a staff development role, educating nurses on new procedures or assisting recent graduates of nursing programs to make the transition from nursing student to registered nurse.

Track Requirements

NUR 673 Teaching for Nurse Educators (3 credits)
This course examines the theory and methods of effective teaching in nursing, with an emphasis on teaching the adult learner. Learning theory, teaching strategies, and evaluation methods will be explored for both classroom and clinical teaching. This course is appropriate for nurses interested in academic teaching, staff development or client education. This course will be replaced by the following three courses in 2007.

NUR 674 - Curriculum Theory & Application (3 credits). Introduces students to traditional and contemporary considerations for curriculum planning and design, as applied to nursing education. The primary focus is the process of curriculum development; historical, philosophical, social, political, economic, and professional issues that need to be considered in planning curricula, evaluating existing curricula, and changing curricula are examined. Pre-requisite Nurs 620.

NUR 675 - Teaching Strategies (3 credits). Nurs 675-Teaching Strategies (3). Examines the theory and methods of effective teaching in nursing, with an emphasis on teaching the adult learner. Learning theory, curriculum theory and design, teaching strategies, and evaluation methods will be explored. Pre-requisite Nurs 620 & 674.

NUR 676 - Measurements and Evaluation Strategies (3 credits). Provides an introduction to the concepts and theories of measurement and evaluation, as they apply to classroom and clinical nursing education. Techniques for constructing and analyzing appropriate testing measures are explored. Ethical, social and legal issues related to evaluation are discussed. Pre-requisites Nurs 620, 674 & 675.

NUR 681 -Clinical Practicum I (3 credits). This clinical course addresses nursing theories, and concepts that transcend all practice areas. Working with an MSN nurse, the holistic and ethical clinical practicum will operationalize the seven roles of advanced practice, while working with diverse populations in either Adult Health, Maternal-Child Health or Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. Pre-requisites-Nurs 620, & 640.

NUR 683 Education Practicum (3 credits). This course addresses nursing education, while focusing on ethical classroom & clinical teaching. Using current educational research, the MSN students will identify and implement strategies that address the education needs of culturally diverse populations. Clinical may take place with a masters prepared professional, in either a school of nursing, or with community or staff development educators. Pre-requisites-Nurs 620, 640, 681, 673 or 674, 675, & 676, & one cross-disciplinary course.

Cross Disciplinary Elective (3 credits)
In concert with the graduate nursing faculty advisor, the student will select a cross-disciplinary elective that will enhance the area of specialization. This course will broaden the graduate nurse's perspective on education.