Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Post-Master of Science in Nursing Certificate

Admission and Application Requirements

Admission to the Post-MSN certificate program requires a master’s degree in nursing from a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or National League of Nursing (NLN) accredited program, a minimum GPA of 3.0, and a copy of a State of California RN license.

Students should have computing skills sufficient to complete post-graduate work including word processing, PowerPoint, and ability to use the internet for research of the best evidence for practice.

Special Requirements

Students in the nursing program must pass a physical health examination, and demonstrate a sufficient immunization record consistent with that required of clinical placement in local healthcare agencies.

The academic advisor for the School of Nursing, working with the Office of Disabled Student Services, will assist students to determine what accommodations will be required for students to meet the standards of our program.

A complete application consists of:

• a completed application form;
• one set of official transcripts from colleges and universities attended with indication of a MSN degree;
• proof of licensure as a registered nurse in California;
• a reference list of two person’s qualified to assess the applicant’s potential to succeed as a post-graduate student, including one nursing faculty in the student’s MSN program; and
• a resume or curriculum vitae.

Applicants will be admitted annually. To be considered for admission, all required applications should be received by March 1. Review of applications will continue until all the openings have been filled. Applicants are notified of admission decisions following this process.

Core Courses

For all certificates, the following core courses are required:

• NURS 502 - Advanced Health Assessment Units: 2
• NURS 503A - Advanced Health Assessment Field Study Units: 1
• NURS 504 - Advanced Pathophysiology Units: 3
• NURS 506 - Advanced Pharmacology Units: 3