University of Pittsburgh

Nursing Programs Offered

Accelerated BSN Programs
BSN Programs
DNP Programs (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
Nurse Anesthetist - Master's degree
Nursing Science - Postbaccalaureate certificate
Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nursing - Postbaccalaureate certificate
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing - Postbaccalaureate certificate
RN Programs
RN to BSN Programs
RN to MSN Programs

RN to BSN Program Details

The University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing RN Options (Early Admission to MSN) curriculum is designed for registered nurses, who obtained their nursing education through from either an CCNE or NLN accredited diploma or an associate degree program, to complete their nursing education with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) while offering an opportunity to obtain an early admission to graduate nursing education. Courses are taught by nursing leaders who are experts in their field. Faculty serve as educators, role models and mentors for their students.

The University of Pittsburgh RN Options track is for professional nurses who are enthusiastically committed to their role as patient care advocates ensuring best possible healthcare outcomes. The RN Options curriculum builds upon the professional nurse’s strengths and experiences to expand professional knowledge and practice skills which will provide potential career changing opportunities.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing recognizes its obligation to prepare professional nurses to be competent healthcare professionals. Graduates of the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing possess critical appraisal/thinking skills, sophisticated clinical practice knowledge, and the ability to integrate the latest research findings to provide thorough, safe and effective patient care.

RN Options provides professional nurses an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills at a school of nursing with an international reputation for excellence. U.S. News and World Report recognizes the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing among the top 10 graduate schools of nursing in the United States. The School of Nursing is consistently ranked among the top 5 schools of nursing for research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Many healthcare organizations are recognizing the advantage of having more bachelors and masters prepared professional nurses. Research clearly indicates patients cared for by professional nurses with advanced degrees have a higher incidence of positive healthcare outcomes.

BSN Program Details

The purpose of the baccalaureate program is to prepare a professional nurse whose practice is based upon nursing science, related sciences and the arts in order to promote, restore, and maintain the health of human beings. Graduates of the program are generalists with the necessary base for graduate education and continuing professional development.

Education for the practice of professional nursing demands a substantial knowledge of nursing, using the behavioral and biological sciences as a theoretical base. Throughout the program, nursing courses are taken concurrently with courses in the College of Arts and Sciences, contributing to the development of the liberally educated practitioner.
The freshman year establishes the foundation for the study of nursing with an introduction to concepts and theories related to understanding nursing practice. Clinical study is introduced in the sophomore year with the focus on health promotion and identification of risk factors. Clinical nursing skills are practiced first in the School's Skills Laboratory.

Clinical experiences take place in a variety of settings such as schools, clinics, senior citizens' centers, and long term and acute care facilities. Junior year nursing courses focus on the care of individuals and families of all ages who are experiencing the stress of illness. Clinical experiences take place in acute care settings. During the senior year, student clinical experiences are planned to encourage synthesis of knowledge gained in preceding years and focus on individuals, families, and communities. Students provide care to those experiencing more complex illnesses and problems.

Professional role behaviors that are introduced in the freshman year and augmented during the years of subsequent study are expanded during the senior year. During the senior year, students have a culminating clinical course that provides a transition into clinical practice.

The program provides a foundation for graduate education in nursing and serves as a stimulus for continuing professional development. Students who successfully complete the undergraduate BSN curriculum plan of studies (includes Comprehension Exam) will be eligible to take the NCLEX to become RN’s.

Registered nurses, who are graduates of diploma or associate degree programs in nursing, may choose to enroll in the RN Options.

The graduate of the baccalaureate program will:

-Synthesize knowledge from nursing, biophysical, and social sciences in the practice of professional nursing.
-Demonstrate skills in critical thinking and decision making in the use of the nursing process with individuals, families, groups, and communities experiencing complex health problems.
-Intervene therapeutically to promote, restore, and maintain the maximum health potential of individuals, families, groups, and communities.
-Manage nursing care for groups of clients.
-Provide health education for individuals, families, groups, and communities.
-Evaluate research findings to guide nursing practice.
-Assume responsibility and accountability for own decisions and actions in the practice of nursing.
-Incorporate professional values, including ethical and legal aspects, into the practice of nursing.
-Communicate effectively in interactions with individuals, families, groups, and communities.
-Demonstrate evolving competence in multicultural interactions.

MSN Program Details

The master's program leads to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, and varies in credits depending on the major. The majors can be completed as full-time or part-time study. The curriculum design includes core courses, area of concentration core courses, advanced practice specialty courses, role development courses, and electives. Students in any of the majors may also elect to add a minor in nursing administration, nursing education, nursing informatics, nursing research, or health care genetics.

Students may select a major with a clinical practice focus. These majors include nurse anesthesia, nurse practitioner, and clinical nurse specialist. Within the nurse practitioner major, there are six areas of concentration: acute care, adult, family, neonatal, pediatric, and psychiatric primary care. Within the clinical nurse specialist major, there are two areas of concentration: adult medical/surgical nursing and psychiatric/mental health nursing. An alternative to the clinically focused majors, the student may select preparation for a specialty role: The Nurse Specialty Role (NSR) major has three areas of concentration: nursing administration, clinical nurse leader, and nursing informatics.

Registered nurses who do not yet have a BSN may enter the Master's program via the RN Options, early admission to MSN. Registered nurses with a bachelor's degree in another discipline will be individually considered for admission to the Master's Program. Registered nurses who already have a master's degree in nursing have the option of earning a second master's degree in nursing. Earning the second master's will require completing the course requirements for the specific Major or Area of Concentration and may require taking more credits than are required for certification alone. Master's and Post-master's students also have the option of enrolling in a number of certificate programs. The School of Nursing offers certificate programs in genetics, nursing research, and school nursing and post-masters’ certificates in health care genetics; education; informatics; and as an acute care, neonatal or psychiatric nurse practitioner.

The graduate of the Master's Program will:

-Demonstrate mastery of advanced knowledge and skills in a specialty area of advanced practice nursing or in a specialized role.
-Critically evaluate knowledge and theories from nursing and other disciplines for their contribution to nursing practice.
-Demonstrate the ability to use the steps of evidence-based practice to develop clinical practice guidelines and design projects to improve health care delivery.
-Initiate collaborative relationships with other health professionals to ensure quality care to the patient/client and to mobilize health and social resources for individuals, families, groups, and communities.
-Demonstrate leadership activities to advance the profession of nursing.
-Critically evaluate issues relative to nursing practice and health care in light of scientific knowledge and personal and societal values.
-Formulate and implement plans for individual professional development.
-Demonstrate the ability to communicate ideas both orally and in written form in an articulate, literate, and organized manner.

Accelerated BSN Program Details

Who can apply?

-Individuals with a baccalaureate or graduate degree in another discipline
-Senior baccalaureate students

The Accelerated 2nd Degree BSN enables students to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) in three consecutive terms. Alternative schedules may be considered on an individual basis. The Accelerated 2nd Degree BSN requires 122 credits: 31 credits from previous degree, 36 prerequisite credits, and 55 curriculum credits. The curriculum is fast-paced and designed to build upon the individual’s previous education while providing the science and nursing content. At the completion, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to become Registered Nurses (RN).

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Details

This practice-focused doctoral program will prepare nursing leaders for the highest level of clinical nursing practice beyond the initial preparation in the discipline. Throughout the program students will develop the clinical, organizational, economic, and leadership skills to design and implement programs of care delivery which significantly impact health care outcomes and have the potential to transform health care delivery. Graduates with this terminal practice degree will be prepared for roles in direct care or indirect, systems-focused care.

Advanced practice nurses practicing in today’s healthcare environment require complex clinical skills and sophisticated knowledge of the evidence-base for practice. Graduates of the DNP will be able to affect the healthcare delivery system by being superb clinicians, by evaluating the evidence base for nursing practice, becoming leaders in the clinical arenas, establishing standards and policies, and meeting the needs of today’s diverse healthcare systems.