University of Texas Medical Branch

Nursing Programs Offered

Accelerated BSN Programs
BSN Programs
DNP Programs (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
Family Practice Nurse/Nurse Practitioner - Master's degree
Family Practice Nurse/Nurse Practitioner - Post-master's certificate
MSN Programs
Nursing Administration - Master's degree
Nursing Science - Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
RN Programs
RN to BSN Programs
RN to MSN Programs

RN to BSN Program Details

The RN-BSN program is for registered nurses who wish to pursue the BSN program. This program is designed to be as individualized and flexible as possible and still satisfy all the objectives of the baccalaureate program. The RN-BSN Degree Plan is offered through an on-line web-based format with a mandatory 2-3 days on campus school orientation requirement. Faculty encourages self-direction and student initiated learning activities.

The Track offers:

Variety of options for progression
Internet-based courses
Customized clinical experiences
Flexible schedule

BSN Program Details

The curriculum for the BSN Track focuses on nursing skills and theory. Content is taught online, in the classroom, in laboratories, and in clinical practice. Courses cover the provision of nursing care across the life span and address individuals and their health care needs in the context of the family and the community. In addition, the upper-division course work emphasizes theories and fundamentals of nursing leadership, management, and research.

Typically, a full-time student will spend 16 to 18 hours a week in clinical settings with patients and 10 to 12 hours in classroom and laboratories at the School of Nursing. Required upper-division courses can be completed in four semesters of full-time study.

MSN Program Details

A graduate of the Master’s Program will demonstrate the ability to:

Integrate specialized knowledge* into the advanced practice of nursing.

Synthesize and apply evidence, research, and theory to improve the advanced practice of nursing.

Develop and sustain collaborative relationships with colleagues from nursing and other disciplines to promote the health of individuals, families, and communities.

Use evidence-based teaching and counseling strategies for promotion of health, prevention of illness, and management of human responses to illness.

Provide leadership in contemporary roles associated with the advanced practice of nursing.

Analyze the historical, legal, cultural, and ethical dimensions of advanced nursing roles.

Actively participate in political, economic, and organizational change to promote the health of individuals, families, and communities within the global environment.

Demonstrate competence in an advanced nursing role incorporating cultural sensitivity, compassion, integrity, and respect.

Assume legal and ethical accountability in practice with individuals, society, and the profession.

*including, but not limited to knowledge from bio-psycho-social disciplines, nursing specialty areas, informatics, health policy, and financing of nursing [practice].

Accelerated BSN Program Details

UTMB School of Nursing offers an accelerated baccalaureate program (BACC2) for students who hold a degree in another field and wish to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The BACC2 program is an intensive and rigorous program that is compressed and completed in three semesters. The program is full-time with all of the nursing theory courses and didactic content provided online. Weekly seminars and clinical skills practice are held on campus, and students complete the clinical practicum with a faculty supervision and designated clinical preceptor. Hospital based clinical experience is performed in the greater Houston-Galveston region in Texas. The course load is 20 credit hours for three (3) consecutive semester terms.

Upon completion of the BACC2 program, students will be prepared to sit for the NCLEX-RN state board exam to become a Registered Nurse. The program enrolls in the spring semester only.

To be eligible to apply, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in their first degree and complete 60 semester hours of prerequisite courses. Students are not permitted to work during their year of enrollment; however, financial assistance is available through loans, grants, and scholarships for students who apply.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Details

We are excited to inform you that our existing Nursing PhD Program is now offered online using synchronous and asynchronous delivery modalities with only one required on-campus visit (5 days) each year. We have two entry levels: BSN to PhD and MSN to PhD.

The existing program, currently in its twelfth year, will maintain as its foundation a focus on health promotion, human response, and healing with research emphases in biobehavioral research, vulnerable populations, and contemporary pedagogies. This unique focus gives students the opportunity to investigate nursing from a holistic perspective. It encourages students to develop their original research efforts and ideas from the perspective of the individual, family, and community as integrated systems rather than one or more separate parts functioning independently.

Hopefully this approach to doctoral education appeals to you! If so, we welcome the opportunity to tell you more about our program. If you are thinking about returning to School, we do hope that you will consider our program and allow UTMB School of Nursing to help you fulfill your professional aspirations. Our program has only a limited number of slots available for admission each year and we encourage you to apply early. If you have any questions about the application process or would like to make a campus visit, please contact the Nursing PhD Program Administrative Office at the contact information given below.