Nursing, Family Health (MS, DNP, certificate)

Program Overview

NOTE: Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences is transitioning its Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program to the DNP degree starting in fall 2024. The final cohort admitted to the master's level (MS) NP program in this speciality will occur in fall 2023. After that time, all nurse practitioner education programs will only be offered at the DNP level. We’re making this change in accordance with recommendations from national nursing organizations such as the American Association Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), which has committed to move all entry-level NP education to the DNP degree by 2025.

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Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences provides excellent preparation in nursing education, scholarship and practice, and offers graduate-level programs of study ranging from certificates to the PhD. The master's degree programs in nursing, doctor of nursing practice programs and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Decker College are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Many Decker students are full-time, registered nurses and attend classes part time.

In Decker's Master of Science (MS) programs, students select the functional role of nurse educator or nurse practitioner. Dual roles are also available for additional credit.

The Advanced Standing Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs prepare nurses to respond more efficiently to changes in healthcare delivery and emerging healthcare needs. The DNP focuses on providing leadership for evidence-based practice and will incorporate the advanced practice content currently included in the master's program.

Applicants to the Advanced Standing DNP program must be master's prepared nurse practitioners. Those wishing to pursue a DNP who are not master's prepared nurse practitioners should apply to Decker's Post-Graduate Nurse Practitioner Certificate program and upon successful completion of that program (obtaining APRN licensure and certification) may then proceed to the Advanced Standing DNP program.

Decker's Post-Graduate Nurse Practitioner Certificate programs are designed for nurses with a master's degree in nursing who seek advanced clinical preparation as a nurse practitioner.

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Our new home

Decker College is now located on Binghamton University's Health Sciences Campus in Johnson City. See a video tour of our new facility!

Degrees Offered

• MS in Family Nursing
• DNP in Family Nursing
• certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner

Internships, Research Opportunities and More

Decker College's Innovative Simulation and Practice Center, accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, provides advanced-practice graduate nursing students with regularly scheduled clinical activities to assess and manage common healthcare disorders through the use of standardized patients. Decker's Kresge Center for Nursing Research provides PhD students with opportunities for hands-on learning during all phases of the research process under the supervision of nursing scientists.

Students in the Advanced Standing DNP program can take advantage of a diverse and vigorous curriculum that includes courses on information technology and patient care and healthcare policy for healthcare advocacy. Under the guidance of a committee, students will complete a DNP Scholarly Project that meets the criteria of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's "Essential Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice." This project will focus on a change that impacts healthcare outcomes either through direct or indirect care; it will include planning, implementation and evaluation components.

After You Graduate

Decker boasts high employment rates for our graduates, with many alumni taking positions in healthcare agencies such as Albany Medical Center, Lenox Hill Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital/Ascension, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Stony Brook University Hospital, SUNY Upstate Medical University, United Health Services (UHS) and University of Rochester Medical Center. Recent DNP graduates have continued at government and educational institutions.

Admissions Requirements

To be eligible for graduate study, you must:

• Provide a complete set of your undergraduate (and, if applicable, graduate) transcripts showing one of the following:
  • You have earned a bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university
  • You are within one academic year of earning a bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university
  • You are eligible to apply as part of a memorandum of understanding between your current institution and Binghamton University
• Have earned, at minimum, one of the following:
  • A 3.0 GPA over your entire undergraduate career
  • A 3.0 GPA during your last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits of your undergraduate degree, with most courses graded regularly (not as "pass/fail")
  • A 3.0 GPA in a graduate degree, with most courses graded regularly (not as "pass/fail")
  • In consideration of the different grading scales used around the world, each academic department evaluates international transcripts to determine on a case-by-case basis whether they demonstrate one of the above requirements.

To be eligible for the MS, you must have:

• A bachelor's degree in nursing from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CNEA-accredited school of nursing program
• Successfully completed a descriptive statistics course with a grade of C or better
• A current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse in the United States
  • Students must take and pass the NCLEX-RN examination prior to enrollment
  • International students are additionally required to provide proof of a current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse in their home country
  • Prior to beginning clinical experiences in a New York clinical facility, students must submit a copy of their current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse in New York; this is required by the New York State Department of Education Office of the Professions
• At least one year of full-time employment as a registered nurse is strongly encouraged; candidates without one year of previous full-time employment may wish to consider enrolling in a part-time program while they acquire the needed work experience

To be eligible for the Advanced Standing DNP, you must have (NOTE: international students are ineligible to apply to the DNP program due to U.S. Department of Homeland Security regulations):

• A bachelor's degree in nursing from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CNEA-accredited school of nursing program
• A master's degree in nursing from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CNEA-accredited school of nursing program
• Successfully completed a graduate-level statistics course within the past 5 years
• A current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse in the United States
  • Prior to beginning clinical experiences in a New York clinical facility, students must submit a copy of their current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse in New York; this is required by the New York State Department of Education Office of the Professions
• A current, unencumbered license to practice as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist in the United States
• A current, national certification as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist

To apply, you must submit the following materials. For general guidelines for these materials, see the Admission Requirements website.

• Online graduate degree application with graduate degree application fee
• Transcripts from each college or university you have attended
• A 500-word personal statement that addresses why you are seeking advanced education in general and specifically at Binghamton University, unique aspects of your background that will contribute to the Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences graduate community (for example, extracurricular, work or volunteer experiences), and your goals following completion of the program and how you expect graduate education to advance your career
  • DNP applicants: In your statement you must also identify your area of clinical interest as well as whether you are most interested in completing a DNP project that addresses: A) development of a process/plan that improves patient outcomes, B) program evaluation that improves patient outcomes or C) a process that influences health policy that may improve patient outcomes.
• Résumé or curriculum vitae
  • DNP applicants: You must address or detail evidence of your professional productivity, scholarship or involvement in research
• Letters of recommendation (2 for MS applicants; 3 for DNP applicants) from individuals who can comment authoritatively on your academic achievements and/or work or internship experience related to your program. Appropriate recommenders include academic references or individuals in supervisory positions; recommendations from coworkers or friends will not be accepted.
• Nursing licensure
• GRE scores are not required

International students must also submit the following materials: For more information about these materials, see the International Students section of the Admission Requirements website. Consult with Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences before submitting an application, to ensure that the desired program meets international student requirements.

• International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) form
• Supporting financial documentation (such as bank statements, scholarship or sponsor letters, etc.)
• Proof of English proficiency (such as official TOEFL/IELTS/PTE Academic/Duolingo* scores)
  • *In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Graduate School at Binghamton University has temporarily approved the use of the Duolingo English Test as proof of English proficiency through the 2023 application cycle.

This information is subject to change. While we make every effort to update these program pages, we recommend that you contact the department with questions about program-specific requirements.

See certificate details.

Deadlines

For more information, visit the Nursing, Family Health website.