Master (MS) in Nursing

Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences will transition its advanced practice nursing specialty programs to the DNP degree starting in fall 2024. We will admit our final cohort to the master's advanced practice NP programs in fall 2023. 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.

General Information and Requirements

The Decker School of Nursing Master of Science (MS) programs in nursing are organized into a four-semester sequence of courses requiring 46 or 48 credits (depending on area of specialization and functional role). 

The curriculum has five components:

• Core courses taken by all students address nursing theory, advanced physical health assessment, advanced pathophysiology across the lifespan, advanced pharmacology for clinical practice, nursing research, professional issues and the healthcare delivery system.
• Clinical specialization courses prepare nurses for family nursing, community health primary care, family psychiatric mental health or adult-gerontological primary care nursing. 
• Role development courses address socialization and implementation of the roles of nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or nurse educator. 
• Supporting courses are tailored to degree requirements per MS specialization of study (e.g., psycho-pharmacology is required only for those students enrolled in the family psychiatric mental health specialization). The courses in the first semester of study for all MS curricula provide the foundation for courses in subsequent semesters. 
• Elective courses may be taken either in nursing or related areas of study. Courses may be taken in other Binghamton University schools. Students are encouraged to select electives that will enhance their special interests and career goals. Independent study is an option.

Specializations

Students will pursue a master's degree in one of four areas of specialization:

If you already have a master's degree in nursing, you may enroll in one of our post-graduate certificate programs.

Functional Role Options

MS students will select a functional role to pursue; see chart for availability in conjunction with area of specialization; dual roles are available and require additional credit. 

	Nurse practitioner	Clinical nurse specialist	Nurse educator***
Adult-gerontological primary care	available	available*	available
Community health primary care	available	not available	available
Family	available	not available	available
Family psychiatric mental health	available**	not available	not available

* Decker College is not accepting applications in the adult-gerontological clinical nurse specialist role for the MS program for fall 2023.

** Decker College is not accepting applications from students in any regions of New York City, Long Island, Westchester County or Rockland County (New York) for the psychiatric mental health NP advanced certificate program for fall 2023 OR for full-time admission in the psychiatric mental health NP master's program for fall 2023. Students from these regions may apply for fall 2023 admission for part-time study in the psychiatric mental health NP master's program OR to the advanced standing psychiatric mental health doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program (full- or part-time). 

***After fall 2023, the only MS program being offered will be the nurse educator role, since the clinical nurse specialist role is on hold (see * above).

Curricula

MS program requirements can be found below. In addition, visit our Google drive for curriculum plans and worksheets specific to each specialization and functional area, including full-time, part-time and spring-start options.

Binghamton University Graduate School policy states that a master's degree curriculum must be completed within five years from date of matriculation to remain eligible for award of degree.

• Full-time master's degree (all specializations and roles)

   Key:

  • AG = adult-gerontological primary care specialization
  • CH = community health primary care specialization
  • FAM = family health specialization
  • PSYC = family psychiatric mental health specialization
  • NP = nurse practitioner role
  • EDUC = nurse educator role
  • CNS = clinical nurse specialist role

  YEAR 1, FALL SEMESTER	SPECIALIZATION	CLINICAL HOURS	CREDITS
  NURS 502: Concepts in Health Assessment for Nurses in Advanced Clinical Practice	All	60	3
  NURS 518: Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan	All		3
  NURS 532: Nursing and Community Healthcare Delivery Systems	AG, FAM		3
  NURS 540: Elements of Epidemiology and Biostatistics	CH		3
  NURS 600: Advanced Research Methods and Quantitative Analyses	All		3
  Elective	PSYC		3
  Semester total			12
  YEAR 1, SPRING SEMESTER
  NURS 503: Scientific Inquiry: Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing	All		2–3
  NURS 519: Advanced Pharmacology for Clinical Practice	All		3
  Role I	NP	120	4
  Role I	EDUC	60	4
  Role I	CNS (AG only)	120	4
  Practice I	AG, CH, FAM	60	3
  NURS 532: Community and Healthcare Delivery Systems	PSYC		3
  Semester total			12–13
  YEAR 2, FALL SEMESTER
  NURS 535: Scientific Inquiry: Application of Research Methods	All		2
  Role II	NP	120	4
  Role II	EDUC	60	4
  Role II	CNS (AG only)	120	4
  NURS 562: Psychopharmacology	PSYC		2
  Specialization I	PSYC	120	4
  Practice II	AG, CH, FAM	60	3
  Elective	AG, CH, FAM		3
  Semester total			12
  YEAR 2, SPRING SEMESTER
  NURS 532: Community and Healthcare Delivery Systems	CH		3
  NURS 570: Proseminar	All		2
  Role III	NP	120	4
  Role III	EDUC	120	4
  Role III	CNS (AG only)	120	4
  Specialization II	PSYC	120	4
  Practice III	AG, FAM	120	3
  Practice III	CH	60	3
  Elective	AG, FAM		3
  Semester total			10–12
  TOTAL REQUIRED FOR DEGREE COMPLETION	SPECIALIZATION	CLINICAL HOURS	CREDITS
  	AG	540–660	48
  	CH	480–600	48
  	FAM	540–660	48
  	PSYC	540–660	46

  Matriculated students may petition to have credits earned at other institutions transferred toward the Binghamton University Decker School of Nursing graduate degree. Learn about Decker's policy for transferring graduate credit.

• Part-time master's degree (all specializations and roles)

   Key:

  • AG = adult-gerontological primary care specialization
  • CH = community health primary care specialization
  • FAM = family health specialization
  • PSYC = family psychiatric mental health specialization
  • NP = nurse practitioner role
  • EDUC = nurse educator role
  • CNS = clinical nurse specialist role

  YEAR 1, FALL SEMESTER	SPECIALIZATION	CLINICAL HOURS	CREDITS
  NURS 532: Nursing and Community Healthcare Delivery Systems	AG, FAM		3
  NURS 540: Elements of Epidemiology and Biostatistics	CH		3
  NURS 600: Advanced Research Methods and Quantitative Analyses	All		3
  Elective	PSYC		3
  Semester total			6
  YEAR 1, SPRING SEMESTER
  NURS 503: Scientific Inquiry: Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing	All		2–3
  NURS 532: Nursing and Community Healthcare Delivery Systems	CH, PSYC		3
  Elective	AG, FAM		3
  Semester total			5–6
  YEAR 2, FALL SEMESTER
  NURS 502: Concepts in Health Assessment for Nursing in Advanced Clinical Practice	All	60	3
  NURS 518: Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan	Al		3
  Elective	AG, CH, FAM		3
  Semester total			9
  YEAR 2, SPRING SEMESTER
  NURS 519: Advanced Pharmacology for Clinical Practice	All		3
  Role I	NP	120	4
  Role I	EDUC	60	4
  Role I	CNS (AG only)	120	4
  Practice I	AG, CH, FAM	60	3
  Semester total			7–10
  YEAR 3, FALL SEMESTER
  NURS 535: Scientific Inquiry: Application of Research Methods	All		2
  Role II	NP	120	4
  Role II	EDUC	60	4
  Role II	CNS (AG only)	120	4
  NURS 562: Psychopharmacology	PSYC		2
  Specialization I	PSYC	120	4
  Practice II	AG, CH, FAM	60	3
  Semester total			9–12
  YEAR 3, SPRING SEMESTER
  NURS 570: Proseminar	All		2
  Role III	NP	120	4
  Role III	EDUC	120	4
  Role III	CNS (AG only)	120	4
  Specialization II	PSYC	120	4
  Practice III	AG, FAM	120	3
  Practice III	CH	60	3
  Semester total			9–10
  TOTAL REQUIRED FOR DEGREE COMPLETION	SPECIALIZATION	CLINICAL HOURS	CREDITS
  	AG	540–660	48
  	CH	480–600	48
  	FAM	540–660	48
  	PSYC	540–660	46

  Matriculated students may petition to have credits earned at other institutions transferred toward the Binghamton University Decker School of Nursing graduate degree. Learn about Decker's policy for transferring graduate credit.

• Spring-start master's degree (all specializations and roles)

   Key:

  • AG = adult-gerontological primary care specialization
  • CH = community health primary care specialization
  • FAM = family health specialization
  • PSYC = family psychiatric mental health specialization
  • NP = nurse practitioner role
  • EDUC = nurse educator role
  • CNS = clinical nurse specialist role

  YEAR 1, SPRING SEMESTER	SPECIALIZATION	CLINICAL HOURS	CREDITS
  NURS 532: Nursing and Community Healthcare Delivery Systems	CH, PSYC		3
  NURS 600: Advanced Research Methods and Quantitative Analyses	All		3
  Elective	AG, FAM		3
  Semester total			6
  YEAR 2, FALL SEMESTER
  NURS 502: Concepts in Health Assessment for Nurses in Advanced Clinical Practice	All	60	3
  NURS 503: Scientific Inquiry: Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing	All		2–3
  NURS 518: Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan	All		3
  NURS 532: Nursing and Community Healthcare Delivery Systems	AG, FAM		3
  Semester total			8–12
  YEAR 2, SPRING SEMESTER
  NURS 519: Advanced Pharmacology for Clinical Practice	All		3
  Role I	NP	120	4
  Role I	EDUC	60	4
  Role I	CNS (AG only)	120	4
  Practice I	AG, CH, FAM	60	3
  Semester total			7–10
  YEAR 3, FALL SEMESTER
  NURS 535: Scientific Inquiry: Application of Research Methods	All		2
  Role II	NP	120	4
  Role II	EDUC	60	4
  Role II	CNS (AG only)	120	4
  NURS 540: Elements of Epidemiology and Biostatistics	CH		3
  NURS 562: Psychopharmacology	PSYC		2
  Specialization I	PSYC	120	4
  Practice II	AG, CH, FAM	60	3
  Semester total			9–12
  YEAR 3, SPRING SEMESTER
  NURS 570: Proseminar	All		2
  Role III	NP	120	4
  Role III	EDUC	120	4
  Role III	CNS (AG only)	120	4
  Specialization II	PSYC	120	4
  Practice III	AG, FAM	120	3
  Practice III	CH	60	3
  Semester total			9–10
  Note: Graduate-level elective credit is required for MS in nursing students. AG and FAM need 6 total credits of elective credit. CH and PSYC need 3 total credits of elective credit. Electives can be taken in any semester, but Summer Session may be convenient to offset credit load in major fall/spring terms.
  TOTAL REQUIRED FOR DEGREE COMPLETION	SPECIALIZATION	CLINICAL HOURS	CREDITS
  	AG	540–660	48
  	CH	480–600	48
  	FAM	540–660	48
  	PSYC	540–660	46

  Matriculated students may petition to have credits earned at other institutions transferred toward the Binghamton University Decker School of Nursing graduate degree. Learn about Decker's policy for transferring graduate credit.

Application criteria

All students wishing to pursue a master's degree in nursing must satisfy the general conditions and procedures for admission to Binghamton University's Graduate School.

In addition, the following will be evaluated for admission:

For complete information about application criteria, clinical practice requirements and additional requirements, applicants should review the University Bulletin (select "Nursing-Graduate" under "Graduate Fields of Study by Department"). The rules and regulations posted in the University Bulletin at the time of a student's matriculation into the University are the ones to which that student is held.

• A baccalaureate degree in nursing from an ACEN- , CCNE- OR CNEA-accredited school of nursing program
• A descriptive statistics course with a grade of C or better
• An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better
• A current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse in the U.S.
• Students must pass the NCLEX-RN examination prior to enrollment
• 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
• Two satisfactory academic or professional references
• Submission of a 500-word personal statement that addresses: why the student is seeking advanced education in general and specifically at Binghamton University; unique aspects of the student's background that will contribute to the Decker graduate community (for example, extracurricular, work or volunteer experiences); and goals the student hopes to achieve upon completion of the program
• Résumé or curriculum vitae

Additional criteria for international students:

• In addition to having a current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse in the U.S., international students must also provide proof of a current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse in their home country
• Proof of English proficiency (such as official TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic scores), International Student Financial Statement Form and supporting financial documentation (such as official bank statements or official scholarship or sponsorship letters are required

• Notes about admissions requirements above
  • A student may consider applying for non-degree/non-matriculated status in lieu of matriculation in order to complete up to a maximum of 12 graduate nursing credits as a non-degree student; after this time, the student, may apply to be considered for regular matriculated admission. The director of graduate nursing programs provides advisement regarding appropriate courses for enrollment by non-degree students attempting to prove their ability to be successful at the graduate nursing level, and in anticipation of students applying for future matriculated status.
  • Required letters of recommendation from professional referents may not be personal friends or family members of the applicant. It is expected that a professional referent is a current or former supervisor to the applicant.
  • Any U.S. student applicant may be admitted "regular admit-additional advising" (formerly known as "conditional admission") by the Decker School. By definition, this category of admission means the applicant lacks required application criteria. 
  • U.S. students who do not advance from a regular-additional advising ("conditional") to regular admission status in a timely manner (i.e., failure to meet the department's conditional admission requirements) will find their registration blocked and possibly risk program dismissal.
  • International student applicants cannot be admitted "conditionally" based on changes to federal regulations implemented in 2016 by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
  • International student applicants who have not met minimum TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic score requirements may be recommended for an offer of admission from the Decker School of Nursing, but will be granted only provisional admission by the Graduate School.
  • A provisional admission status related to these test scores requires the applicant provide sufficient proof of English proficiency.
  • Once sufficient proof has been provided by the applicant, the Graduate School will default the admissions decision back to that assigned by the department and the student will receive a regular letter of admission and an I-20.
  • In such an admissions case, the student will be required to take an English Language Institute Program (ESI) assessment exam. Exam results assist the department in determining which ESL courses will be completed by the student preliminary to or concurrently with core graduate nursing course requirements in the first and/or subsequent semesters, and at the discretion of the graduate nursing program director.
  • U.S. students enrolling immediately after graduation from a Bachelor of Science program in nursing must pass the national licensing examination (NCLEX-RN) before beginning any clinical coursework. Students who are granted full-time admission in a fall semester are scheduled to take NURS 502: Advanced Physical Health Assessment in the first semester of study. NURS 502 has a clinical component requiring those students to pass the NCLEX-RN examination and provide proof of passing the exam by August 1 of the first fall semester of admission.
  • Students who have already completed a master's degree in nursing from an accredited program, but wish to pursue a different clinical specialty and/or advanced practice role may be admitted to the post-graduate program. (GREs are not required for the post-graduate program.)
  • Graduates of nursing schools outside the U.S. must hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing or its equivalent. World Education Services (WES) transcripts must be submitted as proof of evaluation of a baccalaureate degree. Licensure to practice in the U.S. is required.
  • One year of full-time employment as a professional registered nurse is strongly recommended prior to application for admission to a graduate nursing program of study, but it is not required. At the discretion of the director of  graduate nursing programs, students may be admitted to begin the master's degree program on a part-time basis to allow them time to gain confidence in their nursing skills while working in a hospital setting as an RN.
  • Students admitted to a graduate nursing program must be computer literate before beginning their studies. They must possess: the ability to use various software applications, use email, conduct web searches, download and upload files and communicate through instant messaging and chatting.

Application Procedures

Information on admissions, financial aid, housing, program costs and visiting Binghamton University's campus (including a virtual tour) is presented on the Graduate School website.

Complete instructions for applying to Binghamton University are available on the Graduate School's how to apply webpage. If you have questions regarding application submission, contact the Graduate School at 607–777–2151 or gradadmission@binghamton.edu.

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If you have a felony or child abuse conviction
Students who have a felony or child abuse conviction are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of the Decker School of Nursing and/or to meet licensure requirements for nursing or advanced-practice licensure. If you have concerns about this, you are advised to contact the Decker Division of Advising and Academic Excellence, the graduate nursing program director or the Decker College Dean's Office. You are required to report felony convictions while enrolled in the Decker School of Nursing as it may change your progression and ability to be placed in a clinical agency. To learn if felony/child abuse convictions will negatively impact your ability for licensure, check with the State Board of Nursing in the state in which you plan to practice.