Academic Programs
One of the few nursing schools in New England based at an academic health sciences center and the only publicly funded graduate nursing school in Massachusetts, the GSN prepares professional and advanced practice nurses to become leaders, practitioners, scientists and educators at the master’s, post-master’s and doctoral levels.
Within the GSN master’s program, several options lead to the preparation of advanced practice nurses and nurse educators:
- Graduate Entry Pathway for individuals with a baccalaureate degree in a field other than nursing, leading first to registered nurse licensure and then to adult-gerontology primary care, adult-gerontology acute/critical care or family primary care nurse practitioner pathways;
- Pre-master’s Pathway for registered nurses with a baccalaureate degree in a field other than nursing;
- Traditional Master’s Pathway for registered nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing for preparation as adult-gerontology primary care or adult-gerontology acute/critical care nurse practitioners or nurse educators.
- Post-master’s Certificate program for registered nurses with a master’s degree in nursing.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program prepares graduates for leadership roles in advanced nursing
practice.
GEP to DNP Pathway (with Master’s Family Primary Care NP track only) for UMW GEP students only
Bachelor’s to DNP Pathway is for individual’s with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing leading first to a
master’s degree then the Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) Pathway.
Post-Master's to DNP Pathway is for individuals with a bachelor’s degree in nursing leading first to a master’s
degree with the family primary care nurse practitioner track then the Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) Pathway.
The PhD in Nursing program promotes mentorship in research and scholarship among its faculty and students for the
advancement of nursing science and practice.
BSN to PhD Pathway is open to registered nurses with a bachelor’s degrees
Graduate Entry Pathway to PhD (take GEP first-year courses at UMW) is open to UMass GSN GEP students only.
Post-Master's to PhD Pathway prepares individuals with a master’s degree for careers in the conduct of clinical
and translational research within multidisciplinary settings