Combined BS/MS (ETP) Program for Non-Nursing College Graduates

Program Description

The Combined BS/MS Entry to Practice (ETP) Program is an accelerated nursing program for non-nurse college graduates designed to prepare students for a career as a professional advanced practice nurse. Academic studies are closely integrated with clinical experience. Pre-licensure study prepares the student for nursing practice followed by specialty study as an advanced practice nurse or doctoral study as researchers or advanced clinicians in clinical care or health policy.

The pre-licensure curriculum allows students to develop basic competence in professional nursing upon which to build advanced knowledge and skill in a chosen specialty during the post-licensure segment of the program.  Clinical education receives major emphasis, with patient experiences beginning in the first term. Theory and precepted clinical practice are related to the promotion of health and prevention of illness, as well as to the care of the ill and their restoration to optimal wellness. Students work with patients in a variety of settings, such as clinics, hospitals, community centers, and homes.

The post-licensure specialty curricula prepare students for their chosen role in advanced practice nursing.  Specialty study follows the curriculum for a specific clinical major. Students may select one of the following specialty majors for study: Acute Care, Anesthesia, Midwifery, Neonatal, Women’s Health, Psychiatric Mental Health, and Adult, Family, or Pediatric Primary Care. The PhD program prepares nurse scholars to examine, shape, and direct the practice of nursing and the evolving system of health care.  The DNP program prepares nurse clinicians with the knowledge, skills and attributes necessary for fully accountable practice with patients across sites and over time.

Students begin the program in late May/early June (summer semester). Thecourse sequencing has been designed to allow for a seamless progression through pre-licensure and specialty studies and post licensure studies.

Program Director for the Combined Entry to Practice program is Karen Desjardins, MS, MPH, DNP.

Application Process
ETP Frequently Asked Questions

Clinical Sites

Clinical sites are available New York City and beyond. Clinical sites vary in setting and you can be assigned location at hospitals, out-patient clinics, home care, or schools to name a few.

Admission

Please contact the Office of Admissions for details regarding admission and financial aid packages.

Admission criteria include:

Curriculum

For Applicants Who Hold an Undergraduate Non-Nursing Degree
A sample program plan is provided below to make you aware of the academic requirements of the program. Please be advised that this program plan is a sample, and individual plans of study are reviewed and approved upon acceptance to the program. Progression in the program is contingent upon meeting academic policies. The School of Nursing reserves the right to change the course offering schedule as stated in the student bulletin.

Sample Program Plan

Course Number Course Name Credits Type
Summer I: 19 Credits
N4050 Physical Assessment 3 Specialty
N4051 Physical Assessment Laboratory 2 Specialty
N4100 Pharmacology 3 Specialty
N5102 The Science of Nursing Practice 3 Specialty
N5104 Practicum: Science of Nursing Practice 2 Specialty
N5110 Issues of Nursing Practice 3 Specialty
N6100 Advanced Physiology 3 Core
Fall/Winter: 33 Credits
N5200 The Science of Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practice 3 Specialty
N5202 Practice in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing 2 Specialty
N5270 The Science of Nursing Practice with Childbearing Families 3 Specialty
N5275 Nursing Practice with Childbearing Families 2 Specialty
N5280 The Science of Nursing Practice with Children 3 Specialty
N5282 Nursing Practice with Children 2 Specialty
N5284 The Science of Nursing Practice with Adults 3 Specialty
N5286 Nursing Practice with Adults 2 Specialty
N5292 Nursing Practice in the Community 2 Specialty
N5710 Decision Support for Advanced Practice Nursing 1 Specialty
N6121 Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan 3 Core
N6703 The Science of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in the Community 3 Specialty
N6835 Assessing Clinical Evidence 4 Specialty
Spring I: 8 Credits
N5115 Case Management 2 Specialty
N5490 Integration of Nursing Practice 5 Specialty
N5800 Topics in Nursing 1 Specialty
Total Credits 60  

School of Nursing

The School of Nursing has paved the way for professional nursing since 1892 and continues to lead the field as the foremost institution for advanced practice nursing.

The School of Nursing is a designated World Health Organization Collaborating Center for International Nursing Development in Advanced Practice. With urban clinical sites, expert faculty practitioners, cutting edge research, and the strength of the Columbia name and reputation, the School of Nursing produces graduates who possess the skills necessary to bring advanced practice nursing into the new millennium. As medical advances offer a cascade of new and useful therapies, the need for more health care providers will increase exponentially. Our country will face many health care challenges in the next 20 years, and nurse practitioners are essential to providing access to quality primary care.

Founded in 1892 as Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing, the School became part of Columbia University in 1937 and began offering the baccalaureate degree. It is one of the oldest schools of nursing in the US. In 1956, it became the first nursing program in the country to award a master’s degree in a clinical nursing specialty. In 1999, the School granted its first doctoral degree. More than 10,000 nurses have graduated since the School opened.

The School shares the Columbia University Health Sciences Campus with the Mailman School of Public Health, the School of Dental and Oral Surgery, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons. Each of these schools adds to the richness and diversity of the educational experience of students and faculty.

School of Nursing faculty have substantial experience in curriculum, instructional design, and research. They maintain expertise in their areas of teaching responsibility through participation at local, regional, and national conferences, involvement in scholarly presentations and publications, and faculty practice.

Columbia University School of Nursing is distinguished by the clinical excellence of its programs and graduates. Columbia nurses are making crucial contributions and improving the health of individuals wherever they practice.

The above information is current as of 05/14/2009 and is subject to change at any time.