Students benefit from the variety and excellence of available clinical sites, including three nurse-managed nurse practitioner clinics. Faculty members who teach clinical courses have their own clinical practice in order to share their knowledge and enhance their skills. Current faculty and student research programs reflect the breadth of patient populations and health-care problems that are under investigation. Baccalaureate students typically enter as freshmen unless they have completed all required freshman courses and are accepted into the sophomore class. The 127-credit curriculum emphasizes the basic liberal arts and sciences the first year and initiates the clinical phase the second year.
Many undergraduates choose to complete an independent study with faculty mentors.
Graduate programs of study lead to the M.S.N. and Ph.D. degrees. Professional nurses who want to pursue a graduate degree have several choices at the School. In the advanced practice arena, the School of Nursing prepares students for the role of a nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner. A second option is the specialized role. This role could include a focus in administration, education, informatics, or research.