University of Portland

The University of Portland's reputation for academic excellence is one of the reasons it is ranked year after year among the top ten regional universities in the West, and that translates into a degree of great worth in economic value, potential to change the world, and unimagined possibilities that expand the hearts and minds of each of our graduates.

The University's students study with some of the brightest scholars in their fields. Primarily we are a TEACHING university and it shows. Our faculty have a reputation for their love of teaching.

In all of our programs, we are educating the leaders and nurses needed for the next generation of health care. We have special academic programs and resources that include study abroad in seven countries. Nursing students are able to study for a semester in Australia, Spain, or Mexico and still graduate in nine semesters. Our four year undergraduate students are able to earn a minor in several areas including Spanish, Biology, and Business. As a comprehensive university, we have an Honors Program for academically outstanding students, an interdisciplinary Center for Entrepreneurship, the Shepard Freshman Resource Center, services through the Office for Students with Disabilities, and Army and Air Force ROTC programs with significant scholarships.

The School of Nursing

The University of Portland School of Nursing has a proud 75-year history of educating outstanding nurses for the state and region. Our faculty has a passion for teaching and a vision for a transformed health care system of the future. The University of Portland's baccalaureate nursing program is well known in the health care community for its quality and excellent reputation. We have the oldest nationally accredited BSN program in the state of Oregon and have been preparing practitioners and leaders at the graduate level for over 25 years. Students get the special attention they need to be successful learners and practicing nurses.

Clinical sections usually have six to eight students per faculty member and students are able to form close relationships with their faculty, advisors and fellow students. We pride ourselves on our personal approach when interacting with prospective and current students. We are also proud to have a reputation for helping applicants find the program that is right for them. If we do not have the program that meets your goals, we will help you locate the program that is right for you.

We offer as our master's program option the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL), a broad-based graduate education that prepares nurses for advanced practice roles in leadership at the point of care for clients in a variety of settings. BSN-prepared nurses are welcome to apply to earn a master's degree as a CNL. Additionally, we have implemented an RN to MS program for associate degree nurses to efficiently earn a CNL master's degree. We also offer an alternate entry master's in nursing program that enables individuals who possess a non-nursing bachelor's degree to enter nursing at the graduate level. Furthermore, we responded to the national movement for advanced practice nurses to be prepared at the doctoral level by beginning a Family Nurse Practitioner Doctorate of Nursing Practice program.

BS in Nursing Program

Students may begin in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program as freshman or junior transfer students. The BSN program is nine semesters in length. The first and second years are a creative mixture of nursing preparatory courses and the core curriculum-courses in the arts and humanities that are required of all University of Portland students. Transfer students are welcomed at the junior level. The BSN transfer program is 5 semesters in length. Transfer students may begin in either Fall (August) or Spring (January). During the junior and senior years, all nursing students have clinical courses in one or more of 30 hospital and health care facilities in the Portland area.

MS in Nursing Program

The graduate program option for individuals who hold their Bachelor of Science in Nursing is the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) master of science program.

Graduate students in this program usually take two or three courses per semester for seven semesters starting summer semester (May). The program features small classes, accessible faculty, and the cohort model. Courses are conducted in a blended format of in-person immersion weekend sessions and web-based learning modalities. Personalized education is what draws nurses to the University of Portland School of Nursing for graduate study.

The Nurse Educator Specialty option is offered only when a cohort of 8 students express interest and are admitted.

RN to MS in Nursing

This graduate program is for Registered Nurses (RNs) whose highest nursing credential is an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). Using a cohort model, this program offers associate degree prepared nurses a creative opportunity to efficiently earn a master's degree as a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) and thereby increase their options for career mobility. All students in the RN to MS program must successfully complete specific undergraduate general education courses and bridge courses before entry into the CNL curriculum.

The bridge component consists of 15 semester hours of course work (including 90 clinical hours) to meet the AACN Baccalaureate Essentials and support the transition into the CNL component. The CNL component prepares the nurse to meet the AACN CNL Core Competencies and to function in the Clinical Nurse Leader advanced practice role. The CNL component includes 500 hours of clinical experience. The RN to MS program is designed for the working nurse in that classes are held in a blended format of in-person immersion weekends and web-based learning modalities. Students generally take from 5 to 7 credit hours per semester and are considered full-time students. The RN to MS program begins every Fall (August) as long as a minimum of 8 students are selected for Admission.

Alternate Entry Master's in Nursing

The Alternate Entry Master's Program at University of Portland (AEM UP) is for individuals with a bachelor's degree from an accredited program in a non-nursing field who seek to enter the profession of nursing. The AEM UP program has two components geared to the strengths of second-degree students: 1) pre-licensure and 2) Clinical Nurse Leader. AEM UP students earn their Registered Nurse license after successful completion of the pre-licensure component and then they complete the Clinical Nurse Leader graduate track. The curriculum is at the master's level and students do not earn a second bachelor's degree. This program is an innovative and efficient way for individuals who already possess a non-nursing bachelor's degree to enter into nursing. The curriculum builds on the student's prior knowledge and uses teaching-learning strategies that support the adult learner and includes extensive mentored clinical experiences.

Doctorate of Nursing Practice

The Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a clinical/professional doctorate that prepares graduates for the highest level of clinical nursing practice. It is not a research-focused PhD program. Individuals with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) who are accepted to this program will complete an 82 credit hour Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) clinical track. We also welcome master's prepared Nurse Practitioners from various specialty areas (e.g. Pediatric, Adult, and Women's Health) and Clinical Nurse Leaders to apply for this program. A review of prior graduate coursework is part of the application process for these individuals. All graduates of our DNP program will embody the transforming power of integrative health. The goal of the integrative health component will be to understand the underlying theory of multiple healing modalities and practice collaboratively with those who seek care. We believe this relationship-based care is what society craves. Another unique aspect of our program is that we not only emphasize caring for disadvantaged populations and eliminating health disparities throughout the curriculum, but we offer an elective focus on working with the poor. Truth, social justice and integrity are emphasized as central concepts to guide nursing practice. A new cohort of DNP students begins every summer (May).

Army/Air Force ROTC Nursing

Consider Army or Air Force Nursing -- a rewarding career that provides excellent opportunities for continuing education and travel. The ROTC opportunity can enhance your nursing curriculum with hands-on leadership training and decision-making skills. Army/Air Force ROTC offers scholarships that provide full tuition, room and board plus additional incentives.

Information

If you are interested in this school and would like to find out more, please Request Information from University of Portland.