Degree Options

The UMKC School of Nursing offers multiple degree and concentration choices with course scheduling that is variable. The School's location and partnerships provide a wide range of rich clinical experiences, research and specialty opportunities.

The School of Nursing offers a pre-licensure bachelor of science in nursing degree to those who are not registered nurses. The School of Nursing's unique RN-to-BSN program (online) is for those who are registered nurses. There are seven concentration areas from which to choose in the MSN program, two of which are predominately online (NNP, Nurse Educator, PNP and WHNP) and there is now an online option for the PhD in Nursing program. A post-master's DNP program will admit its first class in Summer, 2009.

Pre-licensure BSN Program

The School of Nursing offers a pre-licensure BSN program that teaches complex problem solving, leadership and management skills in addition to providing clinical experiences. Students begin nursing coursework in their first semester.

Unlike the traditional two plus two programs, two years of general education, then two years of nursing course work, the UMKC School of Nursing has a one plus three program, with one year of general education and three years of nursing course work combined with general education courses.

High school graduates admitted into the nursing major should have completed a college preparatory curriculum and ACT. To be considered for direct admission to the clinical major, high school students applying to UMKC for the first time must graduate in the upper 10 percent of their class and have a minimum ACT score of 27. Transfer students must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. All applicants must demonstrate evidence of personal characteristics and integrity that indicate high probability of successful completion of the degree and meeting criteria to take the National Council of Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

RN-to-BSN Program

The environment in which nurses practice today is face-paced and dynamic. This distinctive RN-BSN accredited program provides the opportunity for nurses to meet the challenges they face today, while exploring the future challenges that await them.

The program is based on an eclectic, transformational framework that moves the student from effectively managing him/herself, to effectively managing self within the context of interpersonal relationships, to effectively managing human health outcomes, and lastly to effectively managing within a complex health system. The program enables students to build upon their basic education, while focusing on the topics of critical thinking, communication, evidence-based care, health promotion and disease prevention, leadership and management, technology utilization, professional valuing and caring, professional role development, global perspectives, health care systems and policy, and teaching and learning. Students may select the program's online format, or the on-site format which requires minimal formal class attendance. There are no bedside clinicals associated with this program. Instead, students will apply knowledge acquired in this program to a team-based project within a community agency.

Master's Program

The School of Nursing offers an accredited degree program with nine concentration options for master's students:

• Adult Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (predominantly online)
• Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (predominantly online)
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (predominantly online)
• Nurse Educator (predominantly online, a post-master's 12 credit hour online certificate program is available)
• Nurse Executive

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing

Students in the UMKC PhD in Nursing program may now attend the program online with the exception of two summer research internships (on-campus for five days at the end of July). Development of the overall program was guided by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Quality Indicators for Doctoral Education. Students may be admitted to the program either post-BSN or post-MSN and progress through the program on either a full-time or part-time basis. As part of the application process, students must find a faculty/mentor match. Direction and advice are given to help with this process.

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Students admitted to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program must be post-master's and nationally certified advanced practice nurses.

The program is online with the exception of two summer internships that take place about four days toward the end of July in Kansas City. Applications to the program are due by September 15th. The Doctor of Nursing Practice program will prepare nurses with the knowledge, skills and attributes necessary for fully accountable practice with patients across sites and over time. With the increasing scope of clinical scholarship in nursing and the growth of scientific knowledge in the discipline, doctoral level education is necessary for advanced practice in the dynamic health care arena. The curriculum includes content that will enable the graduate to conduct complex diagnostic and treatment modalities; assess and apply scientific evidence to clinical practice and assimilate in-depth knowledge of biophysical, psychosocial, behavioral and clinical sciences; develop organizational leadership skills; and engage in the process of policy development.

Cooperative Programs

The School of Nursing offers graduate degrees on the campuses of Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Mo. and Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo.

The Family Nurse Practitioner program is offered in its entirety to these sites. Students in southern and northern Missouri now have the opportunity to earn an MSN degree in these fields. Joplin and St. Joseph area students who wish to earn a degree in another specialty area can take the core coursework at their site and the specialty coursework in Kansas City.

UMKC faculty in St. Joseph and Joplin coordinate and supervise clinical experiences for students. Courses are taught via telecommunications technology.

Diversity at the UMKC School of Nursing

The UMKC School of Nursing is committed to changing the face of nursing by recruiting and retaining underrepresented populations into the nursing profession. Diversity is a central tenet of the School's goals. Through federal support, the School developed a comprehensive recruitment and retention initiative aimed at underrepresented students in the pre-licensure baccalaureate program. Currently, more than 30 percent of the School's undergraduate students are African American, Hispanic or male. In 2003, the School was one of 16 organizations in the country awarded a federal Nursing Workforce Diversity grant, which provides financial and academic/social support to qualifying disadvantaged students admitted to the clinical major.