New Mexico State University

Founded in New Mexico's territorial days, New Mexico State University (NMSU) today is a vibrant mix of Southwestern tradition and leading-edge technology and research. Historic buildings with red tile roofs mingle with modern libraries and laboratories on NMSU's expansive campus. With a multi-cultural student population of over 28,000 and growing, NMSU continues to build on its land-grant heritage of teaching, research and public service.

School of Nursing

  Back to top

New Mexico State University's School of Nursing, one of the schools comprising the College of Health and Social Services, offers two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). The BSN degree plan includes three options: A 4-year BSN, Accelerated BSN and the RN-BSN completion option. The MSN degree focuses on one of four areas of specialization: Community/Public Health Nursing Clinical Specialist, Medical-Surgical (Adult Health) Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nursing Administration and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Nurse Specialist.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

  Back to top

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree plan includes three options to accommodate either the beginning nursing student, the returning student with another bachelor's who seeks a BSN in professional nursing, or the returning registered nurse (RN) who wishes to complete a BSN.

NMSU's Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program is approved by the New Mexico Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Approval by the New Mexico Board of Nursing is required for graduates to be eligible for the National Council Licensing Examination for licensure as a registered nurse.

RN-BSN Completion Option

  Back to top

This option is designed for registered nurses (RN'S) who want to earn a BSN. The program allows RN'S to receive credit for past academic and nursing course work, to practice in a varied health care setting and to be able to enroll part time or full time. The curriculum is designed to be completed in approximately four, full-time academic semesters. New Mexico State University requires 128 credits for graduation with a bachelor's degree, 48 of which must be upper division.

Classes meet once a week and students are required to go to their satellite site to interact with other distant nursing students and faculty through videoconferencing (interactive two-way video) and then complete assignments via the internet by use of WebCT.

Second Degree Accelerated BSN Option

  Back to top

The Roadrunner Program
This is an accelerated program designed for students with an undergraduate degree in another field, who wish to become registered nurses (RN) and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. It is designed for students from diverse academic and multicultural backgrounds who want a learning environment that is fast-paced, challenging and clinically comprehensive.

This program allows for students with a non-nursing baccalaureate degree to receive credit for past academic work and to focus on their nursing education so that a BSN and registered nurse licensure can be obtained with the student earning 65 credits in 16 months. All prerequisite and requisite course work taken at other institutions will be evaluated in the Department of Nursing.

Master of Science in Nursing (Distance Learning Program)*

  Back to top

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) curriculum provides students with the knowledge and experience to assume leadership positions in overall health care delivery and fulfill the fundamental requirements to teach in basic nursing programs, engage in nursing practice as clinical nurse specialists or nurse practitioners, and secure middle- and top-level administrative positions in health care agencies.

Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the course of study prepares nurses to earn the MSN degree with specialty areas in medical-surgical adult or psychiatric/mental health advanced practice nursing, community/public health nursing or nursing administration.

Advanced Practice Nursing

A graduate with a clinical specialty is eligible to sit for the clinical nurse specialist credentialing exam in medical-surgical nursing or the psychiatric nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist exams. Graduates are prepared to practice as Advanced Practice Nurses subject to meeting state regulations.

The curriculum for the clinical specialties is designed to provide students with a focused practice experiences tied to conceptual knowledge. While in the program, students accumulate over 500 supervised clinical hours, the minimum number that the American Nurses Credentialing Center requires CNS/NP applicants to earn while in a graduate program. The program practicum hours fulfill the medication management requirement for prescriptive authority in New Mexico.

Nursing Administration

Graduates of the nursing administration track are well prepared to assume mid- and top-level management positions and to function as nurse administrators.

The curriculum links nursing to general business and management courses, taking advantage of expertise in New Mexico State's College of Business Administration and Economics. The result is a strong MSN in nursing administration, competitive with MSN-MBA curricula configurations.

Community/Public Health Nursing

The community/public health specialty track prepares the student for leadership positions in a variety of community/public health settings. These settings include school, state and county health departments, maternal/child agencies, community and public health education, community organizing and other community planning with rural underserved populations.

*Students who enroll in any of our specialties are required to come to campus for one weekend at the beginning of each semester and complete the rest of the semester online via the internet. If and when you are accepted into the School of Nursing MSN program, you must have access to a computer and the internet in order to complete assignments online.

Information

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

For more information, visit the home page of New Mexico State University - School of Nursing.