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The mission of the College of Nursing is to provide
quality professional undergraduate and graduate
nursing education. The college will prepare culturally
sensitive and competent nursing leaders who have
knowledge and skills that are relevant, futuristic,
and responsive to the rapidly changing health care
trends and environments within an atmosphere of
scholarly inquiry, professional values, interdisciplinary
collaboration, and community partnerships.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree is the
critical first step for a career in professional nursing. The
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
and other leading nursing organizations recognize the
B.S.N. degree as the minimum educational requirement
for professional nursing practice. While graduates can
begin practice as an R.N. with an associate’s degree
or hospital diploma, the B.S.N. degree is essential
for nurses seeking to perform at the case-manager or
supervisory level or to move across employment settings.
The B.S.N. nurse is the only basic nursing graduate
prepared to practice in all health care settings—
critical care, ambulatory care, public health, and
mental health—and thus has the greatest employment
flexibility of any entry-level R.N. The B.S.N. curriculum
includes a broad spectrum of scientific, critical
thinking, humanistic, communication, and leadership
skills, including specific courses on community health
nursing not typically included in diploma or associate’s
degree tracks. These abilities are essential for today’s
professional nurse who must be a skilled provider,
designer, manager, and coordinator of care.
The R.N. to B.S.N. program accepts licensed registered
nurses with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science,
or a nursing diploma. The credit for prior nursing
and general education courses is granted through a
variety of validation procedures. R.N. to B.S.N. students
may complete their studies in as little as five terms.
This program has been designed to develop a nursing
professional who will be knowledgeable and comfortable
in assuming a leadership role in the complex health care
environment. The curriculum focuses on current health
care issues and delivery. The nursing faculty members
teaching in this program have real-world experience and
are well-respected nursing leaders in the community.
The R.N. to M.S.N. program began in fall 2009.
Students in this program complete three terms of B.S.N.
coursework and then matriculate into the M.S.N.
program. The online Master of Science in Nursing
(
M.S.N.) Program offers the B.S.N.-prepared R.N.
three unique tracks to earning the M.S.N. The master’s
degree in nursing prepares the experienced nurse to
advance in nursing leadership. Our M.S.N. tracks
in nursing education, public/community health, and
health systems leadership offer in-depth education by
faculty experts in these fields.
The online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in nursing
education prepares nurse scholars to develop
evidence-based practice guidelines and organize new
and innovative nursing care delivery systems. It also
trains them for placement in research/evidence-based
practice positions within their education departments.
Nova Southeastern University’s Ph.D. in Nursing
helps to address the current and projected national
shortage of nursing faculty members at all levels of
nursing education.
NSU’s new Palm Beach Student Educational Center
offers the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), an
online, postprofessional doctoral program, and the
M.S.N. degree with a Family Nurse Practitioner track,
which is offered in a hybrid format.
College of Optometry
One of humanity’s most precious gifts is sight and the
optometric physician is dedicated to the preservation
and enhancement of this gift. The optometric
physician, through academic and clinical training, is
able to examine, diagnose, treat, and manage disorders
and diseases of the visual system and associated
structures. The profession of optometry offers many
challenges and rewards to those willing to devote
themselves to serving others through a lifetime of study
and dedication to excellence.
In urban and rural communities throughout the
nation, today’s optometric physician serves as the
primary eye care practitioner in individual or group
practices, hospital settings, public health organizations,
educational institutions, and centers for vision research.