About the School of Nursing
Letter from the Dean
Hello and welcome to the Penn State School of Nursing website! During your visit, I hope you learn what the Penn State School of Nursing is doing to educate the next generation of nurses and improve the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities in Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world.
By combining exceptional academic programs with a vibrant research enterprise, a strong outreach program, and opportunities to study abroad, the Penn State School of Nursing provides a rich, diverse educational experience to future professional and advanced practice nurses, nursing researchers, and nurse educators. This experience is grounded in a student-centered environment with small student-to-faculty ratios which allow students to develop strong, supportive relationships with their professors and with each other. Leadership opportunities also exist through programs such as the Women’s Leadership Initiative or organizations such as the Student Nurse Association of Pennsylvania.
And let’s not forget the benefit of attending Penn State, a world-class university with world-class resources!
So, whether you’re studying in a library with more than 4 million volumes at your disposal, conducting research with one of the country’s leading experts in gerontological nursing, providing nursing care to someone in Appalachia, Africa, or South America, or just making new friends, we hope you’ll see that the Penn State School of Nursing is a great place to begin or advance your nursing career. Whatever your career goal may be, we want to help you reach it!
I encourage you to explore our website and see everything that Penn State and the School of Nursing have to offer.
Sincerely,
Paula Milone-Nuzzo RN, Ph.D., FHHC, FAAN
Dean and Professor, School of Nursing
Mission
The mission of the School of Nursing is to improve the health of all people in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world through the development of qualified nurse leaders at all levels of practice, the development of nursing science related to health and health care, and the provision of nursing care to individuals, families, and communities. This mission will be accomplished through the integrated programs of nursing education, research, scholarship, and outreach.
Strategic Plan
School of Nursing Strategic Plan 2008-2013
Accreditation
The School of Nursing is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.
The associate, bachelor's, and master's programs are accredited by:
The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC)
3343 Peachtree Road, NE
Suite 500
Atlanta, GA 30326
The bachelor's and master's programs are accredited by:
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
One Dupont Circle, NW
Suite 530
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-887-6791
Programs
The School of Nursing features a complete range of educational programs in nursing.
Our associate degree program prepares entry-level nurses for employment in a variety of acute and long-term care settings.
The baccalaureate degree program has three options for study: the B.S., for those students who are entering the four-year program of study for an initial professional degree, the Second Degree option for those who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field, and the RN to B.S. for RNs who wish to complete the B.S. degree.
Our master's programs include an M.S.N. program with six options for advanced nursing roles. Two options—Nurse Administrator and Nurse Educator—are offered fully online through Penn State World Campus. There is also a B.S.–Ph.D. program that incorporates an M.S. degree as preparation for the Ph.D.
The interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Nursing is designed to develop clinical scholars, faculty, and researchers who can teach and provide leadership through scientific inquiry and innovative practice.
Selected programs are offered at various locations across the state
Geographic dispersion helps us to extend our offerings to students across the state and to positively influence the health of the citizens of the Commonwealth, even in the most rural areas. The beauty of the system is that wherever you choose to study, you are a part of Penn State University and all that it represents!
Types of Nursing programs offered at each Penn State campus:
- University Park: B.S. general ; RN to B.S.; M.S.; M.S.N.; Ph.D.
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: M.S.; M.S.N.; Ph.D.
- Penn State Abington: RN to BS
- Penn State Altoona: Associate; RN to B.S.; B.S. Second Degree
- Penn State Erie, The Behrend College: Associate; RN to B.S.
- Penn State Harrisburg: RN to B.S.
- Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus: Associate; RN to B.S.
- Penn State Mont Alto: Associate; RN to B.S.
- Penn State New Kensington: RN to B.S.
- Penn State Schuylkill: RN to B.S.
- Penn State Shenango: RN to B.S.
- Penn State Worthington Scranton: Associate; RN to B.S.
Nurse Practitioner courses are also available at Penn State Worthington Scranton and Mont Alto campuses.
Additional Information
To request undergraduate information, please contact your nearest campus.
To request graduate information, please contact nursgrad@psu.edu..
