Nursing Education Certificate

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The Post-Professional Certificate in Nursing Education combines didactic courses and two field-based practica in clinical and academic settings aligned with the student’s interest. The online curriculum prepares students to apply instructional theory and research in the following types of educational settings and roles: schools of nursing, health care agency staff development, continuing education departments, advanced practice nursing and patient and community education agencies. The certificate involves the completion of 10 credits of coursework. The Nursing Education certificate is available to nurses with an MSN, DNP, or PhD.

Upon completion of the certificate, graduates with a valid RN license may be eligible to take the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) Exam offered by the National League of Nursing (NLN). (Note: visit the NLN website for eligibility requirements).

Curriculum Format

• Part-time (~ 3-4 terms)
• 10 Credits (150 Practicum Hours)
• Online
• Three of the four required courses are to be completed in sequence and are offered once a year (NUR 3293 in Spring, NUR 2084 in Summer, and NUR 2183 in Fall); and NURSP 2093 in Spring term.
• Practica are arranged based on student’s needs.
• Applicants must have the curriculum plan approved by the Nursing Education program coordinator.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the Post-Professional Certificate in Nursing Education are prepared to:

• design current, progressive nursing education programs using research and theories of learning instruction, curriculum, evaluation, and measurement.
• utilize a variety of teaching strategies and media appropriate to learner characteristics, instructional objectives, and nursing or health-related content.
• plan the learning activities of individuals and groups of students in clinical and didactic settings.
• guide the performance of learners in settings where nurses function as educators for nurse colleagues, students, patients, families, and communities.
• apply principles of measurement and evaluation to the development of learner assessment procedures for didactic and educational instruction.
• utilize computer technology and educational informatics as integral components of nursing education and training.
• articulate the role of the nurse educator within the health professions, schools of nursing, and community.
• perform the role of education consultant in settings where nurses, patients, families, and communities participate in education activities.

Admission Criteria

• Valid registered nurse license in US State/Territory or location where clinical experiences are performed
• MSN, DNP, or PhD degree (from ACEN, NLN, or CCNE accredited program)
• GPA ≥ 3.0 in the MSN, DNP, or PhD degree
• Pre-admission interview with program coordinator
• Complete online application
• International applicants: see https://www.nursing.pitt.edu/admissions/international-applicants and www.ois.pitt.edu
• Fall or Spring Term admission

Admission of International Applicants

Applications from international students are reviewed according to the admission criteria stated above, and admissions deadlines for all programs are available online. The online application must be completed in English. See the School of Nursing International Applicants page for specific admission requirements.