Masters of Science in Nursing/Masters in Public Health The Departments of Nursing and Health Science offer a concurrent Master of Science and Master of Public Health degree available to qualified students who desire advanced preparation in the area of public health nursing with a practice focus of primary prevention, illness prevention, and helath promotion. The concurrent program leading to both degrees represents the core accreditation requirements of each degree. Coursework is integrated between the two Departments in each semester in order to provide an intense learning experience.
The philosophy of graduate nurse education is that the practice of nursing is constantly changing as health needs and health delivery systems are altered. Integral to nursing is an ability to work effectively and cooperatively with other disciplines and community services to promote health. The Master of Science and Master of Public Health (Health Education Option) provides the opportunity for students to specialize in advanced practice public health nursing within the general context of the Masters of Public Health, to increase competence in designing, implementing, and evaluating behavior change programs in preparation for serving in various health agencies. The focal point in this curriculum is the Nursing Process, Epidemiological Process Model, and Population Based Theory complemented by behavioral science concepts. Courses are interdependent and have been structured to provide clinical depth in the area of advanced practice public health nursing.
Each applicant should request a copy of official transcript of all college course work be sent to the Department Graduate Advisor of Nursing in addition to the copies required by the Office of Admissions and Records.

Admission Requirements

(1) Bachelors degree in nursing or currently enrolled in accelerated RN to Masters program. Those nurses with Baccalaureate degrees in health related fields may be conditionally admitted.
(2) Current license to practice as a registered nurse in California.
(3) Admission to graduate standing at the University.
(4) An upper division or graduate course in biostatistics (HSC 403 or Ed. Stat 419) and an ethics course (HSC 451).
(5) Public Health Nurse Certificate, or eligibility for certificate in California.
(6) An overall GPA of 3.0 or better; an upper division nursing GPA of 3.0 or better and a science GPA of 3.0 or better. Students who fall below these averages will be evaluated on an individual basis.
(7) Submission of quantitative and verbal scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
(8) Three letters of recommendation from persons with whom the applicant has worked and who has direct knowledge of the applicant's qualifications.
(9) A separate personal statement of applicant's reasons for pursuing this field of study and comments about interests and experiences which are germane to career objectives.
(10) Current professional resume describing the applicant's relevant experience.

Advancement to Candidacy

A joint committee, consisting of Nursing and Health Science faculty involved in the program, will review files and make determination to advance cadidate to graduate status.
Student criteria for advancement are as follows:
(1) Satisfy the general University requirements for advancement to candidacy in Nursing and Health Science.
a. pass Writing Proficiency Examination
b. have at least a 3.0 grade point average for all course work attempted as a graduate student
(2) Joint approval by the Department of Nursing and Health Science, and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs of the College of Health and Human Services.

Requirements- Masters of Science Nursing and Masters of Public Health (Health Education Option)

(1) A minimum of 57 units of approved Nursing and Health Science upper division and graduate level courses including:
The Program of Study:

HSC 500 Principles of Epidemiology 3 units
Or MICR 429 Control of Disease Patterns in the Community 3 units
HSC 503 Advanced Community Health Statistics 3 units
Or BIOL 565 Advanced Biostatistics 4 units
HSC 508 Administrative Relations in Health 3 units
HSC528 Advanced Evnrionmental Health 3 units
HSC 535 Health Promotion and Risk Reduction 3 units
HSC570 Theoretical Concepts & Issues inHealth Science 3 units
HSC 581 Curriculum Development in HealthEducation 3 units
HSC 624 Seminar in Community Analysis and Program 3 units
HSC 625 Advanced Community Health Education 3 units
NURS 660A Theoretical Base for Advanced Nursing Practice 3 units
NURS 660B Theoretical Base for Advanced Nursing Practice 3 units
NURS 680A Theories of Extended Nursing Practice 3 units
NURS 680B Theories of Extended Nursing Practice 3 units
NURS 680C Theories of Extended Nursing Practice 3 units
NURS 680AL Clinical Studies 3 units
NURS 680BL Clinical Studies 3 units
NURS 680CL Clinical Studies 3 units
Or HSC 626 Integrative Seminar in Public Health
(In lieu of one 3 unit 680L)
NURS 696 Nursing Research 3 units
Or HSC 696 Research Methods 3 units
NURS 695 Professional Literature (Comprehensive Exam) 3 units
Or HSC 697 Directed Studies
Or NURS 698 Thesis

(2) An overall GPA of 3.0 or better in all courses
(3) Comprehensive written examination or directed project or a thesis
(4) Graduate degrees obtained previously will be accepted toward meeting the unit requirements of the concurrent MSN/MPH degree program
(5) If a student after entering the concurrent MSN/MPH program returns to a single degree program, all requirements for the single degree program must be met
(6) Transfer units will not be accepted toward the concurrent MSN/MPH program.
EFFECTIVE: Fall 1996

Code: 1074
College: 15
Career: GR
IPEDS (Major) ERSS: 12992
IPEDS (Degree) ERSD: 12992