UTEP’s Nurse Clinician Educator degree program combines your clinical expertise and your passion for teaching into a rewarding career. The program will prepare you to serve as a patient educator, a staff developer or a clinical instructor. In addition to the MSN degree, two 9-hour graduate certificates are available: Nursing Education and Evidence Based Practice.

Degree Plan (total of 36 credit hours required):

Graduate Core Hours (9 Credit hours)

• NURS 5310 Nursing Theories and Processes
• NURS 5370 Research Methods I
• NURS 5338 Health Law, Policy and Ethics

Advanced Practice Core Courses (9 Credit hours)

• NURS 5303 Advanced Health Assessment
• NURS 5319 Advanced Pathophysiology
• NURS 5362 Pharmacotherapeutics

Nurse Education series (9 credit hours)

• NURS 5345 Curriculum Development*
• NURS 5347 Effective Teaching Strategies*
• NURS 5348 Evaluation of Learning*

Synthesis Core (9 credit hours)

• NURS 5423 Evidence Based Practice 1** (45 practicum hours)
• NURS 5524 Evidence Based Practice 2** (90 practicum hours)

(Link to the Catalog for descriptions and to find out when the courses will be offered.)

Graduates are eligible for national certification through the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

Prior to enrolling in coursework, students must present evidence of current licensure and eligiblity to practice in state of residence and complete other compliance requirements. See the compliance website for specific information. For more information about the graduate nursing programs at UTEP, click here.

An **Evidence-based Practice Certificate Program and a *Graduate Certificate - Nursing Education Program can be completed as part of the degree program or as stand-alone programs.

Participating Institution and Advisor

UTEP School of Nursing
Graduate Nursing Program
1101 N.Campbell
El Paso, Texas 79902
915-747-7230
Toll Free: 1-866-747-8219
Email: gradnursing@utep.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the program accredited? The graduate program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
• Who may apply? Registered nurses with licenses in good standing and one of the following types of academic background are invited to apply.
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN),
  • Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and a bachelor degree in a related field
  • Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and enrolled in the RN/MSN option leading to the NCE graduate degree
• How do I apply? Complete online admission application available on the UTEP Graduate School website
• What are the general admission criteria? General admission criteria include completion of application to UTEP and submission of resume and letter of interest (or intent to apply) to the School of Nursing. For more information see Nursing Graduate Handbook.
• Is the GRE required? No. Admission is based on overall GPA, letter of interest, and resume.
• What GPA do I need to be admitted? Minimum GPA for admission to the Graduate School at UTEP is 2.0. However for unconditional acceptance into a graduate nursing major, applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
  • Applicants with a GPA of 2.50 - 2.99 may be admitted conditionally; prior to full admission students must complete the graduate core courses with a grade of B or higher.
  • Applicants with a GPA of 2.0-2.49 are required to successfully complete the nursing education certificate with a GPA of 3.0 prior to being considered for full admission to the graduate major. A new application is required at that time.
• What do I include in letter of interest? Use the letter of interest to sell yourself as a prime candidate for the NCE major. Include your philosophy of teaching, your experience, and any skills that set you apart from other candidates, such as being bilingual. You might want to include related awards or volunteer work. Email the letter directly to the graduate nursing program along with your resume to gradnursing@utep.edu.

• The MSN program has been included in GetEducated.com's Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools, Healthcare guidebook. Find out more. It has also been ranked a "Best Buy."

  Will I have to attend UT El Paso? Students are not required to attend the campus at any time. However, the School of Nursing invites students twice to the UTEP campus in El Paso. In addition, we highly encourage students to join us for hooding and graduation ceremonies scheduled in May for spring and summer graduates and in December for fall graduates.
  • The first invitation occurs early in the program. Students are invited to attend an orientation that includes formal/informal discussions of how to be successful in graduate school and a reception at the Dean’s house to celebrate entry into the new advance role of a nurse educator.
  • Towards the end of the program, students are invited to the campus to present their graduate projects at the annual Sigma Theta Tau scholarly day.
• How much will it cost? NCE students are charged the same tuition and can expect similar fees as students taking on-campus graduate nursing courses at UTEP. Additional costs include textbooks, supplemental readings, required software, such as Microsoft office, and liability insurance (see compliance website). Students must have access to a computer and a PDA. Students are billed by UTEP for courses. Links to campus tuition and fee information can be found on the cost & financial information page.
• How do I register for classes? Once you have been admitted to UTEP, you will follow UTEP's regular procedure to register for courses. Contact the UTEP Registrar's Office for more information. After completing the registration process, you can access your course beginning on the first class day for that semester. Consult the academic calendars for a listing of UTEP semester start dates. Follow the instructions on the Course Login page to access your course.