Master of Science, Advanced Practice Nursing

Preparing nurses for advanced practice in a variety of areas

St. Scholastica's Master of Science degree in Advanced Practice Nursing program educates professional baccalaureate-prepared nurses for advanced practice nursing. We offer the only professional Nursing programs in Northeastern Minnesota, a predominately rural area. Program faculty believe they have a particular obligation to respond to the healthcare needs of the region, especially those whose health needs have been underserved or neglected.

Graduation requirements

Eligibility for the master's degree requires satisfactory completion of a minimum of 52 semester credits for the Adult/Gerontological and Family Nurse Practitioner track, and 55 for the psychiatric mental health track. All program requirements must be completed within seven years. Students who begin the program in the summer and who carry approximately 9-13 credits per semester can complete the program in six semesters. Informational materials detailing aspects of the program are mailed to all applicants.

Format

The program accommodates working professionals and can be completed in two to three years depending upon the track chosen. Classes are conveniently scheduled and may be offered in the late afternoon, one full day format, or weekends. Some course assignments are completed through online learning formats (i.e. online and other web based technologies)."

It is recommended that students who wish to pursue a full-time academic schedule work no more than 0.6 time.

Specialization options

Students may choose to specialize in one of the following areas. A dual-track option is available by adding a gerontological specialization to any of the advanced practice tracks.

  • Adult Nurse Practitioner/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (ANP/GNP)
  • Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Practitioner (PMHNP): Family

More information about available program tracks

More information for . . .

Prospective Students

Current Students

Message from program chair Sally Fauchald, Ph.D., RN

Sally Fauchald Nurses are in great demand everywhere! An advanced practice nursing degree prepares you for an amazing number of exciting career opportunities in a wide variety of health care and community settings.

There is explosion of knowledge about advanced nursing degrees and opportunities for nurses with advanced degrees are at an all time high. The demand for nurses with advanced practice degrees is only expected to rise. The economics of health care and new models of care delivery are providing prime opportunities for advanced practice nurses to lead the way in providing new ways of delivering high quality patient care whether you choose to focus your practice in mental health, family practice, adult/gerontology, or as a clinical nurse specialist.

Why continue your education at CSS? Simply stated, CSS has a reputation for excellence. We have access to a wide variety of clinical sites, large and small, rural and urban, hospitals and community centers. Our programs use the expertise of faculty who currently practice in health care settings and/or conduct research in order to give you the best preparation possible for advanced practice nursing. Our format of online course delivery supplemented with minimal on campus meetings makes our master's programs at St. Scholastica accessible to students. This is an excellent time to expand your nursing career with an advanced practice nursing degree at CSS!

Sally Fauchald, Ph.D., R.N.

Chair, Graduate and DNP Programs

Sally Fauchald, PhD, RN, Chair

Science Center
Room 3110B
1200 Kenwood Ave.
Duluth, MN 55811

Accreditation

CCNE SealThe graduate nursing program at The College of St. Scholastica is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington DC 20036, (202) 887-6791.