The Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education (NLDR-EDU) is available for nurses who already have a graduate degree in nursing and are seeking to develop advanced knowledge and skills in order to teach in academic or clinical settings. The coursework emphasizes instruction in teaching, program and course development, implementation, and evaluation.
Graduates of the NLDR-EDU certificate option may be eligible to take the National League of Nursing (NLN) Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) Examination.
Scheduling of Courses
The NLDR-EDU clinical and practicum courses are in a hybrid format. Additional course work is held throughout the semester at scheduled times, with students participating live via software programs or video conferencing. All NLDR-EDU clinical and practicum must be completed in the state of Alaska and in most instances clinical is done in the students’ own community. Decisions for clinical sites are based on there being adequate experiences and preceptors locally that allow the student to meet the course and program outcomes.
Licensure and/or Certification
This program is designed to meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in the State of Alaska. However, the program might not meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in other states. Please see UAA’s Licensure and Certification website for more information.
Admission Requirements
- Complete the Admission Requirements for Graduate Certificates.
School of Nursing Admission Deadlines
Information on admission deadlines can be found on the SON website. Applications for the Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education (EDUC) are reviewed once a semester as they are completed.
School of Nursing Admission Requirements
To be eligible for the Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education applicants must submit documentation of the following requirements:
- Graduate degree in nursing (master's or doctoral) from a school of nursing accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
- Registered professional nurse license in the state of Alaska. License must remain active and unencumbered while in the School of Nursing (SON) graduate program. There are different reasons for a license to be encumbered and some may not preclude admission to the program. Students with encumbered licenses should meet with the graduate chair to determine program eligibility.
- Meet with faculty advisor to develop a plan of study (see SON website for advisor contact information).
School of Nursing Admission Process
The UAA School of Nursing application process can be found on the SON website.
Additional School of Nursing Requirements
Prior to the commencement of the nursing program, students must provide documentation for the following:
- Immunizations: Proof of rubella, rubeola, and mumps vaccination or titer; varicella (chickenpox) vaccination or titer; Hepatitis B titer demonstrating immunity; Hepatitis A titer demonstrating immunity; diphtheria/tetanus vaccine within the past ten years; influenza vaccine within the previous twelve months.
- Freedom from active tuberculosis: Verified annually by a negative PPD skin test or by a health examination conducted by a nurse practitioner, physician, or physician's assistant.
- Current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): Required for infants, children, and adults.
- Additional requirements: May include, but are not limited to, drug screening, additional vaccinations, and/or clinical facility-specific requirements.
- Eligibility determination from a national-level criminal background check.
- Professional liability insurance: Specific information regarding acceptable policies can be obtained directly from the program.
- Proof of health insurance: The school assumes no responsibility for illnesses and injuries experienced by students during their clinical experiences. Students who are injured while completing clinical assignments are responsible for all associated medical costs.
- Proof of registered professional nurse license in the state of Alaska: License must remain active and unencumbered while in the School of Nursing (SON) graduate program. Students with encumbered licenses should meet with the graduate program chair to determine program eligibility.
Furthermore, students enrolled in clinical courses must arrange their own transportation to clinical assignments and will need to purchase uniforms and specialized equipment.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete the General University Requirements for Graduate Certificates.
- Complete the program requirements below:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NSG A649 | Best Practices in Teaching and Learning in Nursing Education | 4 |
| NSG A650 | Evidence-Based Practice for Nursing Leaders | 3 |
| NSG A652 | Technology and Informatics for Nurse Educators | 3 |
| NSG A655 | Curriculum Design and Program Assessment | 3 |
| NSG A695A | Clinical Practicum in Population Health | 2 |
| Total | 15 | |
A total of 15 credits is required for the certificate.1
- 1
Students need to have had an advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology and health assessment course in their original nursing master’s program; if their program did not include some or all of these courses, they may need to be taken for the graduate certificate.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with a Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education will be able to:
- Apply nursing theory, best practices and scholarly evidence to the advanced nursing practice role for which the student is being prepared.
- Apply ethical, legal and professional standards and policy to advanced nursing practice with an emphasis on the role for which the student is being prepared.
- Collaborate across disciplines and in partnership with key stakeholders to improve health for diverse populations.
- Create a plan for self-directed, lifelong learning and professional development.
- Demonstrate professional competence in the advanced nursing practice role for which one is being prepared.
- Use emerging information, health technologies and healthcare data to promote safety and quality care to improve health.