Nurse Anesthesia
The Nurse Anesthesia program is a 28-month graduate course of study in the School of Nursing, accredited by The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. The program will award the graduate a Master of Science in Nursing degree from Western Carolina University and prepare the student to sit for the national certification examination.
Students enrolled in the Nurse Anesthesia Program will complete a minimum of 66 course credits during the 28-month program. In addition to School of Nursing required courses, students will take anesthesia specialty courses. The program integrates research, physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and anesthesia principles.
Application deadline for the January class is June 15 of the prior year.
Admission requirements for Nurse Anesthesia
Family Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner Program Description: The Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner track prepares nurses in an advanced practice role with competencies in family health promotion and clinical management of common health conditions across the life span. The three-year program requires 49-53 semester hours of coursework. The usual course load is five to eight hours per term. Clinical placements are available in a variety of settings in or near students' communities.
A Post-Master's Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program is also available to those who have previously earned Master of Science in Nursing degrees. The certificate program requires 38 semester hours of study.
Nurse Administrator
Program Description: The Master of Science in Nursing, Nurse Administrator track prepares nurses for the role of nurse administrator with a focus on culturally and linguistically appropriate services. All academic courses are taught online (with real-time online work on Tuesdays). The MS Nurse Administrator Program requires forty to forty-one semester hours of coursework, depending on whether the thesis or project option is selected. New students are admitted for the fall term only. The typical course load is six to nine credit hours per semester (part time).
Nurse Educator
The Master of Science in Nursing, Nurse Educator track prepares nurses in the role of nurse educator with competencies in one of three educational areas: academic educator, staff educator, or patient educator. The two-year M.S. Nurse Educator program requires 38-39 semester hours of coursework, depending on whether the thesis or project option is selected. The typical course load is six to nine credit hours per semester.
A Post-Graduate Nurse Educator Certificate Program is also available to students who have earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree or master's in a related discipline. The Post-Graduate Certificate Program requires 18 semester hours of study and can be completed in four semesters.
Admission Requirements for Nurse Adminisrator, Nurse Educator, and Family Nurse Practitioner programs:
Required
- Standardized Test: GRE General Exam
GRE scores required: Combined Verbal and Quantitative of 850, a minimum of 400 on the Verbal, and a minimum of 4.0 on the Analytical portion of the exam. - Minimum Admissions Requirements: Same as the Graduate School
- Applicants must have a B.S.N. from a regionally accredited college or university and a nationally accredited nursing program with at least a 3.00 GPA on a 4.0 scale in the nursing major.
- Applicants must be a registered nurse eligible for licensure to practice in the state in which the student intends to practice, and have a minimum of one year clinical experience within the last five years.
- Applicants may be required to participate in an interview session that includes a written essay. Students who are accepted into the program must own or have access to a computer with a CD burner and high-speed Internet access.
Prerequisites:
- Applicants must have completed an undergraduate or graduate level statistics course
- Applicants must have completed an undergraduate course in research
Application Deadline: February 15
Application
: Application materials are available here
Program Information
Number of Graduate Faculty: 7
Number of Students: The number of students admitted is based on available faculty and clinical/practicum resources.
Classes are admitted annually each fall semester. Enrollment is year-round and structured on a part-time basis.
Location of Course Offerings: Enka Campus Only -- on Tuesdays. (Some coursework is on-line or Web-enhanced.)
Graduate Program Director:
Judy Mallory, Director FNP and Nurse Educator Programs
Assocaite Professor
AB-Tech Enka Campus, Haynes Building
1459 Sand Hill Road
Candler, NC 28715
828-670-8810
Email: jmallory@email.wcu.edu
Nurse Anesthesia Program Director:
Shawn Collins, Director CRNA Program
Assistant Professor
AB-Tech Enka Campus, Haynes Building 617
1459 Sand Hill Road, Candler, NC 28715
828-670-8810
Email: shawncollins@email.wcu.edu