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Concentration Areas

Child Health with Role Specialty in Administration, Public Health Nursing, or Teaching

Graduates of the Child Health MSN program will be prepared to work with children and their families in various acute care and community or public health settings as clinical experts, nurse educators, or nurse managers.

Concentration courses for the program provide depth in physiology and pathology as well as chronic illness, psych/behavioral problems, and technology-dependence in the home and in schools. Graduates will acquire advanced knowledge and skills in the assessment and care of children and their families and develop abilities in leadership and resource management.  Students will develop a theoretical base for practice that includes growth and developmental concepts, family systems, communications, diversity, and ethics.

Graduates will be prepared for a variety of professional roles through the Role Specialty courses of 1) teaching, 2) administration, or 3) public health:

Graduates of the Child Health MSN program with a role specialty in teaching are prepared to teach children and families in acute or chronic care or community settings, or to be nurse educators in schools of nursing or hospital/clinic settings.

Graduates of the Child Health MSN program with a role specialty in nursing administration are prepared to assume mid-level management positions in hospitals, clinics, school districts, or community health care agencies.

Graduates of the Child Health MSN program with a role specialty in public health are prepared to assume a variety of positions in school districts, non-governmental agencies, clinics, and governmental agencies that address the health needs of children and families.

Students who complete the Child Health Nursing Masters program are NOT eligible for advanced practice certification (such as Clinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Practitioner).  Those students who desire to expand their role to become Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (PNP) will have the ability to apply to the PNP program during the final year of their program and complete the required courses and clinical experience.  Admission to the PNP program is not guaranteed.

All degree plans are in PDF Format.

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Family Nurse Practitioner

The Family Nurse Practitioner concentration is a 48 credit hour program that combines skills in primary care with community assessment, intervention, and management skills of community health nursing. It emphasizes health promotion, disease prevention, and the management of common acute an chronic illness across the lifespan. Students complete 720 hours of supervised clinical practice with nurse practitioners and primary care physicians and is tailored to the individual student's goals and program objectives.

Graduates are eligible to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) exam and American Academy for Nurse Practitioner (AANP) certification examinations for the family nurse practitioner. The program meets the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty's curriculum guidelines. The curriculum also includes coursework required by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) to be qualified as an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). Additional requirements and experiences for APN status are available from the BON.

Applicants to the Family Nurse Practitioner program must be graduates of an NLN or CCNE-accredited BSN program, and have at least two years of full-time clinical experience as a registered nurse within the last five years by the December 1 application deadline.

All degree plans are in PDF Format.

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Family Psych/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program

The FPMHNP concentration is a 49-credit hour program that prepares graduates to provide primary psychiatric-mental health care at an advanced level to individuals of all ages and their families. Graduates will be prepared to assume responsibilities including differential diagnosis and management of psychiatric and mental health disorders through medication management and psychotherapeutic interventions including individual, group and family therapies.  Graduates will also engage in health promotion and illness prevention strategies with their population. Graduates will participate in and utilize research to improve patient care and patient care systems. Graduates are prepared to work in both inpatient and community based psychiatric/mental health settings, and may work in a variety of health care settings providing psychiatric-mental health care and consultation.

All degree plans are in PDF Format.

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Adult - Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist

Adult - Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Video.

The Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist includes perspectives of both health-restoration and health-promotion, while developing skills in case management. This concentration area focuses on physiological and psychosocial theories, concepts, and research underlying self-care and growth needs of individuals. Other commonly emphasized themes include: holism of clients, family relationships, environmental influences, conceptual thinking, and independent nursing actions.

Faculty assist students in individualizing their education by facilitating work in hospital or non-hospital clinical areas in the specialization courses. Practicum experiences provide opportunities for testing new approaches and developing advanced skills.

Graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for recognition as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. The curriculum also includes coursework required by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners (TxBON) to be qualified as an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). Additional requirements and experience for APN status are available from the TxBON.

All degree plans are in PDF Format.

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Holistic Adult Health with Role Specialty in Administration or Teaching

The Adult Health MSN track in the Holistic Adult Health concentration includes perspectives of both health-restoration and health promotion. The program stresses the nursing, physiological, and psychosocial theories, concepts, and research underlying the self-care and growth needs of individuals. Other emphases include: holism of clients, family relationships, environmental influences, and conceptual thinking.

Students in the MSN track will choose a role concentration (9 hours) in one of the following areas: 1) teaching, or 2) administration. Students who complete the Adult Health MSN track are NOT eligible for advanced practice certification.

The Adult Health MSN track is a 39-hour program that can be completed in fulltime attendance for three long semesters*.

Graduates of the Adult Health MSN program with a role concentration in teaching will be prepared to teach clinical aspects of adult health nursing in a school of nursing or in a clinic/hospital based unit.

Graduates of the Adult Health MSN program with a role concentration in administration will be prepared to assume mid-level management positions within an adult health setting.

*Alternate entry students will also complete 38 hours of foundational courses prior to beginning either the CNS or Adult Health MSN track.

All degree plans are in PDF Format.

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Maternity with Role Specialty in Administration, Public Health Nursing, or Teaching

The Maternity Nursing MSN graduate focuses on the health promotion of maternity clients and their families, including the special needs associated with high-risk pregnancy and initial care of the high-risk neonate. The program addresses bio-psycho-social, developmental, physical, environmental and health services influences on wellness, resiliency, morbidity, and mortality. The strengths and needs of childbearing families and supportive health-promotion services are studied within their socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural community contexts. Course work and clinical experiences are designed to ensure students master the knowledge and skill necessary to provide maternity care leadership in diverse settings. Experiences will also focus on identifying the gaps in care and opportunities for change to improve maternity health outcomes. Graduates will be prepared to take positions in varied settings including birthing centers, perinatal centers, community health care agencies, government agencies, research settings and educational institutions.

Maternity Nursing Video.

Students in the Maternity Nursing MSN program will choose a role specialty in one of the following areas: 1) teaching, 2) administration, or 3) public health. Students who complete the Maternity Nursing MSN track are NOT eligible for advanced practice certification (such as CNS certification) because such certification does not currently exist.

Graduates of the Maternity Nursing MSN program with a role specialty in teaching will be prepared to assume clinical educator positions in a community clinic/hospital based perinatal unit as a staff or patient educator, or in a school of nursing.

Graduates of the Maternity Nursing MSN program with a role specialty in nursing systems will be prepared to assume mid-level management positions in hospitals, clinics and community health care agencies.

Graduates of the Maternity Nursing MSN program with a role specialty in public health will be prepared to assume a broad range of positions including those at non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public health clinics, as well as leadership roles in state and local health agencies.  The public health role preparation will emphasize improving health outcomes for women, newborns, and families through health promotion and disease prevention.

All degree plans are in PDF Format.

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Nursing Administration and Healthcare Systems Management

The Nursing Administration and Heathcare Systems Management Masters concentration prepares graduates to assume a variety of leadership positions within healthcare. Through learning accomplished in the core courses and electives, students can advance to assume positions such as:

  • Nursing management within patient care services of acute care and long-term care organizations
  • Nursing management within State, Federal, or Private healthcare agencies
  • Nursing leadership/management within corporations
  • Performance Improvement/Quality Improvement
  • Risk Management
  • Patient Safety
  • Utilization Management
  • Case Management
  • Outcomes Management
  • Nursing Informatics
  • Health Policy
  • Entrepreneurial endeavors

The courses in this concentration focus on leadership and management of complex social and operational systems for health care delivery. Students are required to complete a practicum experience with a preceptor in their area of interest. The Nursing Administration and Heathcare Systems Management Masters also includes an Internship semester that requires a project demonstrating a synthesis and culmination of the student’s learning. A rich variety of resources for preceptors and experiences exist within the Austin and South-central Texas region. PhD students desiring to undergo dissertation work examining aspects of Nursing/Healthcare Systems have the opportunity to work with Systems faculty and Nursing/Healthcare leaders throughout Texas and within national and international arenas.

All degree plans are in PDF Format.

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Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care concentration focuses on the delivery of primary care to children from newborns to 21 years of age in a variety of settings. Emphases include child development, parenting, health promotion, disease prevention, and the management of common illnesses in children. Nurse practitioner skills are combined with community assessment, intervention, and management skills to broaden the scope of the clinical practice experiences. The graduate is prepared to assume leadership positions in pediatric-based health care agencies.

The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner concentration at The University of Texas at Austin is the first nursing program in the country to offer Touchpoints training. Touchpoints is an interdisciplinary, relational, and developmental model of providing health care. Anticipatory guidance is tailored to the child's temperament and developmental level and a supportive relationship is nurtured between the practitioner and the parent.

Graduates are eligible to take the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board examination and/or the American Nurses Credentialing Center exam for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. The curriculum also includes coursework required by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) to be qualified as an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). Additional requirements and experiences for APN status and and prescriptive authority are available from the BON.

Applicants to the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program must be graduates of an NLN or CCNE-accredited nursing program, and have at least one year of full-time Registered Nurse experience with children/adolescents within the last five years by the December 1st application deadline.

All degree plans are in PDF Format.

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Public Health Nursing

Public Health Nursing Video.

The primary emphasis of the Public Health Nursing concentration is health promotion and illness prevention in high-risk populations at the local, state, and national levels. Core concepts include community health assessment, epidemiology, health promotion models and strategies, program planning and evaluation, community health administration and research, and advanced role functions. This track includes advanced clinical practice in community settings, designed to help the student achieve her/his professional goals and the program objectives. The Public Health curriculum, however, does not meet the requirements for advanced practice standing in Texas.

All degree plans are in PDF Format.

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Role Specialty

Role Specialties include nine hours of course work and are included in some of the MSN degree plans. These specialty roles are designed to focus the MSN student’s career preparation as a mid-level manager administrator, educator, or one who provides care to children or child-bearing women in a community setting. The Nurse Educator and Administration role specialties are available in the Adult Health, Child Health, and Maternity concentration. The Public Health Nursing role specialty is available in Child Health and Maternity.

Public Health Role Specialty Video.

Teaching Role Specialty Video.

Administration Role Specialty Video.

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