Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Graduate Certificate
Program Overview
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Graduate Certificate
Overview
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Graduate Certificate is a 18-credit post-graduate program designed to provide advanced practice nurses with preparation as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. Students will choose one of the following populations: adult/gerontology or pediatric. Upon completing the certificate requirements, students will be eligible to sit for the population-specific national certification exams offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). Once nationally certified, the CNS is eligible to apply for licensure in all fifty states.
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the university's calendars.
Admission
The admission requirements of the Post-Graduate CNS Certificate are consistent with those requirements specified by the Graduate School of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In addition, students must also meet the following requirements for the School of Nursing:
- A master's or doctoral degree in Nursing from an accredited program providing preparation as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse midwife, or certified registered nurse anesthetist.
- Certification in their current advanced practice registered nurse specialty as applicable.
- Completion with a grade of B or better of a graduate-level course in advanced physiology/pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and advanced health assessment. Evidence of current prescriptive authority in the state of Wisconsin will be accepted in place of advanced pharmacology.
- Current registration as a Registered Nurse in the state of Wisconsin.
- Three letters of recommendation, two of which are from persons most knowledgeable about the applicant's recent academic and work experiences.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV).
- Personal statement that includes rationale for certificate study and career goals.
- Personal interview with a faculty member may be requested.
- One year of clinical experience relevant to the chosen specialty.
Credits and Courses
The CNS Post-Graduate Certificate consists of 18 credit hours of coursework. All courses are 3 credits each and are offered in a 3-semester sequence, allowing the program to be completed in 12 months. The three theory and health management courses must be graduate level (700 or above) and provide content across the continuum from wellness through acute care for the adult-gerontology population.
Adult/Gerontology Track
- NURS 832: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum I-Adult/Gerontology (3 credits)
- NURS 833: Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum II (3 credits)
- NURS 834: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum III-Adult/Gerontology (3 credits)
- NURS 702: Advanced Health and Illness Management for Adult-Gerontology Acute Care I (3 credits)
- NURS 703: Advanced Health and Illness Management for Adult Gerontology Acute Care II (3 credits)
- Select one of the following two courses:
- NURS 704: Advanced Practice Nursing Adult-Gerontology Critical Illness
- NURS 765: Processes of Aging
Additional Requirements
Allowance for Transfer Credit
If approved by the CNS option coordinator, one 3-credit course from an institution other than UWM may be transferred to meet requirements of the certificate program.
Completion Requirements
Certificate program progression requirements will be consistent with the School of Nursing requirements for progression in graduate level programs. Students must complete all courses with at least a B- or better and a cumulative GPA of a 3.00 or greater in order to progress in the program.
Time Limit
It is expected that students will complete the certificate within one year from the time of enrollment.
Certificate Conferral
The certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of the requirements (i.e., once all grades for the certificate courses are officially recorded with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater). Successful completion of the certificate program will be noted on the student's transcript.
Articulation with Degree Programs
- Credits and courses required for a certificate may double count toward meeting UWM graduate degree requirements subject to the following restrictions:
- Degree programs must approve the courses from certificates that can double count toward the degree.
- All credits taken in completion of certificate requirements may count towards a UWM graduate degree as long as they do not contribute more than 90% of the total credits needed to obtain the degree.
- Certificate courses used toward meeting degree requirements must be completed within the time limit for transfer credit.
- Courses completed for a degree may be counted toward a subsequent certificate, subject to all certificate policy requirements.
- A course may count toward no more than one certificate and one degree.
- Students may not earn a certificate subsequent to a concentration in the same area.
Certification and Licensing
On completion of the CNS Certificate program, graduates with a population focus on adult/gerontology or pediatrics will be eligible to take the national CNS certification exams in adult/gerontology or pediatrics offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) Certification Corporation. Upon successful completion of the CNS certification exam, graduates may choose to apply for prescriptive privileges in the state of Wisconsin as an Advanced Practice Nurse Prescriber or APNP. Currently, CNS certification exams are not available for the maternal/infant or psychiatric/mental health populations.