Program Overview

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Graduate Certificate

The Clinical Nurse Specialist Post Graduate Certificate is designed to provide advanced practice nurses with preparation as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS). The student 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

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 College 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 (3) letters of recommendation, two (2) 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 so the program can be completed in 12 months. The three practicum courses vary by population focus and must be taken sequentially. The three theory courses vary by population focus and the plan for theory course work must be approved by the CNS option coordinator. The three courses must be graduate level (700 or above) and provide content across the continuum from wellness through acute care for the selected population.

Adult/Gerontology Track

• NURS 832: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum I-Adult/Gerontology (3 credits)
• NURS 833: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum II-Adult/Gerontology (3 credits)
• NURS 834: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum III-Adult/Gerontology (3 credits)
• NURS 702: Advanced Practice Nursing Adult-Gerontology Chronic Illness (3 credits)
• NURS 703: Advanced Practice Nursing Adult-Gerontology Acute Illness (3 credits)
• Select one of the following two courses:
  • NURS 704: Advanced Practice Nursing Adult-Gerontology Critical Illness
  • NURS 760: Processes of Aging

Pediatric Track

• NURS 817: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum I-Pediatric (3 credits)
• NURS 818: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum II-Pediatric (3 credits)
• NURS 819: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum III-Pediatric (3 credits)
• ED PSY 640: Human Development: Theory and Research (3 credits)
• SOC WRK 771: Development of the Family Over the Life Span (3 credits)
• NURS 766: Advanced Practice Nursing: Care of the Child and Family (3 credits)

Maternal/Infant Track

• NURS 814: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum I-Maternal/Infant (3 credits)
• NURS 815: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum II-Maternal/Infant (3 credits)
• NURS 816: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum III-Maternal/Infant (3 credits)
• NURS 708: Global Maternal and Child Health: From Evidence to Action (3 credits)
• NURS 763: Issues in Women's Health and Development (3 credits)
• NURS 772: Advanced Practice Nursing: Maternal-Infant and Women's Health (3 credits)

Psychiatric/Mental Health Track

• NURS 811: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum I-Psychiatric/Mental Health (3 credits)
• NURS 812: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum II-Psychiatric/Mental Health (3 credits)
• NURS 813: Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum III-Psychiatric/Mental Health (3 credits)
• COUNS 715: Multicultural Counseling
• NURS 774: Trauma Counseling I: Theory and Research
• NURS 775: Trauma Counseling II: Diagnosis and Treatment
• ED PSY 752: Developmental Psychopathology
• SOC WRK 753: Adult Psychopathology

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 in to meet requirements of the certificate program.
• Completion Requirements: Certificate program progression requirements will be consistent with the College 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 program.
• Time limit: It is expected that students will complete the certificate within one year from 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 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.