Program Overview

Program Overview

The Undergraduate Certificate in Nursing Forensics is designed to provide specialized services for victims and perpetrators of traumatic events. This 12-credit certificate program can be completed 100% online, allowing students to learn at their own pace.

Program Details

• The program focuses on evidence collection and preservation, forensic documentation, recognition of domestic violence, assault, and stalking, and legal and ethical issues.
• Students will learn to identify and analyze current forensic science and nursing issues and trends.
• The program aims to bridge the gap between the health care and criminal justice systems.

Online Nursing Forensics Courses

The program includes the following courses:

• NURS 245: Violence and the Impact on Society (3 credits)
• NURS 409: Introduction to Forensic Nursing (3 credits)
• NURS 410: Forensic Evidence Collection and Preservation (3 credits)
• NURS 411: Seminar in Forensic Nursing (3 credits)

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program can pursue careers in:

• Medical examiner
• Nurse investigator
• Forensic clinical nurse specialist
• Correctional facility nurse
• Emergency room forensic nurse
• Nurse coroner
• Assault or abuse nurse examiner
• Legal nurse consultant

Tuition and Financial Aid

• Undergraduate tuition is calculated based on the number of credits for which you register and the number of total credits you have accrued at or transferred to Penn State.
• Tuition rates for the 2025-26 academic year are $638 per credit for students with 59 or fewer credits and $685 per credit for students with 60 or more credits.
• Students pursuing a certificate are considered "nondegree" and are not eligible for federal student aid.

Application Instructions

• The application deadline for the spring semester is December 22.
• To apply, students must be a high school graduate or have completed their GED.
• Students must also be a currently licensed registered nurse.

Faculty

The program is taught by distinguished faculty with special training and experience teaching in an online environment. The faculty includes:

• Jocelyn Anderson, DNP, with research focused on the health outcomes of violence and interventions to prevent and respond to violence.
• Mary Alyce Nelson, DNP, with expertise in mental health and health care leadership.

Program Format

The program is offered 100% online, allowing students to complete their coursework at their own pace. The program can be completed in one or two years, depending on the student's course load. NA