CON Change of Specialty or Degree for Professional Graduate Nursing Students

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UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE OF NURSING
Change of Specialty or Degree for Professional Graduate Nursing Students	Subsection: 5.3.8
Section 5.0 - Student Policies	Originating Date: February 2010
Responsible Reviewing Agency: Professional Graduate Nursing Affairs Committee	Revised: May 2010 Revised: April 2012 Revised: February 2015 Revised: March 2016 Revised: May 2016 Revised: December 2018

College of Nursing professional graduate nursing students currently in the MSN, post-master’s certificate and DNP programs may request to change specialty areas or their professional graduate nursing degree.

Change of Specialty area

After discussion with the current specialty academic advisor and with the specialty track coordinator, a written request is submitted to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator indicating the preferred specialty area, and the student’s request will be considered at the same time as and in the same manner as all other applicants to that specialty. All normal application deadline dates apply. The student does not forfeit his/her spot in the original specialty area due to re-application to a different specialty area.

The request must contain the items below and is sent to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator who forwards it to the new specialty coordinator.

1. A new narrative of educational/career goals.
2. An internal UNMC transcript with a cumulative GPA
3. A plan for an interview with the new specialty coordinator.

If the student is accepted to the new specialty, he/she must complete the Change of Area/Program form, obtaining signatures from the coordinators of both the new and original specialty areas which is returned to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator who enters the change into the UNMC system. A new plan of study needs to be developed by the new specialty coordinator and is provided to the student. If the student is declined admission to the new specialty area, he/she may choose to remain in the original specialty or withdraw from the professional graduate nursing program completely.

Change of Professional Graduate Nursing Degree

After discussion with the current academic advisor and with a new plan of study having been developed, a written request indicating the preferred degree is required to be submitted to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator. If the change is from the DNP to the MSN degree, the request can be considered at any time. If the change is from the MSN to the DNP degree the student’s request will be considered at the same time and in the same manner as other applicants to the degree program. All normal application deadline dates may apply. The student does not forfeit his/her spot in the original degree program due to re-application to a different degree program.

The request must contain the items below and is sent to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator who forwards it to the new program director.

1. A personal statement that addresses educational and professional goals.
2. Curricula vitae or professional resume
3. An internal UNMC transcript with a cumulative GPA
4. A plan for an interview with the new program director.

If the student is accepted to the new specialty, he/she must complete the Change of Area/Program form, obtaining signatures from the coordinators of both the new and original specialty areas which is returned to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator who enters the change into the UNMC system. A new plan of study needs to be developed by the new specialty coordinator and/or program chair and is provided to the student. If the student is declined admission to a different degree program, he/she may choose to remain in the original degree program or withdraw from the professional graduate nursing program completely.

Change of both the Specialty area and Professional Graduate Nursing Degree

The student should follow the steps under the specialty area change and include a curriculum vitae or professional resume with the paperwork.

If the student is declined admission to a different degree program or specialty, he/she may choose to remain in the original degree and specialty program or withdraw from the professional graduate nursing program completely.

Interest in the PhD in nursing degree will require discussion regarding the process with the Director of the PhD program and completion of the materials required by UNMC Graduate Studies.