| UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE OF NURSING |
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| 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
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Revised: May 2010 Revised: April 2012 Revised: February 2015 Revised: March 2016 Revised: May 2016 Revised: December 2018 Revised: October 2021 |
College of Nursing professional graduate nursing students currently in the MSN, post-graduate certificate and DNP programs may request to change specialty areas or their professional graduate nursing degree. Students interested in the PhD nursing program or transferring from the PhD nursing program may seek a transfer.
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 in the same manner as all other applicants to that specialty. All normal application deadline dates apply. The student does not forfeit their 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.
- A new narrative of educational/career goals.
- An internal UNMC transcript with a cumulative GPA
- A plan for an interview with the new specialty coordinator.
If the student is accepted to the new specialty, they 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, they 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. All normal application deadline dates may apply. The student does not forfeit their 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.
- A personal statement that addresses educational and professional goals.
- Curricula vitae or professional resume
- An internal UNMC transcript with a cumulative GPA
- A plan for an interview with the new program director.
After discussion with the current academic advisor, a new plan of study needs to be developed by the new specialty coordinator and/or program director based on a gap analysis of courses already completed. If the student is accepted to the new specialty, they 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. If the student is declined admission to a different degree program, they 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, they may choose to remain in the original degree and specialty program or withdraw from the professional graduate nursing program completely.
Change to or from PhD degree
Interest in the PhD in nursing degree will require discussion regarding the admission process with the Director of the PhD program and completion of the materials required by UNMC Graduate Studies.
Students interested in transferring from the PhD in nursing degree to a professional graduate degree must discuss the request with the PhD program director and a written request indicating the preferred degree is required to be submitted to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator.
The request must contain the items below and is sent to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator who forwards it to the new program director.
- A personal statement that addresses educational and professional goals.
- Curricula vitae or professional resume
- An internal UNMC transcript with a cumulative GPA
- A plan for an interview with the new program director and specialty coordinator.
After discussion with the PhD program director, a new plan of study needs to be developed by the new specialty coordinator and new program director based on a gap analysis of courses already completed. If the student is accepted to the new degree, they must be approved by PGNA.
If the student is declined admission to the different degree program, they may choose to remain in the original degree or withdraw from the UNMC Graduate Studies PhD in nursing program completely.