What is the application deadline?
The completedapplication review begins on April 1stwith staggered admissions through July. Application review resumes after September 1st for any available seats. Please note the application is generic for all graduate programs. Application status is posted on the Graduate Schoolwebsite.
I notice that the prerequisites are Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology and Statistics. Are there any others?
Prerequisite courses must be complete at the time the application is reviewed. These include Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Microbiology at the cellular level and with lab, and Statistics with a grade of B or better. Prerequisites must be completed at an accredited institution.
Knowledge of the basic processes and methods of research is necessary for students entering the DEMN program. While many undergraduate programs include a research methods course, not all programs do so. If you have no background in research, we suggest you enroll in an introductory research course or self-study this content prior to matriculation in the DEMN program. The followingintroductory nursing research textbooksmay be used for self-study:
- Boswell, C. & Cannon, S. (2022). Introduction to Nursing Research: Incorporating Evidence Based Practice 6th ed. Jones & Bartlett Publishers;
- Fain, J. (2020). Reading, Understanding, and Applying Nursing Research 6th ed. F. A. Davis Company; and
- White, K.M. & Dudley-Brown, S. (2021). Translation of Evidence in Nursing and Health Care 3rd ed. Springer Publishing
Where can I take the prerequisite courses?
Prerequisite courses can be taken at any accredited college or university for a letter grade.
Do the prerequisites have to be completedby the time I apply?
Prerequisite courses must be complete at the time the application is reviewed. If you are in the process of completing the last prerequisite, your application will be reviewed but completed applications are considered first.
When are decisions made?
Complete applications are reviewed in early May with staggered admissions through July; application review resumes in September with decisions made in October.
Is financial aid available?
Graduate students who are enrolled in a degree program at least half time (5 or more credits per semester) and are a U.S citizen or eligible non-citizen may be considered for Federal Financial Aid. Graduate students are reviewed for loans and work study. There are no Federal or University grants or scholarships awarded to graduate students by the UNH Financial Aid Office.
To apply for Federal Financial Aid you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can complete the application on-line.The UNH priority deadline for applying for financial aid is March 1. This is the date by which the FAFSA Application must be received by the Federal processor.However, students applying after March 1will still be considered for the Federal Direct Loan, which is not subject to the priority deadline.
Be aware that the Financial Aid Office will make their offer of aid based on your actual tuition charges. If you will be enrolled for less than 9 credits or paying reduced tuition in either semester, your aid package may be adjusted. If you change your status (e.g., from full to part time), receive a scholarship, tuition waiver or other resource, or correct and/or change the information on the FAFSA, an aid adjustment may result.
If I move to New Hampshire, how long do I have to live there before I am eligible for in-state tuition?
Each graduate student is classified as a resident or nonresident for tuition purposes at the time of admission to the university. The decision, made by the Graduate School, is based upon information furnished by the student's application and any other relevant information. Nonresident undergraduates continuing directly to the Graduate School will be classified as nonresidents.
All applicants claiming New Hampshire residency are required to have been legally domiciled in New Hampshire continuously for at least twelve months immediately prior to registering for the term for which in-state status is claimed.
Students admitted from states other than New Hampshire or from foreign countries are considered nonresident throughout their entire attendance at the university unless they shall have acquired bona fide domicile in New Hampshire. Changes in residency for enrolled students as well as appeals are reviewed by the Registrar's Office and will only occur if the student can clearly establish that his or her residence in New Hampshire is for some purpose other than the temporary one of obtaining an education at the university.
The burden of proof in all cases is upon the applicant. In all cases, the University reserves the right to make the final decision as to resident status for tuition purposes. The university rules governing tuition rates are fully set forth in the application for admission package; all students are bound by them.
How is the Clinical Nurse Leader different from a Nurse Practitioner?
Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL): Students graduate as an advanced generalist as aClinical Nurse Leader(CNL) with a Master’s of Science degree. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Clinical Nurse Leader national certification examination. The CNL is a role in the field of nursing designed to provide master’s prepared, point-of-care nurse leaders with the ability to manage and solve complex patient problems within a systems framework. The CNL is not one of administration or management. The CNL is a point of care provider to patients and applies evidence-based information to the care of complex cases to improve patient outcomes.
As part of the CNL curriculum, students study master’s level research in health promotion and illness management. Students complete a clinical immersion experience of approximately 300 clinical hours. Students conclude their CNL master’s preparation with a capstone project.
Nurse Practitioner: Graduates of the Direct Entry Master in Nursing are prepared to continue their education into an advanced practice role, such as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) or Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. These programs prepare nurse practitioners with specialized knowledge and clinical competency to practice as licensed independent practitioners within their specialty. Upon licensure, NPs may practice autonomously as well as in collaboration with other health professionals.
I have been out of school for a long time. How long are my credits transferable?
There is no time limit for course credits. Prerequisite courses are not transferable; they are taken prior to entering program at the undergraduate level.
Who is eligible to submit a letter of reference?
References should be substantial with at least one academic and two current professionals withgraduate education background, no family or friends.If an academic reference is not available, three current professionals with graduate education background may submit a letter of reference.
If my GPA is not 3.2 should I still apply or is my application automatically declined?
A grade point average of 3.0 or better is suggested. Previous course work and professional experience is taken into consideration.
Do I need to take GREs?
The GRE and MAT are not required.
Is the TOEFL required?
All applicants who are not native English speakers are required to demonstrate a sufficient level of proficiency in the English language to meet the admission requirement of the Graduate School. Proficiency can be demonstrated by the receipt of a bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or from a university in another country where English is the primary language of instruction. Please seethe graduate admissions test scores page for more information.
Can I meet with someone to discuss the CNL role?
Appointments are available with the Director of the Direct Entry Master’s in Nursing Program, Dr. Pamela Kallmerten, pamela.kallmerten@unh.edu.
Do I need to submit all of my transcripts?
Copies of transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions should be uploaded through the application form.
How many applications do you expect and how many seats are available?
The number of applications vary year to year - between 60 and 80. Each cohort has 32 students who complete the program full time.
Can I complete the program part time?
The program begins each January and is completed in 5 semesters, full time only, including 2 summers.
Can you tell me what a typical semester looks like?
Students are usually in class 2-3 days/week plus 1-2 days/week of clinical, depending on semester. Classes are held during the day; clinical hours may be days or evenings, including some Saturdays, depending on agency and faculty availability.
Where are students placed for clinical experiences?
Clinical sites are typically within a 60 minute drive from the UNH campus in Durham. Students may need to plan for a longer drive, depending on residence. Placements are based on agency and faculty availability.
Can I work during the program?
Students are expected to spend 3 hours per credit outside the classroom/clinical with assignments. This means a 4 credit course should include 12 hours of study per week outside the classroom.
Do I need a car?
Students must have a driver’s license and reliable form of transportation. Neither public nor university transportation are available for students attending clinical.
Do I need healthcare experience?
No.
