Nursing Education, Certificate of Advanced Study
Nursing Education, Certificate of Advanced Study
Admission Overview
The Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Nursing Education is designed for registered nurses who already hold a graduate degree in nursing and wish to prepare for advanced roles as nurse educators in academic, clinical, or professional development settings.
This 12‑credit certificate consists of four fully online graduate‑level courses, focused on preparing nurses to:
- Teach in academic programs at the technical, associate, baccalaureate, and allied health levels
- Serve as clinical instructors, preceptors, and staff development educators
- Design, deliver, and evaluate instruction in both classroom and practice environments
This certificate is ideal for nurses trained in other advanced practice specialties—including nurse practitioners, administrators, informaticists, and midwives—who wish to transition into educator roles. This program enrolls new students in the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit the following materials for admission consideration:
- Graduate degree in nursing (MS or MSN) from a regionally accredited institution
- Cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Active, unencumbered RN license, including expiration date
- $50 nonrefundable orientation fee
Applications are reviewed only when all required materials have been received, including all official transcripts.
How Applications Are Evaluated
Admission decisions are based on a holistic review of:
- Academic history and GPA
- Nursing experience and demonstrated professional practice
- Evidence of completing graduate‑level coursework in advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology.
Start Terms
This program admits new students in the:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
Deadlines
Applications are reviewed regularly throughout the year, but only when all required materials—including all previous college transcripts—have been received. To guarantee review for the term of your choice, all application materials must be submitted before the posted general deadline.
Applications submitted by the priority deadline will be reviewed first. Applicants who complete their materials early may receive an admission decision sooner and have a better chance of securing a seat in their preferred term.
If an application becomes complete but space is no longer available, the applicant will be considered for the next available term.
Application deadlines do change from term to term. For specific deadlines, please see the Graduate Admissions Deadline page.
How to Apply
To apply, visit the SUNY Empire application portal and select Graduate: https://www.sunyempire.edu/application.html
Complete the online application, upload required documents and arrange for all official transcripts to be sent to SUNY Empire. Applications are reviewed only when all required materials have been received.
SUNY Empire alumni and current students do not need to request their Empire transcript.
International Applicants
This program may be completed 100% online. In addition to the listed above, international applicants must submit:
- A NACES‑member course‑by‑course evaluation (e.g., WES) for all non‑U.S. transcripts
- Proof of English language proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS), unless exempt
Applicants must also hold an RN license that complies with program and state regulatory requirements.
Additional Information
Please see the Graduate Admission section of this catalog for a complete listing of materials required to complete a graduate application.
Program Requirements
The Advanced Certificate of Nursing Education is comprised of the track concentration courses that are currently in the master of science in Nursing Education degree program. The 12-credit certificate contains four, three-credit courses and can be completed in two terms.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6050 | Curriculum & Program Development | 3 |
| NURS 6055 | Instructional Design & Teaching with Technology | 3 |
| NURS 6060 | Measurement Assessment & Evaluation of Learners & Programs | 3 |
| NURS 7005 | Nursing Education Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
M.S. IN NURSING EDUCATION AND M.S. IN NURSING ADMINISTRATION CAPSTONE EXPERIENCES
The capstone experience requirements are embedded into the Nursing Education Capstone (NURS 7005) and Nursing Administration Capstone (NURS 7010) courses. These practicum experiences are designed to meet both predetermined and personal course learning objectives. Students arrange the clinical experience with a chosen preceptor within their own community, in consultation with the clinical coordinator and the course faculty.
The capstone experience requires advance planning in order to integrate the experience and coursework into current employment and family schedules. It is recommended that students begin the planning process at least six months before course registration. Students initiate the planning process by contacting the clinical coordinator to receive instructions on how to upload their clinical paperwork into an online secure database for lead faculty review and approval.
These courses are completed at the end of the program and are offered during the 15-week fall and spring terms. Capstone requests are due by June 1 for a fall experience and October 1 for a spring experience.
Guidelines for Capstone Experiences
The capstone component is fulfilled by completing 45 hours working with a preceptor. The preceptor must be an experienced RN who holds at least an MS degree in nursing or a related field. Preceptors facilitate learning experiences within the primary area of concentration (Education or Administration), and they also provide feedback that faculty use for evaluation of student achievement of learning outcomes.
For the Nursing Education Capstone course, participation in a direct care component is a requirement within the capstone practicum. Direct care refers to a professional encounter between a nurse and a patient (individual, family, groups, community, or aggregate), either face to face or virtual, that is intended to achieve specific health goals or achieve selected health outcomes. Direct care may be provided in a wide range of settings, including acute and critical care, long term care, home health, community-based settings, and telehealth (AACN, 2021; Suby, 2009). Education Track students must explain how they will meet the direct care requirement within their practicum.
Upon successful completion of the certificate, the student will be able to:
- Integrate knowledge of curriculum development by creating: the identification of program goals and outcomes, writing learning objectives, and selecting appropriate learning activities and evaluation strategies.
- Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the instructional design process, including analysis, design, assessment and evaluation.
- Apply concepts and principles relevant to assessment, measurement and evaluation.
- Engage in learning activities that further the professional development role as a nurse educator.
The Advanced Certificate of Nursing Education is comprised of the track concentration courses that are currently in the master of science in Nursing Education degree program. The 12-credit certificate contains four, three-credit courses and can be completed in two terms.