Department of Nursing

West Chester University

222 Sturzebecker Health Sciences Center
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2219



Graduates of the Program - What they’re doing now


Congratulations to Erin Lopes (Cohort 3) for her continued dedication to the autism community

Janelle Mirabeau and Rita Stella
Janelle Mirabeau & Rita Stella


Congratulations Rory Tedrick! A few weeks ago he received the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary's Award for Nursing Excellence for both the Wilmington VA Medical Center and the entire VISN4 region which encompasses all VA facilities in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

MSN in Public Health Nursing

The MSN in Public Health Nursing is for currently licensed Registered Nurses who have earned a BSN.

Graduate Open House Video

Info: 610-430-4181
Click for video of the May Open House presentation (requires Silverlight Plug-in)

The Master of Science in Public Health Nursing program allows the graduate student to focus on the specialty area of his or her choice and apply it to community health nursing. The MSN prepares a nurse to serve as a clinical nurse specialist in public health nursing. Each candidate also selects functional preparation in education, administration, or integrative health. The program incorporates individualized clinical experiences into the curriculum, and students are taught by full-time, doctorally prepared faculty.

The curriculum prepares professional nurses for careers in specialized public health care fields. The graduate will have developed the expertise of the a clinical specialist, the investigative skills of a nurse researcher, and the leadership skills needed to influence health care systems and policy development. Graduates of the program may choose employment in such areas as case management, birthing centers, hospice care, home health agencies or in integrative (complementary/alternative) health care settings.

All graduate students take the 18-credit community health nursing core and the 6-credit research course sequence. These courses include:

  • NSG 522 Epidemiology
  • NSG 501 Nursing Theories and Issues
  • NSG 502 Perspectives of Public Health Nursing
  • NSG 503 Principles and Practice of Public Health Nursing
  • NSG 504 Advanced Concepts of Public Health Nursing
  • NSG 505 Nursing Research I
  • NSG 506 Nursing Research II

The functional component requires completion of 12 credits in administration, education, or integrative health courses. Relevant electives also are required in order to support the academic focus within the chosen functional area and will complete the required 39 semester hours.

Prior to the beginning of each of the three clinical courses, students must provide the graduate program coordinator with evidence of current Pennsylvania RN licensure, current liability insurance, and a completed health assessment form.

Please see the WCU Graduate Handbook for special requirements for clinical practica.

The curriculum may be completed on a full-time or a part-time basis; however, all requirements for the degree must be completed in six years or less.

The MSN curriculum of West Chester University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) through 2019.

Please check the Graduate Catalog for complete descriptions of the MSN curriculum, courses, and requirements.

Download a copy of our MSN FAQ for the latest curriculum information and answers to the most common questions.

For additional information or questions contact:
Ann Stowe, Ph.D., RN
Department of Nursing
West Chester University
(610) 436-2331
astowe@wcupa.edu

Apply Now!

See the Graduate Studies page for information about programs, open houses, fees, and deadlines
Applications require two (2) letters recommendation, one (1) copy of each transcript you have, and one (1) copy of your goals statement.