MS in Nursing with Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
The Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS) MS(N) program curriculum prepares nurses as expert clinicians to provide direct patient care from wellness through acute care with a focus on complex and vulnerable adult and older adult populations. The AGCNS student will also be prepared to influence care outcomes by acting as a resource and providing expert consultation for nursing staff and other health professionals by implementing evidence-based practice initiatives to support improvements in health care delivery systems.
- Manage clinical efforts across health care settings
- Provide visionary leadership
- Lead quality and safety initiatives
- Implement evidence-based practice
Degree Requirements
The MS(N) Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS) curriculum provides core master’s coursework in combination with AGCNS clinical specialty courses. Clinical specialty courses focus on advanced practice clinical diagnosis and management of acute and chronic conditions, and managing quality, safety and performance outcomes at the systems level.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) offer certification as an Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist. Students who have completed a master’s degree in nursing in the AGCNS emphasis area are eligible to sit for the exam. Previous graduate-level coursework from another institution may be accepted toward the degree depending upon transcript review. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 in order to graduate.
Students pursuing this degree are required to attend our Graduate Student Success Seminar and Competency Assessments in person on the University of Missouri campus. Please visit the School of Nursing website for details.
Some courses may require synchronous online class meetings. View our course offering schedule here.
| Core Courses | ||
| NURSE 7050 | Introduction to Scholarly Writing | 2 |
| NURSE 7101 | Graduate Student Success Seminar | 0 |
| NURSE 7110 | Advanced Nursing Roles and Professional Communication | 2 |
| NURSE 7160 | Scientific Foundations for Health Sciences | 4 |
| NURSE 8170 | Public Health, Sociocultural Issues, and Health Policy | 3 |
| NURSE 8910 | Translational Evidence-Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURSE 8990 | Practice Inquiry | 1 |
| Emphasis Area Requirements | ||
| NURSE 7102 | Level II Competency Assessment | 0 |
| NURSE 7120 | Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NURSE 7130 | Advanced Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 |
| NURSE 7140 | Advanced Health Assessment and Promotion | 3.5 |
| NURSE 7145 | Procedures and Diagnostics | 3.5 |
| NURSE 8103 | Level III Competency Assessment | 0 |
| NURSE 8400 | Adult and Geriatric Primary Care I | 3.5 |
| NURSE 8410 | Adult and Geriatric Primary Care II | 3.5 |
| NURSE 8550 | Advanced Diagnostics and Reasoning in Practice | 3.5 |
| NURSE 8710 | Clinical Management of Acute and Critical Care Problems | 3.5 |
| NURSE 8720 | Symptom Management in Acute and Chronic Illness | 3.5 |
| NURSE 8920 | Quality, Safety, and Performance Outcomes | 3 |
| NURSE 8980 | Advanced Clinical Nursing Practicum | 3 |
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans of study can be found on the Sinclair School of Nursing MSN webpage.
Admissions
Applicants are required to meet two sets of minimum qualifications for admission: the requirements of the Master of Science program and the minimum requirements of the Graduate School. Because requirements vary, you must refer to a degree program's graduate admission page to learn about specific admission criteria, application deadlines, eligibility, and application process. Your application materials will be reviewed by both the Graduate School and the degree program to which you have applied before official admission to the University of Missouri.
Application Deadlines: After the application deadline, submitted materials will be reviewed. Applicants will receive notification of their acceptance decision within four weeks. Program application timelines vary by emphasis area. Refer to How to Apply for specific deadlines.
State Authorization: Due to higher education regulation changes, the University of Missouri is unable to accept applications for admission to online programs from students residing in various states. You may find more information at this link: https://online.missouri.edu/about/state-authorization.
Admission Contact Information
School of Nursing
Columbia, MO 65211
573-882-0277
nursing@missouri.edu
https://nursing.missouri.edu