Career Opportunities

Graduates of this major will be prepared to work in a variety of areas including postsecondary education, health-care education, staff development, home health-care, hospitals, and state/federal agencies.

Special Admissions Requirements

Anyone desiring entrance into this major must first gain admission to Penn College. Acceptance into this selective admission major is based upon additional requirements beyond College admission. Details are available on the Selective Admission Criteria and Process webpage.

Special Equipment Needs

Refer to the estimated expenses and equipment costs for a complete list.

Students must have access to a computer with consistent Internet access. Technical requirements are as follows: 

• Windows 11 or higher (recommended). 
• Intel Core i5 or i7 (generation 10 or higher) processor (recommended). 
• 8+ GB RAM (recommended).  
• 250+ GB Solid State Disk (SSD) drive (recommended). 
• Laptop/computer must include a webcam and microphone (required). 
• Laptop/computer must include a wireless network card (required). 
• Broadband Internet connection when working off campus (required). 
• Additional plug-ins may be required (Information Technology Services Service Desk available for assistance). 
• Chromebooks and other devices running Chrome OS are prohibited. 

Transfer Procedures

The transfer of graduate level nursing credits will be evaluated on an individual basis. Students must have a minimum grade of 'B' (3.0) in courses transferred into the major. A maximum of 4 credits at the graduate level may be transferred into this major.

Program Goals

• function effectively in a caring, civil, and equitable manner with all populations within the education and practice environments while following the legal, ethical, and regulatory framework within the nursing profession. (Professional Identity)
• deliver care and education using the comprehensive knowledge needed for an advanced practice nurse that includes and reflects the unique diverse needs of the individual and their support system. (Comprehensive Person-Centered Care)
• provide a learning environment that promotes respectful exchange of information for all persons to enhance their professional growth and development as a master’s prepared nurse. (Teaching and Learning)
• utilize the nursing process and clinical judgment to deliver person-centered care and nursing education that reflects current contemporary practice standards. (Nursing Process)
• integrate the most current technology to ensure the integrity of the information that is utilized for communication, error mitigation, and to support decision-making within the educational and practice environment. (Information Literacy)
• enhance the delivery of nursing education and care through effective communication and dynamic collaboration between persons and inter-professional team members. (Collaboration)
• utilize current peer-reviewed research with evidence-based practice to facilitate the professional growth of the master’s prepared nurse and the advancement of nursing practice. (Evidence-Based Practice)

Performance Standards

All students must earn a ‘B’ (3.0) or higher in all NUR courses within the MSN program; if a lower grade is earned in any NUR course, the course must be repeated.

The following grading system is applied to all nursing courses in this major. There is no rounding of grades:

A = 90-100
B = 80-89.99
C = 75-79.99
F = 74.99 and below

Notice of Conviction

Child abuse clearances and criminal background checks are required by some agencies involved in clinical practice experiences. Agencies can prohibit students from participating in clinical experiences at their sites if a criminal record exists or a positive drug test is noted. By virtue of contract for Pennsylvania College of Technology, when students are at a clinical site, agencies have the right to ask for random drug testing. Inability to complete clinical, fieldwork, or intern educational experiences will result in the inability to meet course and program outcomes. For additional clarification, students can speak with their program director.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing advises that a drug-related conviction and/or conviction of a felonious act or two misdemeanors might result in denial and/or revocation of a license to practice nursing. In accordance with the professional Nurse Law, Act of 1951, P.L. 317, No. 69, as amended, the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing shall not issue a license to an applicant who has been convicted of a felonious act prohibited by the Act known as “The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and cosmetic Act” or convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance in a court of law of the United States or any other state, territory or country unless a least 10 years have elapsed from the date of the conviction.

Penn College complies with the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989. Pursuant to this Act, all forms of marijuana, including medical marijuana, are classified as prohibited controlled substances. Additionally, alcohol, illegal drugs, and legal drugs obtained without a prescription or which may impair a student’s ability to perform his/her educational responsibilities are strictly prohibited. Students are subject to drug screening at various phases of the program. Please note that a positive drug screening for marijuana will be deemed a positive test and will result in a student being dismissed from the program, even if the student has been lawfully certified to use medical marijuana and/or possesses a valid medical marijuana identification card issued in accordance with applicable state law.

Accreditation

The master’s nursing program at Pennsylvania College of Technology located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania is fully approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and is accredited by the:  

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
(404) 975-5000 

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the master’s nursing program is initial accreditation. 

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs