Graduate School of Nursing (GSN)
The GSN's mission reflects the University's mission, vision, and goals while emphasizing nursing theory, research, critical thinking and clinical reasoning. The curriculum builds on knowledge and skills from undergraduate nursing education as well as from nursing and military experiences our learners acquire prior to starting one of our graduate programs. Graduates from one of the five (5) Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN) specialties, are prepared to function collaboratively and autonomously to apply health promotion and disease prevention skills in primary care, case management, anesthesia, administration, trauma and leadership settings. Graduates from the GSN PhD in Nursing Science program are prepared to conduct research to address individual and systems issues within the Federal/military sector.
Accreditation
The Uniformed Services University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The GSN Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) graduate degree program options are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). The GSN’s research doctoral PhD program in nursing science is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
Program Descriptions
Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, DNP:
The DNP is a deliberate blend of the DNP Essentials, specialty practice requirements, and the unique integration of operational healthcare curriculum that produces an APRN with the essential skills necessary to provide advanced practice care to support both the operational and peacetime requirements of the uniformed services. The DNP curriculum is organized around 4 primary domains that includes a DNP core, an advanced science core, specialty practice curriculum, and the operational curriculum. Within the DNP degree, the GSN offers students the option to matriculate into one of three APRN roles AG-CNS, CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) and Nurse Practitioner (NP). Within the NP role, the GSN offers three areas: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP).
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science degree, PhD:
Since 2002, the GSN PhD program has provided nurses with the opportunity to study in the unique environment of federal health care and military operational research. The curriculum prepares tomorrow's scientists and scholars with a foundation of sound science, philosophical perspectives, and ethical and policy considerations in the discovery of new knowledge. Research training is implemented through rigorous methodological perspectives in concert with advanced statistical techniques to address relevant and strategic questions important to our nation's military and federal service health care. GSN graduates are well prepared to advance research that will make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
Master of Science in Nursing degree, MSN (Currently Not Accepting MSN Applications):
The Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AG-CNS) MSN program option prepares nurses to care for adult and geriatric populations (age 8 years - death) in increasingly complex healthcare settings across the Military Health System (MHS). MSN graduates are prepared to work across settings to include traditional stateside military treatment facilities (MTF), as well as austere/under-resourced settings encountered in humanitarian and operational missions. Special emphasis in the program is placed on understanding MHS processes and structures to improve outcomes, enhance evidence-based care, and improve the business of healthcare delivery throughout periOperative settings at the individual MTF-level.
Operational Readiness & Leadership Concentration:
The Operational Readiness & Leadership Concentration at the Graduate School of Nursing (GSN) prepares uniformed advanced practice nurses and scientists to lead and deliver care in complex, high-stakes environments. While all students share a core foundation in military leadership, teamwork, and tactical combat casualty care, the curriculum is uniquely tailored to the specific operational requirements of each specialty. For example, Psychiatric Mental Health (PMHNP) students focus on combat operational stress control and psychological first aid, while Nurse Anesthesia (RNA) students master point-of-care ultrasound and anesthesia in austere settings. This specialized approach ensures that every graduate—whether an AGCNS, FNP, or PhD scholar—is equipped to meet the distinct mission-driven needs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Public Health Services.
Operational Electives are available for students who are interested in taking a deeper dive into the operational requirements for military providers: Military Mountain Medicine, Cold Weather/Avalanche, Maritime and Dive Medicine, Chemical/Biological Casualty Management.