Nursing, Adult-Gerontological (MS, DNP)

Program Overview

NOTE: Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences is transitioning its Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner program to the DNP degree starting in fall 2024. We’re making this change in accordance with recommendations from national nursing organizations such as the American Association Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), which has committed to move all entry-level NP education to the DNP degree by 2025.

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In Decker's Master of Science (MS) programs in the adult-gerontology (primary care) specialty, students may select a functional role as a nurse administrator or nurse educator.

Decker also offers two options to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree: the BS-DNP and the Advanced Standing DNP. In the adult-gerontology (primary care) specialty, DNP students may select a functional role as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist. The DNP programs prepare nurses to respond more efficiently to changes in healthcare delivery and emerging healthcare needs and focus on providing leadership for evidence-based practice.

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Learn at the Health Sciences Campus

Decker College is located on ßÙßÇÂþ»­'s Health Sciences Campus in Johnson City. !

Degrees Offered

  • MS in Adult/Gerontological Nursing
  • DNP in Adult/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner: Advance Standing
  • DNP in Adult/Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist: Advance Standing
  • DNP in Adult/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner: BS to DNP
  • DNP in Adult/Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist: BS to DNP

Internships, Research Opportunities and More

Decker College's Innovative Simulation and Practice Center, accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, provides graduate nursing students with regularly scheduled clinical activities. Decker's Kresge Center for Nursing Research provides students with opportunities for hands-on learning during all phases of the research process under the supervision of nursing scientists.

Students in the DNP program can take advantage of a diverse and vigorous curriculum that includes courses on information technology, patient care and healthcare policy for healthcare advocacy. Under the guidance of a committee, students will complete a DNP Scholarly Project that meets the criteria of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's "Essential Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice." This project will focus on a change that impacts healthcare outcomes through direct or indirect care, including planning, implementation and evaluation components.

After You Graduate

Decker boasts high employment rates for our graduates, with many alumni taking positions in healthcare agencies such as Albany Medical Center, Lenox Hill Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Stony Brook University Hospital, SUNY Upstate Medical University, United Health Services (UHS) and University of Rochester Medical Center. Other graduates often work at government and educational institutions.

Admission Requirements

Funding/Scholarships

There are many funding and scholarship opportunities at ßÙßÇÂþ»­. We encourage prospective students to review available program-specific scholarships and awards, and visit the program's website for additional information. Note: Master's students are generally self-funded, although funding opportunities occasionally arise.

For more information, visit the Nursing, Adult-Gerontological website.