University of Maryland at Baltimore Nursing School Review

The University of Maryland at Baltimore (UMB,UMAB) was founded in 1807. The University has seven schools that educate the majority of the state’s graduates in health care fields, such as nursing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and social work.

The University enrolls over 6000 students each year in one of 44 degree programs. The campus is located in West Baltimore close to the Inner Harbor, and is a leading partner in West Baltimore’s redevelopment plan.

Nursing Programs

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

This program is for students seeking a career in professional nursing. Students must complete at least 59 credits before being admitted to the program, and must graduate within five years of matriculation. Graduates of this program may take the Registered Nurse (RN) licensing exam.

Applicants to this competitive program must submit official transcripts, Advanced Placement or CLEP scores, a resume, a statement of goals and objectives, two recommendation letters, take the entrance exam, and complete all prerequisite classes. They must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and also a science GPA of 3.0.

The prerequisites for the BSN program are English I and II, General Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology I and II with Labs, Microbiology, Intro to Psychology, Intro to Sociology, Human Growth and Development, a Social Science elective, College Algebra or higher, Statistics, Nutrition, three Humanities electives, and two General electives.

RN to BSN

RNs who wish to continue their education and earn a bachelor’s degree may apply for this program. This program is offered full or part-time.

To apply, students must have completed a minimum of 59 credits of prerequisites. The prerequisites are the same as for the traditional BSN program, as are the admission requirements. In addition, students will need to have a current RN license.

Most of the prerequisites will have been completed during prior nursing coursework. In addition, students will receive credit hours for having a nursing license.

RN to BSN Online

This program is offered as an alternative to the on-site RN to BSN program. It has the same requirements, and students will complete their classes online. They will work with a preceptor to do their clinical work in their local area.

Master of Science (MS) in Nursing

This program is for students interested in advanced practice nursing. The MS program has a variety of specialties available for study, listed below. All applicants must meet the same admission requirements of a BSN degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, official transcripts, an active RN license, two recommendation letters, a resume, and a statement of goals.

MS – Adult and Gerontological Nurse Practitioner

Graduates of this program are able to take the national certification exam for Adult and Gerontological Nurse Practitioners. This program takes a minimum of 46 credit hours and 800 clinical hours to complete.

MS – Community/Public Health Nursing

This specialty focuses on disease prevention and promoting health. It requires 36 credit hours to complete, and is available as a Post-Master’s option for RNs who already have an MS degree.

MS – Family Nurse Practitioner

Graduates of this program are able to take the national certification exam for Family Nurse Practitioners. This program takes a minimum of 48 credit hours and 720 clinical hours to complete, and there is a Post-Master’s option available.

MS – Health Services Leadership and Management (HSLM)

This program requires 36 credit hours, and students may focus on HSLM or HSLM Education. This program is also available for the RN to MS option. There is also a Post-Master’s option available.

MS – Nurse Anesthesia

This is a full-time, 28 month course of study that requires 72 credit hours to complete. Graduates may take the certification exam to become Certified Nurse Anesthetists.

MS – Nursing Informatics

The Nursing Informatics program is only offered online, and requires 40 credit hours to complete. This program is also available as a Post-Master’s option, or as a doctoral program.

MS – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Students in this specialty will study either Acute Care or Primary Care. Graduates are allowed to take the certification exam for either Acute or Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. This program requires a minimum of 47 credit hours and 720 clinical hours to complete. There is also a Post-Master’s option available.

MS – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Family Focus

This program takes 47 credit hours and 630 clinical hours to complete. It is also available as a Post-Master’s option. Graduates may take the certification exam for Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (Family).

MS – Trauma/Critical Care and Emergency Nursing

This specialty focuses on advanced practice acute care in a variety of settings. It is also available as a Post-Master’s option. Graduates may take the certification exams for both Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist.

MS in Nursing – Clinical Nursing Leader

This program is for students who have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing. It takes between 16 and 23 months to complete. Graduates complete 64 credit hours of master’s level classes and become advanced generalists in clinical leadership and direct patient care. They will also be ready to take the RN licensing exam.

To apply, students must have taken General Chemistry, Human Anatomy and Physiology with Lab, Microbiology with Lab, Human Growth and Development, Statistics, and Nutrition. They will also need to meet the entry requirements for the MS program, except they do not need to have a BSN degree or an RN license.

MS/Master of Public Health (MPH) Dual Degree

 

This program is available to all MS in Nursing students, and is offered in partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Students must meet the requirements for the MS in Nursing degree specialty, as well as take 42 credit hours for the MPH degree. The MPH program requires specialization in either Epidemiology or Community and Population Health.

 

MS/Master of Business Administration

This program is offered with the University of Baltimore Robert G. Merrick School of Business and the University of Maryland, College Park School of Business. The program requires 66-72 credit hours to complete, and takes two to seven years to finish, depending on the student’s course load. The MS in Nursing degree will focus on the HSLM specialty.

RN-MS

This program allows students to earn both a BSN and an MS in Nursing degree. Some of the coursework is available online. Students must meet the BSN requirements to apply.

Coursework Only, Non-Degree Status

BSN graduates who plan on pursuing an MS degree at a later time may enroll in graduate-level courses by applying for non-degree status. However, no more than two classes taken in non-degree status may be applied toward an MS degree program. Students must have an active RN license and submit their official transcripts to enroll.

Post-MS, Non-Degree

Students may take courses in a Post-Master’s option for several of the MS specialties listed above. They will not earn a degree for these programs, and there are no notations made to their transcript beyond the course taken and grade earned. Students can take these programs when they need to meet educational requirements for specialty certifications.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This program is for nurse researchers. To apply, students must either have an MS in Nursing degree, or a BSN and be currently enrolled in an MS program. They will need a 3.0 GPA in all previous coursework, a statement of goals, a resume, three professional recommendations, an RN license, and GRE scores.

This program requires 63 credits to complete, and with continuous enrollment takes a minimum of two and a half years.

PhD/MBA

This program is offered with the University of Baltimore Robert G. Merrick School of Business. The program takes four years to complete, and requires 93 credit hours. Students may apply to both programs at once, or may enter the PhD program and apply to the MBA program later.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

This doctorate program is practice-focused. Students may enroll full or part-time, and will complete 38-48 credit hours.

To apply, students must have an MS in Nursing degree or be enrolled in a master’s program, with a GPA of 3.0 or better. They will also need an RN license, official transcripts, three recommendation letters, a personal goals statement, a resume, verification of masters practicum hours, and have an interview.

DNP/MBA

This program is offered with the University of Baltimore Robert G. Merrick School of Business and the University of Maryland, College Park School of Business. It allows students to earn both degrees in less time than it would take to earn them separately. The program requires 62-72 credit hours of classes, and takes three years if pursued full time.

Contact:
University of Maryland at Baltimore
620 W. Lexington St.
Baltimore, MD 21201