Nursing Education - Online Program (Advanced Certificate)

The Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing offers a 16-28-credit* post-graduate advanced certificate in Nursing Education. It is open to currently licensed New York State registered nurses who hold a master’s degree in nursing from an accredited program. The program prepares nurses to become skilled nurse educators in a variety of academic and healthcare settings. The curriculum is based on an apprenticeship model of educational training that combines rigorous coursework with a practicum in nursing education guided by experienced mentors.

Graduates of the program meet educational eligibility requirements for CNE®-series certifications by the National League for Nursing (NLN) and CHSE® (Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator) certification by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH).

Course of Study

The program is offered on a part-time basis (4-9 credits per semester) and can be completed within two years (3-4 semesters, depending on prior graduate-level coursework). All courses are online with the exception of a 105-hour nurse educator residency practicum taken in the last semester, where students gain real teaching experience and experiential knowledge about the role of a nurse educator.

Online courses may be held in synchronous and asynchronous formats. Synchronous courses are scheduled to meet 1-2 days per week in the evenings to allow current practicing nurses to balance coursework with employment, family, and other commitments.

How to Apply

Review our admission requirements for our post-graduate advanced certificate specializations. Information on the application process is available from the Hunter College Office of Graduate Admissions.

Academic Program Outcomes

The Nursing Education program prepares graduates to:

  1. Synthesize knowledge from nursing and adult learning pedagogies to support lifelong learning of nursing students, nursing practitioners, and faculty.
  2. Interpret evidence-based practice, current and emerging informatics, and technological trends to demonstrate innovation in teaching and learning in academic or practice environments.
  3. Integrate knowledge to apply contemporary pedagogical strategies to support the needs of diverse learners.
  4. Utilize evidence to ensure planning, curriculum development, design, and implementation effectiveness in an academic or organizational practice setting.
  5. Implement assessment and evaluation strategies to ensure program planning and curriculum development is inclusive of learning theories and diverse modes of learning.
  6. Design interactive and proactive content in various learning styles to ensure the needs of all learners.
  7. Examine research, teaching, scholarship, and service responsibilities of the nurse educator.
  8. Develop advanced communication and advocacy strategies to improve students’ outcomes across the educational continuum.
  9. Advance equitable educational policies and regulations that promote ethical and legal standards.
  10. Demonstrate a repertoire of skills and strategies to implement organizational and systems leadership critical to the promotion of high-quality teaching and learning.
  11. Theorize the role of the nurse educator to advance nursing education and profession.

Career Outlook

The program is targeted at addressing the critical need for more nursing educators. Nurse educators are in high demandnationwide and particularly in the New York City metropolitan area. The national and local nursing faculty shortage is expected to intensify because one third of the current faculty workforce is expected to retire within the next several years. Career prospects and wages have a bright outlook, as job opportunities in the field are projected to grow much faster than others through 2032.

Program graduates will have the requisite skills to become successful non-tenure track faculty at nursing schools and programs, as well as skilled nurse educators in healthcare organizations, government agencies, and the private sector. Career prospects include in-demand roles of nurse lecturers, clinical nurse educators, patient educators, professional development & continuing education specialists, nurse education and curriculum consultants, clinical placement supervisors, administrative nurse faculty, and others.

In these roles, nurse educators perform many important services:

  • Teach in a variety of learning environments (classroom, skills lab, simulation, clinical settings, online)
  • Precept students on clinical rotations
  • Train and mentor newly hired nurses
  • Manage training, professional development, and quality improvement programs
  • Design and evaluate school- and hospital-based program curriculum
  • Develop curriculum for nurses to improve their clinical skills and maintain certifications
  • Advise and collaborate on hospital and/or university research
  • Consult with organizations, departments, and teams on nursing education, practice, and related topics
  • Serve as a subject-matter expert for professional interdisciplinary audiences as well as lay audiences

For more information, contact Dr. Leighsa Sharoff, Nursing Education Program Specialty Coordinator, at lsharoff@hunter.cuny.edu.