University of Tennessee

What you'll study

The programme combines advanced nursing science, leadership and applied research to prepare graduates for senior clinical and administrative roles. All students take core advanced courses in pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, advanced health assessment, and nursing research or evidence-based practice.

• Core modules: Advanced Health Assessment; Advanced Pathophysiology; Advanced Pharmacology; Nursing Research Methods; Biostatistics and Epidemiology; Health Policy and Ethics.
• Nursing Administration pathway: Organisational Leadership in Healthcare; Healthcare Finance and Resource Management; Quality Improvement and Patient Safety; Strategic Human Resource Management; practicum in management/leadership settings.
• Nursing Research pathway: Advanced Research Design; Qualitative and Quantitative Methods; Grant Writing and Research Ethics; Data Analysis for Nursing Research; thesis or capstone research project supervised by faculty.
• Clinical Nursing pathway: Advanced Clinical Decision-Making; Specialty-focused practicum hours; Risk Assessment and Complex Care Management; interprofessional clinical rotations and a clinical practicum or scholarly project tailored to the speciality.
• Practice experience: Each pathway includes supervised clinical or practicum hours in partner hospitals, community organisations or specialty clinics. Students may complete a capstone project or a supervised research thesis depending on the pathway.
• Delivery and electives: The programme is typically offered in flexible formats, including classroom, hybrid and online modules where appropriate, with elective options that allow concentration on areas such as informatics, population health, or education.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to be registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) from an accredited programme. Typical requirements include:

• A current, active RN licence in the United States or eligibility to hold one in the state of study.
• A bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited institution. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in a related field plus an RN qualification may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• A competitive undergraduate academic record; programmes usually require a minimum cumulative GPA and may specify higher standards for certain pathways.
• Clinical experience as an RN (employers and faculty often expect at least one to two years of practice, with some pathways favouring candidates who have supervisory or specialty experience).
• Supporting documents: professional CV or résumé, personal statement of goals, and professional references. Some applicants may be asked to submit transcripts and evidence of clinical competencies.
• Standardised tests such as the GRE are not universally required but may be requested for specific applicants; international applicants must meet English language proficiency requirements and provide credential evaluation for foreign transcripts if applicable.

Career prospects

Graduates progress to a range of advanced roles across acute care, community health and academic settings. Career paths typically include:

• Nursing Administration: nurse manager, director of nursing, clinical operations manager, quality improvement leader or healthcare administrator in hospitals, long-term care or health systems.
• Nursing Research: clinical research coordinator, research nurse, nurse researcher in academic, hospital-based research units or research institutes, and positions supporting grant development and evidence-based practice initiatives.
• Clinical Nursing: advanced clinical specialist roles, clinical educator positions, care-coordination lead roles, and specialist practitioner positions within medical-surgical, critical care, community health or specialty clinics.
• Graduates also move into policy, consultancy, informatics, and teaching positions in higher education, or continue to doctoral study for careers in education, research and high-level leadership.

Why study at University of Tennessee

The University of Tennessee offers nursing postgraduate study with access to experienced faculty who combine clinical practice, scholarship and leadership. The university maintains clinical partnerships with major hospitals and health systems across the state, providing diverse practicum placements and opportunities for applied research.

• Strong clinical and community links across urban and rural settings enable students to gain varied hands-on experience.
• Facilities include simulation labs and interprofessional learning environments that replicate contemporary healthcare settings.
• Research-active faculty and centres support student scholarship, especially in areas such as quality improvement, population health, and chronic disease management.
• Flexible delivery options and student support services are designed to accommodate working nurses pursuing advanced qualifications.