School Health Services Programs

Admissions Requirements

The School Nurse Certificate program is offered at the graduate and undergraduate level. The School Health Supervisor certificate is offered at the graduate level only. All students who wish to be admitted in the graduate certificate or degree programs need to apply for graduate admission.  For general information on graduate admissions, go to the Graduate Admissions website. Once admission is granted, students will meet with the Director of School Health Services to plan a program of study. For more information, please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at (610) 341-5972.

Program Information:

School Nurse Certificate
School Nurse Supervisor Certificate
M. Ed. In School Health Services

SCHOOL NURSE CERTIFICATE:

This professional education program prepares the candidate for School Nurse Certification and the initial Pennsylvania Department of Education certificate as an Educational Specialist 1- as a school nurse. 

Requirements for Admission:

• Current licensure as a registered nurse
• BSN degree from a college, school, or university
• Six semester hours or equivalent of undergraduate math
• Three semester hours or equivalent of undergraduate English literature, and composition.
• GPA 3.0, cumulative undergraduate on last 48 nursing credits

Required Courses:  

*EDU 500 Philosophy of Education (3 credits) 
*EDU 511 Learning & Cognition/Educational Psychology (CLEP)
*NURS 508 Legal & Mandated Responsibilities of School Nursing (3 credits)
*NURS 509 School Nurse & the Exceptional Child (3 credits) 
*NURS 530 School Nurse Practicum & Field Experience (3 credits)  Total = 12-15 Credits
* = Required for certification  For more information, please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at (610) 341-5972.

SCHOOL NURSE SUPERVISOR CERTIFICATE:

Supervisor Certification programs are offered only at the graduate level and candidates for this certification must have completed five years of satisfactory professional experience as a certified school nurse prior to application. The Practicum must be taken in a school district under the supervision of the district Supervisor and a college representative.  

School Nurse Supervisory Certification Program:

This certificate prepares the Certified School Nurse for the responsibilities of supervising the school health programs and personnel.

Requirements for Admission:

• Current licensure as a registered nurse
  
• A minimum of five years of experience as a Certified School Nurse
  

Required Courses:

*EDU 607 Supervision of Instruction (3 credits) 
*EDU 608 Seminar for Supervisors (3 credits) 
*EDU 609 Seminar in Research (3 credits)
*EDU 614 Practicum for the Supervisor (3 credits) 
*EDU 622 Curriculum Design (3 credits)
*EDU 624 School Law (3 credits) 
Total = 18 Credits 
* = Required for certification

For more information, please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at (610) 341-5972.

M. Ed. IN SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES:

Mission and Philosophy

The Master of Education in School Health Services is committed to preparing professionals to function effectively in settings in which children and youth are served. The mission of the program is to produce outstanding health professionals who are committed to meeting the needs of a diverse population and to their holistic development.

This program will prepare students to:

• practice their profession from a Christian perspective;
  
• achieve competence and/or increase specialization in a discipline within School Health Services;
  
• develop and coordinate comprehensive school health service and educational programs;
  
• utilize and implement appropriate research and educational theories and approaches pertaining to healthy, moral, ethical, character, social and physical development;
• demonstrate sensitivity to ethnic, gender, and racial diversity; and  
  
• apply knowledge of health beliefs and practices of various cultural groups.
  

The Master of Education in School Health Services is a 31-credit program. Students may also seek certification in School Nurse, School Health Services Supervisor (Supervisor I), and/or Health Education K-12 (Instructional Level I) that may be completed separately or in addition to the Master of Education.

Program Eligibility

Candidates for the Master of Education in School Health Services are:

• individuals who have completed an undergraduate program in a health-related field such as nutrition, community health, or biology;
• individuals who have completed school nurse or health certification; or
• nurses who opt for a graduate degree outside of nursing.
  

This program is appropriate for individuals who intend to remain or work in a related heath field, such as community and public health settings, managed care arenas, and schools. It is also appropriate for certified school nurses and health educators who are seeking Level II certification. Fifteen additional credits are required to complete the M. Ed. degree beyond school nurse certification requirements (15 credits) or health supervisor certification requirements (15 credits).

Course Requirements (15 credits)

EDU 500 A Christian Perspective on the Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education (3)
EDU 511 Learning and Cognition (CLEP) 
EDU 609 Seminar in Research (3) 
EDU 635 Research Design (3) 
HSCI 560 Community and Environmental Health (3) 
HSCI 601 World Health Issues (3)

School Nurse Certification Requirements (15 credits)

Required (9 credits) 
NURS 508 Legal & Mandated Responsibilities of School Nursing (3) 
NURS 509 School Nurse & the Exceptional Child (3)
HSCI 515 Curriculum Development in Health Education (3)
Electives: Select 2 from the following (6 credits)
CNSL 513 Psychology of Group Dynamics (3)
HSCI 500 Health Promotion (3)
NURS 615 Physical Assessment for School Nurses (3)

School Health Supervisor Certification Requirements (15 credits)
Required (9 credits) 
EDU 607 Supervision of Instruction (3)
EDU 624 School Law (3) 
EDU 623 Curriculum Design (3) 
Electives: Select 2 from the following (6 credits) 
CNSL 513 Psychology of Group Dynamics (3) 
HSCI 500 Health Promotion (3)
EDU 614 Practicum for Supervisors (3)
EDU 608 Seminar for Supervisors (3)

For more information, please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at (610) 341-5972.