Why Kent State?

  • Expert faculty. Students receive mentorship and advising from faculty who bring unique perspectives grounded in clinical and management experience, and bring excitement and interest to their teaching and research.
  • Excellent online courses. Classes are held 100% online and delivered by expert nurses and business professionals via leading edge instructional technology.
  • Maximum flexibility. Start in the fall or spring semester and complete the program full or part-time
Inesh Fulton: From Social Media to Soccer
School of Lifespan Development & Educational Sciences

Person holding a cellphone with social media and application icons hovering above

Inesh Fulton is discovering exactly what it means to work as a digital marketer. Last month, the Career and Community Studies (CCS) junior began working part-time as a digital marketing intern in the EHHS Marketing and Communications office in White Hall, where he supports the college on a variety of promotional activities. “I like how the [CCS] program helps you learn and get prepared for things,” he said.  Two days per week, Inesh fulfills his love for social media by boosting engagement on the EHHS Instagram account, perusing the app to find accounts to follow, selecting...

Nursing Administration and Health Systems Leadership - Graduate Certificate

The Nursing Administration and Health Systems Leadership graduate certificate provides nurses who already have a graduate nursing degree the additional specialized knowledge for the nursing administration and health systems leadership.

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Program Information for Nursing Administration and Health Systems Leadership - Graduate Certificate

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Meet standards for advanced practice certification or other advanced professional distinction.
  2. Demonstrate competencies based on professional standards to assume advanced roles in nursing and for leadership and career advancement, including doctoral study.
  3. Communicate, integrate and apply advanced nursing knowledge and skills to provide equitable, evidence-based and inclusive nursing care, and to promote quality outcomes in nursing and health care.

Admissions for Nursing Administration and Health Systems Leadership - Graduate Certificate

Admissions

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

  • Master's degree in nursing or a doctorate in nursing practice from an accredited nursing program
  • Minimum 3.000 graduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
  • Official transcript(s) of all previous graduate coursework1
  • Active, unrestricted registered nurse license in the state in which practicum hours will be completed
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Goal statement (no more than 250 words) describing reasons for seeking the certificate in the identified specialty and professional goals (starting with spring 2026 admission term, goal statement is no longer required)
  • Admission essay is required starting with spring 2026 admission term responding to the following questions (two pages, double spaced, 500 words):
    • How do you plan to contribute to the nursing profession and healthcare community after earning your M.S.N. degree?
    • How has your experience, professional development and service within the profession contributed to your readiness for graduate education?
    • What experience do you have working as a nurse caring for the underserved, high-risk or vulnerable populations?
  • Syllabi of all courses to considered for transfer in the gap analysis
  • Three professional letters of reference from healthcare professionals, either a supervisor and/or an advanced practice nurse who can speak to the applicant's professional capabilities
  • English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:2
    • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
    • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
    • Minimum 58 PTE score
    • Minimum 110 DET score
1

For applicants who have not practiced as an advanced practice registered nurse within the two-year period preceding application to the certificate, completion of graduate-level courses in advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology and advanced health assessment must not be greater than five years old at the time of the student's first semester of course registration in the certificate.

2

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.

Application Deadlines

  • Fall Semester
    • Priority deadline: March 1
  • Spring Semester
    • Priority deadline: October 1
  • Summer Term
    • Priority deadline: March 1

All application materials (including applicable fee, transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.) submitted by these deadlines will receive the strongest consideration for admission.

Coursework

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Program Requirements

Certificate Requirements

Certificate Requirements
NURS 60014LEADERSHIP IN NURSING AND HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT 3
NURS 60016ADVANCED ASSESSMENT, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY FOR THE NURSE LEADER 3
NURS 60020LEGAL AND REGULATORY MANAGEMENT FOR NURSE ADMINISTRATORS 3
NURS 60024HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION, STRUCTURE AND BEHAVIOR 3
NURS 60315BUDGETARY AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT FOR NURSES 3
NURS 64002PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION FOR NURSE ADMINISTRATORS 3
NURS 64292NURSING ADMINISTRATION AND HEALTH SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP I PRACTICUM 2
NURS 64302NURSING ADMINISTRATION AND HEALTH SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP SEMINAR 2
NURS 64392NURSING ADMINISTRATION AND HEALTH SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP II PRACTICUM 2
Minimum Total Credit Hours:24

Graduation Requirements
Minimum Certificate GPA Minimum Overall GPA
3.000 3.000
Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • Fully online

Read-in Puts Ban on Banned Books

Prof. Stephanie Smith at the third annual read-in, open-mic event

“‘If Monday was a color, she’d be red...’” Kent State University senior communication studies major Jaelyn Brown’s voice echoed across the room as she read from her selected banned book, “Monday’s Not Coming” by Tiffany D. Jackson.     With the anticipation of each reader that followed, the room fell silent, eager to soak in the challenged works specifically chosen for this evening.     The third annual Read-In @ Kent State was held on Sept. 27, in Taylor Hall. This open-mic event gave students, faculty, staff and alumni the opportunity to read excerp...

Want to Vote in the November Election?

It's time to register to vote for the November election

Find out how to vote in 2024The below article is from a previous year, use the button above for 2024! Registering to vote while away at college can be a confusing and intimidating experience for students. To ease the process, networks such as Kent State Votes, a university-wide coalition of students, faculty, and staff,  tackle the challenge of communicating clear information about how students can vote and work on generating voter enthusiasm. With registration deadlines for the November election right around the corner, students don’t have much time to seek out the correct...

Kevin Pflederer and the May 4 Visitors Center
School of Lifespan Development & Educational Sciences

Photo of the bottom of the Taylor Hall stairs

Kevin Pflederer knows his way around Kent State’s May 4 Visitors Center and the building that houses it, Taylor Hall. Blessed with a calm, relaxed demeanor and a ready smile, Pflederer spends two days per week greeting visitors and assisting staffers who give hour-long Flashes 101 tours to students exploring illustrations of the turbulent 60s.  Career and Community Studies students enter a career exploration program in their sophomore year. Pflederer is the only CCS student to work at the May 4 Center, where he operates an electronic tablet that controls the video and sound for ...

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