Frequently Asked Questions
Pre-Program Qualifications
Yes. Admission to the program is contingent upon fulfilling one year of clinical practice,
either in the acute setting for the ACNP-AG or general direct patient care for the
FNP.
Students entering the ACNP-AG specialty must document ACLS certification while students
entering the FNP specialty must document current certifications in BLS. Current status
in BLS must be maintained throughout the program.
Yes. We highly encourage all applicants to become familiar with the role of the Nurse
Practitioner through "shadowing." Spending time with a NP is one of the best ways
to determine if this the advanced practice nursing role which will be meet your professional
goals.
Admission/Academic
Applications are accepted with a deadline of October 1 except for the Post-Master's certificate in ACNP-AG, which has a deadline of August 1. No late submissions will be considered.
Admission to the program is competitive but we look more to applicant qualification
and potential than to class size when making admission decisions.
Applicants must answer personal statement essay questions and may also submit a formatted
personal statement as part of their resume
No. Admission into our program is competitive. All submitted applications are reviewed
by the admissions committee. Each application is thoroughly reviewed by the committee
with regard to GPA, GRE/MAT score, clinical experience, reference letters, and personal
statements. Invitations to interview are extended to those applicants who the committee
feels are most qualified to meet the rigor of the program.
Applicants for admission will be contacted within two weeks following completion of
the interview process. Individuals selected for admission must notify the School of
Nursing in writing, with their decision to accept the position.
The NP Concentration does not maintain a waiting list of prospective applicants. Unsuccessful
applicants may reapply in following years.
No. We can only consider applicants who have earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
The Graduate School and the SON require students to have a 3.0 for consideration for
the program. A strong nursing and science GPA is essential.
GRE and MAT scores must be from testing no more than five years old. The Analytical Writing test of the GRE is required. Weakness in one area can be offset by strength in another area. When looking at each application, we are looking for indicators of strong critical thinking skills - the information obtained from GRE and MAT exams are part of the decision-making process. Our goal is to admit students who will have the best chance at success in the program. Scores within the 50% range may be considered competitive, but this is dependent upon the applicant pool. Applicants with a 3.4 or higher nursing GPA and post master’s certificate applicants are waived from the GRE or MAT requirement for admission.
GRE and MAT scores must be from testing no more than five years old. The Analytical Writing test of the GRE is required. Weakness in one area can be offset by strength in another area. When looking at each application, we are looking for indicators of strong critical thinking skills - the information obtained from GRE and MAT exams are part of the decision-making process. Our goal is to admit students who will have the best chance at success in the program. Scores within the 50% range may be considered competitive, but this is dependent upon the applicant pool. Applicants with a 3.4 or higher nursing GPA and post master’s certificate applicants are waived from the GRE or MAT requirement for admission.
The MAT code is 1759 and the GRE code is 1831.
An undergraduate course in health assessment and statistics is required. Bachelor's
or post-bachelor's course work, however must be satisfactory. Given the strong science-based
curriculum in an advanced practice nursing degree, it is important that you can demonstrate
undergraduate success in all science-related course work (anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology,
biology, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, etc). If you make a "C" or lower in
any of your science courses, we strongly recommended that you re-take those course(s)
to better improve your academic profile.
It is possible to transfer up to 6 credits of graduate work earned elsewhere. Only
courses in which a student has obtained a grade of "B" or better, and which have not
been applied to another degree, will be accepted. Following acceptance into the program
you need to provide the School of Nursing with copies of course syllabi as well as
other documentation so that they can be compared with the course at UTC.
Most nurses who already possess a master's or doctoral degree have the option of earning
either an additional master's degree or a post master's certificate. In either case,
the number of required courses and overall program length may change depending on
the previous degree. The GRE and MAT requirement, however, is waived. Please go the
Admissions section of the website for more information.
The MSN concentrations in the School of Nursing are studying the possibility of transitioning
to a DNP as the terminal degree for APNs.
Financial Aid and Housing
Information regarding current tuition and fees can be found at www.utc.edu/Bursar.
There are several expenses, in addition to tuition, for which the student will be
responsible. See expenses.
Financial aid is available for NP students. Awards include aid from Federal Stafford
loans and potential employers. Accepted applicants should contact the UTC Financial
Aid office (423-425-4667) when they are notified of acceptance. Begin the process
early by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on-line at
www.fafsa.ed.gov.
To those students who choose to live on campus, UTC provides an array of attractive
housing options. For more information please go to: www.utc.edu/housing.
General
The FNP focus is on primary care while the AGACNP focus is on acute illness or injury
or the acute manifestation of a chronic disease.
The program is 6 semesters (2 years).
The program is 6 semesters (2 years).
The school year begins in May of each year.
Yes, this is a part-time program. However, if you do not follow the course of study
this lengthens your time in the program as all courses are only offered one time each
year.
First, an explanation on the differences between the two. Integrated programs typically
arrange their curricula so that students participate in didactic and clinical education
concurrently while front loaded program students complete all didactic courses before
beginning their clinical experience. UTC's NP program follows an integrated model.
Yes, we use simulation to enhance the learning experience.
Yes. This program is designed so the student may continue to work either part of full
time. However, the curriculum is very demanding. The time commitment involved is a
very individualized issue. When the student is in the clinical practicum, a minimum
of 8-10 hours each week should be spent in the clinic. Additionally, classes are a
full day one day each week. When the student starts the first spring semester, this
means that 2 days of each week will be spent in course related activities. With that
said, we strongly advise the student to consider the amount of time needed to complete
the academic requirements and the amount of time he/she is working.
Students are required to have access to a computer. Many students have laptops and
bring them to class. UTC has wireless access across the campus, including the School
of Nursing. Computer requirements include high speed internet access, CDROM or DVD
capability, and Microsoft Office software.
We are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The
master’s degree in nursing and post-graduate APRN certificate at The University of
Tennessee at Chattanooga are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
(http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).