Teaching Nursing Certificate Program Overview
Fall Application: Opens February 1 | Closes June 15
Spring Application: Opens July 1 | Closes November 15
Program Start: Fall or Spring semester
Length of Program: Three 8-week terms (1.5 to 3 semesters | Certificate awarded upon completion)
Part-Time Study: One course each semester
Program Delivery: Web-based
About the Teaching Nursing Certificate Program
The Certificate in Teaching Nursing is designed for nurses who are seeking to enhance their teaching pedagogy and skills and for those who are seeking an academic career in teaching nursing.
Educational Outcomes are mapped to the National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator Competencies and include:
- Apply evidence-based approaches to assess the learning needs, style, and motivation of the learner.
- Demonstrate knowledge of curriculum planning, design, and evaluation
- Examine the legal and ethical responsibilities of nurse educators
- Apply selected learning theories and teaching strategies in academic and clinical practice settings
- Implement the teaching and learning processes with selected learners
- Analyze sociopolitical, economic and institutional factors associated with nursing education
- Plan strategies to meet teaching, service and scholarship functions of the faculty role
All courses are fully online. For those students who hold a master’s or higher degree, the Certificate in Teaching Nursing will qualify them to sit for the National League for Nursing’s certification exam, Certified Nurse Educator. Nurses with a baccalaureate degree will gain valuable knowledge, skills, and experience for clinical teaching, precepting, and roles in clinical professional development.
The certificate program plan consists of the following 3 courses for a total of 9 credit hours. Each course is delivered in an 8-week fully online format.
- N390U Foundations of Nursing Education
- N390V Art and Science of Teaching in Nursing
- N390W Role of the Nurse Educator
Teaching Nursing Resources
Admission Requirements
All students interested in applying for graduate study in The School of Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin must meet the admission requirements established by the University’s Graduate School and the School of Nursing. Applicants are expected to be graduates of accredited colleges or universities. Below are the minimum requirements for admission.
- Degree: A BSN degree or an associate degree in nursing and a baccalaureate degree outside of nursing
- GPA: 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or comparable GPA in upper-division work (junior- and senior-level courses) and any graduate work completed
- Recommendations: 1 required
- Statement of Purpose
- Curriculum Vitae/resume
- Nursing License: Current Texas RN licensure or a license from a "Nurse Licensure Compact" state, if admitted.
Application Procedures
Complete an online application for admissions and pay the application fee at ApplyTexas.org. The online application is data entry only. All supporting application documents are uploaded on the My Status page after the application is paid and submitted.
*Recommendation: Complete online application, as early as possible. This allows time for all required documents to be completed and uploaded by the deadline.
Supporting Documents
- Official transcripts, dated one year or less, from all four-year institutions attended.
- Official transcripts, dated one year or less, for an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), if applicable. See Teaching Nursing Certificate Application Checklist for transcript upload procedures.
- Curriculum Vitae: Readable, 12-point font, 1-inch margins
- Personal Statement: Maximum two (2) pages. Readable, 12-point font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins
- Recommendations: 1 required / 1 maximum
- Using our secure, personalized form, one (1) professional recommendation that attests to the applicant's academic ability, professional competency, and personal character must be submitted electronically by the recommender.
- Written recommendations are not accepted.
- Official TOEFL scores taken within the past two years (for International Applicants only).
All materials are to be submitted electronically to the My Status Check (available approximately two days after online application submission) after completion of the application on ApplyTexas.org.
Tuition and Fees
| Items | Cost |
|---|---|
| Application Fee: | $65 |
| Tuition – Amount paid each semester is determined by the number of courses taken (1 or 2 courses) | |
| 3 credit hours: | $2,000* |
| Total Tuition - 9 credit hours: | $6,000 |
| **Textbook, resources used, and cost varies by course and instructor. | |
Acceptance to Graduate Programs in Nursing
The School of Nursing Admission committee begins reviews after each of the application deadlines. All application materials are required to be submitted by the program’s application deadline; files that remain incomplete will not be reviewed or acted upon by the committee.
If admitted, applicants will be notified of the admission decision in April. Decisions are communicated in the following ways:
- Admission offers are sent via email by the School of Nursing.
- Official admission decision e-letters from the Graduate Admissions Office are available on the application Status Check page.
Acceptance by both the School of Nursing and the Office of Graduate Studies is necessary before enrollment is permitted.
NOTE: Email is the official means of communication for all university business.
If not admitted, applicants will be notified on the MyStatus page only.
Please feel free to email the Graduate Student Services Office if you have questions about the admission process.
Financial Support
Certificate program students needing financial assistance are eligible for federal financial aid when taking five or more credits in a semester and may be eligible for private education loans. Private loans are available from various lending institutions (e.g. banks, credit unions, etc.). The university is prohibited by federal law from recommending any particular private loans to certificate program students, but we encourage you to shop competitively before choosing a particular private loan to help meet educational expenses. The interest rates on these loans vary, as do other terms and conditions. Also, most private lenders require loan certification from the school to verify enrollment and Cost of Attendance amounts. Click here for more information about loans.