Clinical Nurse Specialist

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) specialties offers the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist and the Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist. These two clinical areas of content and advanced practice prepare nurses to work in acute, primary, or long-term care settings.

Students enrolling in one of these CNS specialties should familiarize themselves with the general MSN coursework, as those course requirements will need to be completed before students may begin the CNS specialty curriculum. Nurses who already have an MSN from APU or another institution may enroll in a Post-Master’s Certificate program to obtain their CNS specialty.

Learn more about the program and our faculty.

School of Nursing Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice at Azusa Pacific University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The traditional baccalaureate nursing program, upper-division transfer (2+2/LVN to BSN) programs, entry-level master’s program, and the nurse practitioner program are approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. Azusa Pacific University (APU) is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

APU’s School of Nursing promotes an ongoing holistic approach to healthcare. I hear people compare Azusa Pacific to UCLA, and the edge often goes to APU because of the Christian perspective. Nurses can gain clinical skills almost anywhere, but it is the spiritual aspect, investing personally in the patient, that builds trust and promotes healing.

Debbie Tracy, FNP, Parent-Child CNS
Cardiothoracic Surgery CNS, Covina, CA

Note: This information is current for the 2022-23 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Please refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.