Certificate in Advanced Studies in Nursing Leadership (Online)

Take on new opportunities with more autonomy and higher salaries.

When you earn your post-Master’s Nursing Leadership Certificate from Utica University, you gain access to new opportunities that expand your career, give you more autonomy, and advance your salary potential.

Utica University’s three online master’s degrees and post-master’s certificates in nursing empower you to take advanced nursing roles in family practice, leadership, and education—roles with a projected growth rate of up to 52 percent by 2030 and salaries that surpass six figures².

► 6-figure salary and 52% job growth by 2030
Family Nurse Practitioners earn an average salary of $128,141 and can expect 52% job growth by 2030^1,2

► Practice without physician oversight in 22 states
As of 2016, 22 states and Washington, D.D., allow nurse practitioners to practice without physician oversight³

► Earn $120,000 to $159,000 annually
47% of Nurse Directors earn $120,000–$159,000 annually⁴

► 7.9% vacancy rate
Nurse Educators earn an average of $82,040 annually and are urgently needed to fill the 7.9% vacancy rate due to lack of qualified candidates⁵

A certified nurse leader holds positions like these:

Family Nurse Practitioner

$128,141/year

As a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)¹, you test, diagnose, treat, and create preventive health care plans for patients throughout their lives. You also create health care policies at the local, state, or government levels. Family Nurse Practitioners are often relied on as the first provider of care for common family health problems and in some states, can practice without physician supervision and operate their own practice.

Nursing Leader

$101,340/year

As a Nursing Leader⁶—such as a senior manager or executive—you would improve outcomes and maintain a standard of excellence for a larger population of patients and health care professionals. You would ensure your organization adheres to changes in health care laws, technologies, and regulations—and you’d be rewarded with career longevity, an excellent salary, and the ability to impact health care at a systemic level.

Nurse Educator

$82,040/year

As a Nurse Educator⁵, you would prepare the next generation for nursing excellence. There are currently more potential nursing students than nurses who can teach them: 80,000+ qualified students were turned away from nursing programs in 2019 due to insufficient faculty, among other reasons7. This shortage is felt across industries, including psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, colleges and universities, and general surgical hospitals.

Additional roles for Nursing Leadership:

Clinical Nurse Manager
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Nursing Manager
Director of Nursing
Chief Nursing Officer
Nurse Practitioner
Pediatrics Nurse Practitioner

When to Apply

You can apply right now using our online application form. We accept applications throughout the year for enrollment into our spring, summer, and fall terms. You’ll receive a response from the admissions department within 2–3 weeks.

Sources:

1. ZipRecruiter (n.d.). Family Nurse Practitioner Salary in New York. Retrieved September 21, 2023 from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Family-Nurse-Practitioner-Salary–in-New-York.
2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (April 18, 2022). Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved on September 7, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). STATE LAW FACT SHEET: A SUMMARY OF NURSE PRACTITIONER SCOPE OF PRACTICE LAWS, IN EFFECT APRIL 2016. Retrieved on April 13, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/pubs/docs/SLFS_NSOP_508.pdf.
4. Dydra, L. (November 11, 2016). 36 statistics on nurse leader salary and bonuses. Becker’s Hospital Review. Retrieved on May 20, 2019, from https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/36-statistics-on-nurse-leader-salary-and-bonuses.html.
5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (May, 2021). 25-1072 Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary. Retrieved on September 7, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes251072.htm#ind.
6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (April 18, 2022). Medical and Health Services Managers. Occupational Outlook Handbook.Retrieved on September 7, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm#tab-1.
7. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (September 2020). Nursing Faculty Shortage – Fact Sheet. Retrieved on September 7, 2022, from https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Fact-Sheets/Nursing-Faculty-Shortage.

Advanced Studies in Nursing Leadership Faculty

Learn innovative and adaptive leadership skills from the highest caliber Nursing Leaders in the classroom. From their extensive research in the field and real-world knowledge base, they will push you in the right direction as you develop your own leadership ethos and style.

With decades of experience in nursing education, research, and practice, the graduate nursing faculty are led by program director Doreen Rogers, DNS, RN and FNP coordinator Jennifer Klimek Yingling, Ph.D, RN, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, and Associate Professor of Nursing Cynthia Love Williams, DNS.

Cynthia Love-Williams, DNS, RN
Associate Professor of Nursing

Dr. Cynthia Love-Williams is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Utica University. She has worked in nursing education since 1996 in both associate and baccalaureate programs. Dr. Love-Williams’ educational background includes a baccalaureate degree from Mississippi University for Women, a master’s degree from Wright State University, and a doctoral degree from Russell Sage Graduate Schools.

Dr. Love-Williams is the current Director of the Graduate Nursing Program at Utica University and her areas of expertise are in critical care, medical-surgical nursing, and inter-professional education. To stay connected to the health care field and be able to apply real-world experiences to the learning environment, Dr. Love-Williams practices per diem at a local health care facility as the Hospital Supervisor. Her areas of research include inter-professional education, simulation, test taking, and student success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Advancing your life and career with an online degree comes with lots of questions, and we want to ensure your search for answers is effortless.

To learn more, speak with an enrollment counselor by calling (315) 792-3333.

You can complete the program in just 12 months. View our curriculum.

Tuition for the Nursing Leadership Certificate is $14,850. You need to complete 18 credits at $825 per credit hour. You can review all tuition costs here.

The first step is to start your application.

You may transfer in up to nine credits for previously completed coursework equivalent to NUR 604 Advanced Pathophysiology, NUR 615 Advanced Pharmacology I, and NUR 611 Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning I. Review the admission requirements.

You’ll complete six courses to earn the Nursing Leadership Certificate degree. Learn more about coursework for the Nursing Leadership Certificate.

You’ll complete 180 clock hours of practicum.

Curriculum

In 18 credit hours, you’ll be equipped with the appropriate skills to step into managerial and administrative roles, the online post-Master’s Nursing Leadership Certificate’s curriculum ensures you’ll learn the nuances of nursing leadership in both theoretical and practical contexts.

You may transfer in up to 9 credits for previously completed coursework equivalent to NUR 604 Advanced Pathophysiology, NUR 615 Advanced Pharmacology I, and NUR 611 Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning I.

Explore Courses

Online Certificate in Advanced Studies Nursing Leadership Admission Requirements

To apply to this post-graduate certificate, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:

Completed application
$50 Application Fee
All students seeking enrollment in the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Education, and Nursing Leadership must hold a Master’s in Nursing degree from an accredited nursing program.
Provide two letters of recommendation from professional colleagues at the BSN level or higher.
3.0 GPA. Applicants with a GPA below the minimum may be admitted at the department’s discretion. A GPA letter will be required.
2,000 hours of work experience documented by your HR department. Unencumbered RN license in the state in which you reside.
Personal Statement: Detail your personal and professional goals and explain how this program will help you bring them to life. The statement of interest must include well-constructed responses to the following:
- Describe how your professional experiences have prepared you for future education in the role which is the focus of your desired track.
- Describe your plans to alter your work, professional and /or personal obligations in order to have time needed to successfully complete graduate course and clinical work.
- Identify one significant contemporary issue/problem in the current US health care system and discuss how members of the nursing discipline can help address/solve the issue/problem.
Successful Background Check: Not Required for Admission. Approved background check and fingerprints required at the time of clinical courses. Students shall be drug-screened through arrangements made by the school and the screening agency. Students are responsible for the cost of all screenings. You may be denied participation and placement at a clinical agency based on the background or drug screening findings and the clinical agency’s pre-employment screening policy. Withdrawal from the program will be necessary if you cannot be placed in a clinical agency to meet program practicum requirements.

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Tuition and Financial Aid

This 18-credit online certificate costs $825 per credit hour. Utica University is dedicated to making an advanced education accessible and affordable. Learn more about financial aid, including grants, student loans, and other options, on the Financial Aid tab of our Graduate Admissions page.

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