Graduate Nursing

The College of Nursing and Health Professions Graduate Nursing Department offers various graduate level nursing degree programs and graduate nursing certificate programs to help students advance their careers in nursing and health professions.

As a part of the Graduate Nursing Department, you will join a community of clinicians, researchers, faculty, and students in your journey toward advanced nursing practice.

Students can choose from exciting career paths and take courses that span the gamut of nursing education. Whether you want to focus on clinical practice, research, nursing leadership, becoming an entrepreneur, or are interested in a wide variety of nursing education roles, the Drexel Graduate Nursing Department has a program pathway for you.

We invite you to explore the degree programs offered through this department that will help you begin your career in nursing. Please explore our web pages for a wealth of information about our programs, students, faculty, research and clinical practice.

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News & Events

02/13/23

Metchersa Smith knew she was in for a change when she came to Drexel. Hailing from the Kamit Preparatory Institute, a predominantly African American preparatory school taught by predominately African American educators, she was one of four graduating seniors. Life at Drexel is certainly bigger than she was used to, and, during her first nursing classes, Smith admits she felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of her fellow students and that maintaining relationships with new peers was difficult during her first year of all online instruction, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Smith leaned on family support to get her through, and now she feels confident in her campus and program.

For as long as she can remember, Smith has dreamed of working as a maternal-child health practitioner. While she initially considering pursuing a pre-med track, Smith learned about the role of midwives and nurses and chose to pursue nursing with an eye to maternal health, while still remaining option to a variety of specialties. In addition to her passion for healthcare, Smith is a member of Drexel THRIVE, a fellow of the Macy Undergraduate Leadership Fellows Program, a for-credit leadership program designed for undergraduate students in public health, nursing and the health professions, and she is an active member of the Board of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at CNHP.

To guide her through her nursing program at Drexel, Smith has developed a unique method for success – the Target Grade List. Each quarter, she plots her classes on a chart, determines her desired grade for each class, and then scheduled her study habits, assignment deadlines and more. This organizational strategy has propelled her through three years of nursing school, and she believes that this system could help her fellow students. When Smith has finished her studying for the day, she can be found crocheting clothes and scarves, chatting with family and going out with friends.

02/08/23

Student Matijanay Tiggle standing in front of stairs in red blouse Matijanay Tiggle is familiar with a busy schedule. A graduate of the West Philadelphia Palumbo High School, Tiggle served in student government before coming to Drexel where she is a rising junior in the five-year nursing co-op program, as well as a Drexel Liberty Scholar, recipient of the Drexel Dave Goldberg Scholarship for Entrepreneurship and a Drexel THRIVE mentor. Tiggle says that family support has been crucial to pursuing her passions with ambition.

As a nursing student, Tiggle is committed to addressing health care gaps, health disparities and health inequities. To do so, she plans to specialize in bedside nursing for marginalized populations. Tiggle joined the Stephen and Sandra Sheller 11th Street Family Health Services during her co-op rotation, a community-based health services center that pays special attention to vulnerable people and residents of public housing unit in the 11th Street Corridor. This experience has inspired Tiggle to continue work with community-based health organizations after graduation. “My dream is to open up my own clinic that emphasizes health and preventative care for children in Black and brown neighborhoods,” Tiggle shares.

Student Matijanay Tiggle in hospital scrubs standing with three other individuals in scrubs While Tiggle describes herself as shy, she is a highly involved Drexel community member who can be found supporting her fellow peers and volunteering in the Philadelphia area. Tiggle shares that she has enjoyed her Drexel experience so far as she has found belonging in her many activities on campus. When she isn’t studying, in class or volunteering, Tiggle can be found resting, hanging out with friends and reading for fun. These practices help her feel grounded and restored for the next day of learning, caring and shaping the future of health equity and inclusive care.

01/20/23

Veronica Carey, PhD, assistant dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (seated on the left) and Marybeth Gasman, PhD, author of Doing the Right Thing: How Colleges and Universities Can Undo Systemic Racism in Faculty Hiring (seated on the right) having a discussion about Gasman's book. On Thursday, January 12th assistant dean for diversity, equity and inclusion Veronica Carey, PhD, hosted Marybeth Gasman, PhD, author of Doing the Right Thing: How Colleges and Universities Can Undo Systemic Racism in Faculty Hiring. The 90-minute event welcomed more than 70 faculty, professional staff and students from across Drexel University. This frank discussion, held in the College of Nursing and Health Professions' new Health Sciences Building, focused on what CNHP can do to support the hiring and retention of faculty of color. Gasman, the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair and a distinguished professor in the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University, noted, " the reason why hiring faculty of color is an issue at most academies is because excuses have been made for the hiring of white faculty who may not have been as qualified as candidates of color."

In an interview format, Carey's first question, "why this book now?" Gasman responded, "I was angry enough to know academies should not continue like this." A historian by education, Gasman continued by sharing that she wanted to research how long this practice has been happening. Gasman stated that if an academy wants to do something it gets done. "My initial response to why this book now is also because academies do not want to hire faculty of color and I am tired of them stating we just can't find diverse faculty." She passionately answered Carey's follow-up questions — "why don't academies do more when they know the problem exists?", "what can leaders do to ensure equity in hiring?" and "how did you conduct research for this book?" Then, in and open Q&A, attendees asked Gasman to address concerns stemming from quality vs. pedigree and the excuses given for not doing the right thing.

Attendee Denise Way, DNP, an assistant clinical professor in Undergraduate Nursing, stated, "This was so wonderful to have an opportunity to be in a room where this topic was addressed. So proud to hear peers' comments and suggestions to correct this issue." Board of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion student members Alexis Robinson, Charlise Williams, and Seleena Jacob celebrated being at an event targeted to support diverse educational opportunities while they matriculate at CNHP.

Written by Veronica Carey, PhD, assistant dean for diversity, equity and inclusion and associate clinical professor

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