The primary goal of the masters program in Nursing is to prepare qualified nurses for clinical specialization and leadership in any of the following major fields:
- Adult Health Nursing
- Community Health Nursing
- Maternal and Child Nursing
- Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing
- Nursing Administration
- School Health Nursing
This goal can be attained through:
- increased competence in a major field in Nursing;
- increased understanding of theories, research principles, methodologies and their application, and utilization of research findings, ethics, and use of evidence-based nursing to develop and improve nursing practice;
- critical thinking about current problems and issues affecting the Nursing profession and the health care delivery system;
- greater insight into self and others as fully functioning individuals;
- broader understanding of a related discipline as further base for specialization in nursing;
- innovative measures in the delivery of health care services; and;
- independent nursing practice.
Program of Study
The M.A. (Nursing) degree requires completion of 36 units, 30 units of which are credited to academic courses and 6 units for the thesis. Except for N-241, N-242 and N-243 and some cognates, academic courses generally carry a 3-unit load.
The full-time student enrolls in 12 units of academic work per semester and is given a maximum of 5 years within which to finish all 36 units of academics and the thesis, including passing the comprehensive examination.
| Curricular Program Requirements | Units |
| Major | 12 |
| Core | 12 |
| Elective/Cognates | 6 |
| Thesis | 6 |
| TOTAL | 36 |
Admission Criteria
Graduate students are admitted twice a year. Deadline for submission of application form and other documents for the First Semester of the school year is the First Friday of April, while the last day for the Second Semester is the First Friday of September.
Applicants for the M.A. (Nursing) degree must have:
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing;
- A good scholastic record from any recognized institution of higher learning;
- At least 1 year of experience as a professional nurse in a hospital/community or public/private health agency;
- Duly accomplished Application Form (available at the Graduate Office or through (www.upm.edu.ph/gradoffice) together with the following documents:
- original copy of the official Transcript of Records;
- two (2) recommendations from former professors, supervisors or employers (forms included in the application packet);
- receipt of processing fee paid at the UPM Cashier’s Office;
- resume or curriculum vitae;
- certified true copy of college diploma with the seal of the university and the signature of the registrar in ink;
- 4 passport-size photos;
- essay on an 8-1/2” x 11” sheet of paper describing your motivation for pursuing graduate study and your view of self-directed learning as a method of instruction, and a description of your research interest.
- For foreign applicants, additional requirements include:
- photocopy of passport;
- Curriculum for BS Nursing
- Description of undergraduate courses (subject coverage and number of hrs. – theory/laboratory/clinical)
- original Transcript of Records in English. If written in another language, must be authenticated by the Philippine consulate/embassy from country of origin;
- certified true copy of diploma with the seal of the university and the signature of the registrar in ink. If written in another language, must be authenticated by the Philippine consulate/embassy from country of origin;
- TOEFL (or its equivalent) score of at least 500 (written test) or 173 (computerized test) if English is not the medium of instruction in the country of origin;
- affidavit of support or certification of financial capability.
Graduation Requirements
The M.A. (Nursing) degree is granted to masters students who have successfully passed the following:
- Residency of 1 academic year prior to granting of degree;
- GWA of 2.00 or better in all courses taken and in major courses;
- Passing the comprehensive examination;
- Satisfactory completion of submission of 6 bound copies of the thesis.
Core Courses
Completion of 12 units (all 4 courses) is required of all masters students.
N-204 Advanced PathoPhysiology
N-207 Theoretical Foundations of Nursing
N-298 Statistical Methods Applied to Nursing
N-299 Research Methods of Nursing
Major Courses
The masters student is required to enroll in all courses (12 units) specified in one’s chosen field of specialization.
Maternal and Child Nursing
N-230 Primary Care of Women
N-231 Perinatal Nursing
N-232 Nursing Care of Children
N-219.3 Intensive Experience in Maternal & Child Nursing
Nursing Administration
N-240 Nursing Administration I
N-241 Nursing Administration II
N-242 Nursing Administration III
N-243 Nursing Administration IV
N-219.4 Intensive Experience in Nursing Administration
Community Health Nursing
N-250 Family Health Nursing
N-251 Advanced Community Health Nursing
N-252 Seminar in Community Health Nursing
N-219.5 Intensive Experience in Community Health Nursing
Adult Health Nursing
N-260 Advanced Adult Health Nursing
N-261 Nursing Care in Cardiovascular Conditions
N-262 Oncology Nursing
N-219.6 Intensive Experience in Adult Health Nursing
Mental Health & Psychiatric Nursing
N-270 Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing Interventions I
N-271 Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing Interventions II
N-272 Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing Interventions III
N-219.7 Intensive Experience in Mental Health & Psychiatric Nursing
School Health Nursing
N-280 School Health Nursing I
N-281 School Health Nursing II
N-282 School Health Nursing III
N-219.8 Intensive Experience in School Health Nursing
Elective/Cognate Courses
The masters student is required to complete 6 units (2-3 courses) of elective/cognate courses. Electives may include courses other than one’s major field of specialization (e.g., a Community Health Nursing student can take a Maternal and Child Nursing course as an elective) or, it may be any of the following nursing electives:
N-210 Seminar in Nursing
N-211 Community Health Nursing
N-220 Behavioral Perspectives in Health
N-221 Nursing in Chronic Diseases and Conditions
N-222 Organization and Administration of Schools of Nursing
N-223 Ecology, Health and Illness
N-224 Change Determinants in Health-Related Behavior
N-225 Comparative Health Care Systems
N-226 Curriculum Planning in Nursing
N-227 Teaching Nursing
N-228 Practicum in Clinical Teaching
N-229 Organization and Administration of Schools of Nursing
Cognates are those courses which are offered by related disciplines such as Anthropology, Education, Psychology, Public Health, Social Work or Sociology.
A masters student will need to first pass all 30 units of academic course work before taking the comprehensive examinations. Passing the comprehensive examinations, in turn, is the prerequisite to enrollment in N-300.
Thesis (N-300)
Thesis writing is the final phase of the program. Presentation of the proposal and defense of the findings of the study are required.