Public Health Nursing - Adolescent Nursing

Faculty Coordinator:

Linda Bearinger, Ph.D., RN
612-624-5157 or beari001@umn.edu

Specialty Area Information:

The Public Health Nursing-Adolescent Nursing specialty area prepares nurses for public health positions in management, education, clinical practice, leadership, policy development, research and advocacy.

Graduate study in adolescent nursing utilizes interdisciplinary courses taught by faculty from the Schools of Nursing, Medicine and Public Health, and the Institute for Child Development. The Center for Adolescent Nursing supports masters study in adolescent nursing and offers doctoral/post-doctoral programs for nursing, medical and public health nutrition students whose research focuses on adolescents. Serving as a national hub for nurses and other professionals with expertise in adolescent health, our workshops and institutes draw regional, national, and international audiences from a host of disciplines. Our curriculum emphasizes the special healthcare needs of youth and teaches learners best practices in working with youth to promote health and heathcare.

Visit our Web Site

We invite you to visit our Center for Adolescent Nursing (CAN) Web site to gain a better idea of what the Center for Adolescent Nursing is about: http://www.nursing.umn.edu/CANL.

DNP Program

Students choosing this specialty area complete all coursework for the public health nursing degree. What sets this area of study apart are required courses focusing on adolescent health, giving the student a youth specialty focus. A dual degree option exists for this area.

Practicum Experiences

Practicum experiences provide a range of options including individual as well as population-focused health services. An intervention practicum is recommended for students entering the program with little adolescent or youth clinical practice experience. A leadership practicum, required for all Public Health Nursing students and serves as a capstone experience, incorporating education and knowledge from the entire master's program. Students are encouraged to consider practica experiences in local, state, as well as national and international settings. Students have had practica in community-based teen clinics, county and state public health departments, and state and regional advocacy agencies.

Doctoral and Post-Doctoral Study

Doctoral candidates and post-doctoral professionals focus their research in adolescent health. Our programs prepare creative and productive scholars as scientists, innovators and leaders in healthcare. Potential students are encouraged to call the CAN office for more information about doctoral focus in adolescent nursing.

Funding Opportunities

Financial aid resources exist for adolescent nursing program students, primarily administered through the Office of Student Finance (see OneStop). With support from the US Maternal-Child Health Bureau (MCHB) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Center for Adolescent Nursing provides stipend and tuition support to a limited number of graduate students.

Sample Course Schedule

A list of required courses for our program is available online.

For more information, please contact the School of Nursing Office of Student Services or the Center for Adolescent Nursing.