The non-degree graduate student classification makes selected master's-level nursing courses available to persons who have a bachelor's degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution. There are three categories of students for which non-degree graduate student status may be granted.
- Post MSN Nurse Practitioner Option: MSN graduates who wish to take a designated program of study in preparation for sitting for one of the nurse practitioner certification examinations also may apply for non-degree graduate status. This category is called the Advanced Study Option for MSN Graduates. Admission for this category may be competitive and is granted for the entire series of courses included in the program of study.
- Post Baccalaureate Non-Degree Student: Individuals with a bachelor's degree in nursing who wish to take an individual non-clinical master's-level nursing course may apply for non-degree status once they have obtained written permission to take the course from the course instructor and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. A Permission to Enroll In an Individual Course as a Non-Degree Graduate Student form must be completed for each course for which enrollment as a non-degree graduate student is requested. Non-degree graduate student status is granted on a term-by-term basis to students in this category.
- Teacher in Nursing Certificate: Individuals with a bachelor's degree in nursing (or permission of instructor) who wish to enroll in the certificate program preparing teachers in nursing.
Applicants, for the last two categories, will be required to submit an official transcript showing the date the qualifying degree was awarded.
Application Fee
The application processing fee for a non-degree graduate student is $30.00. The application fee is charged each time an application is processed. A check in the amount of $30.00 should be made payable to the UAB SCHOOL OF NURSING and mailed or delivered with the completed application form to the address at the top of this page.
Tuition Rates
Tuition for all courses taken as a non-degree graduate student will be billed at the graduate rate according to the student's residency classification (in-state or out-of-state).
Academic Standards
Non-degree graduate students are subject to the same academic policies as degree-seeking graduate students. The policies are stated in the School of Nursing Catalog. Grading standards will be the same for non-degree and for degree-seeking graduate students.
Student Honor Code
The School of Nursing Student Honor Code applies to all students enrolled in the School of Nursing.
Restriction on Credit Earned
Enrollment in the School of Nursing as a non-degree graduate student does not constitute admission to study leading to the MSN degree in the School of Nursing. No limit is set on the number of courses an individual may take as a non-degree graduate student. However, if the individual is later admitted to a program of studies leading to the MSN degree, a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours taken as a non-degree student may be applied toward the degree. The Graduate Chair or the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the School of Nursing must approve the application of non-degree credits as credits for the MSN degree.
For additional information, contact:
Pete Tofani, LTC(R)
Director, Graduate Student Affairs
Phone:(205) 975-5302
E-Mail:tofanip@uab.edu