Master of Science in Nursing and Post Master’s
Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

The Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner option prepares graduates to care for adults from adolescence throughout the lifespan. A holistic and multidisciplinary approach to care focuses on health promotion, disease prevention, and illness management. A systems approach also is used to assess, diagnose, and manage common episodic and chronic health problems in young, middle and older adults.

Cizik School of Nursing is the highest ranking graduate nursing program in Texas; and among the top 5% in the country, according to US News and World Report.

The Curriculum

The Adult/Gerontology Primary Care program offers courses online and in the classroom to provide students with a flexible schedule. This hybrid format allows students to work and go to school. It also provides critical in-classroom experiences that provide networking time with colleagues, as well as access to notable speakers and leaders located within and around the Texas Medical Center.

The Adult/Gerontology Primary Care MSN consists of 41 credits and includes 660 precepted clinical hours. Clinical hours are co-managed and arranged between the faculty and student. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner certification examination offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCBP).

Student Support

Each student will be assigned an academic advisor at the time of admission to the program. The student and the academic advisor will complete a degree plan to specify which courses will be taken to complete the degree requirements. Degree plan policy and procedures may be found in MSN Program Policy G5320 (pdf).

Additional details on preceptorships are available for review in the Preceptor Guidelines. This page provides an outline of criteria for selection of preceptors and clinical sites, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the student, preceptor, faculty, and clinical site in the precepted clinical experience.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Cizik School of Nursing is proud of its commitment to graduate education through the offering of merit- and need-based scholarships and grants. The application process is competitive and begins during the application review cycle. For more information, please visit the scholarship information page on the website.

Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston reserve the right to withdraw courses at any time, to change fees or tuition, calendar, curriculum, degree requirements, graduation procedures, and any other requirements affecting students. Changes will become effective whenever the proper authorities so determine and will apply to both prospective students and those already enrolled.

Track Directors

Susan D Ruppert, PhD, RN, FNP-C, ANP-BC, FCCM, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN

Assistant Dean & Department Chair, Acute and Continuing Care (interim) (Email)