M.S. Parent-Child Track : School of Health Sciences : Simmons College

The Parent-Child Primary Care curriculum was developed in 1988 to prepare advanced practice nurses. Concentrations include children/adolescents with special health care needs, pediatric health, and school health. Graduates of the program are prepared to sit for the appropriate certification exam offered by the professional credentialing organization.

Children and Adolescents with Special Needs
Pediatric Health Concentration
School Health Concentration
Dual-Degree Program in Parent-Child Health

Children and Adolescents with Special Needs

This concentration focuses on preparing pediatric nurse practitioners who will deliver primary care to the child/adolescent with special health care needs. These clients and their families have many complex health issues that require specialized knowledge and skill in order to deliver the comprehensive, coordinated care that they require. Students are prepared to sit for the appropriate credentialing exams.

Pediatric Health Concentration

This concentration prepares advanced nurse practitioners to deliver primary health care to children and adolescents. In addition, advanced practice may include program development; needs assessment; program planning, implementation, and evaluation; consultation and technical assistance on parent-child health services; advocacy and education related to parent and child health and research in this important area of health care.

School Health Concentration

Nurses working within school health settings provide primary health care for children within the school setting, provide high-tech care for chronically ill children mainstreamed into classrooms, and develop health education primary prevention programs for major health issues such as teenage pregnancy, violence and suicide prevention, and HIV.

Students take the pediatric sequence and specialized courses in school health. The clinical practicum takes place in a school health center with a masters-prepared nurse practitioner preceptor. Students are prepared to sit for the appropriate certification exams as both a pediatric nurse practitioner and a school health practitioner.

Dual-Degree Program in Parent-Child Health

Simmons College and the Harvard School of Public Health offer a two-year, full-time, dual-degree option offering a Master of Science in Primary Health Care Nursing from Simmons College and a Master of Science in Society, Human Development, and Health from the Harvard School of Public Health.

The dual-degree program allows preparation as a parent-child nurse practitioner, and additionally prepares the graduate to deliver care to aggregate populations of women and/or children at a public health level. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the appropriate certification exam administered by the professional nursing organization.

Students admitted to the dual-degree program enroll in half-time study at both Simmons College and the Harvard School of Public Health for two academic years plus one summer session at Simmons College. The program is eighty semester hours. Applicants to the dual-degree program must apply to both institutions and meet admission requirements for both institutions. Applications for the Harvard School of Public Health can be obtained from the school's admissions office at:

Harvard School of Public Health
677 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/register/eh-contact.html