Graduate Studies

Master of Business Administration Master of Arts in Education Master of Science in Nursing Master of Arts (Marriage and Family Therapy

Admission Policies and Standards Tuition and Fees Financial Aid

This section contains information about Pacific Lutheran University graduate programs. Course descriptions for graduate courses are included in the undergraduate section of the catalog within the specific department or school.

Pacific Lutheran University’s graduate programs offer excellence in advanced professional education within a long-standing liberal arts tradition in which the most fundamental challenges for society and individual values are examined. Master’s degree candidates in business, education, marriage and family therapy, and nursing choose to study at PLU to increase their understanding and competence in theory, research, and practice. They go on to become thoughtful and effective leaders in their communities. Many are attracted to PLU by the opportunity to study in unusually close and supportive working relationships with accomplished full-time PhD faculty and exceptional professional practitioners. The Office of Graduate Studies, as part of the Office of the Provost, coordinates the work of the schools that provide graduate-level instruction.

MASTER'S DEGREES OFFERED

The Master of Business Administration program enhances the managerial effectiveness of leaders in business, government, and non-profit organizations. Individuals of all educational and working backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The program is accredited by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The Master of Arts in Education meets the needs of educators by offering five concentrations:

1. The Classroom Teaching concentration provides advanced preparation in subject matter and professional education for elementary and secondary classroom teachers.
   
2. Educational Administration is designed to prepare profession- als to become elementary and secondary school principals and program administrators. The degree is open to qualified professionals not seeking principal’s credentials, as well.
3. The Literacy Education concentration prepares educators to encourage literacy acquisition and development appropriate to students’ needs and interests. Children’s literature, information literacy, and technology are emphasized throughout.
4. Special Education seeks to expand the qualifications of persons who serve special-needs children and youth in a variety of educational or rehabilitative settings, including self-contained and resource room teaching, special education consulting and support personnel, and coordination (not offered in 2002– 2003).
5. The Beginning Certification (or Residency) is designed to prepare qualified teachers with endorsements in K–8 (Elementary Education) and 4–12 (Subject Matter Specific).

The Master of Science in Nursing offers an integrated approach to knowledge and clinical competencies essential to advanced nursing practice, by offering two concentrations:

1. The Nurse Practitioner concentration prepares nurses to be primary care providers. Subsequent to national certification, graduates are awarded ARNP licensure as Family Nurse Practitioners whose scope of practice includes preventive, promotional, diagnostic, and prescriptive services in primary care settings.
   
2. The Care and Outcomes Manager concentration prepares nurses for advanced nursing practice in a variety of positions within emerging managed health care. Students focus on case management and a skill set that assures the clinical and managerial competence needed to function as utilization review coordinators, risk managers, nurse educators, nurse administrators, school nurses, clinical specialists, or nurse administrators.

For information on Entry-level MSN program, refer to MSN sequence for non-nursing BA/BS graduates. For information on the RN to MSN program, refer to the MSN Sequence for Licensed Registered Nurses in the Nursing section of this catalog.

The Master of Arts (Marriage and Family Therapy) is designed to develop professional skills and clinical competence via a systems approach to family therapy with a rigorous practicum component. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.