Graduate Certificate in Forensic Health Care
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Graduate Certificate in Forensic Health Care prepares registered nurses to excel in this rapidly developing field by drawing from a broad body of academic knowledge in forensic health care to assist victims of violence and trauma.
Course instruction is delivered online. This graduate-level curricula is available only to registered nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and an active, unencumbered RN license.
CURRICULUM
Required Core Courses
- FORS 601: Foundations of Forensic Health Care (two lecture hours)
- FORS 602: Victimology: Clinical Implications and Applications (three lecture hours)
- FORS 603: Impact of Violence Across the Lifespan (three lecture hours)
Electives: Students select four credits
- FORS 604: Forensic Investigation of Injury (two lecture hours)
- FORS 610: Forensic Sexual Assault Examiner Course (three lecture hours)*
- FORS 611: Clinical Pharmacology: Implications for Victims (one lecture hour)
- FORS 612: Human Trafficking (one lecture hour)
- FORS 613: Forensic Photography (one lecture hour)
- FORS 614: Policy and Ethics Interpersonal Violence (one lecture hour)
- FORS 615: Forensic Mental Health (one lecture hour)
*No longer offered
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term | Spring |
|---|---|
| Application Opening Date | July 1 |
| Application Deadline | Oct. 1 |
| Mandatory Orientation | TBD |
| First Class Day | January |
Application Requirements
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and active, unencumbered RN license
- NursingCAS application and nonrefundable application fee
- Official school transcripts from each institution attended sent to Nursing CAS (must be received by the application deadline date)
- Professional resume or curricula vitae
- Essay/personal statement
- Recommended minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in all course work
- Applicants with foreign credentials must submit a transcript evaluation report directly to the College of Nursing and official documents to the university. See other requirements. Because the majority of course content is delivered online, international students often are not eligible to apply.
- Admissions interview, if requested by selection committee
Degree & Licensure
Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an institution of higher education that is both accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404-975-5000 or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
Applicants must hold a current, unencumbered Registered Nurse license (if graduation from BSN program is pending, must show proof of conferred degree before entry and active RN licensure by the end of the first semester if admitted to the program).
Application
Complete a NursingCAS graduate application.
Official Transcripts
The College of Nursing requires official school transcripts from each institution attended be sent to NursingCAS. You must request ALL transcripts early so they are received by the application deadline date.
In order to qualify for admission into a graduate non-degree (G6) program of study, an official transcript showing completion of a bachelor's degree is required. For bachelor's degrees completed outside the United States, a separate statement of award of degree or diploma is also required. Applicants currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree may apply; however, the certificate will not be awarded until the degree is completed.
Applicants MUST list all schools attended. Failure to list all institutions attended will result in an incomplete application.
Supporting Documentation
One Required Essay/Personal Statement
The required essay should be added to the NursingCAS application where indicated.
Write to the following prompt: What is the role of forensics as it relates to health care today and how might obtaining this certificate enhance your professional development?
Please limit your discussion to 600 words.
Professional Resume
Resume must be uploaded electronically to Nursing CAS.
Admission Decisions
Applicants will be notified of the admission decision within six weeks of the application deadline. All communication from the Texas A&M College of Nursing is electronic. Official notifications will come through NursingCAS.
No orientation is required for the certificate program.
Admission Criteria
- Cumulative GPA on all undergraduate and graduate course work
- Admission essay
- Professional resume or CV
- Volunteer/community/military service
- Leadership/involvement/awards in professional activities
- TOEFL score, required by international applicants only
- Interview, if requested by selection committee
- History of withdraws, repeats or failures will place applicant at a disadvantage
Technology Requirements
Please review the technology requirements for the Texas A&M College of Nursing to ensure you have the proper equipment, software, etc. to complete course work after admission.