Postdoctoral Certificates

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The postdoctoral certificate is designed for doctorally prepared nurses who want to add or change their area of specialty.

Benefits:

  • Expand your areas of expertise
  • Make yourself more marketable
  • Unlock new career opportunities
  • Save time and money by only taking the courses necessary for your selected specialty

How it works:

  • You’ll complete a postdoctoral certificate that allows you to take only those courses necessary for certification in that specialty — there's no need to repeat coursework you've already taken.
  • Your personalized plan of study will be determined at the time of admission.

Available specialties: 

Depending on your prior coursework, it will take 13-62 credits for you to complete this pathway. 

What You'll Do

After completing the postdoctoral certificate program, you’ll be prepared to:

  • Initiate, facilitate, and participate in collaborative efforts that influence health care outcomes with scholars, practitioners, clinicians, and policy makers from other disciplines
  • Lead at the highest educational, clinical, and executive ranks
  • Evaluate and apply ethically sound, culturally sensitive, evidence-based practice for the improvement of education, clinical practice, systems management, and nursing leadership
  • Analyze and apply scientific knowledge and related skills for the highest level of nursing practice
  • Design, implement, manage, and evaluate patient care and organizational systems

Postdoctoral Certificate Admission Information

Postdoctoral Certificates are available for the following specialty areas:

Learn more about our DNP and Postdoctoral Certificate Pathways.

In this section:

Deadlines:

Fall Admission

  • Priority Deadline: Nov. 1
    If you submit your online application and all supplemental applications materials by this date, your application will be given priority consideration.
  • Deadline: July 31
    Completed applications received between Nov. 1 and June 1 will be reviewed on a space-available basis.

Spring Admission:

  • Priority Deadline: Oct. 1
    If you submit your online application and all supplemental applications materials by this date, your application will be given priority consideration.
  • Deadline: Nov. 15
    Completed applications received between Oct. 1 and Nov. 15 will be reviewed on a space-available basis.

Should the deadline fall on a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted through the subsequent business day.

Qualifications:

  • Graduate degree in nursing (which may include a DNP)
  • Doctoral degree (DNP, PhD, EdD, etc.)
  • Active registered nursing license
  • As part of the application process, applicants interested in completing a post-doctorate certificate should complete the Pre-Application Assessment form. Based on the evaluation of the pre-application assessment, which includes the student's prior academic work and a gap analysis of courses/experiences, DNP faculty will tailor an individualized program plan and recommend a start term. Once you receive your individualized program plan, your dedicated admissions representative will guide you through the necessary steps to submit your application. We look forward to supporting you on your journey to advanced nursing education at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

Application Materials and Instructions:

Materials/Qualification

Submission Guidelines

Online Application and non-refundable $75 application fee.

Start your application now via the Admissions Dashboard.

The Admissions Dashboard is where you will:

  • submit your online application and fee
  • submit/request any supporting materials
  • check your application status.

You can save your progress and return to your application at a later date. We recommend that you continue to log in for regular updates.

Two recommendations. Recommendations must come from sources knowledgeable about your work performance and experience. Only the first two recommendations received will be considered.

 Submit/request these materials via the Admissions Dashboard.

Official transcripts. An official transcript from every institution previously attended or currently attending must be submitted in a sealed envelope, as prepared by the sending institution.

Returning students are not required to submit UMSON transcripts; we will upload a copy of your UMSON transcript to your application.

Please note that UMSON is listed two ways in the Academics area. Please make sure you choose one of the following:

  • Maryland Baltimore, Univ of
  • UMB- School of Nursing

Have each institution submit electronically to admissions.nursing@umaryland.edu.

Essay. You may submit the essay portion with your online application. We recommend that you compose the essay portion using word processing software and copy and paste it into the text box in the online application.

Applicants are expected to submit a concise essay (no more than 350 words) addressing the following:

  • How will earning this degree (or postdoctoral certificate) impact your care of the population you expect to serve after graduation?
 Submit/request these materials via the Admissions Dashboard.

Typed résumé or CV. Be sure to include your full name with your résumé submission.

A copy of your active, unrestricted State of Maryland or compact state RN license. For a current list of compact states, see the Maryland Board of Nursing website; if you hold an active Maryland RN license, send us a copy of your printable license verification, available on the Maryland Board of Nursing website.

Residency classification. Applicants who are claiming in-state (Maryland) residency MUST apply for in-state status. 

Complete a residency application and submit it either by mail, e-mail, or fax to the Office of the Registrar using the instructions supplied at the bottom of the residency application. The completed application, signed and dated, should be submitted prior to the first day of enrollment for the term and program for which you are seeking admission.


An interview with selected applicants will be arranged after the applications are received and reviewed.

Applicants without a High School Diploma or College Degree in the U.S:

  • If you do not have a degree from a U.S. high school, college, or university, you are required to demonstrate English proficiency.
  • If you have completed coursework outside of the U.S., you must have your transcripts evaluated.

More information.

This program is not eligible for F-1 or J-1 student visa sponsorship by the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

If you have questions regarding the admissions requirements or process, contact the Office of Admissions and Student Scholarships to avoid errors that could delay the processing of your application.