Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) with a focus on critical care play a vital role in modern healthcare, particularly within intensive care units and specialized medical environments. These advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are experts in diagnosing and treating illnesses, managing complex patient care, and improving healthcare systems. If you’re a registered nurse looking to advance your career and specialize in critical care, pursuing a Critical Care CNS program could be your ideal path.
This guide provides a directory of universities across the United States offering CNS programs, many of which can be tailored or specialized towards critical care. While not every program explicitly uses the term “Critical Care CNS,” many Adult-Gerontology Acute Care CNS programs, and even some Pediatric or Neonatal CNS programs, offer concentrations or clinical experiences directly relevant to critical care settings.
Below is a listing of universities offering advanced CNS programs. Explore the programs and use the provided website links to delve deeper into their specific critical care curriculum, faculty expertise, and admission requirements. Find the program that best aligns with your career aspirations in critical care nursing.
CNS Programs Directory
Alverno
Wisconsin
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Augustana Univeristy
South Dakota
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
Azusa Pacific University
California
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Pediatric, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Binghamton University
New York
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Clemson University
South Carolina
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
College of Staten Island – CUNY
New York
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Colorado Christian University
Colorado
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
CSU-Dominguez Hills
California
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Neonatal, Pediatric, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
DeSales University
Pennsylvania
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Neonatal, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Notes: certificate – adult gero only
- Website
East Carolina University
North Carolina
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, MSN-DNP, Neonatal, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Notes: full time and part time options
- Website
Eastern Michigan University
Michigan
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Edgewood College
Wisconsin
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
Emory & Henry
Virginia
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN
- Onsite/Online: Campus, Online
- Notes: new program CNS/NE–type of CNS unclear
- Website
Governor’s State University
Illinois
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Hunter College
New York
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Indiana University-Purdue University
Indiana
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Pediatric, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Kent State University
Ohio
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
Loma Linda University
California
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Hybrid
- Website
Louisiana State University
Louisiana
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Notes: dual AG-ACNP & AG-CNS program
- Website
Loyola University Chicago
Illinois
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
Michigan State University
Michigan
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
Molloy College
New York
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Mount Saint Mary’s University
California
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Nebraska Methodist College
Nebraska
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
Old Dominion University
Virginia
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Neonatal, Pediatric, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Notes: AG CNS with NE
- Website
Point Loma Nazaren University
California
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Pediatric, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Hybrid, Online
- Notes: Also Women’s Health Track
- Website
Purdue University Northwest
Indiana
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Hybrid
- Website
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus, Hybrid
- Website
Rush University Medical Center
Illinois
- Programs: BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, Neonatal, Pediatric
- Onsite/Online: Hybrid, Online
- Notes: Hybrid – Acute care; online – peds/neo
- Website
San Diego State University
California
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Notes: AG critical care
- Website
San Francisco State University
California
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Neonatal, Pediatric, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Notes: Also Women’s Health Track
- Website
St. John Fisher College
New York
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
St. Josephs University
New York
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Maryland
- Programs: BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Notes: Specializes in peri-op; Active duty only
- Website
University of California-Los Angeles
California
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Pediatric
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Notes: Also have dual CNS/NP for AG-acute care & pediatrics
- Website
University of California-San Francisco
California
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, Neonatal, Pediatric
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Notes: Pediatric and Acute Care Pediatric NP combined, oncology, criticalcare/trauma
- Website
University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus
Colorado
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Hybrid
- Website
University of Detroit Mercy
Michigan
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
University of Maryland
Maryland
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Hybrid
- Notes: dual AG-ACNP & AG-CNS program
- Website
University of Minnesota
Minnesota
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, Pediatric
- Onsite/Online: Hybrid, Online
- Website
University of Missouri
Missouri
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Pediatric
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Notes: option to chose dual emphasis; on line requires travel to campus
- Website
University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Neonatal, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
University of Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Campus, Online
- Notes: Online = msn-dnp
- Website
University of San Diego
California
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
University of South Alabama
Alabama
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
University of Southern Indiana
Indiana
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Online
- Website
University of Texas-Austin
Texas
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
University of Virginia
Virginia
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Campus, Online
- Website
University of Washington
Washington
- Programs: BSN-DNP, Pediatric
- Onsite/Online: Hybrid
- Notes: Also Women’s Health Track
- Website
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Wisconsin
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Hybrid
- Website
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Wisconsin
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, Pediatric, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus, Online
- Notes: DNP/MBA- onsite
- Website
Ursuline College
Ohio
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
West Chester University
Pennsylvania
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Western Connecticut State University
Connecticut
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, MSN-DNP
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Widener University
Pennsylvania
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
Widner University
Pennsylvania
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus, Hybrid, Online
- Notes: MSN-DNP – not CNS specific; BSN-DNP = hybrid
- Website
Winona State University
Minnesota
- Programs: Adult-Gerontology, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate
- Onsite/Online: Campus
- Website
This directory is compiled to assist nurses in finding suitable CNS programs. For the most current and detailed information, please visit the university websites directly.
