The Graduate School of Nursing has a unique charge – to prepare advanced practice nurses, clinicians, scientists and scholars for the challenges of military and public health medicine. In order to fulfill the School's lofty responsibilities, faculty members utilize a signature curriculum when educating tomorrow's health care leaders.
Whether pursuing a master's degree, a doctor of nursing degree or a Ph.D., a major part of the GSN experience encompasses three focus areas that distinguishes the GSN's curriculum from other schools of nursing. These include:
- Operational Readiness in Changing Environments
- Clinical Decision Making in the Federal Health Care Delivery System
- Global, Environmental, Cultural and Political Context

These benchmarks are woven throughout every program within the School, and they include the following study threads:
- Evidenced-Based Practice and Research
- Leadership and Health Policy
- Transition of Technology to Practice and Education
- Health Promotion for Warriors and Families
- Patient Safety