The APCHSN curriculum is designed for a generalist or specialist preparation in advanced practice community health systems nursing. Required courses provide preparation in public health competencies and a nursing perspective in community health systems nursing. A community cognate provides preparation as a generalist or population health specialist. Elective courses may be chosen broadly from a wide menu of courses available at the University of Washington for a generalist community health preparation. A population health specialist preparation is achieved by focusing coursework and elective courses on a particular population of interest. Five population health specialty areas are available:

Communities for Youth
Children thrive in communities with responsive parents and adults to nurture development, a system of social services to provide resources, school system to support educational success, and a health system to assure well-being. Elective courses may be taken in Anthropology, Education, Health Services, Social Welfare and Social Work.

Cross Cultural Nursing
Cross Cultural Nursing promotes expertise in understanding the role of culture in health, healing, and health care delivery. Cross Cultural Nursing specialty began in 1974 and is designed to prepare professional nurses for roles in cross cultural and international systems of health care delivery and to encourage advancement and transmission of nursing knowledge and practices about these systems. Graduates are prepared to function effectively among people of different subcultures within Western and non-Western societies as practitioners, educators, researchers, and consultants.
Elective courses may be taken in Anthropology, Epidemiology, Health Services, and Nursing.

Healthy Aging
Healthy Aging emphasizes aging well throughout the life course and includes goals of independence, well-being, and choice among persons regardless of health/illness status or residence. Students interested in healthy aging take the courses in the Advanced Practice Community Health Systems Nursing (ACHN) focal area, and focus Distribution Courses in courses on aging offered through Nursing, Public Health, Social Work, Pharmacy and other schools throughout the University.

Occupational Health Nursing
Occupational Health Nursing focuses on health promotion and injury and disease prevention among workers, their families, and community members. Visit the Occupational Health Nursing page for additional information.

Rural Health
People who live in rural communities experience health influenced by sparse living conditions and a hardy way of life. Communities with few people, residing in a large expanse of land, present complex health conditions that depend on innovative policies and programs. Elective courses are available through UCONJOINT courses.