Boston College Nursing is one of two CRNA schools in Massachusetts.

Boston College Anesthesia Program
William F. Connell School of Nursing
Nurse Anesthesia Program
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Contact Information
Susan A Emery, CRNA, MS, Program Director
ph: (617) 552-2796
BC Work ph: (617)-552-6844
email: susan.emery@bc.edu
Quick Facts
CRNA Degree offered
Master of Science in Nursing, Post-Master's Certificate
Program Length
27 months, full time
Credit Hours
62 semester hours
Starting Month
January
Application Deadline
June 30 for January enrollment. Interviews will be scheduled upon completion of applicant review. All requirements must be completed prior to the deadline.
Cost of CRNA School at Boston College
Tuition is calculated at the 2013-2014 rate. Tuition at most schools increases each academic year. Over the duration of the program, expect to pay a tuition that is 5% to 15% higher than what is shown here.
Cost of Tuition: $71,548
Fees and expenses: $9,567
Grand Total: $81,115
Tuition Calculation: $1,154 per credit * 62 semester hours
CRNA Training
The Boston College nursing anesthesia program is a front-loaded curriculum. Students begin the program in January of each year and the Spring and Summer semesters consist of 15 credits of didactic coursework. Each semester there is a blend of core courses required of all Master of Science nursing students and specialty courses related to nurse anesthesia practice.
The fall semester begins the clinical practicum for the program and from this point on students are in the operating room 4 days per week and at the college 1 day per week. The clinical practicum incorporates experience in many different types of anesthesia, including regional.
Program Requirements
BSN
A bachelor of science in nursing or a master of science in nursing
RN:
Current Massachusetts RN license
Critical Care:
A minimum of one year of critical care experience as an RN. Acceptable critical care experience includes:
GPA:
An undergraduate grade point average of B or better (3.0)
GRE scores:
Must be within the last 5 years
International Students
The TOEFL score is not required if you meet both of the following criteria: You are a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada ( except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Guyana, an anglophone country of Africa, or an English-speaking country of the Caribbean AND your native language is English.
Certifications:
CRNA Educational Requirements
Boston College Nursing Anesthesia Program’s website

CRNA School Performance
CRNA School Rankings - U.S. News & World Report (2011)3.0 out of 5.0. Ranked 26 out of 107 CRNA programs.
*Please note: CRNA rankings are bias and subjective. Read disclaimer about how CRNA rankings are created.*
Accredited CRNA Programs are reviewed regularly.
Boston College Nursing Anesthesia Program was last reviewed 06/2006. It was given 10 years accreditation and will be reviewed again 05/2016. This shows that the program is very stable.
CRNA Salaries
Massachusetts CRNA salaries are below the national average and range from $130k-150k.
An average annual nurse anesthetist salary in the US is $163,467 (according to a 2008 study)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as an RN while I’m in the program?
The decision to work during the program is an individual one but is not recommended. As the program is only offered in a full-time format, the number of credit hours each semester varies but is as high as 15 credits per semester.
Once the clinical component begins in the third semester, students are in class one full day and in the operating room four full days with care plans and course work which must be completed in the evenings and on weekends. The workload of the program makes it very difficult to work.
I currently possess a master’s degree in nursing. Can I apply to the nurse anesthesia program? Would the curriculum be different for me? How long would the program take to complete? Would I be granted a second master’s degree?
Applicants with a prior master’s degree in nursing are considered for the additional specialty option (post-master’s certificate). Following acceptance into the program prior course syllabi are reviewed for comparison with similar courses at Boston College.
It may be possible to be exempt from select core courses after review by the associate dean for graduate programs and the nurse anesthesia program director. The time to completion of the program remains 27 months and upon graduation a certificate of completion is awarded.
*This page was updated May 15th, 2013.*