Nursing, M.S.

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree may be achieved through a 30-credit Population Health/Leadership track, a 47-credit Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track, or a 50-credit Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track. The Population Health/Leadership track includes a 90-hour clinical mentorship experience. The FNP and PMHNP tracks include 600 clinical hours and on-campus Immersion Experiences to facilitate competency-based learning. All three tracks will prepare the individual for leadership positions within the healthcare system and within the scope of relevant practice.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the MSN Program will demonstrate mastery of the AACN (2021) Competencies and level-2 sub-competencies within the Ten Domains for Nursing across the Four Spheres of Care, leading to the achievement of the following MSN End-of-Program Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate the integration, translation, and application of established and evolving knowledge from basic science, disciplinary nursing knowledge, ways of knowing, and knowledge from other disciplines.  Domain 1
2. Provide person-centered care across the lifespan at the advanced nursing level within and across healthcare systems for diverse patients, communities, or populations, including family and/or important others.  Domain 2, 3, 9
3. Manage population health through community partnerships and cost-effective and equitable practices to improve primary prevention and disease management for diverse populations.  Domains 3, 6, 9, 10
4. Apply relevant evidence-based knowledge and innovative healthcare strategies with a collaborative approach to improve and transform health care.  Domains 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10
5. Employ established and emerging principles of safety and improvement science to minimize the risk of harm and improve outcomes for patients, communities, and populations.  Domains 1, 2, 3, 5, 7,8
6. Collaborate with intention across professions and with care team members, patients, families, communities, and other stakeholders to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and strengthen outcomes.  Domains 2, 6, 7
7. Lead within complex health care systems to provide safe, quality, and equitable care to diverse populations.  Domains 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
8. Utilize information and communication technologies and informatics processes to manage and improve the delivery of safe, high-quality, and efficient healthcare services in accordance with best practices and professional and regulatory standards.  Domains 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10
9. Cultivate a sustainable professional nursing identity at an advanced level that includes self-reflective practice, health care policy advocacy, accountability, collaborative disposition, and ethical comportment that reflects nursing’s characteristics and standards of care.  Domains 6, 9, 10
10. Expand leadership skills and commitment to activities that foster personal health, resilience, lifelong learning, and nursing expertise.  Domains 9, 10

MSN Bridge Pathway

All applicants without a BSN degree must take the MSN Bridge courses. If students have taken equivalent coursework in their other bachelor’s degree, they may be waived from corresponding course(s) in the bridge. There may be up to five required courses, students may require two semesters to complete, prior to the semester the cohort begins. Students will also apply to the MSN track they are interested in, those meeting the criteria, will be conditionally accepted, pending successful completion of the required courses. The university reserves the right to determine the number of bridge students to be accepted into each cohort.

REQUIRED BRIDGE COURSEWORK (Note courses may be transferred in from prior bachelor’s degree if equivalent)

• STAT 167 - Principles of Statistics  
• NUR 312  - Health Assessment 
• NUR 353  - Introduction to Nursing Research
• NUR 364  - Public and Community Health Nursing
• NUR 456   - Nursing Leadership 

Accepted Students

• Students must submit a medical examination report by a health care provider which describes the student’s physical and emotional health.
• All required immunizations must be completed before the start of the first Nursing course excluding the Hepatitis B vaccine series which may be in progress.
• Students are required to become certified in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (Health Provider or Professional Rescuer) by the American Heart Association or the Red Cross before entering the Nursing program and must maintain certification throughout the nursing program.
• Students must submit to a background check and drug screening. Program fees cover the cost of both tests.
  • If the drug screen result is “negative dilute,” the student must assume the cost of a second drug screen. A positive drug screen, not substantiated by a physician, will prevent the student from entering the program.
  • Students will be notified if the background check reveals any criminal record that might interfere with future licensure. In the event that the results impact placement into a clinical facility students will be notified. See the MSN student handbook for additional information
• Student’s must maintain professional liability insurance. Students in nurse practitioner tracks: FNP and PMNP must maintain specific coverage as nurse practitioner students to be eligible to go into the clinical setting.

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the University’s requirements of all graduate program applications, students interested in the Master of Science in Nursing program (MSN) must also:

• Provide a current, unencumbered RN license.
• Have a BSN
• Have a minimum of two or more years of direct patient care RN experience (obtained within the last five years).
• Complete a college-level statistics course with a grade of C or higher.
• Complete a college-level research course with a grade of C or higher
• Write a formal 800-1000 word personal statement of his/her nursing career goals focused on the track applying for
• Participate in a telephone interview administered by the program director
• Pass a background check and drug screening
• Be able to travel a significant distance to clinical sites, if necessary.

Graduation Requirement

Graduate students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and successfully complete all required clinical hours.