The graduate program in nursing builds upon the baccalaureate entry into professional nursing, providing both academic and practice experiences basic to obtaining competencies for advanced professional nursing. The purpose of the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) online program is to prepare nurses with advanced education in the discipline of nursing and scholarship for their chosen field of practice.

The graduate program in advanced professional nursing is designed to meet accreditation requirements of the national accreditation nursing body. The M.S.N. program received initial accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Education in Nursing (CCNE) in September 2008 and received re-accreditation until 2023. Emphasis on learning within an interprofessional environment is included and is in keeping with recommended competencies for health professionals from the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

The master’s degree program requires a minimum of 36 credit hours taken within 12 courses (three hours each). All courses are delivered in an online format. The program is designed to be completed within seven semesters.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must complete the University’s Graduate online application before admission consideration to the M.S.N. program will be conducted. Individuals are admitted for study beginning only in the fall semester. Students are expected to be proficient in use of MS Word, PowerPoint, and online resources (Internet, library resources, and discussion boards) to participate in class. Admission decisions are announced on a continuous basis; applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Not every applicant who meets the minimum admission requirements can be admitted; the department reserves discretion in admission of the most highly qualified applicants. Specific admission requirements are outlined below:

1. Evidence of an earned B.S.N. or a B.S. degree with a major in nursing from an accredited program in nursing.
   OR
2. A.D.N. registered nurses with a B.S. or B.A. in another discipline will be considered on an individual basis.
   • Prerequisites to be completed after conditional acceptance into the MSN program:
     • Undergraduate course in descriptive and beginning inferential statistics
     • NUR 3330 – Health Informatics
     • NUR 3400 – Transition to Professional Nursing
     • NUR 3430 – Nursing Research
3. A grade point average of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 in the last 60 credit hours of the undergraduate nursing studies;
4. Current unencumbered license to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in one of the 50 U.S. states or territories;
5. Submission of scores on TOEFL for students whose undergraduate degree was obtained internationally with minimum score of 80;
6. Evidence of personal and professional qualifications for graduate study, as reflected in
   • Response to questions related to graduate study
   • Current resume or curriculum vitae
7. Official transcripts
8. Other assessment procedures as indicated.