Master of Science in Nursing

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Master of Science in Nursing

Description of Program

The Master of Science in Nursing, MSN, program is a 36-credit hour master’s degree with an emphasis on leadership in contemporary health care organizations. The mission of the MSN program is to enhance the knowledge of the nurse leader, who is a key member of an interdisciplinary team that can have a positive impact on healthcare outcomes. The faculty believes that graduate nursing education should provide nurses with a theoretical base and competencies that can be used in meeting diverse nursing goals.

The MSN in Management in Organizational Leadership program includes 36-credit hours and a minimum of 100 practice experience hours. The course outcomes are aligned with the American Association of Colleges (AACN) MSN Essentials (2011). Specialization focus courses are also aligned with the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) competencies (2015). The program is designed to offer graduate level education to Registered Nurses (RN) with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

.**Note: Program availability may vary by state - please contact the Enrollment Office for more information**

Learning Outcomes

Assess nursing care against professional standards of care and community needs
Recommend professional nursing practices using research and evidence-based practice models
Prioritize accountability and responsibility in professional judgment, ethics and actions
Recommend new models for nursing in an expanded role of citizen in the global society
Evaluate policies and economics related to healthcare delivery

Basis for Admission

Basis for Admission to the Master of Science in Nursing program requires:

A degree in nursing at the bachelor’s level or higher from an institution accredited by either a regional accrediting agency or an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
GPA 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale
- Applicants who meet all general admission requirements to the Master of Science in Nursing degree program, but who have a cumulative GPA for the BSN degree between 2.75 to 2.99, may be granted admission with additional screening
Current, active unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the student’s state of residence
- All students must maintain this licensure throughout the program of study
Graduates of a foreign school with the BSN equivalency determination by the Council on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS)

Degree Requirements

The Masters of Nursing program requires a total of 36 graduate credits for graduation.

The University may accept a maximum of 12 semester credit hours in transfer toward the Master of Science in Nursing for graduate course work completed at an external accredited college or university with a grade of “B” or better. See the

Transfer Credit Policy

for additional information.

All NCU master’s degree program have the following graduation requirements:

A minimum of 24 credit hours of graduate instruction must be completed through the University
Completion of subject area competency requirements for the graduate program
Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (letter grade of “B” or higher)
Official documents on file for the basis for admission
Official transcripts on file for all transfer credit hours accepted by the University
All financial obligations to the University paid in full

Time to Completion

NCU allows 5 years to complete all masters programs of 36 credits or less.
Normal time to completion for this program is 25 months.

Time to completion varies depending upon the pace in which a student completes courses and the number of transfer credits accepted. As most NCU students are working adults, balancing educational, professional, and personal commitments, our academic and finance advisors will work with you to develop a program schedule that works best for your needs.

The normal time disclosed above reflects the experience of students who may have entered under different program requirements. In the quest for continuous improvement, academic leadership has revised the program to optimize curriculum and pace, facilitate student learning, and improve chances for success. Therefore, the program is now designed for students enrolling today to take advantage of these revised course structures, lengths, and schedules.

Course Sequence

Basic 36-credit hour Program