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Master of Science in Nursing

The master's program is designed to prepare graduates to assume a variety of advanced practice roles.  The program focuses on the preparation of clinical experts with advanced competencies and emphasizes excellence in practice, critical thinking, inquiry, leadership, self-awareness and empowerment.  The Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing offers several areas of specialty leading to the Clinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Practitioner credential.
 
Specialty areas of study

Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Innovations (applications only accepted in the Fall)
Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Innovations option focuses on improving the delivery of healthcare services through leadership and innovation implementation in the workplace. The overarching framework is leadership development within the context of applied change. Students select one area of concentration: nursing administration or technology/nursing informatics. In addition to providing a strong foundation in administration or technology/nursing informatics, this program emphasizes leadership development, advanced nursing perspectives, innovative change processes, and issues of health disparities. The curriculum consists of a minimum of 36 semester hours of study.  Full-time or part-time study may be selected.  Graduates of the Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Innovations option are eligible for certification in nursing administration or nursing informatics by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Admissions Information
The master's program in nursing is open to registered nurses who wish to continue their education by obtaining an advanced degree. There are two admission options: RNs with a baccalaureate degree in nursing and RNs prepared at the associate or diploma level who have had outstanding practice experience and professional involvements. RNs who do not have a baccalaureate degree in nursing must complete additional undergraduate coursework as prerequisites to master's coursework. The determination of required undergraduate coursework is based on an evaluation of each applicant's past academic work and on current undergraduate requirements for the baccalaureate in nursing program.

Admission Status
Admission to the master's program is contingent upon the availability of adequate faculty and facilities. Applicants who meet all admissions guidelines based upon faculty review may be admitted to full graduate status. Applicants who do not meet one or more of the admission guidelines and who, in the opinion of the faculty, have the potential to be successful in graduate study and to make significant contributions to the nursing profession may be admitted to provisional status. Students admitted to provisional status are limited to 12 semester hours of study. At the end of the 12 hours, a grade-point average of 3.0 must be achieved or the student is withdrawn from the program. If a GPA of 3.0 is achieved, and upon recommendation of the school, the student is admitted to full graduate status, and will receive a letter notifying him or her of the change in status.