Nursing, M.S.N.

Admission Requirements

Students desiring admission into the graduate program in nursing at UNCW must seek admission to the UNCW Graduate School. Admission to the UNCW Graduate School requires a completed Graduate School application; official transcripts of all college work; official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) and three letters of recommendation (one each from a former nurse faculty member and a current or former employer, preferred). Standardized test scores more than five years old at the time of application will not be considered. In addition, students who are taking, or have taken, graduate work elsewhere must be in good standing at that institution to be eligible to take graduate work at UNCW. Additional admission requirements include:

1. Current unrestricted North Carolina registered nurse license or registered nurse license from one of the affiliated Compact states.
2. One year professional experience as a baccalaureate prepared registered nurse (FNP option only).
3. Baccalaureate degree in nursing from a nationally accredited program.
4. Strong academic record with a “B” average or better in basic courses prerequisite to graduate study in nursing.
5. Academic credits in undergraduate nursing research, statistics, leadership, community health, and health assessment
6. Computer competency
7. Six semester hours of graduate level transferred credit may be accepted upon approval.
8. A comprehensive invited interview may be requested.
9. Additional items as needed.

Students entering the graduate program must have completed successfully the following undergraduate courses: health and physical assessment, community health, statistics, and nursing research. Applicants must have access to a computer capable of supporting electronic mail, a web browser, a word processing program and multi-media presentations. In addition, applicants must demonstrate ability to use these computer applications.

Applications completed online by March 1 will receive first consideration for the following fall semester admission. Applications completed after March 1 may be reviewed on a space-available basis. Admission decisions are based on several factors, including a strong overall undergraduate academic record and satisfactory scores on either the GRE or MAT; however, other indicators of success may be considered for admission. Admission decisions will be finalized and students will be notified of admission by May 1.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Master’s curriculum, the new graduate will be able to:

1. Design client-centered care through advanced practice and education with an altruistic concern for the welfare of others while supporting autonomy and respecting human dignity.
2. Demonstrate integrity through accountability and responsibility for clinical decisions and lifelong learning.
3. Manage quality improvement measures that support legal/ethical standards through the use of evidence-based practice.
4. Impact the health of underserved populations through support and promotion of culturally competent care.
5. Evaluate domestic and global health integrating the knowledge of healthcare delivery systems, healthcare policies, epidemiology, and the environment.
6. Promote the health of clients/patients through education and multidisciplinary management of risk reduction, disease prevention and the management of illness.
7. Demonstrate professional role competence in education and advanced nursing practice.

Degree Requirements

1. A total of forty-six (46) to forty-seven (47) graduate semester hours is required for the family nurse practitioner option or thirty-five (35) to thirty-six (36) graduate semester hours is required for the nurse educator option. No minor is required.
2. All courses required in the program are open only to graduate students.
3. A total of six semester hours of transfer credit may be accepted with approval from the graduate coordinator.
4. With the exception of six approved transfer credits, all graduate study must be completed in residence depending upon the degree option pursued.
5. An MSN student must have a “B” or better in each required course. If a student earns a “C”, he/she must repeat the course and must earn a “B” or better to progress. A student will only be allowed to repeat one course. A student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
6. The program has no language requirement; however, one graduate language course, Spanish for Health Care Professionals, may be available as an elective.
7. Faculty-supervised research activity consisting of successful completion of NSG 500 - Theory and Research for Evidence-Based Practice  (4 credits) and either a master‘s research thesis (3 credits) or a master‘s evidence-based project (2 credits), is required. The master‘s project emphasizes methods of implementing research findings to solve identified clinical or educational problems that an advanced practice nurse might encounter using appropriate research methods. A scholarly presentation is required to disseminate findings from the research activity.
8. The Oral Comprehensive Examination will be the formal defense of the thesis or research project.
9. Each student must complete an approved course of study within five years of the date of the first registration for graduate study to be eligible for graduation.