Nursing, M.S.N.

Purpose

The distance education Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) program at Wilkes University is designed to prepare the Nurse Practitioner for advancing nursing practice and quality within healthcare. The program provides a foundation to further advancement of professional nursing education for a doctoral degree in nursing and post graduate/APRN certificate program. Graduates are eligible for national board certification upon program completion of the respective concentration.

Master of Science in Nursing Program Outcomes

The Master of Science in Nursing program at Wilkes University prepares students to:

1. Engage in lifelong learning in a constantly evolving and multicultural world.
2. Demonstrate competence in the development of scientific inquiry relevant to clinical practice, administration, or education.
3. Utilize leadership strategies that foster improvement of patient and population health.
4. Advance nursing practice by translating evidence in a variety of roles and areas of practice.
5. Improve healthcare outcomes through interprofessional collaboration.
6. Participate in lifelong learning as a part of advancing nursing practice.

Master of Science in Nursing Student Learning Outcomes

Students in the Master of Science in Nursing program at Wilkes University will:

1. Synthesize advanced knowledge of nursing and related disciplines for the development of advanced nursing practice in the roles of the Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Executive, and Nurse Educator.
2. Develop expertise in the Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Executive, and Nurse Educator role to advance nursing practice.
3. Develop skills and abilities to assume leadership roles in advanced nursing practice.
4. Evaluate nursing research for its applicability to advance nursing practice.
5. Evaluate applicable knowledge and concepts in nursing to deal with the complexities of a dynamic society.

Admission Requirements

Applicants will be evaluated for admission based on the following criteria. These admissions standards represent the minimum eligibility requirements for the program. Admission committee members reserve the right to request additional information from candidates as needed for a more in-depth review of qualifications.

Nurse Practitioner Programs

• A completed online application
• Official transcripts with nursing degree completion and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale from an institution with programmatic (ACEN, NLNAC, CCNE) and regional accreditation. Students who graduated from anon-programmatically accredited institution and meet all other admission requirements will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Admission is not guaranteed.
  • Associate’s degree in Nursing for R.N. to M.S.N.program
  • Bachelor’s degree in Nursing for M.S.N. program
  • Master’s or doctoral degree in Nursing for post-graduate/APRN certificate program
• Unencumbered RN license and advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) license* and national board certification, as appropriate
• Current resume or curriculum vitae
• One year of clinical experience (by the start of NP clinical courses)

* Applications presenting a history of disciplinary action on professional licenses will be subject to an additional review process by the Special Licensure Discrepancy Committee of the university.