Why the Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing?
The Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing (ELMSN) prepares qualified applicants with a prior non-nursing baccalaureate degree to complete the Pacific Lutheran University’s Master of Science in Nursing degree in 36 months of study. The program is designed for the highly committed student seeking to gain the clinical skills and exposure necessary for success as a registered nurse, as well to pursue the opportunities available to a nurse with a graduate degree in nursing. Changes in health care offer new opportunities and career pathways for registered nurses with graduate-level degrees.
The MSN degree prepares professionals who improve patient access to care, provide evidencebased interventions, and evaluate health care outcomes in complex health care environments. PLU’s MSN concentrations prepare graduates for a variety of roles and certifications, including clinical nurse specialist, family nurse practitioner, clinical nurse leader, and clinical nurse educator.
Why PLU?
Nursing education within the School of Nursing clearly demonstrates the University’s commitment to educating for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service and care. Excellence in advanced practice, leadership and scholarship is emphasized. The School of Nursing is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission. The undergraduate and graduate nursing programs are fully accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)*.
* Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-887-6971, Fax: 202-887-8476
Scholarships and Financial Aid
ELMSN students receive a tuition discount in the form of cohort pricing. For information about financial aid, contact the PLU Financial Aid Office at 253-535-7134 or finaid@plu.edu.
Faculty
Faculty guide students individually and in small groups to develop and apply a wide range of advanced skills and knowledge. Together, the 36-member nursing faculty represents more than 700 years of professional and higher education experience. The majority of full-time nursing faculty members hold advanced practice certifications such as Nurse Practitioner, Nurse-Midwifery, Family and Community Nursing, Community Health Nursing, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Gerontology. Most faculty members maintain their own advanced practice in clinical settings. Additionally, 30 percent of all nursing faculty have completed or are currently enrolled in doctoral studies.
Program Overview
The ELMSN program is clinically and academically intensive to assure the student of adequate exposure to the RN role and responsibilities, as well as to develop an advanced practice role at completion of the ELMSN program. The entire program is completed over 36 months. The first 15 months of study – the prelicensure portion – prepares students for the generalist registered nurse role and licensing examination. The subsequent months of the program – the MSN concentration portion – is structured to enable students to work part-time as RNs while completing the credits required to complete the MSN degree.
Pre-Licensure Portion
The first 15 months of the program requires full-time, intensive study for 55 semester credits. Students complete over 900 hours of clinical learning experiences in a wide variety of health agencies under the supervision of nursing faculty members. Upon successful completion of the 55 credits of pre-licensure coursework, the student is eligible to sit for the RN licensing examination (NCLEX-RN) in Washington State, and to continue though the coursework leading to the MSN degree. Students are expected to complete the entire 36-month program with their cohort. Any student leaving the program prior to completing the MSN may not be able to sustain RN licensure.
MSN Concentration Portion
The concentration portion of the program is completed in four full-time semesters, and is identical to the master’s degree for BSN-prepared RNs. Courses offered at this level are normally scheduled weekday evenings and Fridays. Clinical and practicum experiences are arranged individually between students and their preceptors. ELMSN students are encouraged to seek part-time employment as registered nurses to obtain valuable work experience while they complete the MSN degree.
Two concentrations of study are available to Master of Science in Nursing students: Care and Outcomes Manager (COM) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). Each concentration includes specialization courses and participation in professional scholarship, such as writing for publication.
Care and Outcomes Manager Concentration
This course of study allows students to focus on care management, using an outcomes approach skill set necessary for being responsive in a continually changing health care environment. The COM concentration prepares students to provide quality, cost effective care in a defined context, to participate in the design and implementation of an evaluation and outcomes model, to assume a leadership role in managing health care resources, and to integrate clinical and evaluation competencies for care and outcomes management. The COM concentration is individually tailored toward a specific focus area/role, such as clinical nurse specialist, clinical nurse educator, or clinical nurse leader. Successful completion of the COM concentration in the clinical nurse specialist or clinical nurse educator focus qualifies graduates to sit for national certifying examinations in their respective specialties.
Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
This course of study focuses on client-centered clinical practice and prepares nurses to: respond to the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s health care consumers, to manage direct care based on advanced assessment and diagnostic reasoning, to incorporate health promotion and disease prevention interventions into health care delivery, and to recognize their potential for professional growth, responsibility and autonomy. Successful completion of the FNP concentration qualifies students to sit for national Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner certifying examinations for family practice, making them eligible under Washington State law for ARNP licensure and prescriptive authority.
Admission Process
The priority deadline for applications is November 15. The School’s Recruitment, Admission and Progression committee reviews all application materials; admissions decisions are sent by late February. A limited cohort is admitted each year, and admission is selective; meeting minimum criteria does not guarantee admission.
Criteria for consideration of graduate admission:
- Completion of a baccalaureate degree from fully accredited college or university.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all college coursework.
- Minimum grade of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in each prerequisite course.
- Submission of PLU Graduate Application forms and fee.
- Submission of School of Nursing Graduate Application Agenda, including policies & procedures, questions relative to licensure, and background check with non-refundable fee.
- Official transcripts from each college or university attended.
- Official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) results from within five years, with minimum scores of 500 in both the Verbal and Quantitative sections, and 4.0 in the Analytical Writing section.
- Professional résumé.
- Statement of Educational and professional goals.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- Fluency in speaking, reading, writing and comprehending graduate-level English (additional testing may be required).
- Civil, administrative, and criminal history clearance in all states, as well as any other applicable territory or country.
Course Requirements
For a list of course offerings check-out the catalog »
