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ACCREDITATION
The School of Nursing is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission. The Master of Science in Nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Both the Family Nurse Practitioner and the Care and Outcomes Manager curricula meet the requirements for several national certification examinations, including Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse Educator.
Admission Criteria
The following are the minimum criteria for consideration of admission to the Master of Science in Nursing program. Admission to the School of Nursing programs is competitive; meeting minimum criteria does not guarantee admission.
- Completion of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
- B.S.N. to M.S.N. applicants only: Hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing from a nationally accredited school of nursing.
- B.S.N to M.S.N. and RN-B applicants only: Hold an active unencumbered Washington State RN license.
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (B) on a 4.00 scale for all college work.
- Minimum grade of 3.00 (B) on a 4.00 scale in each prerequisite course.
- Submission of PLU Graduate Application forms and $40 non-refundable fee.
- Submission of School of Nursing Addendum packet, which includes:
- Questions Relative to Licensure;
- Policy/Procedures for students who have attended another school of nursing;
- Policy/Procedures Regarding English Proficiency; and Physical/Psychological Expectations of Nurses preparing for Professional Practice.
- Official transcripts from each college and university attended.
- Official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) results from within five years. Minimum scores:
- 500 in both the verbal and quantitative section (or 150 verbal, 150 quantitative on the new scale) and 4.00 in analytical writing.
- Professional résumé.
- Professional statement of goals.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- Civil, administrative and criminal history clearance in all states as well as any other applicable territory or country.
- Fluency in speaking, reading, writing and comprehending graduate-level English (see policy and procedures in the Graduate Application Addendum).
- Any applicant who has previously attended any school or college of nursing must submit additional documentation (see policy and procedures in the Graduate Application Addendum).
Program Prerequisites
All prerequisite courses must be completed at an accredited college or university with a minimum grade of 3.00 (B) or higher on a 4.00 scale before beginning the nursing program. Prerequisites vary for the three M.S.N. program options; see individual program descriptions for a detailed list of prerequisite course requirements.
Advance Deposit
There are limitations on the numbers of students accepted into the M.S.N. programs and concentrations each year. Applicants accepted into the program are required to make a non-refundable $300 advance tuition payment to confirm their acceptance of an offer of admission within two weeks of their acceptance date.
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
33 to 48 semester hours
Prerequisite Course for Traditional M.S.N.
Introductory Statistics (including inferential and descriptive)
M.S.N. CORE
18 to 19 semester hours
- NURS 523: Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse (3)
- NURS 524: Advanced Health Promotion (2)
- NURS 525: Theoretical Foundations (3)
- NURS 526: Nursing Leadership and Management (3)
- NURS 527: Evaluation and Outcomes Research (3)
- NURS 540: Illness/Disease Management (2)
- Approved Elective (2 or 3)
M.S.N. Capstone
2 to 4 semester hours
- NURS 596: Scholarly Inquiry (2) or
- NURS 599: Thesis (4)
MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Sample Curriculum
24 Months
46 semester credits (minimum)
Summer Semester – First Year
NURS 580 Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
Fall Semester – First Year
NURS 523 Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse (3)
NURS 525 Theoretical Foundations (3)
NURS 526 Leadership and Management (3)
January Term – First Year
NURS 524 Advanced Health Promotion (2)
NURS 540 Illness and Disease Management (2)
Spring Semester – First Year
NURS 527 Evaluations and Outcomes Research (3)
NURS 530 Resource Management (3)
NURS 531 Care and Outcomes Manager Practicum 1 (3)
Summer Semester – Second Year
NURS 582 Advanced Health Assessment (2-4)
Fall Semester – Second Year
NURS 583 Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics (3)
NURS 584 Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum I (6)
Spring Semester – Second Year
NURS 585 Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum II (6)
NURS 596 Scholarly Inquiry (2) OR NURS 599 Thesis (4)
MSN Care and Outcomes Manager Sample Curriculum
12 to 15 months
33 semester credits (minimum)
Summer Semester – First Year
NURS 580 Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
Fall Semester – First Year
NURS 523 Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse (3)
NURS 525 Theoretical Foundations (3)
NURS 526 Leadership and Management (3)
January Term – First Year
NURS 524 Advanced Health Promotion (2)
NURS 540 Illness and Disease Management (2)
Spring Semester – First Year
NURS 527 Evaluations and Outcomes Research (3)
NURS 530 Resource Management (3)
NURS 531 Care and Outcomes Manager Practicum 1 (3)
Summer Semester – Second Year
NURS 532 Care and Outcomes Manager Practicum 2 (6)
NURS 596 Scholarly Inquiry (2)
Additional courses may be taken for other COM role specializations. Please note that students who do not complete a role specialization graduate from the COM concentration as Advanced Generalist.
RN-B TO M.S.N. PROGRAM FOR REGISTERED NURSES WITH A NON-NURSING BACHELOR’S DEGREE
RN-B TO M.S.N. PROGRAM SAMPLE CURRICULUM
32 semester hours (graduate-level, at minimum)
Prerequisite Courses
- Introductory Statistics (including inferential and descriptive)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I (with lab)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology II (with lab)
- Introductory Microbiology (with lab)
- Lifespan Developmental Psychology
RN-B to M.S.N. Program Requirement
- NURS 430: Situations with Communities (5)
Year One: Summer (COM-Advanced Generalist)
- NURS 580: Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
Fall (M.S.N. Core)
- NURS 523: Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse (3)
- NURS 525: Theoretical Foundations (3)
- NURS 526: Leadership and Management (3)
January (M.S.N. Core)
- NURS 524: Advanced Health Promotion (2)
- NURS 540: Illness/Disease Management (2)
Spring (COM – Advanced Generalist)
- NURS 527: Evaluation and Outcomes Research (3)
- NURS 530: Resource Management (2)
- NURS 531: Care and Outcomes Manager Practicum I (3)
Year Two: Summer (COM-Advanced Generalist)
- NURS 532: Care & Outcomes Manager Practicum II (6)
- NURS 596: Scholarly Inquiry (2)
ENTRY-LEVEL MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING PROGRAM
ENTRY-LEVEL M.S.N. PRE-LICENSURE AND ADVANCED GENERALIST CURRICULUM
55 semester hours (pre-licensure)30 semester hours (post-licensure, at minimum)
Prerequisite Courses
- Introductory Statistics (including inferential and descriptive)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I (with lab)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology II (with lab)
- Introductory Microbiology (with lab)
- Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Year One: Summer (Pre-Licensure)
- NURS 220: Nursing Competencies I (4)
- NURS 270: Health Assessment and Promotion (4)
- NURS 320: Nursing Competencies II (2)
- NURS 580: Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
Year One: Fall (Pre-Licensure)
- NURS 260: Professional Foundations I (4)
- NURS 330: Pharmacology & Therapeutic Modalities (4)
- NURS 340: Situations w/ Individuals: Adult Health I (4)
- NURS 350: Situations w/ Individuals: Mental Health (4)
Year One: January (Pre-Licensure)
- NURS 380: Situations with Families: Childrearing (Peds) (4)
Year One: Spring (Pre-Licensure)
- NURS 370: Situations w/ Families: Childbearing (OB) (4)
- NURS 430: Situations with Communities (5)
- NURS 440: Situations w/ Individuals: Adult Health II (4)
- NURS 441: Situations Seminar (1)
Year Two: Summer (Pre-Licensure)
- NURS 480: Professional Foundations II (2)
- NURS 499: Nursing Synthesis (6)
After completing the pre-licensure curriculum and upon successfully obtaining RN licensure in Washington State, students continue the Entry-Level M.S.N. curriculum in the COM-Advanced Generalist focus (see below). Admission to the EL-M.S.N. program does not guarantee progression into any other COM focus area or specializations (FNP, Educator, etc.). EL-M.S.N. students must apply and be selected for a change of COM focus area or concentration at the completion of their first post-RN licensure semester. The availability of seats in other COM focus areas or the FNP concentration is not guaranteed or implied; when and if available, seats are limited and selection is therefore highly competitive.
Year Two: Fall (Licensure Pending, M.S.N. Core)
- NURS 523: Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse (3)
- NURS 525: Theoretical Foundations (3)
- NURS 526: Leadership and Management (3)
Year Two: January (Post-Licensure, M.S.N. Core)
- NURS 524: Advanced Health Promotion (2)
- NURS 540: Illness/Disease Management (2)
Year Two: Spring (COM – Advanced Generalist)
- NURS 527: Evaluation and Outcomes Research (3)
- NURS 530: Resource Management (2)
- NURS 531: Care and Outcomes Manager Practicum I (3)
Year Three: Summer (COM-Advanced Generalist)
- NURS 532: Care & Outcomes Manager Practicum II (6)
- NURS 596: Scholarly Inquiry (2)