2009-2010 University Catalog
Nursing, MSN
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Banner Code: HH-MSN-NURS
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program is accredited by the Virginia State Board of Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The program prepares nurses for a variety of leadership roles in the health care delivery system. The adult, adult/gerontological, and family nurse practitioner primary care concentrations are part of a collaborative program with George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. These concentrations have been approved by the state boards of nursing and medicine in Virginia. The concentration in advanced clinical nursing prepares nurses to provide and manage care of individuals, families, and groups, including the chronically ill, the elderly, and others with self-care limitations. The concentration in nursing administration prepares nurses to function in management positions in hospitals, nursing homes, community health agencies, and other health-related facilities. The nurse educator concentration prepares graduates for faculty positions in schools of nursing, as well as nurse educator positions in hospitals and community health care agencies. The clinical nurse leader concentration prepares nurses as generalists with solid foundations in health policy and finance to provide competent care and clinical leadership within the health care system.
Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting graduate admission requirements, applicants to MSN programs must have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 for the last 60 credits of undergraduate work, hold an active license as a registered nurse (RN), and submit two letters of recommendation, a résumé, and a goals statement. Although the GRE is not formally required, applicants may be asked to submit GRE scores at the discretion of the school when it believes those scores will lead to a clearer presentation of the applicant’s qualifications. Applicants must have successfully completed undergraduate statistics and a graduate bivariate statistics course (HHS 597).
Students applying to the advanced clinical nursing, clinical nurse leader, nurse educator, and all the nurse practitioner concentrations must have a health assessment skills continuing education course within 18 months prior to taking NURS 514 or 719. In addition, applicants to the nursing administration concentration are required to have the equivalent of one year’s experience in direct patient care as a registered nurse. Students applying to any nurse practitioner concentration are required to have a minimum of one year experience in direct patient care. It is recommended that students applying to the advanced clinical nursing concentration have the equivalent of one year’s experience in direct patient care as an RN.
Special Requirements
Graduate students are required to have annual health exams and immunizations before enrolling in practicum courses. Students must be in the process of completing a hepatitis B immunization series when they enroll for their first practicum course. Student health and immunization records are monitored at the CHHS Office of Student Affairs. Criminal background checks are required of all School of Nursing students. All students are required to have an active Mason e-mail account. |
Degree Requirements
The master’s program in nursing requires 37 to 48 graduate credits. Of these, a 13-credit core consists of course work in the theoretical foundations of nursing, applications in nursing research, a seminar in the ethics of health care, and a course on the organization of nursing and health care delivery systems. The remaining credits are satisfied by completing one of seven concentrations. The nursing administration concentration requires; the clinical nurse leader concentration, an additional 25 credits; the nurse educator concentration, an additional 26 credits; the advanced clinical nursing concentration, an additional 26 to 32 credits; the adult nurse practitioner concentration, an additional 29 credits; and the adult/gerontological and family nurse practitioner concentrations, an additional 35 credits.
A graduate course in which a grade of C or below is earned may be repeated only once. Graduate students (both master’s and doctoral) may repeat no more than two courses in their total program of study.
Actual clinical hours may exceed those listed in the catalog. Actual clinical hours will meet those required for certification purposes. Credits listed in the catalog reflect the minimum required credits. MSN Core Courses (required of all students): 13 credits
Concentrations: Complete One
Students in the MSN will complete one concentration from the following: ▲ Adult Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care Concentration (ANPR)
Required Courses (17 credits)
Nurse Practitioner Support Courses (12 credits)
These required courses are colisted with George Washington University (GWU) School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Note: All courses offered at GWU are charged at GWU’s tuition rates. Nurse practitioner students must have taken a continuing education health assessment course with a skills component within 18 months of taking NURS 719. ▲ Adult/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care Concentration (AGNP)
Required Courses (23 credits)
Nurse Practitioner Support Courses (12 credits)
These required courses are colisted with George Washington University (GWU) School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Note: All courses offered at GWU are charged at GWU’s tuition rates. Nurse practitioner students must have taken a continuing education health assessment course with a skills component within 18 months of taking NURS 719. ▲ Family Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care Concentration (FNUP)
Required Coures (23 credits)
Nurse Practitioner Support Courses (12 credits)
These required courses are colisted with George Washington University (GWU) School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Note: All courses offered at GWU are charged at GWU’s tuition rates. Nurse practitioner students must have taken a continuing education health assessment course with a skills component within 18 months of taking NURS 719. ▲ Advanced Clinical Nursing Concentration (NUAC)
Required Courses (26 credits)
Clinical Nurse Specialist Emphasis
Students in the advanced clinical nursing concentration who opt for the clinical nurse specialist emphasis must accrue 500 clinical hours by completing: ▲ Nursing Administration Concentration (NUAD)
Required Courses (12 credits)
Nursing Administration Support Courses (12 credits)
- Nursing or related discipline electives (6 credits)
▲ Nurse Educator Concentration (NURE)
Required Courses (15 credits)
Nurse Educator Support Courses (11 credits)
▲ Clinical Nurse Leader Concentration (NUCL)
Clinical Nurse Leader Support Courses (8 credits)
RN-to-MSN Pathway
This pathway allows RNs who have completed the general education requirements (as listed in the undergraduate RN-to-MSN Pathway described in the Nursing, BSN program) and have demonstrated substantial involvement in professional nursing within the past two years to earn the MSN degree. Students entering a concentration through this pathway must meet all the requirements for admission to that concentration.
In addition to fulfilling admission requirements for degree status at Mason, applicants must hold a current license to practice nursing, be graduates of an accredited nursing program, have earned a 3.00 GPA in the general education courses at an accredited institution, and demonstrate substantial involvement in professional nursing within the past two years as an RN in clinical practice.
Students in the RN-to-MSN pathway are required to take the following bridge course: Note:
After completion of the bridge course, students choose one of the seven concentrations and meet all requirements of the graduate program. Master’s International
The MSN prepares nurses for a variety of leadership roles in health care delivery systems. Courses are held on the Fairfax Campus and in distributed local health care facilities. Most classes are offered after 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Mason is a public institution with excellent tuition rates for those who qualify for Virginia residency. Peace Corps volunteers accepted into the MSN program who are not Virginia residents may be eligible for the tuition support program to obtain the in-state rate. The program has been rated in the top 50 graduate nursing programs by U.S.News & World Report.
The Master’s International (MI), a joint program of Mason and the Peace Corps, enables participants to prepare for Peace Corps service while earning the MSN. Participants apply separately to the Peace Corps and to Mason. The MSN offers several concentrations, but two are more appropriate to the Peace Corps experience: advanced clinical nursing, a 38-credit program, and nursing administration, a 37-credit program. Students are able to complete initial requirements of 31 or 32 credits within one year (to include summer sessions). Six credits are earned as practicum credits for the overseas Peace Corps service. Students return to Mason for their final project presentation, during which they discuss and share their Peace Corps experiences with faculty and other MSN students.
Admission Requirements for MI
Applicants should hold a BSN. They must submit a completed application for graduate admission, along with the nonrefundable application fee; application for Virginia in-state rates for those claiming eligibility; original transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities; GRE scores (cumulative undergraduate GPA may allow for waiver of the entrance exam requirement); two letters of recommendation from professional sources; résumé; and a goals statement.
Applications are reviewed throughout the year for admission to either the fall or the spring semester, although new students may take their initial course during Summer Term. Students accepted into the program but waiting for notification of acceptance from the Peace Corps may begin their master’s program but will not be eligible for tuition support until they have been accepted into the Peace Corps.
For more information about Master’s International, contact the Peace Corps regional office at 1-800-424-8580. For the Fellows/USA program, call the above number and then extension 1440. |
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