2011-2012 University Catalog 
  
2011-2012 University Catalog

Nursing, MSN


Banner Code:  HH-MSN-NURS

Unit: School of Nursing 

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 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 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.

Application Requirements

Applicants must meet the admissions standards and application requirements specified in the Admission  chapter of the catalog, and apply using the online Application for Graduate Admission. MSN applicants must hold an active license as a registered nurse (RN), a current CPR card, and work experience as an RN. The application process is competitive, and applications are considered for the fall and spring semesters. For application deadlines and detailed application requirements, please refer to Graduate Application Database.

Transfer of Credit

Students may transfer a maximum of 9 credits into the MSN in Nursing program from graduate courses taken at other institutions or taken at Mason in nondegree status, including courses offered through the college’s Academic Outreach program. Transfer credit is subject to university and college policies and must be approved by the program director and the dean. Students who enroll initially through Nondegree Studies or the Academic Outreach program should seek course advising through the department and should submit their application to the MSN program in their first semester of study.

Special Requirements

Graduate students are required to have up-to-date annual health exams, current immunizations and CPR certification. Criminal background checks are required of all School of Nursing students. Student health exams, immunization records and criminal background checks are part of the final admission process. No student may attend practicum courses unless all the requirements for CPR, health exams, immunizations and criminal background checks are met. All students enrolled in the School of Nursing are required to maintain health insurance at all times. Students must be in the process of completing a hepatitis B immunization series when they enroll for their first practicum course. All students are required to have an active Mason e-mail account.

Professional Conduct

All students in the School of Nursing are expected to adhere to the Professional Conduct Policy of the College of Health and Human Services.

Appeal Process

Although faculty members in the nursing program are generally the best judges of a student’s professional performance, some students may feel that the faculty member’s judgment is unfair. Students in the School of Nursing wishing to appeal a grade are expected to follow the GMU guidelines for grade appeals, found in the Academic Policies  section of the GMU University Catalog.

Honor System and Code

The School of Nursing supports academic integrity and follows the standards and procedures as described in the University catalog and available at academicintegrity.gmu.edu

Academic Dismissal

A degree-seeking nursing graduate student is dismissed after accumulating grades of F in two courses or 8 credits of unsatisfactory grades (C or below) in graduate courses.

Degree Requirements


The master’s program in nursing requires 30 to 50 graduate credits. Of these, a 15-credit core consists of course work in the theoretical and ethical foundations of nursing, nursing research and biostatistics, nursing informatics, and a course on the organization of nursing and health care delivery systems. The remaining credits are satisfied by completing one of the concentrations.  The nursing administration concentration requires an additional 24 credits; the clinical nurse leader concentration, an additional 25 credits; the nurse educator concentration, an additional 26 credits; the adult nurse practitioner concentration, an additional 29 credits; and the 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. A failing grade “F” in a practicum course may result in termination from the program. Up to 12 credits may be transferred into the MSN program from non-degree status.

Actual clinical hours may exceed those listed in the catalog. Actual clinical hours will meet those required for certification purposes. Requirements in the catalog reflect the minimum number of credits.

Concentrations: Complete One


Students in the MSN will complete one concentration from the following:

▲ Adult Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care Concentration (ANPR)


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.

Total: 29 credits


▲ Adult/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care Concentration (AGNP)


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.

Total: 35 credits


▲ Advanced Clinical Nursing Concentration (NUAC)


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:

Total: 26-32 credits


▲ Family Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care Concentration (FNUP)


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.

Total: 35 credits


▲ Nursing Administration Concentration (NUAD)


Nursing Administration Support Courses (12 credits)


Total: 24 credits


▲ Nurse Educator Concentration (NURE)


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 concentrations and meet all requirements of the graduate program.

Master’s International


The MSN in Nursing at George Mason University participates in the Peace Corps Master’s International program. For students enrolled in the MSN program and in the Peace Corp/MI program, the Office of the Provost will provide funding for 6 credits upon the student’s return from their volunteer service. In order for the tuition support to be applied, a representative from the graduate degree program must provide proof of volunteer service completion for the student. 

Students apply separately to the Peace Corps and to Mason. While the MSN program offers several concentrations, the nursing administration concentration is the most appropriate to the Peace Corps experience. Students are special registered at Mason for the four semesters they are serving in the Peace Corps and participate remotely in classroom activities, sharing experiences with MSN students and faculty. Students return to Mason to complete the MSN program.

Students must apply and be admitted to the MSN in Nursing using the standard online Application for Graduate Admissions and are encouraged to apply simultaneously to the Peace Corps. Once admitted to the MSN program, and offered a Peace Corps assignment, students should contact the Assistant Dean, Master’s/Post Master’s Division of the School of Nursing to discuss a program plan. Students admitted to the MSN 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 and have returned from their volunteer service. For more information about the Master’s International program, visit their website at www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.whyvol.eduben.mastersint.partschool.