Mar 28, 2024  
2015-2016 Graduate Academic Catalog 
    
2015-2016 Graduate Academic Catalog THIS CATALOG IS ARCHIVED. BE SURE YOU ARE ACCESSING THE MOST ACCURATE CATALOG FOR YOU.

Nursing (M.S.N.)


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 Master of Science in Nursing prepares registered professional nurses for practice in nursing education, nursing administration, a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) or as a family nurse practitioner (FNP). The graduate program assumes a foundation of concepts and skills acquired in undergraduate programs in nursing.

Admission Requirements*,**

  1. Completed application for graduate admission to the MSN program.
  2. BSN GPA of 3.00 (based on a 4.00 scale)
  3. College statistics course with a grade of B or higher equivalent to approved SVSU courses.
  4. Required for FNP applicants only: College chemistry with grade of C or higher, 3 credit course, general, organic, or biochemistry.
  5. Licensure to practice nursing in Michigan or eligible for Michigan license.
  6. Resume which includes education, employment, scholarship, service, and professional involvement.
  7. One page essay of academic and professional goals.
  8. Two letters of recommendation, preferably from colleagues with a graduate degree in nursing. For applicants who have completed their BSN within the past three years, one letter of recommendation must be from a nursing faculty member.
  9. Personal Interview.

*Additional admission criteria (e.g., standardized test results) may be required based on interview and record review.

International Student Admission Requirements**

Additional requirements include:

  1. Completed international application for graduate admission.
  2. An academic report is required from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (http://cgfns.org).
  3. Official TOEFL results with a score of 92 (Internet-based) or an IELTS score of 7.0.
  4. Evidence of financial support.

**Upon admission, a physical examination and evidence of current immunization are required. A criminal background check with finger printing is also required. If special accommodations are needed for learning, they must be identified and discussed with the program coordinator prior to the submission of the application.

Graduate Nursing Admission Status

Applications to the MSN program are accepted by Graduate Admissions and processed for admission by the Crystal M. Lange College of Health and Human Services throughout the year. The options for granting admission status to applicants include:

  • Full admission - all admission requirements have been completed successfully.
  • Provisional admission - student’s file is missing certain admission requirements; when all of these are received, review for admission can be completed. Students with this admission status may take up to two core nursing courses while they fulfill the admission requirements.
  • Post-master’s admission - a student with a master’s degree in nursing is admitted to complete the requirements for a concentration and receive a certificate to that effect.

Program Requirements

The MSN program at Saginaw Valley State University consists of a minimum of 36 to 49 credits of required and elective courses. Students who have prior graduate credits may be able to enter with advanced standing. A minimum of 19 credits must be completed in nursing at the graduate level at Saginaw Valley State University. The time limit for completing the degree is seven years from the beginning of the first course in which credit was earned toward the MSN at SVSU.


Other specific requirements students must meet to complete the MSN program include:

To register for any practice experience course (NURS 652  , NURS 654  , NURS 656  , NURS 668 , NURS 670  , NURS 674  , and NURS 766 ), a student must provide a) a copy of their current Michigan license, b) a health form reflecting a recent health examination, c) evidence of professional liability insurance, and d) a criminal background check with  finger printing.

Academic Regulations

In required MSN courses, students must earn a grade of “B” or better to remain in good standing.

If a grade of “I” is earned, course requirements must be satisfied prior to enrolling in additional required courses. 

A required nursing course can be repeated only once. Failure of a repeated course or a second required nursing course results in dismissal from the program. 

Prior to taking NURS 678  (Research Project I) complete the candidacy process as outlined in the Graduate Student Handbook.

 

MSN Core, Capstone and Concentration Courses


All students in the MSN program complete the following MSN Core Courses and Capstone Courses (24credits). All MSN students must select one of the following majors: Clinical Nurse Leader (total program = 36 credits), Nursing Education (total program = 39 credits), Nursing Administration (total program = 39 credits), or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP total program = 52 credits), or may elect to take both the education and administration majors.

Additional MSN Core for Nurse Administrator, Nurse Educator, and CNL students (6 cr)


Concentration Courses


Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) (6 cr)


Following the completion of the core courses, a practice experience immersion course is required:

Nursing Education (9 cr)


The following three courses are required:

Nursing Administration (9 cr)


One nursing administration course is required and then an additional 6 credits of pre-approved graduate electives are required. The list of approved electives is available from the Graduate Nursing adviser.

Family Nurse Practitioner (28 cr)


Dual Nursing Education/Nursing Administration (18 cr)


RN to MSN Program


This program is eligible for applicants to the Nurse Educator, Nurse Administrator, or Clincal Nurse Leader programs.

To be eligible for the RN to MSN Program, a licensed RN must do the following:

Gain undergraduate admission to SVSU, apply for admission to the RN to BSN program, and complete a minimum of 106 undergraduate credits including:

Required Electives (4 cr)


  • Two upper division, non-required courses.

Application Procedure


Apply to SVSU Graduate Admissions for admission into the MSN program the semester prior to completion of required undergraduate nursing and statistics courses. All MSN admission requirements must be met. Admission is competitive.

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