Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog | Expires Aug. 2028 
    
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog | Expires Aug. 2028 THIS CATALOG IS ARCHIVED. BE SURE YOU ARE ACCESSING THE MOST ACCURATE CATALOG FOR YOU.

Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.)


The Master of Science in Nursing degree prepares registered professional nurses for practice in nursing education, nursing administration, a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) or as a primary care 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 and a cumulative GPA of 3.00 (based on a 4.00 scale) in all nursing and prerequisite coursework
  3. College statistics course with a grade of C 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. Current unencumbered RN licensure in Michigan or eligible for Michigan license.
  6. Resume.
  7. One page essay of academic and professional goals.
  8. Interview.

*Additional admission criteria (e.g., standardized test results and/or recommendation letters) 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 in each skill area.
  4. Evidence of financial support.

Graduate Nursing Admission Status

Applications to the MSN program are accepted by Graduate Admissions and processed for admission by the Graduate Nursing Coodinator using criteria approved by the Nursing Department 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. Students with this admission status may take a limited number of nursing courses while they fulfill the admission requirements, as outlined in their official plan of study.
  • Post-graduate admission - a student with a graduate 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.  This includes RN to BSN graduates and ADN to BSN graduates who took approved graduate nursing courses as elective credit in their program and earned a grade of B (3. 0) or better. A maximum of 9 credits can be applied to an undergraduate program and graduate program. A maximum of 12 credits graduate level courses may be transferred from another college or 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:

Prior to clinical courses, a criminal background check, evidence of current immunizations, physical exam, finger printing,CPR, liability insurance and drug testing are required as described in the Graduate Nursing Handbook.

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 in a pre-requisite course, subsequent courses may not be taken until course requirements are satisfied. 

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.

 

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 Primary Care 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 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 Coordinator.

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 (9 cr)


Students may choose from a list of approved upper division elective courses appropriate for professional development and continuing education, and/or from a list of selected graduate nursing courses. Up to nine credits of graduate nursing coursework may be taken and used for credit in both the RN to BSN program and the graduate nursing degree, as long as the student is subsequently admitted to a graduate nursing program and obtains a grade of B (GPA 3. 0 or better) in those classes. The list of upper division elective courses can be obtained from the RN to BSN coordinator.

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.