Dr. Annette Barnes, Graduate Program Chair
410-546-4380
Advisement for the program is available from the School of .
Graduate education in nursing builds upon generalized preparation at the undergraduate level and previous experience in nursing. Graduate nursing education provides advanced preparation and knowledge in specialized areas of nursing. Salisbury University offers a master’s program with tracks preparing students for roles as health care leaders and clinical nurse educators.
Students seeking the Master of Science in Nursing must complete an approved program of study, including 36-39 semester hours of graduate credit.
All graduate nursing students must complete a core of courses that prepares them for evidence-based advanced nursing practice. Core courses include Epidemiology (), Qualitative Research (), Quantitative Research (), Advanced Statistics () and completion of a capstone/thesis/internship requirement. Each concentration then has additional required courses.
Preparation for advanced practice roles is offered in the following tracks: health care leadership (HCL) and nurse educator (NE). Graduates of the NE concentration are eligible to take the National League for Nursing (NLN) Certified Nurse Education examination. Graduates of the HCL concentration may be eligible to take the American Organization of Nurse Examiners (AONE) Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP) exam.
The time required for completion of the master’s-level program depends on the individual student’s course load, the selected concentration and the course-offering rotation schedule. Generally, the master’s degree can be completed in two to three academic years. Part-time or full-time options are available for most semesters. The master’s curriculum is comprised of core courses, taken by students in all concentrations, and specialty courses, depending on the selected concentration.
RN to M.S.N. (No Previous Bachelor’s Degree) Program
The RN to master’s program is for RN students wishing to pursue a master’s degree in nursing in the nurse educator or health care leadership concentration. Upon admission to the nursing major at Salisbury University, students may receive up to 60 academic transfer credits from their associate degree program. After completing all Non-Nursing Requirements for RN to M.S.N. students and 12 of the 18 Required Nursing Courses credits, students having a GPA of 2.75 or greater may apply to the graduate nursing program - acceptance into the graduate nursing program is required to take graduate courses. If accepted, and after completion of the remaining six Required Nursing Courses credits, students will take the 12 credits of graduate core courses (rather than 12 credits of SU nursing and non-nursing electives) and then continue with the courses in the specialty concentration they have selected. Upon completion of their graduate program, students are awarded 30 additional credits based on their active unencumbered Maryland or compact license and will receive a Master of Science in Nursing. The RN to master’s program provides the RN wishing to have a graduate nursing degree with a 12-credit efficiency over the more traditional route where the B.S.N. and M.S.N. in nursing are pursued separately.
M.S.N. Program Admission
Admission to the master’s program requires acceptance to the University for graduate study, as well as acceptance into the Master of Science in Nursing Program. Admission to the program is a competitive process, and the following required items will be considered individually as the final applicant selections are made.
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B.S. in nursing from a nationally accredited program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (except eligible RN-to- M.S.N. students)
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Current and unencumbered United States Registered Nursing (RN) license
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Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
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Current resume or curriculum vitae
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One-two page statement describing academic and professional goals
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Two academic or professional references/letters of recommendation
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Residency/Domicile Information form (for those students applying for in-state tuition)
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Fulfillment of University requirements for international students as outlined in the catalog
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Completion of an interview by the Graduate Program director or members of the Graduate Program Committee
Clinical experience is not required, but students are encouraged to work in professional nursing roles during summers and semester breaks.
M.S.N. Enrollment Requirements
After acceptance into the nursing program and prior to beginning the program, students must:
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Meet all School of Nursing health requirements.
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Provide evidence of current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by the American Heart Association for health care providers.
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Provide evidence of current RN licensure in the state of Maryland, a compact state or the state in which the student is currently practicing.
M.S.N. Progression Requirements
Master’s students in the School of Nursing must achieve a grade of B or better in all Thesis, Internship and Capstone courses (, and - ) and all nursing courses that are considered to be practicum courses. These courses include: , , and . In graduate courses that are not practicum courses, the student may receive no more than one grade below a B. The exceptions are the following courses, which result in dismissal from the graduate program without possibility of repeating if a grade of C/C+ or lower is earned: , , , and . Students who receive a grade lower than a B in any course may repeat one course one time in order to achieve a better grade. Students whose cumulative grade point average falls below a 3.0 in any semester will be placed on academic probation according to University policy.
RN to M.S.N. (No Previous Bachelor’s Degree) ProgramProgram Policies
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Students may receive up to 60 academic transfer credits from their associate degree program.
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After completing all Non-Nursing Requirements and 12 of the 18 Required Nursing Courses, students having a GPA of 2.75 or greater may apply to the graduate nursing program - acceptance into the graduate nursing program is required to take graduate courses..
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If accepted, and after completion of the remaining 6 Required Nursing Courses, students take the 12 credits of graduate core courses (rather than 12 credits of SU nursing and non-nursing Elective- s).
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Upon completion of their graduate program, students are awarded 30 additional credits based on their active unencumbered Maryland or compact license and receive an M.S.N.
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Graduate Nursing Program Grading Policy: A grade of B is required in courses for the program not listed here. The program allows one C/C+ if it is earned from one these courses: , , , , , , , , , , , and . Only one course may be repeated during the program to earn a higher grade. The exception are the following courses, which result in dismissal from the graduate program without possibility of repeating if a grade of C/C+ or lower is earned: , , , and .
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Students whose GPA falls below a 3.0 in any semester will be placed on academic probation according to University policy.
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Students must maintain a valid license as a registered nurse in the State of Maryland or a compact state. If a clinical site is in a non-compact state, additional R.N. licensure for that state is necessary.
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Students must maintain current clinical and health requirements.
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Students can transfer no more than one-third of the total number of program credits. All transferred credits must have a grade of B or better.
Checklist
This checklist is an unofficial tool for planning. Matriculated students and advisors should consult the Academic Requirements Report in GullNet before and after registering for classes each semester to track academic progress.
