Master of Science in Nursing FAQ

We accept 60 students each year. Students may apply at any time during the year and choose to start in the fall, spring, or summer semester. Once all application materials have been received, the application will be reviewed within 2-4 weeks and a decision letter will be sent to the applicant via the email provided. Applications are reviewed in the order in which all materials are received, and if all requirements are met the applicant may be admitted. This means a timely submission of materials will increase chances of admission for the semester selected

We offer three advanced leadership specialty concentrations: Nursing Education, Nursing Administration and Nursing Informatics.

Yes. You can take any of the additional specialty concentrations in addition to the one you have chosen as your focus for your MSN degree. If you haven't chosen the nursing education specialty concentration as your primary focus, you can also earn a graduate certificate in nursing education after the additional completion of the nursing education specialty courses and NURS 551 Clinical Prevention and Population Health. Additionally, you can also earn a graduate certificate from the College of Business in Business Intelligence and Informatics Advanced Studies if you take the informatics specialty concentration. The College of Business is not currently offering a graduate certificate related to the nursing administration concentration.

Our MSN program is very flexible. Most of our students are working full-time so the most common pace is to take 1-2 courses a semester. However, students are not locked into taking a certain number of courses every semester. They can choose to increase or decrease the number of courses they are taking a semester without these choices affecting their progression in the program. To qualify for financial aid, graduate students need to be taking at least 5 credits a semester, which usually consists of 2 courses. If graduate students take 9 credits a semester, they are considered full-time students.

If conditions arise where students cannot take courses for a semester, they should communicate with their advisor so a plan is in place for continuation. If students cannot take courses for more than one semester, it is a university requirement that they will need to reapply for admission to the university. This can easily be done online by filling out another application and if it is a short period of time away, there usually are minimal application materials that need to be re-submitted. Sometimes, only an updated copy of the RN license is needed. Although the university does have a 5 year time limit for graduate degree completion, if a student is working towards completion on a gradual but consistent basis, an extension can be awarded in extenuating circumstances.

No. All courses are available in a fully online format. We do encourage students to attend the graduation ceremony on campus upon completion, but it is not required.

Online learning is time-intensive for both faculty and students. Although there is more flexibility in the online learning environment, it is not easier than a face-to-face class. Instead, learning is different where students are more accountable for and directive of their learning and faculty are facilitators to guide students in meeting their learning needs. It is important for students to learn effective time-management strategies to guide them in this new, flexible environment.

In online learning, students need to think differently about the total amount of time they spend completing a course. Where success in a traditional classroom-based course often requires 3 hours of classroom time each week, travel time, and perhaps 7 to 10 additional hours for reading, research, and projects, the total time may remain the same in online courses but be distributed differently. In online learning, there are usually increased student-student and student-faculty electronic communication as well as an individualized time schedule for the student to complete the online learning assignments. Whether students can take 1 or more courses concurrently really is an individual decision. This decision is dependent upon the amount of hours the person is committed to work a week and time outside of work that is dedicated to professional and personal activities. Additionally, other responsibilities such as caring for an ill-parent or child, will determine how much coursework a person can manage at one time. Finally, there is personal perception. What one person may feel is manageable, may not feel manageable to another person.

There are two practicums at the capstone level. Students will have one practicum that focuses on a specialty role project and another practicum that is a specialty role immersion. Both practicums require being mentored by an MSN-prepared nurse. Students write a proposal for their practicums in NURS 711 and NURS 712. The practicums are completed in NURS 791 and NURS 792. Each practicum is 120 hours of practice.

Both the project practicum and role immersion may be completed at your place of employment if appropriate for the selected specialty role being pursued. For example, if the student is pursuing the specialty role of education and does not currently work in an educational setting, it will be necessary to find an appropriate venue to complete the practicum hours. Hours related to the practicums must occur outside of the student's regular work hours and work responsibilities and cannot occur on the unit or immediate area where the student works. Practicum hours cannot occur under a current supervisor. The intent is for the student to take on the role of graduate student and active learner. If the student is in a work role with the responsibilities and accountability related to that role, he or she does not have the freedom to be in the learner role.

No. It is expected that there will be regular meetings with the preceptor/mentor but that additional activities will take place away from these face-to-face meetings. For example, if a student is teaching at a college during their practicum, he or she would probably create learning materials away from the preceptor and then meet with the preceptor for feedback.

The majority of our MSN students are employed full-time and often in leadership positions. If students are not able to complete all of the required hours in one semester, they can earn an incomplete and continue to complete the hours and final coursework in the following semester. However, students must be making satisfactory progress in the course for the option of an incomplete. Students will work with the same course instructor until the course requirements are met. No additional tuition fees need to be paid.

When admitted, students can submit syllabi from previous graduate coursework to be reviewed and considered for transfer credit allocation. These courses must be able to be substituted for courses within the MSN program curriculum. A minimum of 70% of the MSN program credits must be from FSU.

As part of the MSN program capstone courses, students must submit a professional portfolio related to their specialty role for review. The framework for this portfolio is developed in one of the early core courses. Then, the student continues to build his/her portfolio throughout the program that is reflective of the student's academic and experiential preparation for the role. The intent is for the MSN student to leave the MSN program with a professional portfolio that will be useful when applying for a job in their specialty role.

We offer scholarship opportunities as they are presented to our university. Financial aid, grants, and scholarship opportunities are provided as links on the MSN advising page and these are updated throughout the year as needed. Students are also encouraged to contact their professional organizations because there are many additional scholarship opportunities available through state and national nursing organizations, such as the Michigan Organization for Nurse Executives, Sigma Theta Tau International, or the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, to name a few.