Requirements
Program Overview
The Master of Science degree in Nursing is designed for registered nurses who are seeking advanced preparation and leadership roles. The nurse educator concentration prepares graduates to assume faculty roles in nursing education at the pre-licensure program levels or roles in staff development in healthcare settings. In the program, graduates participate in clinical experiences in selected settings and in teaching environments. Graduates begin preparation to become eligible for national specialty certification as a certified nurse educator (CNE). Students will be eligible to take the certification exam upon graduation and after meeting the eligibility criteria.
Graduate Outcomes
The following graduate outcomes were adapted from the 2011 American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing.
The graduate will be able to:
1. Integrate knowledge gained from nursing, bio-psychosocial fields, genetics/genomics, public health, quality improvement, and organizational sciences for the continual improvement of nursing education in diverse settings.
2. Incorporate leadership, collaborative skills, and organizational skills and systems leadership into nursing into educational practice in order to emphasize ethical and critical decision-making, effective working relationships, and a system-perspective to promote high quality and safe patient care.
3. Integrate the principles of quality improvement and evaluation outcomes related to advanced practice, education, and policy development.
4. Apply and disseminate research outcomes, evidence-based practice, and collaborative skills to affect accountable change in nursing practice, education, and policy.
5. Analyze practice, legal, and ethical considerations of current and emerging patient care and communication technologies utilized to enhance patient care and nursing education.
6. Incorporate knowledge of current nursing policy and nursing policy development through systems level management and utilize advocacy strategies to influence health and health care.
7. Function as a member and leader of inter-professional teams in the management and coordination of care.
8. Integrate the principles of patient-centered care, advocacy, amid culturally appropriate concepts of planning, delivering, and evaluating clinical prevention and population care into nursing education and advanced clinical practice.
9. Incorporate an advanced level of understanding of nursing and relevant sciences with the ability to integrate concepts into nursing education and clinical practice.
10. Utilize Christian principles in the delivery of nursing interventions that influence healthcare and educational outcomes for individuals, populations and systems.
Admission Requirements for the MSN Program
To be admitted as a regular student, in addition to the general admission requirements to the graduate school, the applicant will:
- Submit a completed application to William Carey University for the graduate school.
- Pay the application fee.
- Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
- Submit a statement of professional goals
- Submit current resume.
- Submit two nursing recommendations.
- Have a clear criminal background check that meets program requirements.
- Have a baccalaureate degree from a nationally accredited school of nursing.
- Have an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher or a GPA of 2.5 or higher on the last 30 undergraduate hours.
- Have an active unencumbered Registered Nurse license with no pending legal or state board action.
Admission Status
An applicant for the Master of Science in Nursing degree program is admitted to regular or nondegree graduate status as follows:
Regular—Regular graduate status will be granted to those students who meet all requirements for admission to the program and are actively pursuing a degree.
Nondegree—Nondegree status may be assigned to those students who meet the requirements for admission, but do not wish to become a candidate for a degree. No more than 12 hours of credit earned in a nondegree status may apply toward a degree.
Incomplete–Incomplete admission status may be granted for one term for a student who appears to be eligible for admission but is unable to supply certain required records prior to registration (see Admissions Information for further explanation.)
Castlebranch
Students must use Castlebranch to document and maintain required compliance records such as licensure, criminal background check, and health requirements by the end of the first term in the program. All requirements in Castlebranch must be complete before any preceptorship hours can begin. Refer to the School of Nursing Graduate Student Handbook for more information. Castlebranch fees and record updates are the student’s responsibility.
Health Requirements
All students enrolled in the program are required to complete the School of Nursing health requirements listed below by the end of the first term in the program. Failure to comply with all health requirements will result in the inability to attend the clinical portion of a course and failure of the course. All health requirements must remain current as long as the student is enrolled, and documentation must be submitted to Castlebranch
- Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR): Submit documentation of one of the following: 2 vaccinations or Positive antibody titer.
- Varicella (Chicken Pox): Submit documentation of one of the following:2 vaccinations or positive antibody titer.
- Hepatitis B: Submit documentation of one of the following: 3 vaccinations or positive antibody titer (lab report required)
- TB (Tuberculosis): Submit documentation of one of the following: A negative two-step Mantoux tuberculin administered and read by a licensed medical/nursing person certified in the techniques of tuberculin testing (skin tests placed 7-19 days apart or 10-12 months apart) or a negative IGRA (blood test) from the last 12 months. Acceptable IRGA tests are QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT-GIT) or T-SPOT® TB test (T-Spot)
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap): Submit documentation of the Tdap vaccine from within the past 10 years. Tetanus vaccine not acceptable to meet this requirement.
- Physical Examination: Submit the WCU SON History and Physical form signed by your health care provider and performed during the past 1 year. A status form must be submitted January 1 of each year.
- Influenza: Submit documentation of an annual flu vaccine administered between September 1st and November 1st.
- 10-Panel Urine Drug Screen: Submit documentation of a 10-panel urine drug test that has been performed within the past 12 months. No renewal is required, but a random drug screen may be required by the School of Nursing.
Basic Life Support
All students must complete (re)certification of Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers by the American Heart Association. Certification must remain current throughout the program. Documentation of certification must be submitted in Castlebranch. Failure to maintain compliance will result in the inability to attend the clinical portion of a course and failure of the course.
CITI Training
All students must complete the following CITI Training Modules: HIPAA, FERPA, Information Security, OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Training, and OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens. The student is required to submit certificates of completion in Castlebranch.
Criminal Background Check
All students enrolled in nursing must have clearance of criminal background checks prior to admission. This is a mandatory requirement pursuant to Section 43-11-13 of the Mississippi Code of 1972 as amended, Mississippi State Department of Health, Division of Licensure and Certification in accordance with R.S. 37:921, The criminal background check must be fingerprinted and completed through the Mississippi Department of Health including a notarized letter of clearance. The criminal background check expires two years after the date of fingerprinting. The criminal background check must remain current throughout the program. All costs associated with the criminal background check are the responsibility of the student. Documentation of the criminal background check must be submitted to Castlebranch.
Below is the list of disqualifying offenses which would prevent students from performing patient care in the clinical facilities. These offenses are those listed in Article 43-11-13 of the Mississippi Code of 1972:
Felony conviction, guilty plea, or plea of no contest to a felony, for any of the following:
Possession or sale of drugs.
Murder
Manslaughter
Armed Robbery
Rape
Sexual Battery
Sex Offenses Listed in Section 45-33-23(f)
Child Abuse
Arson
Grand Larceny
Burglary
Gratification of Lust
Aggravated Assault
Felonious Abuse and/or Battery of a Vulnerable Adult
After initial enrollment, any subsequent disciplinary action, arrest, charge, addiction, or impairment shall also be reported immediately to the dean of nursing. Failure to report any and all subsequent disciplinary actions, arrests, or impairment will constitute falsification of records and may result in loss of licensure as a registered nurse and may halt progression in the program. Any violations may halt progression in the program.
Drug Testing
All students are required to have a clear 10-panel drug screen within the last year. This requirement must be met prior to the end of the first term. All costs associated with the 10-panel drug screen are the student’s responsibility.
Random drug screening can be performed at the discretion of the School of Nursing. Refusal by a student to submit to testing will result in immediate dismissal from the School of Nursing. Any admitting student who tests positive for illegal drugs must withdraw from nursing courses. The student may reapply for admission in six months and will be admitted based on admission criteria as any new student making application. Any continuing student who tests positive for illegal drugs must meet with the graduate program coordinator to determine the course of action. If the action taken is for the student to withdraw from the program, the student may make a written appeal for re-admission in six months to the nursing leadership team.
Licensure
Students must maintain an active, unencumbered Registered Nurse license throughout the program. Students must report any changes in the status of their licensure to the dean of nursing. Changes in licensure may halt progression in the program.
Transfer Credit
Transfer credit is available for any student. Approval of transfer hours is considered on an individual basis. The student must apply for transfer credit to the program coordinator prior to the first term in the nursing program. Baccalaureate level credit cannot be accepted for master’s level courses. Transfer credit cannot be received for NUR 668 and NUR 669. Refer to the university’s graduate transfer requirements for more information.
Computer Requirements
Technology is an essential and integral aspect of web-enhanced (hybrid) courses. The student must have access to a computer and stable connection to the internet on a regular basis. A high-speed internet connection, is preferred. The student will need access to programs such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, scanning documents to pdf, etc.. Students will also need access to audio through speakers and the capability to record video and/or audio for selected web-enhanced assignments.
Attendance
Students are to attend class meetings and participate in courses and to verify and submit course work on a weekly basis either online or in-person as required. Refer to the School of Nursing Graduate Student Handbook and individual course syllabi for specific course requirements.
Progression
Successful progression through the program requires the following:
- Demonstrate competency in scholarly writing by submission of GRE analytical writing score of 3.5 or better within the last five years or passing NUR 692 Scholarly Writing for Healthcare Professionals with a grade of B or better prior to taking courses within the program.
- Complete all assignments with a passing grade. A grade of F must be repeated for a grade of C or higher.
- See Graduate Catalog-Academic Regulations-Academic Standing for grades below a B.
- Student grades will be reviewed at the end of each term by the administrator of the graduate program and other WCU SON administration to determine status in achieving the GPA necessary to graduate.
Requirements for the Master of Science in Nursing Degree
These general requirements apply to all candidates for the Master of Science in Nursing degree:
- Each student must have acquired regular graduate admissions status.
- All required courses must be completed with a minimum grade point average of 3.0
- A student must complete all required work within a period of six years after enrolling in graduate nursing courses
- Student must submit a degree application to the Registrar’s Office and follow the required guidelines from the Registrar’s Office.
Print this Page
Return to: