Curriculum

A common core of knowledge at the master’s level provides a foundation for nurses in advanced nursing roles. The theoretical base specific to each specialization is included in the course of study and accompanied by practical experience, thus providing students the opportunity to apply theory in a variety of settings.

Two specializations are offered: Nursing Administration and Nursing Education. The Nursing Administration specialization prepares nurses for administrative positions in various health care organizations. The Nursing Education specialization prepares nurses to teach in baccalaureate and associate degree education programs, or in staff development and continuing education fields.

Candidates must satisfactorily complete 42 credits, with an overall GPA of Saint Joseph’s College courses of 3.0 or higher. This consists of six core curriculum courses, five additional courses within the specialty and two practica within the specialty.

Additional Admission Requirements

Applicants must be graduates of a baccalaureate nursing program, accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency, with a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is the norm.

All students applying to and currently enrolled in the MSN program must:

• hold a valid United States unencumbered RN License;
• possess the functional abilities to perform the skills and behaviors required of a professional nurse. Therefore all nursing students must possess the following functional abilities:
  1. Ability to see, hear, touch, smell, and distinguish colors.
  2. Communicate orally and in writing with clarity, accuracy, and efficiency.
  3. Manual dexterity with gross and fine movements.
  4. Think critically, analyze, assess, solve problems, make judgments.
  5. Emotional stability and ability to accept responsibility and accountability. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2000). Guidelines for Accommodating Students with Disabilities in Schools of Nursing. Washington, DC: American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (Detailed statements relative to these abilities can be obtained from the Nursing Department.)

International applicants educated in countries other than the United States must contact the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (COGFNS) for credentialing at:  Commission of Foreign Nursing Schools, 3600 Market St., Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651 USA. Applicant Inquiries: 215-349-8767. Graduates of foreign nursing schools must submit an official report from the COGFNS.

Treatment of exceptions is listed below:

1. Consideration will also be given to applicants with a regionally accredited baccalaureate degree in another field who are graduates of diploma or associate degree programs in nursing.

International students must be graduates of nursing programs equivalent to NLN- or CCNE accredited baccalaureate nursing programs in the United States or meet the same requirements as non-BSN baccalaureate prepared applicants. Foreign nurses who plan to complete practica in the U.S. must meet licensing requirements of the state in which the student will have the practicum and must meet all health requirements of the facility where the practicum will take place.

In addition to the prior educational/work credentials, applicants must submit:

1. A copy (front and back) of current unencumbered registered nurse license;
2. Résumé or work history for the last ten years.
3. Official transcripts from all undergraduate program(s) and applicable master’s degree transcripts.

Summer Program

NU 502 Nursing Research: Methods, Design, and Analysis is a required core curriculum course for all specialties, and is only offered in the Summer Program. Students may enroll in this course only after satisfactory completion of an undergraduate course in statistics.

Degree candidates may participate in the Summer Program only after completion of NU 500 Conceptual Bases for Nursing and the following courses:

Prerequisites

All students must have completed undergraduate clinical courses in community health nursing and nursing leadership or received a waiver by portfolio assessment prior to full acceptance to the Master of Science in Nursing program.

RN to MSN Program

The RN to MSN curriculum allows nursing students to substitute certain courses from the Master of Science in Nursing program in lieu of comparable undergraduate courses. See BSN section of the catalog for detailed information.