Master of Science in Nursing
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The master of science in nursing program broadens the scope of practice and provides for the acquisition of expertise in an area of specialization. This education is directed toward preparing students to manage clients of diverse cultural backgrounds in various multidisciplinary settings and promotes traditional as well as complementary approaches appropriate to client care.
Please be aware that new national guidelines for nurse practitioner education have recently been issued, and the MSN curriculum will be revised to meet these. Credits may increase slightly to accomplish this.
Curriculum + Requirements - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Track
Full-time program
| First year requirements | Second year requirements | |||||
| Course | Title | Credits | Course | Title | Credits | |
| Fall | Fall | |||||
| BMS 515 (online) |
Advanced Pathophysiology I | 3 | NUR 514 | Epidemiology and Evidence-based Practice | 3 | |
| NUR 500 | Quality and Safety in Health Care | 3 | NUR 534 | Primary Care II | 4 | |
| NUR 502L | Advanced Health Assessment Lab | 2 | NUR 541 | Primary Care of Adults: Practicum II | 4 | |
| NUR 520 | Advanced Health Assessment I | 3 | ||||
| Total 11 | Total 11 | |||||
| Spring | Spring | |||||
| NUR 528 | Principles of Radiography | 2 | NUR 516 | Health Policy and Organizational Systems | 3 | |
| NUR 530 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 | NUR 536 | Primary Care III | 4 | |
| NUR 532 | Primary Care I | 3 | NUR 543 | Primary Care of Adults: Practicum III | 4 | |
| NUR 533 | Primary Care Practicum I | 3 | ||||
| Total 11 | Total 11 | |||||
| Summer | ||||||
| NUR 524 (online) |
Principles of Electrocardiography | 1 | ||||
| Total 1 | ||||||
Total Credits: 45
Part-time program
| First year requirements | ||
| Course | Title | Credits |
| Fall | ||
| NUR 500 | Quality & Safety in Health Care | 3 |
| BMS 515 | Advanced Pathophysiology I | 3 |
| Total 6 | ||
| Spring | ||
| NUR 528 | Principles of Radiology | 2 |
| NUR 530 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| Total 5 | ||
| Summer |
||
| NUR 524 (online) | Principles of Electrocardiography | 1 |
| Total 1 | ||
| Second year requirements | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUR 520 | Advanced Health Assessment I | 3 |
| NUR 520L | Advanced Health Assessment Lab | 2 |
| Total 5 | ||
| Spring | ||
| NUR 532 | Primary Care I | 3 |
| NUR 533 | Primary Care Practicum | 3 |
| Total 6 | ||
| Third year requirements | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUR 514 | Epidemiology and Evidence-based Practice | 3 |
| NUR 534 | Primary Care II | 4 |
| NUR 541 | Primary Care of Adults: Practicum II | 4 |
| Total 11 | ||
| Spring | ||
| NUR 516 | Health Policy and Organizational Systems | 3 |
| NUR 536 | Primary Care III | 4 |
| NUR 543 | Primary Care of Adults: Practicum III | 4 |
| Total 11 | ||
Total credits: 45
Curriculum + Requirements - Family Nurse Practitioner Track
Full-time program
| First year requirements | Second year requirements | |||||
| Course | Title | Credits | Course | Title | Credits | |
| Fall | Fall | |||||
| BMS 518 | Pathophysiology | 3 | NUR 514 | Epidemiology and Evidence-based Practice | 3 | |
| NUR 500 | Quality and Safety in Health Care | 3 | NUR 534 | Primary Care II | 4 | |
| NUR 520 | Advanced Health Assessment I | 3 | NUR 550 | Primary Care Family I | 2 | |
| BMS 520L | Advanced Health Assessment Lab | 2 | NUR 551 | Primary Care Family: Practicum II | 4 | |
| Total 11 | Total 13 | |||||
| Spring | Spring | |||||
| NUR 528 | Principles of Radiography | 2 | NUR 516 | Health Policy and Organizational Systems | 3 | |
| NUR 530 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 | NUR 536 | Primary Care III | 4 | |
| NUR 532 | Primary Care I | 3 | NUR 552 | Primary Care Family II | 2 | |
| NUR 533 | Primary Care Practicum I | 3 | NUR 553 | Primary Care Family: Practicum III | 4 | |
| Total 11 | Total 13 | |||||
| Summer | ||||||
| NUR 524 | Principles of Electrocardiography (online) | 1 | ||||
| Total 1 | ||||||
Total credits: 49
Part-time program
| First year requirements | ||
| Course | Title | Credits |
| Fall | ||
| NUR 500 | Quality & Safety in Health Care | 3 |
| BMS 518 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| Total 6 | ||
| Spring | ||
| NUR 528 | Principles of Radiology | 2 |
| NUR 530 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| Total 5 | ||
| Summer | ||
| NUR 524 | Principles of Electrocardiography (online) | 1 |
| Total 1 | ||
| Second year requirements | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUR 520 | Advanced Health Assessment I | 3 |
| NUR 520L | Advanced Health Assessment Lab | 2 |
| Total 5 | ||
| Spring | ||
| NUR 532 | Primary Care I | 3 |
| NUR 533 | Primary Care Practicum I | 3 |
| Total 6 | ||
| Third year requirements | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUR 514 | Epidemiology and Evidence-based Practice | 3 |
| NUR 534 | Primary Care II | 4 |
| NUR 550 | Primary Care Family I | 2 |
| NUR 551 | Primary Care Family: Practicum II | 4 |
| Total 13 | ||
| Spring | ||
| NUR 516 | Health Policy and Organizational Systems | 3 |
| NUR 536 | Primary Care III | 4 |
| NUR 552 | Primary Care Family II | 2 |
| NUR 553 | Primary Care Family: Practicum III | 4 |
| Total 13 |
Total credits: 49
Program Outcomes
Graduates of the MSN program are prepared for higher level professional practice and leadership roles in a variety of health care settings, as well as advanced study at the doctoral level.
Specifically, graduates will be able to:
- Incorporate knowledge from the sciences and humanities for improvement of health care across diverse settings.
- Demonstrate leadership abilities encompassing ethical and critical decision-making that embraces a systems perspective.
- Apply appropriate measurement and analysis methods related to organizational quality and safety.
- Apply evidence-based findings to resolve practice problems, and serve as a catalyst for change.
- Use informatics and health care technology to integrate and coordinate care.
- Participate in policy development and advocacy strategies at the system level to influence health and health care.
- Collaborate effectively on interprofessional teams to improve health outcomes.
- Integrate principles of clinical and population health into care delivery and management.
- Deliver direct and/or indirect nursing practice interventions at the master's level of practice.
Admissions
An applicant to the master of science in nursing program must be a registered nurse or NCLEX eligible nurse and have a bachelor's degree in nursing or another field. An undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better is required.
Applicants should submit the following to the Office of Graduate Admissions:
- A completed admissions application including a resume and a personal statement addressing the following: 1) professional goals and motivations, 2) a nursing experience that has influenced or shaped your practice, 3) a health care problem that interests you
- Official transcripts from all schools previously attended
- Official recent results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or (IELTS) International English Language Testing System for international applicants
- Two letters of recommendation from persons with authority to evaluate your professional ability
- Proof of current licensure or eligibility for licensure as a registered nurse in the state of Connecticut
The preferred application deadline is June 1. Applications will be considered after June 1 on a space-available basis. When all application materials are received, an interview with the graduate nursing program director and/or member of the faculty will be arranged for eligible candidates.
For additional information please contact:
Office of Graduate Admissions
Phone: 203-582-8672 or 800-462-1944
E-mail: graduate@quinnipiac.edu
Other Information for the MSN
Transportation
Select learning experiences in hospitals, physicians' offices, clinics and community health agencies begin with the first nursing practicum course and continue throughout the program. Students are responsible for their transportation to and from clinical agencies.
CPR Certification
CPR Certification for the Health Care Provider must be obtained before enrolling in any nursing course and kept current through graduation from the program.
Health Requirements
The school has several additional health requirements in addition to those specified by the admissions office. Submission of documentation of a physical examination and PPD on the form supplied by the nursing department is required of all students upon admission and annually thereafter. If the student has a positive PPD or has previously received BCG vaccine, a chest X-ray is required. Documentation of hepatitis B vaccination (or signed waiver declining immunization), proof of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella and varicella, and current tetanus booster is required upon admission to the professional component. Some clinical sites may have additional health or clinical requirements.
Background Check
A completed criminal background check is now required of each student in the School of Nursing. This has become necessary as many agencies now require that students have a background check before beginning clinical experiences. Quinnipiac University currently uses a third-party vendor to conduct background checks for students in all of our health professional programs. Since background checks vary, all undergraduate and graduate nursing students must obtain the background check from the Quinnipiac University vendor regardless of whether they have had additional checks at their place of employment. Further details about cost and procedures will be provided by the nursing school's clinical coordinators and the criminal background check policy is posted on the Nursing Student Community Blackboard website. Students who do not pass the background check may not be able to fully matriculate into the clinical portion of the program.
Technical Standards
Given that nursing is a practice discipline, there are certain performance expectations that must be met. To that end, the faculty have developed a set of guidelines known as technical standards. They are intended to ensure the safety of the student and those who are entrusted to his/her care. The technical standards include: sensory, communication, motor, intellectual/conceptual abilities, and behavioral, social, and professional attributes.