Accreditation

The Master of Science degree in Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE):

Admission Requirements

Acceptance to the graduate program in Nursing occurs once each year in the Fall Semester. Students first apply to the university and then separately, complete the school of Nursing MSN application. A personal interview and/or onsite written assignment or the Analytic Writing section of the GRE if taken within five years may also be required as components of the application process.

Applicants must fulfill the following prerequisites and criteria:

• The equivalent of requirements for Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from an NLN or CCNE accredited program in effect at the time of admission as a graduate;
• Minimum B (3.0) grade point average in upper-division nursing courses;
• Minimum B (3.0) grade point average in the last 60 semester or 90 quarter units attempted;
• Completion of a 3 semester-units (4 quarter-units) statistics course that includes inferential statistics content;
• Completion of an undergraduate nursing research course (NURS 4900  or equivalent);
• Completion of an admission application to the University (Cal State Apply); 
• Completion of a second application to the School of Nursing;
• Attach three references and a personal essay to the second application.

For Nurse Practitioner applicants::

• Completion of a recent (5 yrs.) basic physical assessment course;
• Current licensure to practice nursing as an RN in California and cleared background check.

Potential, applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully assess any personal criminal background before applying to the School of Nursing. Nursing students must have a cleared background check that is acceptable to clinical agencies after acceptance to the School of Nursing. Prior to entering the first clinical lab, students must have university liability insurance, a current American Heart Association CPR card, a satisfactory annual physical examination, proof of immunity to specified infectious diseases, an initial 2 step Mantoux skin test, and a chest x-ray if there is evidence of a positive TB skin test. Drug screening may be requested depending on agency requirements.

School Regulations

Per university policy, Master program students are required to maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.0.

In addition, in the School of Nursing, students who on their graduate program of study receive, a C- or lower in the same course for the second time or receive a C- or lower in two separate courses will not be allowed to continue in the MSN program.

Requirements for the Degree

A total of 39-44 units are required for graduation. This includes the common core (27 units), an option (15-17 units), and a culminating experience (3 units). Students taking the comprehensive examination (0 units), must take an elective (3 units) approved by the graduate advisor.

At least half of the units must be at the 5000-level. To develop the 39-44 unit course of study, each student consults with an assigned graduate advisor who must approve the courses selected. Approval of the student’s graduate advisor is a specific prerequisite for enrollment in NURS 5970 , NURS 5995 , and NURS 5990 , for a total of 3 units to complete these courses.