Nursing M.S.
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program is designed to prepare individuals for careers in service, education, and primary care. Emphasis is given to developing the advanced practice skills necessary to provide expert nursing care to clients either directly through clinical practice, or indirectly through the avenues of administration or education. Utilizing advanced knowledge and critical thinking skills along with a foundational caring philosophy and health promotion, the program prepares individuals to meet new challenges and the provision of holistic health care. Essential leadership and management skills are integrated with current theory and research in these areas.
The Master of Science in Nursing program builds on UT Tyler’s undergraduate program in nursing and provides a firm basis for doctoral level education. There are several specialty options for the MSN degree: Administration, Education, and Nurse Practitioner. There is also a Nursing Administration Certificate program, Nursing Education Certificate program, a Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate program, a Nursing Informatics, Quality & Safety Certificate program, and a coordinated MSN/MBA degree plan.
The MSN-Administration degree prepares the graduate to apply leadership and management skills to become the essential link between the vision and mission of the larger health care organization and the unit-based system of patient care. Students develop expertise in resource allocation through using professional skills in assessing and analyzing health care needs in the practice setting.
The MSN-Education degree prepares the graduate to apply teaching-leaning theory, principles of curriculum development, evaluation methodology and role socialization as a nurse educator in various settings including health care organizations and institutions of higher learning. The graduate develops expertise as an educator of nursing students, patients, consumers and other individuals and groups.
The MSN-Family Nurse Practitioner degree prepares the graduate for advanced clinical practice roles across the lifespan in various settings. The graduate develops expertise as a primary care provider with advanced practice skills in the assessment and management of health needs as well as in patient education, consultant and researcher roles.
The coordinated MSN-MBA degree prepares the nurse executive to ensure excellence in client care services and also to impact the business environment in which nurses practice. This degree plan incorporates content in management, leadership, economics, finance, and marketing into a framework for nursing service and health care administration. Students enrolling for this coordinated degree option must meet the admission requirements for both Nursing and Business Administration.
The Nursing Administration Certificate program prepares the master’s-prepared nurse to apply leadership and management skills to become the essential link between the vision and mission of the larger health care organization and the unit-based system of patient care. Resource allocation expertise, using professional skills in assessing and analyzing health care needs in the practice setting, is developed.
The Nursing Education Certificate program prepares the master's-prepared nurse to apply teaching-learning theory, principles of curriculum development, evaluation methodology, and role socialization as a nurse educator in a variety of settings. The program is designed to provide essential knowledge and skills required by nurse educators and facilitate the transition of the nurse from the clinical setting into the role of nurse educator.
The Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate program prepares the master’s-prepared nurse for advanced clinical practice roles across the lifespan in various settings. The graduate develops expertise as a primary care provider with advanced practice skills in the assessment and management of health needs as well as in patient education, consultant and researcher roles.
The Nursing Informatics, Quality & Safety Certificate program prepares baccalaureate or higher degree prepared nurses as informaticists. The graduate develops skills to serve as the essential link among health care information systems, health care providers, and consumers.
Objectives
At the completion of the Master’s program, the graduate will be able to:
- Integrate scientific knowledge and theories from nursing and related disciplines into advanced nursing practice;
- Apply organizational and systems leadership principles and methods for the promotion and evaluation of quality, ethical, and safe patient care;
- Translate, integrate, and disseminate scientific evidence into practice;
- Utilize technologies to deliver, enhance, integrate, and coordinate communication, education, and patient care;
- Intervene at the systems level through the policy development process and employ advocacy strategies to influence health care;
- Manage care through collaboration with other health care professional as a member and leader of health care teams; and
- Integrate organizational client centered concepts to provide preventive and population-based care.
Admission Requirements
Students applying for admission to the MSN program are expected to submit a portfolio for evaluation consisting of the following:
- Submit three professional and/or academic references;
- Submit transcripts verifying a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 for the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate work*;
- Hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from a nationally accredited College;
- Show proof of current licensure as a Registered Nurse in the state(s) where clinical practicum will occur;
- Complete an undergraduate statistics course with a grade of “C" or better;
- Submit either a two-page essay or video describing reasons for seeking a particular MSN degree and plans for the future.
- Applicants from countries other than the United States must also meet the admission requirements for international students seeking a graduate degree as listed in the University catalog.
- Consideration for admission is also given to one or more of the following: the applicant’s demonstrated commitment to his or her chosen field of study; socioeconomic background; and involvement and level of responsibility related to other factors, including extracurricular activities, employment, community service, first generation of family to graduate from an undergraduate program, family responsibility for raising children, multilingual proficiency, or geographic region of residence.
- Only for applicants to the nurse practitioner degree program: In the last four years, one year of full-time work experience as a nurse prior to application is needed. This experience should be direct patient care involving patient assessment and medication administration.
* Students who do not meet the GPA requirement for full admission may be granted Conditional admission based on satisfactory scores on the verbal/quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in combination with GPA for the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work.
Criminal Background and Urine Drug Screening Checks and CPR Requirements
All applicants who are admitted to an MSN degree program in the School of Nursing are required to complete a criminal background check and urine drug screening. No student will be allowed entry to a nursing course without a clear report or a letter from the Texas Board of Nursing certifying that any criminal history is not a danger to the public. Applicants must have current BCLS CPR certification before beginning clinical courses.
Semester Credit Hour Limitations
A student may not register for graduate nursing courses unless they have the permission of the School of Nursing Executive Director or are fully or conditionally admitted into the graduate nursing program.
Transfer of Credit
A student may transfer a maximum of nine semester hours of graduate credit in which a grade of “B” or better has been earned from approved institutions. Transfer credit is subject to the approval of the School of Nursing Executive Director. All coursework applied to the degree must be taken within a six-year period of time.
Degree Requirements for MSN Degrees
Core Courses (18 hours)
The following courses are core courses that must be taken by students in the MSN-ADM, MSN-EDU, MSN-FNP, and MSN-MBA.
The following courses are taken according to the role the student selects within the MSN option.
MSN-Administration (36 hours)
The role area of administration requires four courses (three theoretical/practicum courses consisting of 37.5 practicum hours each and one cognate course). The student may also select electives of interest to complete the 36 SCH required for the degree.
MSN Core Courses (18 hours)
MSN-ADM Required Courses (18 hours)
| NURS 5331 | Leadership in the Healthcare Environment | |
| NURS 5335 | Legal, Regulatory, and Financial Management | |
| NURS 5337 | Nursing Administration: Delivery of Care | |
Plus one of the following MANA courses:
MSN-Education (36 hours)
The role area of education consists of four required courses (one integrated practice courses, two theoretical nursing education courses and one practicum course consisting of 112.5 practicum hours).
MSN Core Courses (18 hours)
Electives (6 hours)
MSN-EDU Required Courses (12 hours)
The role area of education consists of four required courses.
| NURS 5327 | Nursing Education Curriculum Development | |
| NURS 5328 | Evaluation in Nursing Education | |
| NURS 5329 | Nurse Educator Role Strategies and Practicum | |
| NURS 5355 | Integrated Advanced Health Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology | |
| | 6 free elective hours | |
MSN-Family Nurse Practitioner (47 hours)
The role area of family nurse practitioner requires ten courses (listed below). With the exception of NURS 5350, NURS 5354, and NURS 5111, all FNP courses have a clinical component. A total of 47 SCH and 675 clinical hours are required for the degree.
MSN Core Courses (18 hours)
MSN-FNP Required Courses (29 hours)
The Coordinated M.S.N./M.B.A.
Students enrolling for this coordinated degree option must meet the admission requirements listed elsewhere in this catalog for both Business Administration and Nursing. Students complete a total of 63 SCH. In addition to the 36 hours required for the MSN degree, students take 36 hours of coursework for the MBA. Nine of the hours for each degree are shared electives, resulting in the dual degree for 63 hours rather than the 72 hours required if each degree is pursued separately. The MSN and MBA degrees are awarded simultaneously at graduation.
MSN Core Courses (18 hours)
MSN-MBA Required Courses (18 hours)
| NURS 5331 | Leadership in the Healthcare Environment | |
| NURS 5335 | Legal, Regulatory, and Financial Management | |
| NURS 5337 | Nursing Administration: Delivery of Care | |
MBA Coursework (36 hours)
The Soules College of Business Graduate Advisor develops the MBA portion of the dual degree plan.
Graduation Requirements
All candidates for a Master of Science in Nursing degree at The University of Texas at Tyler must meet the following requirements:
- A minimum grade-point of 3.0 on all graduate level work taken at UT Tyler. No course with a grade below “B” may be applied toward this degree.
- Nursing courses within a MSN curriculum may be repeated only once.
- Only two courses may be repeated. Exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances.
- Only two course withdrawals are permitted. Exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances.
- Satisfactory completion of all degree requirements.