Master of Science in Nursing: Entry Level
Master of Science in Nursing: Entry Level
It's not too late to pursue nursing if you work in another field.
If you are currently not a nurse but interested in becoming one, the MSN entry level program is right for you.
Get started on the right foot with an excellent nursing reputation here.
Master's-prepared nurses have a reputation for high levels of clinical excellence, critical thinking, communication, and leadership potential. They are valued for their diverse life and educational experiences. Our nursing graduates advance rapidly, assume leadership positions, and acquire professional expertise in the practice of nursing because of the reputation of St. Catherine University and our rigorous nursing programs.
Designed for those with a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field, the entry level MSN program provides an efficient and accelerated nursing curriculum. You’ll develop graduate-level competencies in clinical leadership, evidence-based practice, teamwork and communication, healthcare economics and politics, and healthcare informatics.
During the program, you will gain experience addressing health inequities with clinical experiences in local and global settings that serve individuals from diverse backgrounds. Plus, our dedicated clinical placement coordinator ensures clinical placements for all students - added support you can't find at all institutions.
Our graduates benefit from our close connections with local healthcare employers, who expect competencies in:
- Analyzing ethical theories and approaches to decision-making in nursing practice and policies of care
- Understanding the unequal distribution of health and disease in global populations
- Leveraging informatics and IT to support and improve nursing practice
Prior to admission, applicants must complete five prerequisite courses: Anatomy and Physiology I & II, Microbiology, Statistics, and Lifespan Developmental Psychology. Graduates are eligible for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) and certification as public health nurses. Classroom, lab, and clinical components are delivered in on-campus, hybrid, and online formats. While the schedule offers some flexibility, students should reduce outside commitments to accommodate the demands of this intensive, full-time graduate program of study.
Students of all genders are welcome in the program.
Program at a Glance
Format: Hybrid, with some fully online courses
Start: Spring
Time to completion: 23 months
Credits required: 51
Tuition per credit: $995 (2023-24 rates)
Total tuition: $50,745
Rates are subject to change each June 1. Tuition and fee information
All applicants will be reviewed for MSN: Entry-Level scholarships
Accreditation
The MSN program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing. For successful admission and continuance in St. Catherine University’s prelicensure nursing programs, a specific set of essential cognitive, sensory, communication, psychomotor, and behavioral/emotional/spiritual health abilities are required to be performed with or without reasonable accommodations. Read the full requirements here. Learn more about accreditation and outcomes here.
Due to state-level regulations, we are unable to enroll students who will be residing in any of these states while enrolled in this program: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and Canada.
Start Transforming Your Career
Below are sample plans of study. For course descriptions and other details, consult the University catalog.
Spring
- Introduction to the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) (2 cr)
- Holistic Health Assessment / Clinical Experience I (3 cr)
- Pathophysiological and Pharmacological Bases for CNL Practice I (3 cr)
Summer
- Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr)
- Nursing Interventions I (4 cr)
- Clinical Experience II (1 cr)
Fall
- Leadership for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr)
- Pathophysiological and Pharmacological Bases for CNL Practice II (3 cr)
- Nursing Interventions II (1.5 cr)
- Clinical Experience III (0.5 cr)
J-term
- Clinical Immersion (2 cr)
Spring
- Biostatics (3 cr)
- Informatics (3 cr)
- Nursing Ethics (3 cr)
- Clinical Experience IV (0.5 cr)
Summer
- Evidence Based Practice (3 cr)
- CNL Role in Improving Care Outcomes (3 cr)
- Preceptorship I (1.5 cr)
Fall
- Preceptorship II (2 cr)
- CNL Project Implementation (2 cr)
- Transition to CNL Practice (2 cr)
- Nursing Interventions III (2 cr)
Exemptions to the University’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy may affect your ability to be placed at clinical and fieldwork sites and may result in inability to progress in your program. All health profession students with COVID-19 vaccine exemptions are required to sign the Healthcare Student COVID-19 Exemption Acknowledgement prior to applying to the programs. For more information, please contact (studentcompliance@stkate.edu) or your program of study director.
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St. Kate's Experience
Discover a supportive community invested in more than your academic success — we help you connect with your purpose. Our goal is to help each of our students develop the knowledge and empowerment to transcend what they thought was possible.
