Nursing: Accelerated RN-MSN Admissions

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• A completed associate’s degree in Nursing from an institution that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting organizations (e.g. Higher Learning Commission).
• Current and unencumbered registered nurse licensure
• Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above (calculated on all courses, including failed courses, completed within the past 10 years). Students ineligible for the nursing major because of GPA or nursing course grades may be reconsidered on an individual basis by petitioning the RN to MSN Committee on Students.
• Completion of 82 semester credits
• Show two years of experience in a helping field on their resume
• Minimum grade of C in all nursing courses

Application Form

Please read the application instructions below before completing the online application at the bottom of this page.

Admission essay

Prepare an admission essay that demonstrates written communication skills and clarifying your purpose in pursuing a graduate program in nursing. All applicants whose cumulative GPA is below 3.0 must also include an explanatory statement. Please submit one document addressing the following in separate essays and provide a separately titled section in the same document if submitting an Explanatory Statement. Do not exceed one typed, double spaced page for each topic.

1. Why do you feel the RN-MSN program at St. Catherine University is a good fit for you and your career aspirations?
2. In your opinion, what are the most pressing health care concerns that impact nurses today?
3. As an MSN-prepared nurse, what will you do to help reduce health disparities?
4. How do you anticipate applying learning from one of the three MSN specialization areas (Data Science, Nurse Educator, Nursing Business Management)?

If you have already submitted the RN-MSN application form, you may upload your admission essay via your Application Status page (instructions for accessing the status page were provided at the time you submitted the application). Please include your full name at the top of the essay.

If you wish to submit the admission essay prior to the application, or if you are unable to upload the document to your Application Status page, you may send the admission essay as an attachment via email to graduateadmission@stkate.edu with “RN-MSN Admission Essay” in the subject line.

Explanatory statement

If you are an applicant who does not meet the minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA requirement or received a grade of C or lower in any nursing course, please include an explanation of factors that affected previous academic performance, as well as your plan to ensure academic success in a graduate program. This statement should be limited to 400 words and is in addition to the admission essay described above.

Résumé

Submit a current résumé highlighting professional and volunteer experiences. If you have already submitted the RN-MSN application form, you may upload your résumé via your Application Status page (instructions for accessing the status page were provided at the time you submitted the application).
If you wish to submit the résumé prior to the application, or if you are unable to upload the document to your Application Status page, you may send the résumé as an attachment via email to graduateadmission@stkate.edu with “RN-MSN Résumé” in the subject line.

Recommendations

Two recommendations are required for RN-MSN applicants. Please complete the Recommendations section of the application form, including names/contact information for your recommenders, before you submit the application form. Recommender information cannot be added to the application after it has been submitted. At least one recommendation should be from a current supervisor; the other recommendation may be from a professor or other employer. Personal references are not acceptable.

A link to the recommendation form will be sent when the Recommendations section of the application form has been completed. Please alert your references in advance to expect an email from St. Catherine University. These are confidential recommendations submitted directly from the references to the Office of Graduate Admission; applicants who wish to view the recommendations are responsible for making the appropriate arrangements with their references.

Transcripts

To review your admission file, we'll need transcripts from the college or university from which you earned your bachelor's credits and, if applicable, graduate credits. If you completed fewer than 60 credits at your bachelor's institution, you may be asked to submit additional undergraduate transcripts. St. Kate's will review your admission file and make offers of acceptance using unofficial transcripts uploaded by you to your St. Kate's admission portal. However, official transcripts sent directly from your bachelor's and graduate (if applicable) degree-granting institutions are required, and must be received before registration for courses is allowed.

Need assistance finding out how to order your official transcripts? Contact your admission counselor for help! See contact information at the bottom of this page. All documents must be up-to-date and include your name, institution name, all courses taken with grades and degrees received (if applicable). Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded using your applicant status page (a link is sent once you’ve started an application) or sent as an attachment to graduateadmission@stkate.edu.

To be considered official, electronic transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing college or university to St. Kate's (at graduateadmission@stkate.edu). Paper transcripts must be mailed in a sealed envelope directly from the registrar of each institution to the Office of Graduate Admission at St. Catherine University (see address below).

Language Test Scores

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit scores from one of the following: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based test or 80 on the iBT; the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.5; or the Duolingo English Test with a minimum score of 105. This requirement is waived for applicants who have completed a baccalaureate or graduate degree in the United States.

Credential Evaluation

Applicants with a college or university degree completed outside of the United States must submit an official course-by-course evaluation from a NACES-approved agency such as World Education Services (WES) or SpanTran. Original transcripts and official translations of all documents not in English must also be included. All costs related to document translation and evaluation are the applicant’s responsibility.

Submitting Materials

Please review all application instructions. Once you’ve submitted the online application, you will have access to your Application Status page to upload any supporting documents (instructions for accessing the status page were emailed at the time you submitted the application). If you are unable to upload electronic documents to your Application Status page, you may send items as an attachment via email to adultcollege@stkate.edu. Paper documents may be mailed to:

St. Catherine University
College for Adults #4061
2004 Randolph Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105