Admission to MSN program

Admission to both the Graduate School and the Loewenberg School of Nursing is required.  Admission to the program will be based on competitive selection from the pool of applicants.  Multiple criteria will be used when considering applicant admission including, but not limited to, undergraduate and graduate grade point averages, professional experience, applicant interview and letters of recommendation.

Admission Requirements for all MSN Applicants:

• Cumulative GPA of 2.8 on a 4.0 scale.
• Current resume.
• Letter of interest from applicant addressed to the Admission Committee which discusses prior professional experience, future career goals, and reasons for pursuing graduate study.
• MSN recommendation forms completed by three individuals qualified to judge the applicant’s ability to be successful in graduate studies and practice in a leadership role.
• Interview with LSON graduate faculty if requested.
• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or institution. Applicants with a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than nursing are required to complete a 5 course Bridge Program (15 hours) before entering the graduate program.
• Meet the University of Memphis minimum TOEFL score requirement of 210 computer-based, 79 Internet-based, or 550 paper-pencil or a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 for students for whom English is a second language.

Admission Procedures

1. Complete admission to the U of M Graduate School.
2. Complete admission to the LSON School of Nursing.
3. Have 3 completed recommendation forms.

Only complete application files will be considered to an Admissions Committee. 

All Students admitted to graduate clinical practicum must have and maintain while in the program:

• An unrestricted license to practice as a registered nurse in Tennessee
• Current CPR certification
• Evidence of Heptavax, MMR, polio, and tetanus vaccination
• Rubella and Varicella titers
• Freedom from tuberculosis as evidenced by an annual negative PPD or health provider examination
• Evidence of current professional malpractice insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 in the aggregate

Admission Test

• The standardized admission test is successful completion of the NCLEX licensing examination.

Admission Requirements for BSN Applicants

• Completion of BSN
• An unrestricted registered nursing license to practice in Tennessee

Admission Requirements for RN/MSN (Applicants with a RN and BA/BS non-nursing major)

• An unrestricted registered nursing license to practice in Tennessee.
• Completion of a 13- unit RN/MSN nursing bridge sequence: NURS 3107, NURS 4120/6120, NURS 4127/6127, NURS 4110/6110, NURS 4327/6327.  RN/MSN graduates will not be awarded the BSN degree.

Admission Requirements for Generic MSN (non-registered nurse) applicants

• Completion of (12 hour) nursing support sequence: BIOL 2010/2011, BIOL 2020/2021, MMCS 1230/1231 with a grade of 3.0 or higher.
• Completion of undergraduate foundation, provider of care, coordinator of care courses with a cumulative grade point average of 2.8 or higher.  The BSN degree will be awarded when these undergraduate courses and the TBR minimum general education degree requirements are completed.
• Unrestricted license to practice as a registered nurse in Tennessee.

Note:  The Nurse Practice Acts in several states require that nurses hold an earned degree (AAS/BSN in nursing) or a diploma in nursing prior to successful completion of the NCLEX examination in order to obtain a registered nursing license in that state.  Generic master's students who licensed via a certificate program and then continued on to obtain an MSN as the first nursing degree would not be able to be licensed in those states.

Student Outcomes of the MSN Program:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and competencies in advanced nursing practice, teaching (in the classroom and in clinical settings), and administration.
2. Integrate specialized knowledge and theories from nursing and related disciplines into advanced nursing roles.
3. Use research to validate and refine knowledge relevant to advanced nursing roles.
4. Practice advanced nursing roles in collaborative relationships across disciplines and in partnership with communities (i.e. nursing education, nursing administration, nursing informatics, and advanced clinical practice).
5. Manage the health care of clients within legal, ethical, and professional standards.
6. Improve the health of clients among diverse population groups.
7. Promote positive changes in health care delivery, health policies, and nursing practice.