A 44-credit hours program that prepares advanced practice registered nurses to deliver advanced nursing care and services to adult patients with complex acute, critical, and chronic health conditions.

Core MSN Required Courses (12 credit hours):

NURS 7021 - Scholarly Nursing I** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7022 - Scholarly Nursing II** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7023 - Population Health in Our Global Society** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7024 - Nursing Leadership Technologies** Credit Hours: 3

Advanced Nursing Practice Core Required Courses (10 credit hours):

NURS 7101 - Advanced Health Assessment** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7102 - Advanced Health Assessment, Clinical** Credit Hours: 1
NURS 7103 - Advanced Pathophysiology** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7104 - Advanced Pharmacology** Credit Hours: 3

Adult Gerontology-Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration Required Courses (22 credit hours):

NURS 7621 - AG-ACNP I** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7622 - AG-ACNP I Practicum** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7623 - AG-ACNP II** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7624 - AG-ACNP II Practicum** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7625 - AG-ACNP III** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7626 - AG-ACNP III Practicum** Credit Hours: 3
NURS 7629 - AG-ACNP Roles   Transition to Practice Residency** Credit Hours: 4

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A 31-credit hour program that prepares the student as a nurse educator to teach in schools of nursing programs and in various health care system settings. Students will learn about nursing and education theories, learning strategies, curricular development, and develop skills in different teaching methodologies. View Full-time Curriculum >  View Part-time Curriculum >

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A 40-credit program that prepares advanced practice nurses who deliver primary health care to all ages; individuals and families throughout the lifespan and across the health continuum. Students will be provided with knowledge and clinical skills necessary for health promotion, disease prevention, assessment, and management of common acute and chronic illnesses. View Part-time Curriculum > 

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A 33-credit hour program prepares nurses for advanced leadership roles in various healthcare systems. The Nursing Leadership MSN aligns with the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Nurse Leader Core Competencies. View Full-time Curriculum >  View Part-time Curriculum > 

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This is a direct pathway for licensed RNs with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree to pursue an MSN in FNP, Nursing Education, or Nursing Leadership concentrations. 

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The goals of the Master of Science in Nursing program are to:

1. Educate baccalaureate-prepared registered nurses for advanced roles in advanced nursing practice (APRN), nursing education, and nursing leadership.
2. Prepare life-long scholars well-equipped to translate evidence into practice.
3. Produce well-prepared graduates to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care, leading healthcare system transformation and facilitating exceptional teaching and learning.
4. Prepare graduates to properly and effectively apply interprofessional communication, current technologies, and professionalism to advance health, health policy, and health equity for diverse populations from local to global.
5. Produce graduates with exceptional leadership attributes that lead to ethical practice, patient advocacy, attention to quality & safety, and commitment to advancing the professional nursing discipline.

Graduates of the MSN program are prepared to:

1. Synthesize and integrate advanced knowledge from nursing, liberal arts, and natural and social sciences to transform and advance nursing practice and promote excellence in clinical judgment and innovation.
2. Develop and apply person-centered, culturally sensitive care focused on delivering health promoting and disease-preventing interventions.
3. Analyze and develop collaborative practices to reduce health disparities, promote equitable healthcare delivery, and influence health policy while advocating for optimal health across populations and healthcare settings from local to global.
4. Apply innovative, high-quality healthcare to various populations by translating evidence to practice and evaluating outcomes at an advanced level.
5. Apply the most current quality and safety principles, including quality improvement, a culture of safety, civility, and respect, to mitigate risks for patients and healthcare professionals.
6. Use effective communication methods and leadership strategies to foster the development and facilitation of diverse and inclusive interprofessional partnerships to enhance health outcomes.
7. Employ evidence-based leadership practices within complex and evolving healthcare systems to provide safe, high-quality, equitable, and innovative care.
8. Utilize current information technologies to communicate, manage, and improve care delivery through knowledge discovery, data analysis and management, and the accessing and applying of standards and policies.
9. Demonstrate and advance nursing professionalism by applying nursing core values (e.g., integrity, courage, advocacy, autonomy, equity, and justice) and ethical practices in diverse settings.
10. Develop and demonstrate a commitment to self-care and well-being, professional maturity, and population advocacy through nursing leadership.

Admission Requirements for All MSN Applicants

1. Eligibility to practice as a registered nurse in Tennessee or in an approved state in which clinical assignments are completed. Appropriate licensure/authorization must be obtained prior to the start of the program.
2. An undergraduate minimum cumulative or all undergraduate nursing course grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
3. Applicants with a 2.75 - 2.99 GPA may be assigned to take two concurrent graduate nursing courses as a non-degree seeking student. If grades of B or better are earned in both courses, the student may be admitted to the MSN program.
4. Personal statement which discusses prior professional experience, future career goals, and reasons for pursuing graduate study.
5. Professional resume/CV reflecting current/recent clinical nursing practice. 
6. Letters of recommendation from at least three persons familiar with the applicant’s academic and professional background and experience in nursing practice, specifying in detail the applicant’s capabilities for graduate study and for future practice as an advanced practice nurse. It is recommended that at least one letter is provided by a former nursing professor.
7. Students transferring from another graduate nursing program must submit a letter of good standing and transcript from the dean/director of the previous nursing program.
8. Successful completion of the NCLEX-RN.
9. Successful completion of 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of undergraduate statistics.
10. All applicants who will be attending the University on a student visa who are not native speakers of English and are not graduates of The University of Memphis must meet the minimum language proficiency requirements set by the University of Memphis Graduate School. Refer to the graduate catalog.

1. Completion of BSN.
2. An unrestricted registered nursing license to practice in Tennessee or a license to practice in an approved state in which clinical assignments are to be completed.
3. Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner applicants need a hand-signed letter from a manager/director (not a charge nurse) stating you have 2 years of full-time RN experience within the last 3 years in ICU and/or ER with the specific name of the unit(s) worked. For example, emergency dept., CVICU, medical ICU, surgical ICU, transplant ICU, etc.

1. Completion of a non-nursing bachelor’s degree.
2. An unrestricted registered nursing license to practice in Tennessee or license to practice in an approved state in which clinical assignments are to be completed.
3. Completion of the following undergraduate nursing prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better taken at LCON:
   • NURS 3007 Professional Nursing for RNs** Credit Hours: (3)
   • NURS 4108 Transcul Nursing of Div Popul** Credit Hours: (3)
   • NURS 4111 EBP & Rsch in Nursing for RNs** Credit Hours: (3) 

4. For Nursing Leadership RN to MSN applicants only- Completion of prerequisite nursing courses in Health Assessment, Pharmacology, and Pathophysiology via one of the following methods:
   • Completion of undergraduate or graduate Health Assessment, Pharmacology, and Pathophysiology courses with a grade of C or better.
   • Credit by examination for these three undergraduate courses.
   • Completion of graduate NURS 7105 & 7106 Health Assessment, Pharmacology, and Pathophysiology for Nurse Educators with Lab.
   • Courses may also be transferred in on a case-by-case basis.  

5. The minimum undergraduate GPA must be met after completion of the prerequisite courses. 
6. RN to MSN graduates will not be awarded the BSN degree.

1. Fall semester applications are received between September 1^st  and July 1^st  
2. Spring semester applications are received between May 1^st and December 1^st
3. Applications are reviewed by a panel of graduate directors and faculty on an ongoing basis (rolling admission). The LCON aims to notify applicants of their acceptance status in a timely fashion. Applicants are encouraged to apply early in the application period.

• Students enrolled in the MSN program must complete 31-46 semester hours (based on concentration area)
• Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 GPA (“B”). Grades of “D” and “F” will not apply toward any graduate degree, but will be computed in the GPA. No more than 7 hours of “C-“, “C,” or “C+” will be applied towards meeting degree requirements.
• Students must earn a grade of “B” or better in all clinical and lab courses (NURS 7102; NURS 7602; NURS 7604; NURS 7606; NURS 7609; NURS 7207; NURS 7209; NURS 7909) in order to graduate.
• Academic disqualification from the graduate nursing major will occur when the student:
  • fails to maintain a 3.0 GPA in graduate school.
  • fails to earn a grade of “B” (3.0) or better when repeating a course.
  • willfully misrepresents patient data or clinical practice.
  • willfully places any patient in physical or emotional jeopardy.
  • is placed on probation by the Tennessee Board of Nursing.
  • fails to disclose a felony conviction.
  • fails to disclose disciplinary action or diversion by the Tennessee Board of Nursing.
  • fails to complete all degree requirements within five years of entering graduate nursing coursework.
• All requirements for the MSN degree must be completed in 5 calendar years.

Applicants to online and hybrid nursing programs must be residents of a state in which the Loewenberg College of Nursing is authorized to provide distance education. The Loewenberg College of Nursing is NOT authorized to offer distance education in California. Students who reside outside of Tennessee and plan to enroll in an online program of study that leads to advanced nursing licensure are individually responsible for verifying that the program meets the requirements for advanced licensure in their state. Online nursing students should contact the state licensing body from which they will be seeking licensure to ensure eligibility requirements.

Students who relocate to California, in which LCON is not authorized to offer distance education, will be required to fulfill their remaining course requirements in Tennessee or another authorized state, or to withdraw from the program.

• National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (http://nc-sara.org).