Nursing M.S.

The Master of Science in Nursing program is designed to prepare individuals for careers in service, education, primary care and research. 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, research 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 Certificate program, a RN-MSN option, 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 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 should be able to:

1. Integrate scientific knowledge and theories from nursing and related disciplines into advanced nursing practice;
2. Apply organizational and systems leadership principles and methods for the promotion and evaluation of quality, ethical, and safe patient care;
3. Translate, integrate, and disseminate scientific evidence into practice;
4. Utilize technologies to deliver, enhance, integrate, and coordinate communication, education, and patient care;
5. Intervene at the systems level through the policy development process and employ advocacy strategies to influence health care;
6. Manage care through collaboration with other health care professional as a member and leader of health care teams; and
7. 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:

1. Submit three professional and/or academic references;
2. Submit transcripts verifying a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 for the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate work;
3. Hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from a nationally accredited College; RN-MSN applicants must hold either an Associate Degree in Nursing or Diploma in Nursing.
4. Show proof of current licensure as a Registered Nurse in the state(s) where clinical practicum will occur;
5. Complete an undergraduate statistics course with a grade of “C" or better;
6. Submit either a two-page essay or video describing reasons for seeking a particular MSN degree and plans for the future.
7. A satisfactory score on the verbal/quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The entrance exam requirement is waived for MSN applicants with a grade point average of 3.2 or above for the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate course work. RN-MSN applicants are required to take the entrance exam.
8. 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.
9. 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.

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 Associate Dean 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 Associate Dean. All coursework applied to the degree must be taken within a six-year period of time.

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.
• Satisfactory completion of all degree requirements.