Master of Science in Nursing

Graduates with an MSN degree from Southern are highly respected and sought after in the workplace. Our graduate nursing students have a significant job-placement record in their chosen fields and an excellent certification-exam pass rate. And with the employment for MSN nurses projected to grow 30 percent over the next 10 years—much faster than other occupations—you'll be positioned for success.

How the program works

Classes meet on Tuesdays to accommodate students who are combining work, home, and school. Full-time and part-time enrollment options can be customized to fit your life.

Any student wishing to complete clinical experiences outside the State of TN must verify that State is a member of NC-SARA and seek permission from that State Board of Nursing. Clinical placements in some States may not be able to be accommodated due to specific State Board of Nursing regulations.

Online option for the Nurse Educator emphasis
The MSN is also offered completely online for the Nurse Educator emphasis.

Eligibility and prerequisites

• Bachelor's degree:  A bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited program
• GPA requirement:  A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0
• Course in statistics:  An undergraduate or graduate course in statistics (3 credit hours)
• Licensure:  Current RN licensure in the state or country of practice
• Work experience:  A minimum of two years (4,000 hours) of current nursing experience
• Acute-care emphases: Applicants should have substantive experience in critical care or a related area and submit documentation of critical-care skill set with application.

Application deadlines

All application steps are to be fully completed by the dates listed.

Admission process

1. Graduate application:  Submit a graduate application (with non-refundable fee of $40). Apply now
2. Transcripts:  Submit official college and university transcripts. Many institutions subscribe to the convenient transcript-request service at National Student Clearinghouse, or you may also contact your institution directly. Have your transcripts sent to Melodie Lopez in the Graduate Studies office (malopez@southern.edu). If you earned your prerequisite degree at Southern, you do not need to complete this step.
3. Recommendations:  Submit three recommendation forms (completed by work supervisors or professors). This should be done as part of the online application process, or Download PDF.
4. Written statement:  Submit a statement describing your purpose and goals for pursuing this degree. Your statement should be thoughtfully written to demonstrate your writing skills. It should be submitted through your Application Status Page.
5. Resumé:  Submit your current resumé through your Application Status Page.
6. Interview:  Schedule a faculty interview after completing your Graduate application from your Application Status Page.

Once you are accepted

Before enrolling, we will need acceptable documentation of these items. Email documents to jlthompson@southern.edu.

• Personal Health Assessment and Physical Exam Download form
• Criminal background check Download Form
• Medical-information disclosure and drug-screen consent Download Form
• Current health information and immunizations Download Form
• CPR/BLS certification from the American Heart Association
  
• Hospital orientation documentation (email to jlthompson@southern.edu), or you may take the online TCPS general orientation quiz Download Form

International students

Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States are considered international students and must meet additional requirements for admission.

• View international-student admission requirements »

  1. Applicants from non-English institutions must submit certified English translations and evaluations of official university records, including demonstration of the equivalency of a bachelor's degree.
     Transcript evaluations must be submitted directly to Southern from one of the following agencies:
  • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.: ece.org »
  • Foreign Credits: foreigncredits.com »
  • World Education Services: wes.org »
    
    
  2. Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must demonstrate English proficiency.
     Unless an applicant is a native English speaker or received the college/university degree from an English-medium institution, s/he must have a minimum TOEFL score of 100. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Learn more at ets.org/toefl »
     
     
  3. Submit Declaration of Finances.
     International students must have financial resources sufficient to support themselves for the calendar year, in addition to an international-student deposit of $3,000 (USD). Download Form

  • • To be issued an I-20 Form, students must also provide a letter from financial sponsors (including their name and address), as well as copies of bank statements for the last three months showing the balance history for the student's account or the financial sponsor's account.

International students who will be coming to Southern's campus need some additional information about travel documents and living on campus.

More Information

Graduate assistantships

For more information about becoming a graduate assistant, please contact the graduate enrollment counselor.

• Clinical Lab Assistant  Download PDF
• Graduate Teaching Assistant  Download PDF

Faculty

Barbara James

Dean
bjames@southern.edu
423.236.2942

Ronda Christman

Associate Professor
rchristman@southern.edu
423.236.2153

Holly Gadd

Professor
hgadd@southern.edu
423.236.2961

Frances Johnson

Professor
francesj@southern.edu
423.236.2973

Michael Liedke

Assistant Professor
maliedke@southern.edu
423.236.2958

Beth Scott

Professor
bethscott@southern.edu
423.236.2948

Lilly Tryon

Associate Professor
ltryon@southern.edu
423.236.2154

Maria Valenca

Professor
valencam@southern.edu
423.236.2952