RN to Master of Science in Nursing

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The Accelerated RN to MSN program is designed for registered nurses who have some years of experience and can manage an expedited approach to a graduate degree.

How the program works

Graduate nursing 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.

Graduates earn the MSN without receiving a bachelor's degree, though the program includes general-education courses and some nursing courses required for the BSN (view Course guide below).  

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.

To get an inside look at Southern’s nursing programs, download The Complete Guide to Advanced Nursing Degrees at Southern Adventist University.

Undergraduate requirements

A specific set of general-education and cognate courses are required of RN-to-MSN students. These classes are typically to be completed before registering for graduate-level courses. Your adviser can discuss the parameters for transferring credits from another institution.

Eligibility and prerequisites

• Degree or diploma:  Associate’s degree or diploma in nursing from an accredited program
• GPA requirement:  A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.25
• 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 need to have substantive experience in critical care or a related area and submit documentation of their critical-care skill set with application. 

Application deadlines

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

Term	U.S. Residents	International
Fall	April 1	March 1
Winter	October 1	August 1

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 the Graduate Studies office (gradtranscripts@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.
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. Upload them through your Application Status Page.

• Personal Health Assessment and Physical Exam Download form
• Criminal background check Download Form
• Medical-information disclosure consent Download Form
• Drug-Screen
• Current health information and immunizations Download Form
• CPR/BLS certification from the American Heart Association
  
• Current Nursing License

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. All non-U.S. transcripts must be submitted through one of the following approved credential evaluation agencies:
     • SpanTran: use this link to send to Southern
     • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc (ECE): www.ece.org
     • World Education Services: www.wes.org
     Evaluations are to be sent directly to Southern, Graduate Studies, by the service. All evaluation reports are considered to be advisory. Southern reserves the right to make final equivalency decisions.
  2. Certification of English proficiency.
     See School specific requirements in the Graduate Catalog. Scores are valid for two years from the test date. Learn more at:
     • ets.org/toefl »
     • englishtest.duolingo.com/en »
  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

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