Accelerated MSN Programs
These days, there is a greater number of second-degree learners that are turning to nursing. This created a demand for accelerated programs that are supposed to fast-track baccalaureate and master's degree programs. Second-degree students are esteemed at a higher stage because they bring with them a wealth of knowledge, energy, and experience; things that first-degree learners have yet to attain.
According to the AACN or the American Association of Colleges Nursing, there are currently 85 accelerated MSN programs in the country. This substantial increase in the number of Accelerated MSN programs is needed to fill what is currently being demanded.
The nursing shortage, as it seems, is here to stay. This has given birth to the alleviated needs in accelerating the existing nursing programs. If accelerated BSN offers a quick transition from a different career to nursing; the Accelerated MSN program (also referred to as Direct Entry MSN program) offers an additional option for the non-nursing BS graduate.
Program Overview
The curricula for Direct Entry Masters Programs usually consists of basic nursing courses in the first year of the program and moving on to include core graduate and specialization courses for the remaining period. These programs are intensive and fast-paced in nature, combining theoretical classroom instruction with clinical coursework. Some programs offer nursing courses online, or in hybrid classes while others offer evening/weekends classes but clinicals are invariably scheduled in intense programs that include working hours.
Because of the intensity of the program, courses are being offered back-to-back without any break. The students’ rigorous schedule may hamper the possibility of working while schooling.
Some programs offer you a chance to leave the program with a BSN at the halfway mark of the programs while others don’t but the first phase of the program will consist of the theoretical and clinical components covered by a traditional BSN program.
You will be required to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) before launching into graduate level courses. You may have the option of the completing advanced graduate-level courses on a part-time basis which will extend the time it takes to complete the program by an average of two semesters.
Areas of specialization available to Direct Entry MSN students include clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, nurse administrator, nurse leader, nurse midwife, psychiatric, nurse anesthetist etc. You will usually be required to select your area of specialization at the time of application.
Admission Requirements
Direct Entry MSN programs generally have different requirements depending on the institution running the programs. Most programs require at least a 3.0 GPA in prior undergraduate courses, recommendation letters, and personal interviews as part of the admission process. The quality of your previous course work and professional work experience can also reflect on your application. Some of the more competitive programs will require you to submit GRE grades although this may be waived in some instances.
You will need to complete some combination of nursing pre-requisites including human anatomy/physiology, biology/microbiology, chemistry/biochemistry, behavioral sciences, and statistics.
Costs of Accelerated MSN Programs
Accelerated MSN programs usually have separate tuition schemes for the two parts of the program. Some institutions levy a flat rate for the pre-licensure phase of the program and transfer to postgraduate rates in the second half. The total cost of the program will depend on the tuition rates of the institution running the program and the amount and level of pre-requisite coursework that you have already completed. Financial aid for accelerated nursing programs may be harder to come by but more and more employers are offering a tuition replacement program to graduates from such programs.
Scholarships may be available but they are very scarce. One very well known scholarship for accelerated MSN students is the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation or RWJF New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) Scholarship program. They have recently announced that they intend to award $10,000 to 400 students that are going to take accelerated programs. This is the best time to get started on your plan to enroll in an accelerated MSN program.
We do have a large database of scholarships that contain a wide range of financial aid opportunities. You should take a look.
Prospects
Graduates from the Direct Entry MSN program are valued by employers who value the experience and the more diverse set of skills these students usually possess. Graduates from this program are also encouraged to fill the shortage in nursing faculty by becoming educators in the nursing field due to the wider experience and of achievement in the intensive program they bring.
Accelerated MSN Programs
Currently, there are 87 nursing schools across 28 states that offer accelerated MSN programs.
Alabama
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) started off as a medical college, established in 1859. In 1969 it became an independent institution and has expanded to provide a variety of undergrad and graduate programs. While it has gone through many changes, the UAB is now a major university with a nationally recognized academic health center. The UAB is a popular school, with enrollment ...
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL
The University of South Alabama (USA) is a public university located in Mobile. Established in 1963, the university now encompasses ten colleges and schools and provides a wide range of undergrad and graduate degree programs. Besides nursing, these colleges provide degrees in medicine, basic medical sciences, and physical therapy. It is one of two state-supported medical schools. The ...
Arizona
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ
The University of Arizona is a public university with significant enrollment numbers. Over 43,000 students enrolled last year. The school was founded in 1885, making it the first university established in the Arizona Territory. The main campus includes over 179 buildings covering over a mile of land in central Tucson. The university is affiliated with two local academic medical centers ...
California
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, CA
Azusa Pacific University (APU) is a private interdenominational Christian university in Azusa, California. It was founded in 1899 and, in 2017, it ranked as one of the top US universities. The main campus is about 26 miles northeast of Los Angeles, with five other campuses throughout Southern California. The school currently offers 76 different undergraduate degree programs, along with 47 ...
California Baptist University
Riverside, CA
California Baptist University (CBU) was founded in 1950 and is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The original campus was in El Monte, California. While only 120 students enrolled the first year, the university soon outgrew its buildings. The university relocated to Riverside and now has a student body of close to 10,000. Over the years, it has been ranked several times as one ...
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA
California State University Long Beach (CSULB) was founded in 1949 by the governor of California Earl Warren. The original campus included just two apartment buildings. The following year, the citizens of Long Beach purchased 322 acres for the new campus and enrollment grew steadily. From 1959 to 1964, the student body increased from 10,000 to 30,000. CSULB is part of the California State ...
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
Los Angeles, CA
The Charles R. Drew University School of Nursing granted initial full accreditation by both the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The program is intended to train students to offer excellent patient care in a culturally sensitive manner. The two year, six semester nursing curriculum is designed to equip students from ...
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, CA
Loma Linda University is a private university offering more than 100 programs to undergrads and grads. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and part of the Seventh-day Adventist education system. The on-campus church has a large congregation, with over 7,000 members from the Loma Linda area. Since the ...
Samuel Merritt University
Oakland, CA
Samuel Merritt University (SMU) was founded in 1909 as a private, non-profit hospital school of nursing. The campus is located within the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland. SMU is a health sciences university with a focus on nursing programs. Nursing degrees are available for both undergrads and grads, with additional graduate programs for physical therapy, occupational therapy, ...
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco State University is a public university in San Francisco and part of the California State University system that includes 23-campuses. Founded in 1899 as a school for training teachers, the college has expanded over the years and now offers 118 different bachelor’s degrees and 94 master’s degrees. The school has a large student body, with over 24,000 admissions for ...
United States University
San Diego, CA
The United States University MSN-FNP program offers Registered Nurses who have a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science to upgrade professionally. The program is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior Commission, and approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). The program consists of 49 credit hours and 720 clinical hours. Classroom ...
University of California-San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
The University of California Master of Science in Nursing program is intended to prepare leaders for advance roles as clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, administrator, nurse mid-wife, consultant and teacher. The courses offered in this program provide advanced instruction from nursing and other disciples to offer advanced theoretical instruction, skills of assessment, ...
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA
The University of San Diego Master of Science emphasizes advanced focus in nursing in theory, practice and research. The faculty of the USD nursing program work to maintain strong research program allowing the school to be awarded the largest research grant in the history of the University. The Nursing Clinical Simulation Laboratory is the only one of its kind in the state of California ...
Connecticut
Georgia
Albany State University
Albany, GA
Albany State University is a public university in Albany and part of the University System of Georgia. Albany is a medium-size city on the Flint River and home to several higher education institutions besides Albany State University. The university is a historically black university (HBCU) and the largest of the three HBCUs in Georgia. It was founded in 1903 as the Albany Bible and Manual ...
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Emory University is a private, non-profit university in Atlanta. The Atlanta location may appeal to students who want access to the city life, including dining, entertainment, and shopping. Emory University has an incredibly low student to faculty ratio. With nine students for every one faculty member, most classrooms offer plenty of interactions between the students and the professors and ...
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA
Kennesaw State University (KSU) is a public research university with two main campuses in Marietta and Kennesaw, Georgia. These cities are suburbs of Atlanta, giving students close access to one of the largest metro areas in the South. Kennesaw is an interesting city and one of the only places to have a mandatory firearm law. KSU is one of the largest universities in Georgia, with over 35,000 ...
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA
Valdosta State University is a public university and part of the University System of Georgia. The campus is set on 168-acres of land in the center of Valdosta, Georgia. Valdosta is a small city on the southern border of Georgia and is mostly known for the university and the abundance of azaleas grown in the region. The university serves over 11,000 students with both undergrad and grad ...
Hawaii
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI
The UHM is located in Honolulu, Hawaii. This school is a public co-educational university that offers both graduate and undergraduate degrees. It has many programs for students to choose from and it is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. This is a very old school established back in 1907. It serves well over 17,000 students and has a reputation as one of the very ...
Illinois
Iowa
Maine
University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME
The University of Southern Maine in Portland, Maine is a public university with both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It is also part of the University of Maine System that includes 8 campuses in the state. The university was founded in 1878 as the Gorham Academy. In 1970, the academy merged with the University of Maine in Portland to become the University of Maine at ...
Maryland
Massachusetts
MGH Institute of Health Professions
Boston, MA
MGH Institute of Health Professions is a privately-run institution in Boston, Massachusetts and is part of the Partners Health Care. It is a graduate university that was founded by the Massachusetts General Hospital. Some of the main areas of study include Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Communication Sciences, Occupational Therapy, and Nursing. The institute started as the ...
Northeastern University
Boston, MA
Northeastern University (NU) is a private university in Boston. It was established in 1808 as the Evening Institute for Younger Men and was housed in the Huntington Avenue YMCA in Boston. In 1916, the institute became Northeastern College. After the college began offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, the name was changed to Northeastern University. It is tied for 40th place in the ...
Regis College
Weston, MA
Regis College was founded in 1927 as a private institution. It is located in Weston, Massachusetts. It was originally founded as a women’s college and became co-educational in 2007, making it the last women’s college in Boston to start admitting male students. In recent years, the school has been recognized as one of the top regional schools in the Northeast. Regis College also ...
Simmons College
Boston, MA
Simmons College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts. It was established in 1899 as a liberal arts college for women. The undergraduate programs remain centered on women. However, the graduate programs are co-ed. The college has one of the lowest student-to-faculty ratios. For every faculty member, there are just seven students. This gives students more one-on-one time with their ...
Minnesota
Missouri
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO
Saint Louis University is a private Roman Catholic university in Saint Louis, Missouri. The university was founded in 1818 as the Saint Louis Academy, making it the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is a member of the 28-institution Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and offers about 100 undergrad programs and 80 graduate-level programs. The campus includes 131 ...
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Seton Hall University
South Orange, NJ
Seton Hall University was founded in 1856 in South Orange, New Jersey. It is a private institution with both undergraduate and graduate-level programs. Seton Hall University is a Roman Catholic university that consists of 11 different colleges and schools. The university has received several awards and recognitions, including ranking as one of the top five private universities for ...
New Mexico
New York
Pace University-New York
New York, NY
Pace University-New York is a private institution in New York City. It was established in 1906 with the main campus in Manhattan. Additional campuses were eventually opened in Westchester County and Pleasantville. The university began as a business school and achieved university status in 1973. Pace University is structured into several schools offering undergraduate and graduate degree ...
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY
The University of Rochester (UR) is a private university in Rochester, New York, offering both undergrad and graduate degree programs. It was established in 1850, and the first classes included a total of 60 students. The university now enrolls over 11,000 students and offers over 200 majors. The campus is in Rochester and includes 158 buildings on 600 acres of urban land. It is also home to ...
North Carolina
Ohio
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Cincinnati, OH
The main campus of the University of Cincinnati (UC) is in Cincinnati, Ohio. The university is a public institution with both undergraduate and graduate degree programs and part of the University System of Ohio. Along with the main campus, there are nine other campuses throughout the state. The university was founded in 1819, making it the oldest institution of higher learning in Cincinnati. ...
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Wilkes University
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Wilkes University is a private institution in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1933 as a satellite campus for Bucknell University and became independent in 1947. In 1990, it received university status and its current name. The campus is in downtown Wilkes-Barre and includes eight academic buildings and nine administrative buildings. The buildings are closely grouped, with ...
Tennessee
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville, TN
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is a public institution in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is part of the University of Tennessee System that includes three campuses in the state. It was established in 1794, two years before Tennessee became a state. It was originally called Blount College and is now the flagship campus of the University of Tennessee System. The university also has its own ...
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
The University of Memphis is a public institution in Memphis, Tennessee. It is also part of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee. There are ten campuses in this system, including the Memphis campus. The University of Memphis was established in 1912 as the West Tennessee Normal School. It became the Memphis State College in 1941 and achieved university status in 1957. ...
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public institution with undergrad and graduate degree programs. The main campus is in Richmond, where it was established as the medical department of Hampden-Sydney College in 1838. The medical department became a medical college before merging with the Richmond Professional Institute to become VCU in 1968. Along with the Richmond campus, VCU ...
Washington
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA
University of Washington-Seattle Campus is a public institution in Seattle, Washington. The University of Washington also has campuses in Bothell and Tacoma. It was established in 1861 in downtown Seattle. The campus eventually moved to the current University District and includes 703 acres of urban land. The campus also provides views of the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Range. The ...