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Saginaw Valley State University

Doctor of Nurse Practice

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Become a Clinical Nurse Leader, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Administrator & Nurse Educator

Become a Clinical Nurse Leader, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Administrator & Nurse Educator

Master of Science in Nursing

The master of science in nursing prepares registered professional nurses for practice as Family nurse practitioners (FNP), Clinical nurse leaders (CNL), Nurse administrators, Nurse educators.

The MSN degree builds upon the foundation of concepts and skills acquired in undergraduate degrees in nursing. Concentrations include the Family Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Leader, Administrator, Educator or dual Educator/Administrator. Most of these roles are enacted in health systems to promote and support quality care, with Educators working in both clinical and academic settings. This degree prepares nurse leaders to work with teams and transform systems in clinical and academic settings, as well as in the communities served by those organizations.

Admission Requirements

DOMESTIC STUDENTS:

  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale
  • Licensure to practice nursing in Michigan or eligible for Michigan license
  • College statistics course with a grade of C or higher equivalent to approved SVSU courses
  • Required for FNP applicants only: College chemistry with a grade of C or higher, three-credit course, general, organic, or biochemistry
  • Please complete the Graduate Application for Admission including the non-refundable Application Fee and the following:‌
    1. Official copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts (not necessary for those who have already attended SVSU)
    2. Résumé which includes education, employment, scholarship, service and professional involvement
    3. A scholarly goal statement of 750-1000 words with at least two scholarly references in APA format
    4. Two completed Graduate Recommendation Forms preferably from colleagues with a graduate degree in nursing.  For applicants who have completed their BSN within the past three years, one recommendation must be from a nursing faculty member. 
    5. Personal interview

*Additional admission criteria (e.g. standardized test results) may be required based upon interview and record review
**Upon admission, a physical examination and evidence of current immunization are required. A criminal background check with fingerprinting is also required. If special accommodations are needed for learning, they must be identified and discussed with the program coordinator prior to the submission of the application.

Application questions can be sent to gradadm@svsu.edu.  Please request official transcripts are sent to: 

Office of Graduate Admissions
Saginaw Valley State University
230 Wickes Hall
7400 Bay Road
University Center, MI 48710
(989) 964-6096

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS:

  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale
  • Licensure to practice nursing in Michigan or eligible for Michigan license
  • College statistics course with a grade of B or higher equivalent to approved SVSU courses
  • Required for FNP applicants only: College chemistry with a grade of C or higher, three-credit course, general, organic, or biochemistry.
  • An academic report by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (www.cgfns.org)
  • A score of 92 or higher on the Internet-based TOEFL (iBT), 580 Paper-based TOEFL (PBT), or an IELTS band score of 7.0 in each skill area
  • Please complete the Graduate Application for Admission including the non-refundable Application Fee and the following:‌
    1. Official copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts
    2. Résumé which includes education, employment, scholarship, service and professional involvement
    3. A scholarly goal statement of 750-1000 words with at least two scholarly references in APA format
    4. Two recommendations, preferably from colleagues with a graduate degree in nursing.  For applicants who have completed their BSN within the past three years, one recommendation must be from a nursing faculty member.
    5. Evidence of financial support
    6. Copy of passport name page
    7. Personal interview

 *Additional admission criteria (e.g., standardized test results) may be required based upon interview and record review
**Upon admission, a physical examination and evidence of current immunization are required. A criminal background check with fingerprinting is also required. If special accommodations are needed for learning, they must be identified and discussed with the program coordinator prior to the submission of the application.

Application questions can be sent to gradadm@svsu.edu.  Please request official transcripts are sent to: 

Office of Graduate Admissions
Saginaw Valley State University
230 Wickes Hall
7400 Bay Road
University Center, MI 48710
(989) 964-6096

Program Requirements

The MSN program at Saginaw Valley State University consists of a minimum of 36 to 49 credits of required and elective courses. Students who have prior graduate credits may be able to enter with advanced standing.  This includes RN to BSN graduates and ADN to BSN graduates who took approved graduate nursing courses as elective credit in their program and earned a grade of B (3. 0) or better. A maximum of 9 credits can be applied to an undergraduate program and graduate program. A maximum of 12 credits graduate-level courses may be transferred from another college or university. The time limit for completing the degree is seven years from the beginning of the first course in which credit was earned toward the MSN at SVSU.


Other specific requirements students must meet to complete the MSN program include:

Before clinical courses, a criminal background check, evidence of current immunizations, physical exam, fingerprinting, CPR, liability insurance and drug testing are required as described in the Graduate Nursing Handbook.

Academic Regulations

In required MSN courses, students must earn a grade of “B” or better to remain in good standing.

If a grade of “I” is earned, course requirements must be satisfied before enrolling in additional required courses. 

A required nursing course can be repeated only once. Failure of a repeated course or a second required nursing course results in dismissal from the program. 

Before taking NURS 678 (Research Project I) complete the candidacy process as outlined in the Graduate Student Handbook.

 

MSN Core, Capstone and Concentration Courses

All students in the MSN program complete the following MSN Core Courses and Capstone Courses (24credits). All MSN students must select one of the following majors: Clinical Nurse Leader (total program = 36 credits), Nursing Education (total program = 39 credits), Nursing Administration (total program = 39 credits), or Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP total program = 52 credits), or may elect to take both the education and administration majors.

MSN Core (18- 21 cr)

Capstone (3 cr)

Additional MSN Core for Nurse Administrator, Nurse Educator, and CNL students (6 cr)

Concentration Courses

Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) (6 cr)

Following the completion of the core courses, a practice experience immersion course is required:

Nursing Education (9 cr)

The following three courses are required:

Nursing Administration (9 cr)

One nursing administration course is required and then an additional 6 credits of pre-approved graduate electives are required. The list of approved electives is available from the Graduate Nursing adviser.

Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner (31 cr)

600 total practice experience hours with 2-4 credits [120-240 practice experience hours] taken concurrently with the Family Health Care I, II, and III sequence).  

Dual Nursing Education/Nursing Administration (18 cr)

An additional 6 credits graduate electives approved by the Department of Nursing are required.

RN to MSN Program

This program is eligible for applicants to the Nurse Educator, Nurse Administrator, or Clinical Nurse Leader programs.

To be eligible for the RN to MSN Program, a licensed RN must do the following:

Gain undergraduate admission to SVSU, apply for admission to the RN to BSN program, and complete a minimum of 106 undergraduate credits including:

Required Electives (4 cr)

  • Two upper-division, non-required courses.

Statistics Requirement (4 cr)

One approved course from:

SVSU's Master of Nursing offers working adults a flexible solution for earning a graduate degree in Nursing from a highly ranked and nationally recognized program. With an MSN degree, you can land a job like.

  • Family Nurse Practitioners: 31% job growth and $113,930 median salaries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, US dept. of Labor
  • Clinical Nurse Leader: $84,000 median salary, according to the nursejournal.org
  • Nurse Administrator: $81,033 median salary, according to registerednursing.org
  • Nurser Educator: $74,612 median salary, according to payscale.com

Michigan Resident 

Graduate Courses (500-699 Level Courses)
HHS 500-799 Level Courses

$622.90/cr.hr.

Non-Michigan Resident

Graduate Courses (500-699 Level Courses)
HHS 500-799 Level Courses

$1,184.60/cr.hr.


Mandatory Fees

General Service Fee (b)                                            $10.75/cr.hr.

(b) Parking Fee $1.70/cr.hr.
  Student Association Fee $0.60/cr.hr.
  Program Board Fee $0.25/cr.hr.
  Publication Fee- Valley Vanguard $0.17/cr.hr.
  Facility Debt Service Fee $7.70/cr.hr.
  Health Services $0.33/cr.hr.

Technology Fee                                                          $3.85/cr.hr.

 Financial Aid and Scholarships

Frederick Douglas and Natalia Ruth Horak Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Qualified applicants will be residents of Bay, Midland or Saginaw counties pursuing degrees full-time in pre-medicine, nursing, medical technology, occupational therapy, psychology, social work, or sociology. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to community service and possess a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0.

Award :$1,160 

 

Patricia A. Hansel Memorial Nursing Scholarship

Potential candidates for this award will currently be registered nurses pursuing a graduate degree in nursing. Full- or part-time students will have a minimum cumulative 3.0 G.P.A, have good character, demonstrate service to the community, and dedication and professionalism in the field of nursing. Preference will be given to registered nurses specializing in surgical nursing.

Award: $1,025

  

Ann L. Wintermyer Memorial Endowed Nursing Scholarship

To be eligible, full-time students must be admitted to the Nursing Program and have a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA. Candidates must also demonstrate financial need (FAFSA) and the ability or potential to contribute to the field of nursing.

Award: $1,200

 

Grace Goetz Memorial Nursing Scholarship Fund

Successful applicants will have a minimum class standing of junior (62 credits or more), be full- or part-time nursing majors with scholastic and personal achievement, demonstrate good character and leadership. Preference will be to licensed practical nurses (LPN) or those students who have served in the role of a nursing assistant.

Award: $1,600

 

Trisha Muladore and Covenant Nursing Endowment

To be eligible, students must be enrolled full-time, be admitted to the Nursing Program, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, financial need (FAFSA), and demonstrate the ability and potential to make a positive contribution to the field of Nursing. Recipients must also show a commitment to service in their community and/or the University community.

Award: $1,520

 

Apply to SVSU Private Scholarships through, Private Scholarships

 

 

Program Spotlights

Amber Sleight

"I love the flexibility with classroom and online instruction. The instructors are fabulous with understanding that many MSN students are already in careers that demand a lot of time from them."

Latoya Hare

"As a single working mother, my favorite aspect of the program is the flexible online courses offered to meet my needs. Yet still feeling connected with the other students and faculty through online forums and group discussions. Thereby presenting opportunities to build relationships with fellow students sharing unique experiences and similar career goals. As an MSN student I feel privileged to information on the latest topics surrounding the health care field."

John stadwick

Sangita Acharya

CONTACT US.


Graduate Admissions
Wickes Hall 230
gradadm@svsu.edu
989-964-4085

Cynthia M Hupert DNP, MSN, BSN
H-221
cmhupert@svsu.edu
989-964-4595

Financial Aid
Wickes Hall 170
finaid@svsu.edu
989-964-7000