Graduate - Frequently Asked Questions

Graduate Programs in Nursing FAQ

1. How can I determine if your program is right for me?

If you answer yes to many of the following questions then we may have a program that is right for you.

Are you looking for a holistic, community-based program which prepares you for an advanced practice nursing role, including autonomy with prescriptive authority, your own patient caseload and ability to bill for your service?

Do you want to prepare yourself for the greatest marketability so that you will be employable in many different settings? Do you want to expand your horizons, your capabilities and your ability to serve all patient populations?

Do you have an interest in a holistic approach to patient care that perceives the patient as a person with a mind and a spirit, in addition to a health concern with their body; in getting at root causes and educating patients so their overall health care is improved? Do you value working in a clinic setting in a rural area or with a diverse, underserved population in the metropolitan area?

Are you interested in nursing leadership and management, becoming active in the political arena for the nursing profession, and learning health policy and how you can contribute to vital changes?

Do you enjoy educating others and think teaching may be a part of your future professional work?

If so, please attend a Program Information Meeting or contact us through this website for application information.

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2. Which graduate nursing programs do you offer?

We offer the following graduate nursing programs:

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Adult/Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (ANP/GNP)
Leadership and Management in Nursing (LMN)
Public Health Nursing Leadership (PHNL)
Nurse Educator (NE)
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

The MSN program is offered in both classroom-based (web-enhanced) or online (over the Internet).

The D.N.P. program is a consortuim program offered online. Click here for more information.

3. What do these prepare me for?

Recent legislation has defined the scope of advanced practice nursing in Minnesota by area of certification.

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
You will provide care, promote health and treat illness in patients of all ages or you may concentrate in a particular age group or an area of specialty. This certification offers a broad scope of practice, as well as serves as a foundation for further specialty.

Adult/Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (ANP/GNP)
You will serve individuals from puberty throughout their life, and you may focus in one of a number of specialties. A.N.P./G.N.P.s work in a variety of settings such as community clinics, specialty clinics, hospitals and nursing homes. Adult certification focuses the patient age range while offering a wide choice of specialty and practice settings.

Leadership and Management in Nursing (LMN)
The L.M.N. graduate has taken both graduate nursing and management courses, and can anticipate working in nursing administration in clinic setting; hospitals or with government and public health policy entities.

Public Health Nursing Leadership (PHNL)

Students interested in this track must possess a B.A. or B.S. in Nursing and complete the University of Minnesota's Regent's Certificate in Public Health before applying to Metropolitan State. All 15 credits of the Certificate will transfer in for the master's degree in Public Health Nursing Leadership. Graduates in this program are prepared for leadership roles in public and community settings.

Nurse Educator (NE)

The N.E. graduate is prepared to teach patients and staff in clinical settings such as hospitals or clinics or to serve as nursing educators. Graduates are eligible to take the examination for certification as a Nurse Educator.

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4. Do you offer a fast-track master's program?

No, we offer several different areas of emphasis within our MSN Programs.

5. Do I need a B.S.N. to be admitted?

A BS or a BA in Nursing is required, and you must also be currently licensed as an RN in Minnesota, eligibile for RN licensure in Minnesota, and/or licensed in the state in whihc you will complete your practicum experience.

RN to BSN degree completion programs are offered locally including at Metropolitan State University. Four-year BSN programs are also available in the area.

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6. What is the application deadline?

The application deadline is January 15 every year for admission the following fall semester. Please see the Graduate Requirements page for full details.

7. Do I have to do any graduate entrance exams?

No, the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is no longer required for MSN application (as of April 2008).

8. What are the admission requirements?

Please see the Graduate Requirements page for full details.

9. May I take graduate nursing courses without being admitted?

Yes, on a space-available basis and according to a wait-list procedure. Non-admitted students may be permitted to register during Open Enrollment if they have received prior approval according to the procedure. Please contact the Graduate Nursing Office for details. Payment is due within 24 hours during the Open Enrollment period.

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10. How long does it take to complete the program?

Our program is designed for working nurses, however the time of study varies by individual. Our didactic graduate courses are offered primarily on Wednesdays (morning, afternoon and/or evening), additional days are required for practicum experience. Limited graduate nursing courses are offered in the summer. All graduate nursing programs must be completed within six years.

ANP/GNP or FNP
Completion can be accomplished in three to six years, depending on full-time or part-time progression. There are three semesters of didactic courses, followed by three semesters of clinical rotations. You may proceed on a part-time basis (1 or 2 courses per semester) for the first three semesters, but the final three semesters of clinical rotations must be completed on a full-time basis (3 or more courses per semester).

LMN or PHNL
You can complete the program in two years at a full-time pace if you complete the graduate-level statistics pre-requisite prior to admission.

The program is designed to be completed in 2 years, including a summer semester, attending full time, or 3-4 years on a part-time basis.

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11. What additional programs are available?

Master's-only track for WHNP
We offer a master's-only program for Women?s Health Nurse Practitioners certified through Planned Parenthood of MN/SD who wish to maintain their WHNP certification only (no additional certification preparation). WHNPs may also apply and complete the full MSN program for FNP certification. In this case, they complete only a portion of the Foundations (first) semester.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

The D.N.P. is offered to students who already possess a Master's in Nursing. Please see the DNP section on our website for more details.

WOC
We offer an online Wound, Ostomy, Continence (WOC). program for post-baccalaureate or post-master's RNs who want certification preparation in this specific area. Courses are at the graduate level, and students must meet graduate program requirements. They do not complete the full master's degree. This program may be completed in one or two semesters, and is offered every semester. An on-campus Immersion Experience is conducted at the beginning of the program.

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12. Do you have a Nurse Anesthetist program?

No. Metropolitan State University College of Nursing and Health Sciences offers Nurse Practitioner tracks in Family and Adult/Geriatric health areas, as well as a Leadership and Management in Nursing track, Public Health Nursing Leadership, and a Nurse Educator track.

13. Do you have a generic MSN program?

We plan to introduce an Entry Level MSN program (for students who have a bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing and no nursing education). Please watch our Graduate Programs pages for more details as the program is developed.

14. More Information

For more information about the Master of Science in Nursing, visit the Graduate (Nursing)Program pages or call Metropolitan State University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences at 651-793-1375 .

Accreditation: Metropolitan State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. The M.S.N program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

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