Master of Science in Nursing
Program Description
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program offers three areas of concentration: Nurse Educator, Nursing Informatics, and Entry-level practice. The Nurse Educator concentration builds on the expertise and experience of the professional nurse, preparing graduates for advanced nursing practice. The Nursing Informatics concentration prepares the professional nurse to assume the graduate level informatics nurse specialist role. The Entry-level practice concentration admits students with a previous baccalaureate degree in a field other than nursing and builds upon that educational preparation and additional prerequisite courses. Core content for these concentrations includes critical decision making, ethical leadership, evidence-based practice, innovations in systems improvement, relationship-centered holistic care, and health policy.
Prior to admission to the MSN program, students complete a college-level statistics course inclusive of descriptive and inferential statistics. The statistics course must have been completed within five (5) years of entering the program. Note: St. Catherine does not accept course work from technical colleges or from technical colleges prior to their merger with regionally accredited community colleges. The Entry-level concentration has additional prerequisite requirements. See the Admission section of this catalog for details.
Education is delivered in a hybrid, online, or face-to-face format for the Entry-level practice concentration and fully online for the Educator and Nursing Informatics concentrations. Students' clinical practicum experiences are jointly determined by faculty, students, and collaborating organizations and are generally completed during normal business hours. Courses and clinical experiences in the Entry-level concentration are offered primarily evenings and occasional weekends. Practicum experiences in the Nurse Educator concentration are designed to be flexible and are scheduled by the student in collaboration with the faculty.
Accreditation
The Master of Science in Nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc., 3343 Peachtree Rd. N.E., Suite 850, Atlanta, Georgia 30326. Phone: 404-975-5000.
Certification/Licensure
The Nurse Educator concentration meets the standards for the Certified Nurse Educator credential offered by the National League for Nursing. Students are eligible to take the Nurse Educator certification once completing their program.
Upon completion of the Entry-Level concentration, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) and to apply for certification as public health nurses with the Minnesota Board of Nursing.
Upon completion of the Nursing Informatics concentration, graduates may be eligible to apply
for Informatics Nursing Certification (RN-BC) through American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Degree Requirements
Nurse Educator concentration: students complete 32 hours of graduate credit with an overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Entry-Level concentration: students complete 57 semester hours of graduate credit with an overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Nursing Informatics concentration: students complete 35 graduate credits with an overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Years to Complete the Program
Nurse Educator concentration: designed to be completed in two years. The program must be completed within five years of initial enrollment.
Entry-Level concentration: designed to be completed in 26 months. Students may request a leave of absence. If the leave is approved, the leave is typically granted for one calendar year.
Nursing Informatics concentration: designed to be completed in 26 months. The program must be completed within five years of initial enrollment.
Progression Policy
Requirements to Remain in Good Standing
- B (3.0) or better in every course
- Adherence to the MSN program student policies
Conditions for Program Dismissal
Students who do not achieve a grade of B (3.0) in every course in the program of study or do not satisfy the conditions of a mutually agreed upon Guided Improvement Plan, are dismissed from the program.
Important Essential Abilities
For successful admission and continuance in St. Catherine University’s pre-licensure nursing programs, a specific set of essential cognitive, sensory, communication, psychomotor, and behavioral/ emotional/spiritual health abilities are required to be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.