SCHOOL OF NURSING GRADUATE PROGRAM

Idaho State University School of Nursing offers a Master of Science degree in Nursing and is committed to providing quality graduate nursing education for professional nurses. The program is approved by the Idaho Board of Nursing and is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The strong curriculum is based on recommendations of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Graduates are eligible to sit for national certification. All MS students are required to pass a written and oral comprehensive examination during their final semester of study. There is no thesis requirement

Graduate education offers knowledge, skills, and expertise for advanced practice that builds upon a strong nursing foundation. Emphasis on health policy and rural issues prepare our graduates to assume leadership and provider roles in a variety of settings including administration, education, and primary health care. Programs of study are either full-time (2 years) or part-time (3 years). Five program options are offered: Clinical Nurse Leader, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Nursing Education, and Nursing Leadership.

The Master of Science in Nursing is delivered in the online format via the Internet. Students are required to have high speed internet access.  Some courses require short face-to-face intensive experiences such as advanced assessment skills lab for students in the three clinical options, suturing lab for FNP students, and a teaching with technology lab for Education students.

Entry Pathways
Entry pathways to earn the MS degree:

• AD-MS for those nurses with an associate degree in nursing
• BS-MS for those nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing

Post-Master’s Certificate:

• For nurses with a previous Master’s degree who seek advanced preparation in a specialty area of nursing

Clinical Nurse Leader: The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) option prepares students to direct outcomes management for a distinct patient population, actively provide direct patient care and implement evidence-based practice to ensure patients benefit from the latest care delivery innovations. Students are required to complete forty-four semester hours of credit. This includes a minimum of 500 hours in clinical settings.

Clinical Nurse Specialist: The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) option prepares students as advanced practice nurses to work in an adult medical-surgical specialty area. Clinical Nurse Specialists are engaged in education, expert clinical practice, consultation, research, and administration and are prepared to practice in primary, acute, or long-term care settings. Students are required to complete forty-five semester hours of credit. This includes a minimum of 500 hours in clinical settings.

Family Nurse Practitioner: The Family Nurse Practitioner option prepares students for primary care throughout the life span in a variety of settings. FNP courses are designed to develop critical clinical decision-making skills necessary for primary care providers working with diverse populations. Rural health issues are emphasized. Nurse practitioner faculty members maintain clinical skills through active practice. The curriculum adheres to the guidelines set forth by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF). Students are required to complete fifty-three semester hours of credit. This includes a minimum of 816 hours in clinical settings.

Nursing Education: The Nursing Education option prepares students for nursing faculty positions. Students are prepared as nursing leaders to respond to current and projected changes in the health care system. Grounded in adult learning theory, coursework includes a teaching/learning practicum and a focus on teaching with technology. Students are required to complete forty semester hours of credit.

Nursing Leadership: The Nursing Leadership option is designed to prepare nurses to assume leadership roles within acute, ambulatory care, or community-based settings. Content includes organizational and leadership theory, strategic planning, finance, human resource management, clinical and outcomes management, and health service administration. Students are required to complete thirty-nine semester hours of credit which includes practicum experiences.

For further information contact the School of Nursing Student Advisor at (208) 282-2132 with questions.

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AD-MS Pathway

This pathway is designed to provide an accelerated program for nurses with an Associate Degree to be directly admitted into the Master’s program. In addition to completion of baccalaureate bridge credits, students continue to meet baccalaureate nursing competencies while completing the graduate program. Upon completion of the requirements for the MS degree, both the BS and MS degrees will be awarded.
The AD-MS pathway is built upon the current RN-BS Statewide Nursing Articulation Plan for those with an Associate Degree earned in 1995 or later.   Initial transcript evaluation is completed by ISU Admissions. All students should then consult with the nursing advisor for transcript evaluation of bridge courses and development of the bridge program of study.
Students in any of the following categories may be required to take additional undergraduate credits:
            1.  Graduated prior to 1995
            2.  Graduated with fewer than 70 credits in the associate program
            3.  Earned an Associate of Applied Science degree

Important Points

• A total of 128 undergraduate credits are needed to award the BS.
• These 128 credits must be completed prior to the first graduate course.
• Fifty-eight (58) of the 128 credits must be completed at a four-year institution.
• Thirty-six (36) of the 128 undergraduate credits must be 300 or 400 level.
• The BS is not awarded until all requirements for both the BS and MS degree have been completed.

   
The 128 undergraduate credits are earned as follows:

• Up to seventy (70) credits are transferred from the associate program at the time of admission to ISU.  
• Thirty-nine (39) credits for ISU nursing courses are awarded during the final bridge semester. These credits for previous learning are awarded through NCLEX and there is a transfer fee. The approximate cost is $600.
• Nineteen (19) baccalaureate bridge credits must be completed at a four-year institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better.

Applications for the AD-MS pathway are accepted each fall and are due by October 1. 
Students can continue working on bridge courses during the fall in which they apply and the following spring semester. Students are not eligible to apply unless all 128 credits will be completed during the spring semester following admission to the graduate program. Applicants must be ready to begin their graduate program of study in the summer semester.

Application to the AD-MS pathway includes application to ISU as an undergraduate student and application to the School of Nursing Graduate Program (DO NOT APPLY to the ISU GRADUATE SCHOOL)

Required Baccalaureate Bridge Courses                                   

NOTE: Students may enroll in NURS 330 and NURS 404 once admitted to the Nursing Graduate Program.

If any of the above courses have been completed at a two-year institution, electives must be completed at a four-year institution to equal 19 credits.

Admission Criteria for the AD-MS Pathway

• Admission to Idaho State University as an undergraduate student. (If you have not been previously admitted, access online application at www.isu.edu). Official copies of transcripts should be sent to ISU Admissions. Contact information for ISU Undergraduate Admissions is (208)282-2475.
• A completed Nursing Graduate Program Application submitted to the School of Nursing ($35 non-refundable fee).
• Graduation from an accredited nursing program with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science or Associate of Arts and Science degree.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
• Minimum of 35th percentile on at least one (1) of the three (3) sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
• Active Registered Nurse license in good standing.

NOTE: Admission is competitive.  Achievement of minimum GPA and GRE requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Consideration for admission includes all application data.  

Application Process for AD-MS Pathway

• Application to ISU Admissions as an undergraduate student
• Application to the ISU School of Nursing Graduate Program

To apply to the School of Nursing Graduate Program, submit the following information by October 1 to:
School of Nursing
Idaho State University
Attn: AD-MS
921 S. 8th Avenue, Stop 8101
Pocatello, ID 83209-8101

• Completed Master of Science Graduate Nursing Program Application to the School of Nursing (with fee). Print from website – www.isu.edu/nursing.
• GRE scores; Dept. code 0610 – when taking the GRE request that scores are sent directly to Dept. code.
• Unofficial transcripts of all undergraduate work.
• Three professional or educational references with specific information regarding the applicant’s capacity for graduate study. Forms are provided on the nursing website at www.isu.edu/nursing.
• Copy of current RN nursing license.

Application and Admission Timeline for AD-MS Pathway

• Summer
  • Apply to Idaho State University as an undergraduate student if not already an admitted student. Initial transcript evaluation for transfer of credits is completed by ISU Admissions.
• Contact nursing advisor for transcript evaluation of required bridge coursework and program of study.
• Take GRE by September 1. It often takes four weeks for the department to receive scores.
• Apply to the School of Nursing graduate program by October 1 deadline.


• Mid-November
  
  • Students will be notified by mail as to their admission status in the graduate program.
• Register for spring semester: NURS 404, NURS 330 and bridge courses as needed to meet required 128 credits for baccalaureate degree
  
  
  
• Mid-March
  
  • Students will receive Memorandum for transfer of the NCLEX credits.
  • Pay $600 fee for transfer of credits; contact cashier's office (282-2900) to arrange payment.
•  Following transfer, a total of 39 ISU nursing credits will be awarded to official transcript.
• Apply online to ISU Graduate School at www.isu.edu/graduate; Degree code is 1203. Send $55 fee to ISU Graduate School
  


•  April
  • Register for Summer and Fall classes


• May
  • Submit official transcripts to ISU Admissions office for any courses taken at an institution other than ISU.
    

• Summer semester
  • Complete background check with ISU Public Safety Office.
• Complete BIOL 563 Human Pathophysiology if required for MS option
• Attend Graduate program on-campus orientation (August)

• Fall semester
  • Begin MS program of study for admitted option.

BS-MS Pathway
Admission Criteria
The following are required for admission to the BS-MS pathway:

• A completed application submitted to the Graduate School ($55 non-refundable fee)
• A completed application submitted to the School of Nursing ($35 non-refundable fee)
• Graduation from a nationally accredited baccalaureate nursing program.
• Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better for all upper division courses.
• Minimum of 35th percentile on at least one (1) of the three (3) sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Active Idaho (or compact state) Registered Nurse license in good standing
• Minimum of three (3) credits of descriptive and inferential statistics with a grade of C or better.

NOTE: Admission is competitive.  Achievement of minimum GPA and GRE requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Consideration for admission includes all application data.   

Application Process
Applications for the BS-MS pathway are accepted once each year and are available online or by contacting the School of Nursing at (208) 282-2132. Completed applications are due February 1.  Please note that two applications are required (Graduate School and School of Nursing). Each application requires a separate fee.

 A completed application includes the following:

Submit to the Graduate School (921 S. 8th Ave., Stop 8075)

• Completed application to the Graduate School with fee; available online at www.isu.edu/graduate; degree code is 1203

• Official transcripts of all undergraduate work
• GRE scores (School code 4355 and Dept. code 0610)

Submit to the School of Nursing (921 S. 8th Ave, Stop 8101)

• Completed application to the School of Nursing with fee.
• Three professional or educational references with specific information regarding the applicant’s capacity for graduate study. Form is provided on the website.
• Copy of current nursing license

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