Are you looking for the best Direct Entry MSN Programs that will offer you the opportunity to study for your masters degree programs in nursing without needing a bachelor’s degree?
If “Yes”, then this article is for you.
In this article, we have compiled a comprehensive list of all the Direct Entry MSN Programs with the various Institutions that offer them as well every necessary detail that you need to know.
What Are The Direct Entry MSN Programs?
The Direct Entry MSN programs are those programs offered by some of the nursing schools and universities to those who do not have a nursing background in a bid to help them earn a Master of Science degree in nursing (MSN).
This program is open to those who are not yet nurses but are interested in the nursing field and those who have a bachelor’s degree, but not in the nursing field but want to become nurses.
The Direct Entry MSN Program is well programmed and sophisticated students are taught the foundation of nursing and the advanced aspect of nursing afterwards in the programs so that they can occupy advanced practice positions in nurses and other specialties in the nursing field.
It is a program that will open many dimensions of job opportunities for those who complete the program.
Some of the job opportunities open to graduates of the Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing Programs include:
- Nursing administrators
- Nursing anesthetist
- Nursing educators
- Case manager
- Nursing researchers
- Nurse consultants
- Dialysis nurse
- Direct Entry MSN Programs
Requirements For The Direct Entry MSN Programs
Below are the requirements that you must meet in order to enroll into this program such as:
To get admitted into a Direct Entry MSN Program you have to have a bachelor’s degree and you should make your transcript available to the school where you wish to obtain your MSN Program.
After you have completed this process, an advisor will have to go through your course experience in a bid to determine what prerequisite courses you need before starting to take classes as part of your Direct Entry MSN Program Curriculum.
As you proceeding to enroll into this program, it is important that you know the areas that you are expected to cover which includes:
- Advanced health assessments
- Nursing leadership
- Nutrition
- Nursing practices
- Nursing policies
- Pharmacology
How To Select The Best Schools For Direct Entry MSN Programs
The best way of selecting the best school for an entry MSN program is by first researching the top best schools that offer this program.
You need to also consider their respective acceptance rate, accreditations, Tuition fees and their graduation rate before sending in your Applications.
25 Best Colleges And Universities To Offer Direct Entry MSN Programs.
Below are the 25 best accredited colleges and universities that offers Direct Entry MSN programs and their respective Admission rates, graduation rates and tuition fees.
Note that all these colleges have been accredited by the Commission of Collegiate for Education.
1. Augusta University
Augusta University is located in Georgia and they offer clinical nursing leadership courses for current registered nurses and non-nursing degree holders.
After the course is completed, graduates can take the NCLEX and CNL certification exams at the same time.
Pre-licensed students will follow a two-year curriculum different from RN and BSN students.
Admission Rate: 75%
Graduation Rate: 27%
Tuition: $5,144
2. Salem State University
The Direct Entry MSN Program at Salem State University is designed for students who have a bachelor’s degree but want to pursue a second career.
Courses are conducted full-time in classroom and clinical settings and last for 15 months.
During this accelerated MSN program once 52 credits in nursing have been achieved, students can take NCLEX and then take MSN courses full-time or part-time.
Admission Rate: 82%
Graduation Rate: 52%
Tuition: $7,700
3. Metropolitan State University
The entry-level MSN program at Metropolitan State University College of Nursing and Health Sciences would require that students complete seven semesters of courses.
At the time of admission, students who are not in the nursing field of study must have a bachelor’s degree or higher and have completed the prerequisite courses prescribed by the University of Minnesota.
Admission Rate: 56%
Graduation Rate: 27%
Tuition: $7,472
Read Also: Overview Of Part-time Nursing Programs
4. University Of Texas
The University of Texas at Austin offers a direct-entry master of science in nursing.
The program is called an Alternate Entry Master of Science in Nursing option.
The program’s preparatory course is an intense full-time course that prepares students to participate and pass NCLEX.
After passing the exam, students can work as registered nurses in Texas and need to study for another two years to obtain an MSN degree.
Admission Rate: 36%
Graduation Rate: 83%
Tuition: $11,490
5. University Of Wisconsin
The University of Wisconsin offers a master’s degree in clinical nursing leadership for graduate programs for non-nursing degree holders.
After 16 months of study in this program, students can participate in NCLEX and then receive clinical hours when they complete the remaining credits.
Courses are held on the Milwaukee campus of the college.
Admission Rate: 72%
Graduation Rate: 41%
Tuition: $10,387
6. University Of California
At the University of California San Francisco campus, non-nursing students can apply for the Direct Entry MSN Programs informed by the Master of Nursing Admission Program (MEPN).
The MSN program is a course that spans three years and includes one year of comprehensive nursing knowledge and two years of professional guidance.
All clinical rotations are performed at locations that are within the campus.
Admission Rate: 29%
Graduation Rate: 84%
Tuition: $11,502
7. Ohio State University
This school offers direct entry MSN programs.
The Graduate entry options offered by the academic institution will last for three years, with students participating in NCLEX at the midpoint of the course.
Admission Rate: 48%
Graduation Rate: 83%
Tuition: $11,560
8. Mt. Saint Joseph University
Mt. Saint Joseph University in Cincinnati offers Direct Entry MSN Programs.
This direct entry route is called the MSN-MAGELLAN program.
This course curriculum is designed to provide a shortcut for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree and wish to change careers and become nurses.
You will study the course for four consecutive semesters, the course can be completed in just 15 months.
After the program, the graduates of this program can enter the career market as generalists.
Admission Rate: 73%
Graduation Rate: 61%
Tuition: $11,031
9. Trinity College Of Nursing And Health Sciences
Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences in Illinois offers an MSN-DEP program for bachelor’s degree holders who aim to obtain MSN and pass NCLEX faster.
The program lasts for two years and courses can be conducted in a mixed format.
Some courses require face-to-face meetings, while others need to be completed online.
The tuition of Trinity School of Nursing and Health Sciences is very affordable, and the college also reports a 100% graduation rate.
Admission Rate: 60%
Graduation Rate: 100%
Tuition: $13,518
10. University Of New Hampshire
The program requires students to hold a bachelor’s degree in art or science and pursue the track of clinical nurse leadership.
The direct Master of Science in the nursing program needs 71 credits and courses will span across 5 semesters in a consecutive manner.
As a rule of acceptance into the program, students must accept that they will participate and pass NCLEX.
Upon graduation, students will receive MSN and this will qualify them for CNL certification.
Admission Rate: 77%
Graduation Rate: 78%
Tuition: $13,840
11. University Of Toledo
This MSN program in this institution is open to students that are not BSN degree holders and requires a two-year full-time commitment.
After the completion of this program, participants are expected to pass the NCLEX and will pursue a nurse generalist career or apply for a doctoral degree program.
Admission Rate: 94%
Graduation Rate: 41%
Tuition: $13,429
12. University Of Maryland
The University of Maryland emphasizes in its different course options that nursing can be a field that can be entered through multiple channels.
Students in the University of Maryland’s Direct Entry MSN programs will make the Clinical Nursing Leader a major and obtain both BSN and MSN degrees.
To complete this program participants will have to complete four semesters of full-time courses and at least one session during the summer.
For Maryland residents, the tuition cost will be heavily discounted in graduate programs.
Admission Rate: 57%
Graduation Rate: 43%
Tuition: $13,990
Read Also: Overview Of Part-time Nursing Programs
13. University Of Virginia
The University of Virginia is one of the universities on this list that offer Direct Entry CNL.
This is a master’s program designed for students without a nursing background.
Individuals in the programs are required to study for two years after which they will be certified as clinical nurse leaders. During the two years.
The University of Virginia CNL students will be required to take their courses at the Charlottesville campus and will also perform clinical work at the nearby UVA Medical Centre.
Admission Rate: 27%
Graduation Rate: 95%
Tuition: $15,552
14. University Of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii at Manoa provides non-Bachelor of Nursing holders with the opportunity to directly enter the school’s graduate program through their direct entry MSN programs.
Students participating in the graduate direct programs will be pursuing one of the following degrees:
Master’s in Advanced Health Population Nursing; Doctor of Nursing Practice; or Nursing PhD.
The first year of all tracks is a pre-license course load of three semesters.
Admission Rate: 83%
Graduation Rate: 60%
Tuition: $15,288
15. Marquette University
The Direct Entry MSN program at Marquette University is open to interested students who have an undergraduate degree in a non-nursing field where their non-nursing credits can be used to complete an MSN degree program.
The University’s Direct Entry Program courses are offered at the college’s Milwaukee and pleasant prairie locations.
You can also access online courses in a bid to meet the 75-credit degree requirement.
Admission Rate: 89%
Graduation Rate: 80%
Tuition: $19,800
16. Seattle University
The MSN programs at Seattle University are usually offered as an Advanced Practice Nursing Immersion Program.
It is open for bachelor’s degree holders who are looking for a way to earn an MSN degree or pursue a doctorate degree.
So if you are interested in participating in this program as a full-time student, you will be awarded both a BSN and MSN Degree certificates at the completion of the program.
It is important to note that you will be required to present a pre-license course certification on pathophysiology and pharmacology in the first year of your acceptance into the program.
Admission Rate: 74%
Graduation Rate: 75%
Tuition: $19,426
17. St. Louis University
St. Louis University is also one of the universities that offers direct Masters of Science (MSN) in nursing for prospective nurses to obtain degrees at the advanced levels of studies.
The Accelerated Generalist MSN is designed to equip students with a bachelor’s degree to obtain a license through NCLEX and be certified as a Clinical Nursing Leader.
This program is expected to be completed within five semesters which is approximately 21 months of studies.
Admission Rate: 64%
Graduation Rate: 77%
Tuition: $19,800
18. Simmons College
As a component of the Simmons College’s Direct Entry MSN programs, students are equipped to be certified as a family or home nurse practitioner in about 3 years.
So If you are interested in this program, you must have a Bachelor’s Degree Certification in sciences or arts from an accredited University.
The NCLEX passing rate in this school is 100% since it offers a quality teacher who understands the essence of quality education.
Admission Rate: 60%
Graduation Rate: 73%
Tuition: $20,988
19. Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University which is ranked as one of the Top 75 graduate Nursing schools in the United States is presently the only university in New Jersey that offers direct entry MSN program options for people who hold a non-nursing degree.
The program is conducted on the campus and it is fast-paced in a way that the courses usually last for a maximum of 21 months.
Graduates undergoing the MSN Programs at Seton Hall University are to sit for the NCLEX and Clinical Nursing Leader certification exams before they can proceed to the MSN Direct Entry Program.
Tuition Fee: US$1,336 per credit
20. University Of Massachusetts
The University of Massachusetts provides graduates with admission options for non-nursing bachelor’s degree holders.
The program is always held at the campus of the UMass Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts.
During this program under this institution, students are expected to first obtain a registered nurse’s license before choosing to study for the master’s, PhD or Doctor of Nursing practice program.
Based on research statistics, University of Massachusetts’s NCLEX pass rate for graduate direct entry students was estimated to be 93%.
Admission Rate: 23%
Tuition: $23,143
21. Northeastern University
Northeastern University School of Nursing is an institution that provides students with the opportunity to transfer their non-nursing experience in order to obtain a MSN Degree.
To be admitted into this program, students are expected to complete a nursing education course that will last for 16 months before participating in the NCLEX exam.
Afterwards, a registered nurse is to work for at least six months before the direct entry student will proceed to sit for the MSN Degree program classes.
Admission Rate: 27%
Graduation Rate: 87%
Tuition: $23,408
22. Wilkes University
Wilkes University School of Nursing is an institution just like other Universities that provides direct MSN Programs for students who are bachelor’s degree holders in a non-nursing program who wish to obtain an RN license and an MSN degree as well.
Entry to the program requires taking the Kaplan admissions exam with a score of 60% and above.
To be awarded this degree certificate, students are expected to complete 48 credit hours which will qualify them to take the NCLEX and proceed further to complete graduate-level courses.
Admission Rate: 75%
Graduation Rate: 60%
Tuition: $23,280
23. University Of San Francisco
The School of Nursing and Health at the University of San Francisco has an RN to MSN track with a Direct Entry ME to MSN track
The direct-entry MSN programs offered by this University are designed to prepare students for their NCLEX and to also educate them on advanced concepts in the nursing field of study.
The MSN program conducted by this institution can be completed within six semesters and it requires a 2-year of full-time teaching.
Admission Rate: 66%
Graduation Rate: 77%
Tuition: $24,210
24. Pacific Lutheran University
The Pacific Lutheran University is also an accredited University by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education.
It offers direct entry-level MSN suitable for graduate students who wish to obtain an RN license and MSN Degree.
It is a 27-month program of study that includes 15 months of NCLEX preparatory course which is done before an advanced generalist studies that will take up to another extra 12 months.
All the lessons and clinical sessions of this program are held at the college’s Tacoma, Washington location.
Admission Rate: 75%
Graduation Rate: 70%
Tuition: $26,836
25. Pace University
Pace University is an accredited school by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education.
It offers Direct Entry MSN programs as an option to future MSN students who are currently registered nurses but are also non-nursing bachelor’s degree holders.
The classes for this program are usually held at the Pleasantville campus of the college which is located in New York.
After the completion of this program which takes from 50 to 55 nursing courses at the undergraduate level, the BSN are awarded direct entry into the MSN Program.
Admission Rate: 80%
Graduation Rate: 96%
Tuition: $29,520
Conclusion
With this Informations that have been provided above, you must have had a grounded knowledge of how best to go about proceeding for a MSN Degree Program.
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