Accelerated Master's

Entrance Requirements

Students must apply to the Accelerated RN to MSN Option when they first apply for admission to the BSN completion program and prior to enrolling in nursing or supporting courses required in the BSN. Students may not enter the RN-MSN option after they begin taking courses for the BSN completion program. After successful completion of BSN requirements, all students in this Nurse Educator option will receive the BSN and may be granted full admission to the Graduate College.

Admission requirements include:

1. Junior standing;
2. Licensure as a registered nurse (RN) in good standing and eligible for licensure in Missouri;
3. Meet all admission requirements for the BSN completion program;
4. A pre-admission interview;
5. Submission of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores are required. 
6. 2 letters of recommendation (faculty or employer preferred);
7. A written statement of goals;
8. The equivalent of at least one (1) year of full-time experience in direct patient care as a registered nurse;
9. An overall GPA of 3.25 or higher;
10. Current American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Providers certification.  No online courses are accepted.

Additional Requirements of the Program

1. Students will be required to initiate and pay for any security checks and drug screenings required for clinical agencies.
2. Apply for criminal record check and receive response that the applicant has not been convicted of any crime pursuant to Section 660.317 RSMO or other disqualifications that would prohibit licensure as a registered nurse.
3. Students who fail these checks or procedures will be subject to further review by a Department of Nursing Graduate Faculty Committee.  This may result in dismissal from the RN-MSN program.

Retention and Progression

In order to remain in the accelerated master’s program and progress to the MSN program, students must:

1. Maintain an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher;
2. Earn a grade of “B” or higher in all undergraduate nursing courses attempted;
3. Earn a grade of “B” or higher in all graduate courses attempted.

Students not meeting the criteria for progression in the RN-MSN, Nurse Educator option, may complete the requirements for the BSN degree, but will be removed from the accelerated option.  In the final year of the BSN program, the student must make application to the nurse educator option.  

Credit Course Options

The accelerated RN to master’s option allows several courses to be taken to meet undergraduate (RN) requirements and pre-requisites to the graduate program.

Before enrolling in a course to be counted toward both undergraduate and graduate credit and to count the course toward the masters degree, an undergraduate student must be accepted into the accelerated program and receive prior approval from the graduate advisor, Department Head of Nursing, and the Dean of the Graduate College.  Acceptance into the program and all approvals must be completed prior to the end of the Change of Schedule Period for the semester.