Nursing, M.S.N. (Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration)

General Program Information

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Dr. Judith Rice, PhD, RN, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs
2-208 Roy Nicks Hall
Box 70629
(423) 439-4396
e-mail: riceja@etsu.edu

Faculty: Bernita Armstrong; Sharon Bigger; Nancy Cameron; Teresa Carnevale; Myra Carew; Kimberly Ferguson; Retha Gentry; Lisa Haddad; Christine Hall; Jean Hemphill; Kim Hudson-Gallogly; Sharon Loury; Ernie Maupin; Sheena Miller; Kristen Montgomery; Christine Mullins; Paige Mullins; Victoria Pope; Judith Rice; Arshak Sargsyan; Terri Schreiner; Candice Short; Holly Wei; Florence Weierbach; Mary Ellen Wright; PiMing Yeh

The Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree is designed to prepare registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing for advance practice.

The Family Nurse Practitioner concentration prepares nurses to provide advanced nursing care to populations across the  lifespan. Patient, family, and community centered care includes providing care for common and acute illnesses, managing chronic conditions, and managing care transitions across systems while emphasizing quality care and health outcomes. Graduates will be eligible for the Family Nurse Practitioner National Certification examination. Graduates are prepared to practice in various healthcare settings.

For application terms and deadlines please refer to the College of Nursing website.

Admission Policy

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Applicants seeking admission to the Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program at East Tennessee State University must fulfill all the requirements for admission to both the Graduate School and the College of Nursing. Applicants will submit two applications: one to Nursing CAS and one to ETSU’s Graduate School. The Graduate School requires that all students submit the following materials:

• a completed application with payment of a nonrefundable application fee;
• transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work (including Tennessee College of Applied Technology - TCAT); and
• a written essay personal statement.

International applicants should refer to the International Admissions section of the graduate catalog for additional requirements.

In addition, College of Nursing requirements for admission to the MSN program include:

1. An unencumbered license to practice as a Registered Nurse in Tennessee or the state in which the clinical assignments are completed.
2. BSN from a nationally-accredited nursing program.

      OR

      Must complete the following bridge courses prior to registration in graduate courses:

• NRSE 3525 Health Promotion and Research;
• NRSE 4620 Leadership and Professional Practice;
• NRSE 3200 Advancing to Professional Practice;
• NRSE 3510 Population, Community, and Public Health Nursing

3. A bachelor’s degree with an overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
4. Successful completion of a three credit (semester) or 4 credit (quarter) undergraduate level statistics course.
5. Submission of a current curriculum vitae or resume with the application.

Progression Policy

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1. Students in graduate nursing programs must meet the requirements of the School of Graduate Studies to remain in good standing. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or better must be maintained.
2. In addition, a nursing student must achieve a “B” or better in every graduate nursing course. Policies of the School of Graduate Studies for progression will apply.
3. MSN students who receive less than a “B” in a course will have one opportunity to repeat the course.
4. If a student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0, she/he will be placed on academic probation the following semester. If the student does not achieve a 3.0 cumulative grade point average at the conclusion of one probationary semester, the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and the Associate Dean Graduate Programs in the College of Nursing will determine if the student should be dismissed from graduate study or continued on academic probation. No student will be allowed more than two probationary semesters, whether consecutive or cumulative. At the end of a second probationary semester, a student whose cumulative grade point average is still below 3.0 will be dismissed from graduate study.
5. Students whose performance results in a GPA so far below 3.0 as to make it mathematically impossible to attain an overall GPA of 3.0 after one semester may be subject to dismissal without a probationary term.
6. An incomplete grade (“I”) indicates that the student was passing the course at the end of the semester, but due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, was unable to complete the course work for which the “I” is assigned. The “I” grade cannot be used to allow a student to do additional work to raise a deficient grade or to repeat a course. An “I” grade must be removed no later than one calendar year from the time the grade is awarded. Students with more than one “I” grade cannot progress in the program.  Time extension requests for removal of an “I” grade must be submitted to and approved by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies before the allotted time expires. An “I” grade not removed under the guidelines in the Graduate Catalog will be converted to an “F.”
7. MSN students may have grades of “WF” in no more than one semester within an academic year. 
8. Students who wish to change from part-time to full-time status must submit a written request to the College of Nursing’s Office of Student Services. Request will be approved on an individual basis, taking into consideration the student’s academic performance and available clinical slots.
9. Students must maintain an unencumbered registered nurse license in all states where they are currently licensed throughout the duration of the graduate program and in the state(s) where they fulfill clinical course requirements. If at any time during enrollment in the graduate program a student’s nursing license becomes encumbered, is suspended, or revoked, the student must immediately report this to the Associate Dean Graduate Programs in the College of Nursing. If a student’s registered nurse license is suspended or revoked, or if a student fails to report any changes in licensure status to the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, the student will be administratively withdrawn from the graduate program. A student’s ability to continue enrollment in the graduate program with an encumbered license will be reviewed on an individual basis considering the restriction/limitations placed on the student’s practice as a registered nurse by the board of nursing in the state issuing the encumbered license.
10. Grade Scale: A=93-100; B=84-92; C=75-83; F=less than 75. Grades may be rounded at the discretion of the faculty.
11. The student is referred to the Graduate Catalog for more detailed progression information.

Articulation Agreement

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Students who have completed the Health Care Management Graduate Certificate may apply, with approval, up to thirteen (13) credits of coursework in the certificate program into the M.P.H., M.B.A., or M.S.N. degree programs.