Graduate program learning modality: This program is offered fully online.
Practicum experiences are required in health assessment, FNP internships, skills courses, or nursing education, depending on the student’s specialization.
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Nursing is a master’s degree designed to give nurses advanced skills and knowledge in specialized nursing. The Master of Science in Nursing includes the Family Nurse Practitioner specialization or Nursing Education specialization.
The Family Nurse Practitioner track prepares graduates for an advanced practice role in primary care by developing clinical expertise in managing health and illness across the lifespan within diverse settings. Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for national certification examinations as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
The Nursing Education track prepares graduates for many roles in nursing education, including educating at the baccalaureate or associate degree level and serving as educators in healthcare facilities.
All clinical requirements must be maintained as outlined in the Graduate Nursing Student Handbook.
The Master’s degree program in nursing at Northern Illinois University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Admission
Admission to the M.S. program in nursing is limited and competitive. To apply to the M.S. program, prospective students must submit completed application materials to the Graduate School no later than the published deadline dates on the Graduate School website.
Study in the M.S. program may be full or part time. Students have six years to complete the program from the start-date of any transferred coursework. Graduate students finalize their plan of study in consultation with an assigned advisor. A maximum of 6 semester hours of credit may be transferred from another college or university.
Admission to the Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization in Nursing Education program is guaranteed for all NIU degree completion students (RN-BS) who earn a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA and have at least 2,000 hours of clinical practice experience in a specialty area within the three years prior to application and meet all other Graduate School requirements for admission.
Eligibility to Apply
Current licensure with no encumbrances as a professional registered nurse in the U.S. Prior to beginning course work, students must hold or have applied for licensure in Illinois.
A baccalaureate or master’s in nursing degree from a school accredited by an accrediting agency officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), or from a program seeking initial accreditation which includes an upper-division major in nursing equivalent to the undergraduate nursing major at NIU. If the applicant is a graduate of a nongraded baccalaureate program in nursing, CCNE accreditation is required. The applicant must provide documentation of course work which is essentially equivalent to that required in the nursing major at NIU.
A minimum 3.00 GPA for the last 60 hours of the baccalaureate program, or completion of 9 semester hours of graduate course work in nursing at NIU with a GPA of 3.20 or better.
Transcript Evaluation: Applicants who completed their nursing education at a non-U.S. school are required to submit non-U.S. transcripts to the Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE; www.ece.org) or the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS; http://www.cgfns.org/) or World Education Services (WES; www.wes.org) for evaluation of credentials. The evaluation report must show that the non-U.S. education is equivalent to a U.S. bachelors’ or master’s degree in nursing to be considered for admission.
Prefer one year experience as a professional Registered Nurse in clinical practice.
Application Components
Online completion of the application to the NIU Graduate School.
Submission of the applicant’s curriculum vitae (CV) or resume.
Official transcripts and transcript evaluation, as needed.
Current U.S. RN license.
A two-page, double-spaced Goal Statement/Writing Sample to address: Professional goals, desired advanced practice or nursing education specialization in the M.S. degree program, and how a graduate degree in the desired specialization will promote goal achievement. This statement should also include a paragraph regarding clinical practice experience in the past three years and the area(s) of practice specialty.
Three professional letters of reference which provide evidence of the applicant’s professional qualifications. At least one reference should be from a professor or graduate level-prepared nursing colleague who can address the applicant’s potential for academic success. At least one reference must be from a current, professional nurse colleague (e.g., a supervisor or preceptor) who can address the applicant’s professional qualifications as a licensed professional registered nurse. One professional recommendation of the applicant’s choosing. Family members and personal friends are not considered professional references.
The approval of the nursing program Graduate Admissions Committee after review of the application.
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for admission to the M.S. degree in nursing program.
Requirements
Specialization as a Family Nurse Practitioner (50)
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