Program Overview

Master of Science in Nursing Program

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program at Pacific Lutheran University is designed to prepare nurses for leadership roles in education, practice, and administration. The program offers two pathways: the Entry-Level MSN (ELMSN) for students with a non-nursing bachelor's degree, and the BSN to MSN for registered nurses seeking advanced roles.

Program Pathways

• Entry-Level MSN (ELMSN): This pathway is designed for students with a non-nursing bachelor's degree who want to transition into nursing. The program prepares students to gain RN licensure and the MSN degree.
• BSN to MSN: This pathway is designed for registered nurses who want to advance their education and career. The program builds on the student's existing BSN degree and provides advanced skills and knowledge in nursing education or leadership.

Admission Requirements

Entry-Level MSN

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
• 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA for all college coursework
• Completion of prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of B- (2.67 on a 4.0 scale)
  • College-level Statistics
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology I (with lab within last six years)
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology II (with lab within last six years)
  • Developmental Psychology Lifespan
  • Intro to Microbiology (with lab within last six years)
  • Nutrition

BSN to MSN

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a nationally accredited institution
• 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA
• Current, unencumbered WA State RN License or Multistate License (MSL) from your home state through Compact agreement
• Completion of College-level Statistics course with a 3.0 (B) or better grade

Program Details

The MSN program is designed to equip nurses with the knowledge and skills to educate, lead change, promote health, and elevate care in various roles and settings. Students choose an area of specialization: Clinical Nurse Leader or Certified Nurse Educator.

Specializations

• Clinical Nurse Leader: Prepares students to provide clinical leadership for patient-care practices, focusing on the design, coordination, and evaluation of evidence-based care for diverse patient groups.
• Certified Nurse Educator: Prepares students to be certified as nurse educators, ready to teach in diverse clinical and/or academic settings.

Curriculum and Schedule

The program curriculum and schedule vary depending on the pathway:

• ELMSN: 27 months, 93 credits, with a focused immersion in nursing for the first 15 months, followed by graduate study.
• BSN to MSN: 12 months, 37 credits, designed for working nurses, with classes generally held on one evening and one full day on-campus, plus additional hours for practicums.

Clinical Practicums

PLU guarantees all clinical placements in the MSN program. Students complete approximately 600+ hours of clinical hours in the ELMSN pre-licensure practicums and 500 additional clinical hours in the ELMSN post-licensure and BSN-MSN practicums.

Course Descriptions

A variety of courses are offered, including:

• GNUR 305: Patho/Pharm I
• GNUR 306: Foundations of Care Delivery & Health Promotion
• GNUR 307: Health & Physical Assessment
• GNUR 308: Clinical Practicum I
• GNUR 309: Professional Foundations & Principles of Leadership
• GNUR 310: Scholarly Writing Concepts
• GNUR 311: Patho/Pharm II
• GNUR 314: Care of Chronic Conditions
• GNUR 315: Psych/Mental Health
• GNUR 316: Clinical Practicum II
• GNUR 401: Care of Complex Conditions
• GNUR 402: Patho/Pharm III
• GNUR 403: Clinical Practicum III
• GNUR 404: Healthcare Diversity
• GNUR 406: Continuity of Care
• GNUR 407: Clinical Practicum IV
• GNUR 483: Transition to Practice
• GNUR 498: Capstone Seminar
• GNUR 523: Roles of the Advanced Nurse
• GNUR 524: Advanced Health Promotion
• GNUR 525: Theoretical Foundations
• GNUR 526: Nursing Leadership & Management
• GNUR 527: Evaluation & Outcomes Research
• GNUR 530: Resource Management
• GNUR 531: Clinical Outcomes Management I
• GNUR 532: Clinical Outcomes Management II
• GNUR 534: Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare
• GNUR 538: Program Development
• GNUR 540: Illness & Disease Management
• GNUR 541: Advanced Health Assessment & Health Promotion
• GNUR 542: Advanced Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nursing Practice
• GNUR 544: Advanced Nursing Management of Illness & Disease
• GNUR 550: Curriculum, Instruction, & Evaluation
• GNUR 595: Internship
• GNUR 596: Scholarly Inquiry in Nursing Practice
• GNUR 599: Thesis

Program Costs

• Entry-Level MSN: $950/credit hour for pre-licensure curriculum, $1,160/credit hour for MSN curriculum
• BSN to MSN: $1,160/credit hour

Financial Aid and Scholarships

• PLU Alumni Scholarship: $5,000, awarded to graduate students who also earned their bachelor's degree from PLU
• Graduate Academic Scholarships: $1,000-$4,000, awarded to applicants who are not PLU alumni
• International Grant: $7,000-$10,500, awarded to degree-seeking international students
• Washington State Opportunity Scholarship: up to $25,000 over three years, for students pursuing advanced degrees as nurse practitioners
• Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) Scholarship: provides financial assistance to students receiving education or training in a direct or indirect health-care services discipline

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the MSN program, students will be able to:

1. Implement evidence-based practice, incorporating theory, models, and science to ensure safe, quality health care.
2. Integrate knowledge of technology, information systems, policy, organization, and financing into the improvement of health care delivery and health outcomes.
3. Demonstrate a commitment to ethical decision making, social justice, and advocacy for vulnerable and diverse populations.
4. Develop and use collaborative leadership and management strategies that foster safety and quality improvement throughout a healthcare system.
5. Advance the profession through collaboration, adherence to nursing standards and values, service, and commitment to lifelong learning.
6. Collaboratively design client-centered strategies for clinical prevention and health promotion.
7. Expand nursing expertise through the application of advanced pathophysiological, pharmacological, and assessment knowledge and skills.