Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Statement of Commitment to University Mission and Values
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree prepares a professional nurse with the knowledge and skills to assume an advance nursing practice role in a variety of settings. The MSN program offers several concentrations including:
- MSN-Healthcare Systems Leadership
- MSN-Nursing Education
- MSN-School Nurse
- MSN- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- MSN- Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- MSN- Family Nurse Practitioner
- MSN- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- MSN/MBA
MSN Vision Statement
To develop nursing leaders with expertise in translating evidence into practice, in order to impact health outcomes for individuals, populations, and systems.
Program Outcomes
- Exercise leadership in the design and implementation of systems changes using theoretical frameworks, analytical skills, and informatics to enhance quality and safety in the healthcare environment.
- Develop collaborative approaches within a transdisciplinary environment to improve health care outcomes.
- Synthesize knowledge to design health promotion and prevention strategies in collaboration with individuals and populations to promote culturally congruent health outcomes across the lifespan.
- Utilize ethical principles and awareness of health policy and advocacy processes to influence practice.
Healthcare Systems Leadership is a 36-credit hour program leading to a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree designed to provide the professional nurse with requisite knowledge and skills to assume leadership roles. Graduates are prepared to function as leaders in the administration of nursing services and patient care services to improve the delivery of healthcare and the practice of nursing. Graduates will incorporate knowledge and skills gained in the financial, economic, human resources, and organizational components of management.
Nursing Education is a 40-credit hour program leading to an MSN degree designed to provide a professional nurse with requisite knowledge and skills to assume nurse educator roles in academic nursing education programs, clinical staff development, continuing education, and community education in municipal, managed care, and private sector environments. The Nursing Education specialization provides students with knowledge and experiences in curricular design, instructional methodology, program evaluation, and educational research that help them become valuable and highly marketable members of the nursing education professions.
School Nurse is a 38-credit hour program leading to an MSN. School nursing is a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well-being, academic success, and life-long achievement of K-12 students. MSN prepared school nurses provide leadership in advancing the practice of school nursing and apply advanced nursing theory to improve school wellness and improve the educational process. To that end, School Nurses facilitate positive K-12 student responses to normal development, promote health and safety, intervene with actual and potential health problems, provide case management services, and actively collaborate with others to build K-12 student and family capacity for adaptation, self-management, self-advocacy, and learning.
Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner is a 46-credit hour program to prepare the professional nurse with the knowledge and skills to assume an advanced practice role as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.
Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner is a 46-credit hour program leading to an MSN designed to prepare the professional nurse with the knowledge and skills to assume an advanced practice role as an Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner.
Family Nurse Practitioner is a 48-credit hour program to prepare the professional nurse with the knowledge and skills to assume an advanced practice role as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is a 49-credit hour program leading to an MSN designed to prepare the professional nurse with the knowledge and skills to assume an advanced practice role as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. In the program, the students will learn how to perform physical examinations, diagnose and treat patients with common psychiatric and mental health disorders, and order and interpret labs and other diagnostic testing. The student will also be prepared to provide psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.
MSN-MBA is a 63-credit hour program leading to a dual MSN/MBA degree. Registered nurses interested in obtaining an MBA as well as an MSN in Healthcare Systems Leadership have the opportunity to pursue a dual degree at Lewis. The credit hour requirement for the MSN portion of the program is 33 semester hours and the requirement for the MBA portion of the program is 30 hours. Requirements for both degree programs must be completed prior to graduation in the dual degree program.
Post-Graduate Certificate Programs The Graduate Program in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences offers a Certificate of Advanced Study in Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. There are post-graduate non-degree certificate programs in Healthcare Systems Leadership and Nursing Education, and a post BSN certificate program in school nursing.
Academic Standing
A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 must be maintained in order for a student to remain in good academic standing and to continue progression in the program.
Curriculum Implementation
The core curriculum for students in all MSN Programs and specialty courses for Healthcare Systems Leadership and Nursing Education Programs is accelerated and offered in 8-week sessions. Nurse Practitioner specialization courses are offered in a traditional 16-week format.
MSN courses may be offered on any Lewis campus site, at selected cohort sites, or online. Other than specific cohort program contracts, there is no guarantee that the MSN curriculum will be offered in entirety at any one location.
NOTE: This curriculum and the sequence of courses are subject to change without notice or obligation. Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences for current information.
Program Completion Time
Students admitted into the Healthcare Systems Leadership, Nursing Education, School Nurse, and Nurse Practitioner Programs must meet all requirements for the degree within a period of 5 consecutive years from the time of enrollment in graduate coursework after admission to the program. Students admitted into the MSN/MBA program must meet all requirements for the degree within a period of 7 consecutive years from the time of enrollment in graduate coursework. It is expected that students will begin taking courses in the semester immediately following the date of admission.
Tuition and Fees
Current tuition and fees can be found in the Class Schedule and Registration Information online resource that is published each semester by the Offices of Student Accounts and Registrar.
Students are responsible for all fees related to background checks and health and clinical documentation in preparation for clinical experiences.
Admissions Requirements
Applicant with a BSN, for entry into Nursing Education (NE), Healthcare Systems Leadership (HSL), MSN/MBA, School Nurse (SN) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) Tracks:
- Graduation from a BSN program, accredited by Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) (formerly known as National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
- Current unencumbered licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) in Illinois or state/country of practice.
- Official transcripts from all previous academic programs are required.
- Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA from ADN degree if applicable Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA from BSN degree; or
- Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA from post BSN, graduate level coursework of no less than 6 credit hours; or
- Minimum of 3.0 cumulative GPA from MSN and post-MSN coursework for entry into post-Master’s specialty in HSL or NE programs.
- Successful completion of:
- A statistics course
- A nursing research course
- If not, equivalent course(s) must be taken prior to or concurrent with the first graduate-level nursing course with a grade of “C” or above. If a student does not receive a grade of “C” or above in a bridge course, the student may not repeat the course and will be dismissed from the program. Bridge courses to meet the admission requirement:
- Statistics course equivalent is undergraduate PSYC 30300 Statistics for the Social Sciences
- Nursing Research course equivalent is NURS 30100 Evidence Based Practice or NURS 33500 Evidence Based Practice and Nursing Research
- If not, equivalent course(s) must be taken prior to or concurrent with the first graduate-level nursing course with a grade of “C” or above. If a student does not receive a grade of “C” or above in a bridge course, the student may not repeat the course and will be dismissed from the program. Bridge courses to meet the admission requirement:
- Two Letters of Recommendation: one from a nurse with a master’s or doctoral degree in the specialty for which you are applying; the second from your current supervisor or manager. Letters from persons deemed to have a conflict of interest will not be accepted, e.g. relatives or persons in a reporting position to the applicant.
- A current résumé or curriculum vitae.
- Essay (maximum 500 words) addressing the following:
- How your work and life experiences prepared you for graduate studies;
- How graduate study will facilitate achievement of your short and long term professional goals in your chosen track;
- How the Lewis University Mission integrates with your personal and professional identity.
Applicant with a BSN, for entry into the MSN/MBA Program with MSN specialization in Healthcare Systems Leadership:
Applicant must meet the admission requirements for both the MSN and MBA Programs.
BSN-MSN Step-up Program
The Graduate Nursing Program in the Department of Nursing offers a step-up program for BSN graduating students with outstanding academic performance in the Traditional and Baccalaureate to BSN programs within Lewis University. The step-up program allows qualified undergraduates nursing students during the last semester of their undergraduate study to apply for the MSN program without an RN license. All specialty tracks in the Graduate Nursing Program are open for students in the step-up program. Students apply for admission by submitting an application form to the Admissions Department. The application fee is waived. The student must have achieved a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be eligible to apply for admission. Qualified students are admitted provisionally. The student must maintain their GPA at the end of their undergraduate studies to keep their provisional admission status. The student admitted via the step-up program must successfully obtain their RN license by the end of the first semester of their Graduate Nursing Program. The student is expected to practice as a RN at the end of the second semester of their Graduate Nursing Program. As long as a student is in good academic standing and have an RN license by the end of their first semester in the program they will be granted full admission.
Applicants with a Registered Nurse license and a Non-Nursing Baccalaureate Degree:
- Meet all requirements for admission to the desired track in the graduate program in nursing as delineated above, except having a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. If not, equivalent course(s) must be taken prior to or concurrent with the first graduate-level nursing course.
- Graduation from a state-approved associate degree with a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA from an ADN degree.
- Graduation from a state-approved non-nursing baccalaureate degree program with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
- Successful completion of the following bridge courses with a grade of "B' or above:
- A statistics course - 3 semester hours
- Concepts of Professional Nursing course – 4 semester hours (NURS 30600 Concepts of Professional Nursing)
- An Evidence-Based Practice course – 3 semester hours (NURS 30100 Evidence Based Practice or NURS 33500 Evidence Based Practice and Nursing Research)
- Promoting Healthy Communities course (clinical component) – 5 semester hours (NURS 43200 Promoting Healthy Communities)
If a student does not receive a grade of "C" or above in a bridge course, the student may not repeat the course and will be dismissed from the program.
Post-Graduate Non-Degree Programs
- Nursing Education (NE) or Healthcare Systems Leadership (HSL) Tracks:
- Submission of a completed application and non-refundable application fee.
- Current unencumbered licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse (RN) in Illinois or state of practice.
- Graduation from an accredited MSN program Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (on a 4.0 scale) in graduate coursework.
- Official transcripts from all previous academic programs are required.
- Two Letters of Recommendation: one from a nurse with a master’s or doctoral degree in the specialty for which you are applying; the second from your current supervisor or manager. Letters from persons deemed to have a conflict of interest will not be accepted, e.g. relatives or persons in a reporting position to the applicant.
- Current résumé or curriculum vita.
- Essay (maximum 500 words) addressing the following:
- How your work and life experiences prepared you for graduate studies;
- How graduate study will facilitate achievement of your short and long terms goals in your chosen track;
- How the Lewis University Mission integrates with your personal and professional identity.
- School Nurse Non-Degree:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and must have earned licensure by the State of Illinois as a Registered Professional Nurse (RN).
- Applicants with an RN licensure, but not holding a BSN or having a bachelor’s degree in a non-health area must complete a graduate level course in community health or population focused health. This course is in addition to course requirements for the School Nurse Program.
- Applicants must submit two completed Lewis University Department of Nursing’s recommendation forms: one reference must be from a nurse in the specialty of school nursing (master’s degree or doctoral degree preferred); the second should be from your current supervisor or manager.
- A current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Applicants must submit an official transcript with a GPA of 3.0 or above.
- Essay (maximum 500 words) addressing
- How your work and life experiences prepared you for graduate studies;
- How graduate study will facilitate achievement of your short and long terms goals in your chosen track;
- How the Lewis University Mission integrates with your personal and professional identity.
- Applicants must submit an official transcript with a GPA of 3.0 or above.
Certificate of Advanced Study Program (CAS)
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track (AGPCNP) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Tracks:
In addition to meeting the requirements delineated above (a-g) for Post-Graduate NE or HSL Certificate programs (except for the essay), the applicant for the Certificate of Advanced Study in AGACNP, AGPCNP, FNP, or PMHNP programs must meet the following additional criteria:
- Essay (maximum 500 words) addressing the following:
- How your work and life experiences prepared you for graduate studies
- How graduate study will facilitate achievement of your short and long terms goals in your chosen track;
- How the Lewis University Mission integrates with your personal and professional identity.
Provisional Admission for MSN Program, Non-Degree, and CAS Programs
An applicant with an undergraduate GPA between 2.75 and 2.99 and having met all other admission criteria may be provisionally admitted to the MSN program, Non-Degree, or CAS Program. Additional preparatory courses may be required during provisional admission. Provisional admission is contingent upon earning a grade of “A” or “B” for your first four graduate classes in the program. If this is not met during provisional admission it will result in dismissal. If after completing four graduate level courses in the graduate nursing program, the student has a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, the student will be fully admitted to the MSN program, Non-Degree, or CAS Program. Students on provisional admission must take bridge courses at Lewis.
International Graduate Student Applicant
All international student applicants should contact the Lewis University, Office of International Student Services for additional details and the most current web links for resource support. Not accepting international applications for the 2025-2026 academic year.
(Non-resident, non-citizen of USA)
- Submit an international application (https://grad.lewisu.edu/apply/)
- Request a credential evaluation from an agency officially recognized by NACES ( http://www.naces.org/members) or AICE (https://aice-eval.org/endorsed-members/). You must request a Course by Course evaluation of your previous education. Alternatively, Lewis University has partnered with One Earth Evaluations to provide students with a faster and more affordable Transcript Evaluation service.
- Submit a copy of your passport page with your full name and picture.
- Provide official documentation indicating successfully passing the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) qualifying exam to receive CGFNS certification. (CGFNS Website: www.cgfns.org)
- Evidence of an active professional nurse’s license in the student’s own country.
- Submit official documentation of an English language proficiency exams:
- TOEFL 79 (https://www.ets.org/toefl); or
- IELTS 6.0 (https://www.ielts.org/ ); or
- PTE-A 52 (https://www.pearsonpte.com/
- Meet all other admission requirements for the Graduate program of interest as delineated above. Full admission to the graduate program is required before starting graduate coursework and/or full time student enrollment. For questions, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission or the International Student Services Office.
USA Resident/Citizen Applicant with academic credits from institution(s) outside the USA
- Request a credential evaluation from an agency officially recognized by NACES ( http://www.naces.org/members.html ) or AICE (https://aice-eval.org/endorsed-members). You must request a Course by Course evaluation of your previous education. Alternatively, Lewis University has partnered with One Earth Evaluations to provide students with a faster and more affordable Transcript Evaluation service.
- If basic nursing education was received outside the USA, provide official documentation indicating a successful pass rate for the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) qualifying exam to receive CGFNS certification. (CGFNS Website: www.cgfns.org).
- Submit official documentation of an English language proficiency exams:
- TOEFL 79 (https://www.ets.org/toefl); or
- IELTS 6.0 (https://www.ielts.org/ ); or
- PTE-A 52 (https://www.pearsonpte.com/
- Meet all other admission requirements for the MSN program of interest.
- For questions, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission.
Transfer Credit
- Students must be a admitted prior to any review of transfer paperwork.
- A maximum of 12 credits hours of graduate level coursework from a regionally accredited institution may be accepted for transfer credit toward an MSN graduate degree if determined by the Graduate Nursing Chairperson, or the lead faculty of the equivalent course(s), to be applicable to the student's major and equivalent to required nursing course(s). Only courses carrying a grade of B or above in the last 5 years will be considered. Grades from courses accepted for transfer credit are not calculated into the Lewis University cumulative grade point average (GPA).
- Certificate of Advanced Study Students - A maximum of 12 credit hours comprising the total certificate program may be accepted in transfer under the following conditions:
- The credit hours have been earned form a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
- Only coursework with a grade of “A or B” will be accepted.
- For those who hold a current APRN national certification and unencumbered license, and have been in active practice within the past five years (defined as having practiced a minimum of 1000 clinical hours in the last five years as an APRN), the three separate courses titled Advanced Health Assessment across the Lifespan, Advanced Pathophysiology, and Advanced Pharmacology, plus Role Transition for the Advanced Practice Nurse, and Epidemiology of a grade of "B" or better will be considered for transfer.
- Course titles may need to be exact.
- Students applying for the CAS Programs that enter with a Nurse Master’s Entry (NME) level (Generalist) degree can only transfer in a biostatistics/epidemiology course. No other courses can be transferred in for course credit unless there is proof of taking other required courses at the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse level from the NME’s school’s Nurse Practitioner program (exact match) with a grade of “B” or better would be required for consideration for course transfer credit.
- The School Nurse Non-Degree Program can only transfer in up to 3 credit hours of education courses. No nursing courses can be accepted.
- No courses taken at another institution after a student has matriculated at Lewis University, whether admitted or not, will be accepted in transfer for credit toward the graduate degree or certificate in nursing at Lewis University.
- Students must be admitted prior to any review of transfer paperwork. Transfer credit cannot be promised-this must undergo review by the admissions committee. The final decision on admission and transfer credit comes from the Graduate Nursing Chairperson.
- To request review of coursework completed at another institution for acceptance as transfer credit in the Graduate Nursing Program, the student must:
- Request official sealed transcripts from the College/University attended to be sent to the Graduate Nursing Program Office in the Department of Nursing.
- Request evaluation of transfer credit in writing by completing and submitting to the Graduate Nursing Program Office in the Department of Nursing one Request for Review of Graduate Courses for Transfer Equivalency Credit form for each course for which transfer credit is requested.
- Applicants are required to submit a copy of the course syllabus dated from the semester in which the course was taken and a copy of the college or university catalog course description from the transferring institution with the completed request form to the Graduate Nursing Chairperson.
- Courses taken in meeting requirements for an undergraduate degree cannot be considered as transfer credit in the Graduate Nursing Program, even if the course number is a graduate level number.
- The Graduate Nursing Program Office in the Department of Nursing will provide written notification to the student of the results of the evaluation. The completed Request for Review of Graduate Courses for Transfer Equivalency Credit form will become part of the student's permanent file.
- The Graduate Nursing Program Office in the Department of Nursing will submit required documentation to the Registrar upon acceptance of equivalency credit to register the transfer credit on the student’s official Lewis University transcript.
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner / Master of Science in Nursing
- Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner / Master of Science in Nursing
- Dual MSN/MBA
- Family Nurse Practitioner / Master of Science in Nursing
- Healthcare Systems Leadership / Master of Science in Nursing
- Nursing Education / Master of Science in Nursing
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner / Master of Science in Nursing
- School Nurse / Master of Science in Nursing