DON Master of Science in Nursing Admissions

The Department of Nursing offers a graduate program leading to a Master of Science in Nursing. The program is designed to prepare nurse educators who are leaders in the practice of population health promotion. Graduates are prepared to teach, practice, lead, and serve in culturally diverse, pluralistic communities, delivering expert nursing care in various settings, including academic, clinical, and community-based environments. Graduates will work collaboratively with other health care providers and participate effectively in interprofessional health care delivery.

CSUSB MS in Nursing Requirements:

• A "B" (3.0) average is required to remain in good standing in the CSUSB MS in Nursing program.
• MSN courses (except for clinical practicums and internships) are offered fully online. Practicum courses are typically project-focused in nature.

Admission to the Program

In addition to the general requirements of the university, specific requirements for admission to classified graduate status are:

1. A baccalaureate degree in nursing from a CCNE-accredited program, OR a regionally accredited baccalaureate degree in a discipline related to nursing;
   1. Applicants with non-nursing baccalaureate degrees or with a baccalaureate degree in nursing from a Department of Education-recognized accrediting body other than CCNE must meet competencies as defined in the AACN Essentials of Baccalaureate Education, which include but are not limited to:
      1. Health assessment
      2. Research
      3. Leadership
      4. Community/public health

Competency may be verified through completed courses, credit by examination, certification, or documented professional expertise in the subject. Applicants are encouraged to discuss options with the Graduate Coordinator.

1. 3.0 ("B") minimum GPA calculated according to the recommended practice of the CSUSB Graduate Council;
2. Current California registered nurse (RN) license, unencumbered, unrestricted, with no disciplinary action pending or imposed.
3. Two (2) satisfactory letters of professional recommendation;
4. Personal statement;
5. Successful completion of an undergraduate statistics course.

Applicants may consult the information on the Department of Nursing webpage for details about the significant clinical compliance requirements that must be met upon admission to the MS in Nursing program.

Advancement to Candidacy

In order to be advanced to candidacy, the student must have:

1. Achieved classified status;
2. Completed at least 20 semester units of coursework with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 ("B"), approved by the Graduate Program Coordinator;
3. Filed an approved Program Plan for completion of the graduate degree. The degree program must be prepared in consultation with the faculty advisor and approved by the Graduate Program Coordinator and the Dean of Graduate Studies;
4. Demonstrated professional competence and integrity in academic and clinical practice settings.

Requirements for Graduation

In addition to the general requirements of the university:

1. Advancement to candidacy for the MS degree in nursing;
2. Fulfillment of the semester units and clinical hours;
3. Maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0 ("B") for each individual course;
4. The Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement is met by one of the following options:
   Earn a grade of B or better in an upper-division undergraduate writing course
   Achieve an acceptable standardized test score on the Writing section of the Graduate Record Exam;
5. Successfully complete the comprehensive examination, which includes completing  NURS 6980 and NURS 6902.

How to Apply

To apply please access the Cal State Apply online application system at:
Cal State Apply

• The California State University has prepared a tutorial on using the Cal State Apply system. To find the tutorial, follow this link:
  Cal State Apply Application Tutorial
• The CSUSB Office of Graduate studies also provides information on how to use the Cal State Apply system when applying for a graduate program. Find the information at this link:
  Graduate Studies – How to Apply

Two letters of professional reference are required as part of the application to the MS in Nursing program. When requesting a professional letter of reference, advise your prospective references to write a narrative:

• describing how long they have known you and in what capacity;
• describing the behaviors they have observed that attest to your nursing professional and/or academic competence.

Additional Information