Program Overview |
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Registered Nurses with an Associate’s Degree or Diploma in Nursing are eligible to apply directly to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing’s Master’s Program. This option allows nurses interested in advanced practice nursing to move more directly into roles such as certified nurse practitioners, clinical specialists, or nurse managers.
Students choose one of the following advanced practice areas:
• Adult –Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Health Care Systems Specialist (Administration, Clinical Nurse Leader, Education, Informatics, or Outcomes Management)
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Psychiatric-Mental Health CNS/Nurse Practitioner (Adult and/or Family focus)
• Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
The nursing component of the RN-MSN program includes three undergraduate nursing courses, plus 40-42 graduate credits, including courses in the professional, research and clinical cores, as well as the student’s chosen advanced practice area. The three required undergraduate courses must be completed before progressing to the master’s clinical courses.
Full-time and part-time study options are available for master’s students. Once the BSN courses are completed, full-time students normally complete the master’s program in four academic semesters plus one summer term. Part-time students may complete the master’s program in six semesters with one to two summer terms, depending on the specific advanced practice area of study selected by the student.
A variety of clinical experiences is available in each advanced practice area. Every effort is made to place students in or near their home communities or in settings most desired by the students for their clinical experiences.
Admission
Registered nurses must complete 51 college-level credits including specific pre-nursing courses prior to enrollment in the master’s program. (Students may apply prior to completing the courses, with a plan to complete all pre-requisites prior to acceptance. Please call for more specific information.)
Applicants must meet admissions requirements of the University’s Graduate School as well as the School of Nursing‘s requirements for master’s applicants. Due to course sequencing, RN-MSN applicants are only admitted for fall term matriculation.
Registered nurse applicants will complete the integrated online Graduate School/MSN Application, which requires competitive scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), and a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (using only courses that comprise the 51 pre-requisite course credits) is expected. Additionally, applicants must also have one year minimum practice as a Registered Nurse prior to enrollment.
Course Requirements
The pre-requisite academic courses (51 college-level credits) which follow may be taken at any accredited college or university.
| English Composition | 3 credits |
| Humanities (e.g., history, fine arts, literature, philosophy) | 9 credits |
| Biological Sciences, including Anatomy and Physiology | 12 credits |
| Other Sciences (e.g., chemistry, physics) | 6 credits |
| Human Growth and Development | 3 credits |
| Other Social Sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science) | 12 credits |
| Statistics (must NOT be older than 10 years of matriculation to the RN-MSN Program) | 3 credits |
| Elective (humanities, science or social science) | 3 credits |
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| TOTAL | 51 credits |
RN-MSN Specific Curriculum
RN-MSN students will complete the following three undergraduate level courses following admission to the RN-MSN Program but prior to enrolling in a master’s level clinical course. For detailed information about an individual master’s advanced practice area and a listing of the master’s-level courses required, refer to the MSN program site.
NURS 490 Conceptual Bases of Professional Nursing Practice (3 credits)
Selected concepts and theories are explored as a basis for making judgments and decisions in nursing practice. Critical thinking skills are developed as an essential component of professional practice.
NURS 491 Improving Nursing Practice: Application of Concepts, Theories and Research (3 credits)
This course emphasizes analysis of clinical problems which affect the nursing care of selected populations. Students also apply the nursing process, therapeutic communication skills, and teaching-learning principles in clinical situations.
NURS 494 Community Health Nursing for the Public’s Health (6 credits)
Prepares RN students for population-focused practice in community health nursing. Analyses and applications of selected theories, and health promotion/protection.
For general information on the School of Nursing and application materials, please fill out our inquiry form. You may also direct questions to:
Office of Admissions and Student Services
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Nursing, Carrington Hall, CB #7460
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460
Ph: 919-966-4260; Fx: 919-966-3540
Email: son_rn@unc.edu; Website: nursing.unc.edu
RN Programs Coordinator
Debbie Thompson, RN, EdD
(919) 966-3841
Office of Multicultural Affairs
(919) 966-7767
