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.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences graduate programs is based on individual qualifications of the applicant without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national or ethnic origin, or disability. Students in the MSN program must meet the Health and Clinical requirement by the end of the first semester of enrollment. In addition, all incoming students born after January 1, 1957, and taking 6 or more credit hours per semester on the Romeoville campus, must have an updated immunization record sent to the Center for Health and Counseling Services.
Requests for exceptions to any of the stated admission criteria must be submitted in writing to the MSN Director for Graduate Nursing Program and will be considered on an individual basis.
Applicants to the MSN/MBA dual degree program must meet admission requirements for both the MSN program in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the MBA program in the College of Business.
Admission Criteria for Applicants to the Healthcare Systems Leadership, Nursing Education, and School Nurse programs with a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing:
- 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 licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) in Illinois or state/country of practice.
- Official transcripts from all previous academic programs.
- Official transcripts from all previous academic programs are required. 1) Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA from ADN degree if applicable 2) Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA from BSN degree; or 3) Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA from post BSN, graduate level coursework of no less than 6 credit hours; or 4) 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:
- 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 experiences prepared you for graduate studies
- How graduate study will facilitate achievement of your short- and long-term professional goals
- How the Lewis University Mission integrates with your personal and professional identity.
NOTE: School Nurse students must take and pass the Illinois state board of education content area test in school nursing (236).
Admission Criteria for Applicants to the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practioner (PMNNP) tracks with a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing:
In addition to meeting all requirements for admission to the MSN program as delineated above for the NE, HSL, and School Nurse programs (except the essay), the applicant must complete an essay (maximum 500 words) addressing the following:
- The skills and qualities the applicant will bring to the Nurse Practitioner role;
- The most important things to learn in order to be a successful Nurse Practitioner;
- How the Lewis University Mission integrates with your personal and professional identity.
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 in the Lewis University RN/BSN program)
- An Evidence-Based Practice course – 3 semester hours (NURS 30100 in the Lewis University RN/BSN program)
- Promoting Healthy Communities course – 5 semester hours (NURS 43200 in the Lewis University RN/BSN program)
If a student does not receive a grade of "B" or above in a bridge course, the student may not repeat the course and will be dismissed from the program. International Graduate Student Applicant All international student applicants should contact the Lewis University, International Student Services Office for additional details and the most current weblinks for resource support.
A non-resident, non-citizen of USA must
- 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.html" 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.
- 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 as well as in the state where coursework will be completed.
- Submit official documentation of an English language test:
- TOEFL 79 internet-based, or 550 paper-based (www.toefl.org); or
- IELTS 6.0 (www.ielts.org); or
- PTE-A 52 (https://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 Adult and Graduate Admissions or the International Student Services Office.
A USA Resident/Citizen Applicant with academic credits from institution(s) outside the USA must
- 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 (www.ets.org/toefl); or
- IELTS 6.0 (www.ielts.org); or
- PTE-A 52 (https://pearsonpte.com/)
4. Meet all other admission requirements for the MSN program of interest.
5. For questions, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Admission Criteria for the MSN/MBA Program:
For entry into the MSN/MBA Program with MSN specialization in Healthcare Systems Leadership the applicant must meet the admission requirements for both the MSN and MBA Programs.
Provisional Admission
An applicant with an undergraduate GPA between 2.75 and 3.0 and having met all other admission criteria may be provisionally admitted to the MSN program. Additional preparatory courses may be required during provisional admission. Full admission is contingent upon earning a grade of "A" or "B' for the first four graduate courses 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 studies in nursing program the student has a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, the student will be fully admitted to the MSN program. Students on provisional admission must take bridge courses at Lewis.
Transfer Credit and Grade Point
MSN Students - A maximum of 9 semester credits of graduate-level coursework from regionally-accredited institutions may be accepted for transfer if the courses are applicable to the student’s area of specialization as determined by the MSN Director for Graduate Nursing Program, or the lead faculty of the equivalent course(s). Only courses carrying a grade of B or above will be considered. Grades from courses accepted for transfer credit are not calculated into the cumulative grade point average. 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 towards the graduate degree or certificate in nursing at Lewis University.
Certificate of Advanced Study Students - A maximum of 10 credit hours comprising the total certificate program may be accepted in transfer under the following conditions: Only coursework with a grade of "B" will be accepted. Students in the CAS (Certificate of Advanced Study) programs may transfer in Health Assessment and Advanced Pharmacology if they have taken within the last 5 years or have been in active practice within the last 5 years. Course titles may need to be exact. Active practice is defined as a minimum of 1000 verified clinical practice hours within the past 5 years.
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
Published regularly by the Offices of the Bursar and Registrar, current tuition and fees can be found in the University Course Schedule.
Students are responsible for all fees related to background checks and health and clinical documentation in preparation for clinical experiences.
Healthcare Systems Leadership / Master of Science in Nursing
Degree Offered: Master of Science in Nursing
Total Credit Hours: 36
All students in the Healthcare Systems Leadership program must complete the following courses.
Degree Requirements
I. Core Courses (18)
II. HSL Specialty Track (18)
| NURS-54900 | Leadership Strategies for Administration and Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS-55200 | Dynamics of Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
| NURS-55400 | Evidence-Based Performance in Healthcare | 3 |
| NURS-55700 | Financial Management for Nurse Leaders | 3 |
| NURS-59200 | Practicum Preparation | 0 |
| NURS-59600 | Healthcare Systems Leadership Capstone Project | 6 |
Nursing Education / Master of Science in Nursing
Degree Offered: Master of Science in Nursing
Total Credit Hours: 40
All students in the Nursing Education program must complete the following courses.
Degree Requirements
I. Core Courses (18)
II. NE Specialty Core (4)
| NURS-53700 | Integrated Advanced Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Physical Assessment for the Nurse Educator and School Nurse | 4 |
III. NE Specialty Track (18)
| NURS-54000 | Educational Theory and the Scholarship of Teaching | 3 |
| NURS-54300 | Curriculum Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| NURS-54500 | Teaching Methodology and Delivery Systems | 3 |
| NURS-54700 | Role Transition for the Nurse Educator | 3 |
| NURS-57600 | NE Capstone Project Part I - Planning | 3 |
| NURS-57700 | NE Capstone Project Part 2 - Implementation and Evaluation | 3 |
School Nurse / Master of Science in Nursing
Degree Offered: Master of Science in Nursing
Total Credit Hours: 38
All students in the School Nurse program must complete the following courses.
Degree Requirements
I. Core Courses (18)
II. SN Specialty Core (4)
| NURS-53700 | Integrated Advanced Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Physical Assessment for the Nurse Educator and School Nurse | 4 |
III. School Nurse Track (16)
Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner / Master of Science in Nursing
Degree Offered: Master of Science in Nursing
Total Credit Hours: 46
All students in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program must complete the following courses, including a minimum of 540 hours of clinical experience.
Degree Requirements
I. Core Courses (18)
II. NP Specialty Core (13)
| NURS-58800 | Role Transition and Development for the Advanced Practice Nurse | 1 |
| NURS-60600 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| NURS-60400 | Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-60500 | Applied Physiology/Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-60700 | Health Assessment for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
III. AGACNP Specialty Track (15)
| NURS-61200 | APN Management: Adult/Gerontology and Adolescents | 3 |
| NURS-61800 | NP Practicum: Adult/Gerontology and Adolescents | 2 |
| NURS-61400 | APN Management: Adult-Gerontology and Other Special Populations | 3 |
| NURS-62400 | APN Management: Acute Care for Adult/Gerontology | 3 |
| NURS-62500 | NP Practicum: Acute Care for Adult/Gerontology | 2 |
NURS 62500 is repeated for a total of 4 credit hours.
Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner / Master of Science in Nursing
Degree Offered: Master of Science in Nursing
Total Credit Hours: 46
All students in the Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program must complete the following courses, including a minimum of 540 hours of clinical experience.
Degree Requirements
I. Core Courses (18)
II. NP Specialty Core (13)
| NURS-58800 | Role Transition and Development for the Advanced Practice Nurse | 1 |
| NURS-60600 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| NURS-60400 | Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-60500 | Applied Physiology/Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-60700 | Health Assessment for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
III. AGPCNP Specialty Track (15)
| NURS-61000 | APN Management: Adults in Community/Primary Care | 3 |
| NURS-61100 | NP Practicum: Adults in Community/Primary Care | 2 |
| NURS-61200 | APN Management: Adult/Gerontology and Adolescents | 3 |
| NURS-61800 | NP Practicum: Adult/Gerontology and Adolescents | 2 |
| NURS-61400 | APN Management: Adult-Gerontology and Other Special Populations | 3 |
| NURS-61500 | Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum: Special Populations | 2 |
Family Nurse Practitioner / Master of Science in Nursing
Degree Offered: Master of Science in Nursing
Total Credit Hours: 48
All students in the Family Nurse Practitioner program must complete the following courses, including a minimum of 630 hours of clinical experience:
Degree Requirements
I. Core Courses (18)
II. NP Specialty Core (13)
| NURS-58800 | Role Transition and Development for the Advanced Practice Nurse | 1 |
| NURS-60600 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| NURS-60400 | Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-60500 | Applied Physiology/Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-60700 | Health Assessment for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
III. FNP Specialty Track (17)
| NURS-61000 | APN Management: Adults in Community/Primary Care | 3 |
| NURS-61100 | NP Practicum: Adults in Community/Primary Care | 2 |
| NURS-61600 | FNP Management: Primary Care of Women, Infants, and Children | 4 |
| NURS-61700 | FNP Practicum: Primary Care of Women, Infants and Children | 3 |
| NURS-61200 | APN Management: Adult/Gerontology and Adolescents | 3 |
| NURS-61800 | NP Practicum: Adult/Gerontology and Adolescents | 2 |
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner / Master of Science in Nursing
Degree Offered: Master of Science in Nursing
Total Credit Hours: 49
All students in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program must complete the following courses, including a minimum of 540 hours of clinical experience:
Degree Requirements
I. Core Courses (18)
II. NP Specialty Core (13)
| NURS-58800 | Role Transition and Development for the Advanced Practice Nurse | 1 |
| NURS-60600 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| NURS-60400 | Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-60500 | Applied Physiology/Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-60700 | Health Assessment for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
III. PMHNP Specialty Track (18)
| NURS-63000 | Psychopharmacology for Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-63200 | PMHNP 1: Psychiatric Assessment and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NURS-63300 | PMHNP Practicum 1: Assessment and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan | 2 |
| NURS-63400 | PMHNP 2: Introduction to Psychotherapy for Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-63500 | PMHNP Practicum 2: Introduction to Psychotherapy for Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing | 2 |
| NURS-63600 | PMHNP 3: Implementation of Pharmacotherapy for Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| NURS-63700 | PMHNP Practicum 3: Implementation of Pharmacotherapy for Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing | 2 |
Dual MSN/MBA
Registered nurses interested in obtaining an MBA as well as an MSN have the opportunity to pursue a dual degree at Lewis. Degree requirements for the dual program may vary from the information provided in this catalog. Contact the MBA department in the College of Business or the Department of Graduate Studies in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences for information and program requirements.
The dual degree program Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Business Administration is based on the MSN and MBA curricula. The credit hour requirement for the MSN program is 33 semester hours. Requirement for the MBA program is 30 hours. The dual degree total credit hour requirement is 63 semester credit hours.
NOTE: The MSN/MBA curriculum and 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.
MSN/MBA Healthcare Systems Leadership (63)
I. MSN Core and Specialty Core Courses (15)
| NURS-53200 | Applied Biostatistics for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS-51700 | Healthcare Organizations, Systems, and Policy | 3 |
| NURS-53000 | Theoretical Foundations of Scholarly Inquiry for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS-53400 | Population Health | 3 |
| NURS-53300 | Scholarly Inquiry | 3 |
II. MBA Courses (30)
III. MSN Specialization (18)
| NURS-54900 | Leadership Strategies for Administration and Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS-55200 | Dynamics of Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
| NURS-55400 | Evidence-Based Performance in Healthcare | 3 |
| NURS-55700 | Financial Management for Nurse Leaders | 3 |
| NURS-59200 | Practicum Preparation | 0 |
| NURS-59600 | Healthcare Systems Leadership Capstone Project | 6 |