Nursing, MSN

Dean: Jill Guttormson, Ph.D., R.N.
College of Nursing website 
Graduate School Graduate Nursing Program Overview website

Degree Offered

Master of Science in Nursing, students are admitted under Plan B (non-thesis option, no comprehensive examination required) but Plan A (thesis option) is also offered

Program Description

The master of science in nursing program for nurses with baccalaureate degrees in nursing prepares nurses for specialty roles in advanced practice nursing or nursing leadership. Graduates of the specialty program are academically eligible to seek formal professional certification.

Master of Science in Nursing Specializations

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Prepares students to apply advanced clinical assessment and management skills to episodic and chronic health problems. Care includes health promotion, advanced physical assessment, diagnosis and management of health problems in patients aged 13 and up, in a clinic setting. Graduates are academically eligible to take the national certification examination for adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner. One year of full-time or equivalent professional nursing experience with an adult or gerontology population is required prior to beginning clinical courses.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Prepares students to apply advanced clinical assessment and management skills to complex health problems. Graduates care for acutely ill patients, ages 13 and up, in a variety of settings such as acute care facilities, specialty practice offices and skilled care. Graduates are academically eligible to take the national certification examination for adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. Two years of full-time nursing experience in an acute care setting with the adult population is required prior to beginning clinical courses. This specialization is offered both at the Milwaukee and the Indianapolis sites. Admissions for the AGACNP program in Indianapolis follow a biennial cohort model, with new cohorts beginning in the fall of odd years. Applications for each cohort open in May of even years. Program offering is contingent on sufficient cohort admission.

Nurse Midwifery

Prepares students for independent management of women during the antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum periods and for primary and gynecologic care of women throughout the life span. Graduates are prepared for collaborative management of women with risk factors. Program graduates are academically eligible to take the national certification examination of the American Midwifery Certification Board.

Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Prepares students for advanced practice as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Graduates are prepared to independently provide health care for children and families from simple to complex health issues, usually in primary care settings. Graduates are academically eligible to take primary care pediatric nurse practitioner national certification examinations. One year of full-time or equivalent professional nursing experience with any population is required prior to beginning clinical courses.

Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Prepares students to independently manage care for complex chronically ill, acutely ill and critically ill children. Graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination for the acute care pediatric nurse practitioner specialty. One year of full-time nursing experience in a pediatric acute care setting is required prior to beginning clinical courses.

Dual Primary Care and Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Prepares students to practice as a dual-trained pediatric acute care/primary care nurse practitioner. Graduates are prepared to manage well children, pediatric acute and episodic illnesses, complex chronically ill, acutely ill and critically ill children. Graduates are eligible to take the national certification examinations for the acute care and primary care pediatric nurse practitioner specialties. One year of full-time nursing experience in a pediatric acute care setting is required prior to beginning acute care clinical courses.

Health Systems Leadership

Preparation for leadership, administrative and executive roles through attainment of knowledge and skills needed to work in complex health systems, including course work in leading change, managing human capital, clinical operations, ethics and strategic thinking. Graduates are academically eligible to take national certification examinations in nursing administration or health care administration. Courses are offered primarily online in a cohort model, with an in-person immersion experience each term.

General Information

Overview

Upon acceptance to the graduate program, students must complete and submit the Graduate Student Health Status Report form. Information on CPR requirements, physical examination and immunization status, including results of a T.B. skin test and proof of Wisconsin R.N. licensure (or Indiana R.N. licensure for students in the adult-gerontology adult acute care nurse practitioner - Indianapolis M.S.N.) and a criminal background check and drug screen must be submitted to a web-based clinical data tracking program (castlebranch.com). Results of a T.B. skin test must be provided annually, an influenza vaccine is required annually, and a drug screen must be completed three months prior to beginning clinical practicum courses. Students are responsible for the cost of these services. The information is required for progression within the program.

Clinical courses in the College of Nursing are restricted to students in the degree program. Various clinical facilities in the greater Milwaukee area, throughout Wisconsin and in northern Illinois are utilized for clinical experiences. Indiana based programs have clinical experiences in Indiana. While Marquette University is concerned about the professional advancement of its students, facilitates the process of certification, and provides excellent educational opportunities, it cautions that professional success in a chosen field requires, above all else, constant development of individual abilities, personal initiative and a professional sense of commitment to fulfill all appropriate legal and technical responsibilities. Hence, the university assumes no responsibility for the success of the students in obtaining educational certification or other types of professional licensure.

Licensure in Wisconsin or eNLC state is mandatory for employment with compensation.

Progression Policy

The College of Nursing Academic Progression Policy for Graduate Students applies to all course work taken during the academic year and summer sessions. The policies of the Graduate School on academic performance, professional integrity, professional performance, academic dishonesty and student conduct are all followed by the College of Nursing. A variety of responses to problems in any of these areas may be implemented, depending on the nature of the problems encountered. Warnings, remediation plans, probation, immediate withdrawal from clinical or laboratory activities, suspension and dismissal are all possible actions under these policies. Students are bound by all Graduate School policies including those related to repeating a course. See the Graduate School bulletin for information on academic performance.

Additionally:

  1. Grades of F, ADW, WA, and WF are not acceptable in any course and are grounds for dismissal from the program. If the student is allowed to remain in the program, the course in which these grades were earned must be repeated with minimum grade of B-. The timing of when the course may be repeated is on a space-available basis and successful repeat of a course does not guarantee that the student will retain a space in their program.
  2. A cumulative grade point average of at least 3.000 must be maintained each term.
  3. For graduate students in advanced practice options, a minimum grade of B- in NURS 6030 Pathophysiological Concepts for Advanced Nursing Practice, NURS 6032 Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice, NURS 6035 Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan, and all specialty theory courses is required. Ph.D. students are required to earn at least a B- in all courses. A student who earns less than a B- in any of the above-mentioned courses is required to repeat the course. The timing of when the course may be repeated is on a space-available basis and may significantly delay program progression. The student is not guaranteed that they will retain a space in the advanced specialty program.
  4. Graduate students in advanced practice options who earn a grade less than a B- in a clinical course will be dismissed from the program. If a student successfully appeals the dismissal decision and is allowed to continue in the program, the student must repeat the clinical course and earn at least a B- grade. The timing of when the course may be repeated is on a space-available basis. The student is not guaranteed that they will retain a space in their program. Students in the Direct Entry M.S.N. program must achieve at least a B- in a clinical course or the course must be repeated. The timing of when the course may be repeated is on a space-available basis and successful repeat of a course does not guarantee that the student will retain a space in their program.
  5. A student may be removed from a clinical course and dismissed from a program at any time due to unsafe clinical performance, lack of preparedness to care for patients, unprofessional behaviors or other patient-safety related issues. See the Graduate School bulletin for information on academic performance.

  6. A lack of substantial and visible progress toward completion of program requirements, including failure to complete the qualifying examination, thesis, dissertation or capstone project may be grounds for dismissal.

  7. No more than two different courses may be repeated due to unsatisfactory grades. The student must abide by university policy governing the repeat of any courses. See the Graduate School bulletin for information on repeated courses. 

Attendance

The College of Nursing follows this university Attendance policy. Students should refer to course syllabi, as each course may have additional attendance requirements.

Laboratory/Clinical Courses

Attendance at all clinical experiences (includes skills labs and simulation) is a demonstration of professionalism and accountability. It is the opportunity for the student to be evaluated by the clinical faculty in performance of clinical skills, assessment of clinical judgement and successful mastering of course objectives. Clinical attendance and completion of all clinical related course work is mandatory within the time frame of the given semester.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify the course instructor about any absence prior to the start of the clinical time. Being tardy, or not being at a clinical site on an assigned clinical day will result in an absence. Any absence may negatively impact the student’s ability to achieve course objectives thereby impacting their grade. In alignment with the university absence policy in the Graduate Bulletin (https://bulletin.marquette.edu/grad/policiesofthegraduateschool/#academicperformance), a student may be withdrawn from a course due to excessive absences. Absences that prevent a student from meeting all course objectives will result in failure of the clinical course.

Special Fees

  1. $60 – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification (approximate fee). (This certification must be maintained throughout the student's program through biannual recertification.)

  2. $124 – Health requirements and criminal background check initial fee (approximate fee) and drug test. Additional costs may be required for immunizations, antibody titers and physical examinations. (castlebranch.com).

  3. Site fees (Fees for individual clinical site requirements; based on individual site request; may vary every term).

  4. $90 – A one-time clinical tracking system (Typhon) fee for M.S.N. and D.N.P. students in the specialty clinicals.

Additional Fees for Direct Entry M.S.N. Students

  1. $500 – Non-refundable deposit, which is then applied toward tuition, for students admitted to the Milwaukee and Pleasant Prairie locations.

  2. $570 – Assessment Tests, predictor examination, and NCLEX review course for the M.S.N. program for Non-Nursing Graduates. Paid in increments throughout the program. (Approximate fee. Exact amount based upon vendor costs in effect at time of registration.)

  3. $300 – Uniforms for the M.S.N. program for Non-Nursing Graduates. (Approximate fee. Must be purchased through a private vendor. Vendor list available from the College of Nursing.)

  4. $175 – Assessment Equipment for the M.S.N. program for Non-Nursing Graduates. (Stethoscope $70. Sphygmomanometer $60. Approximate fee. Exact amount based upon vendor costs in effect at time of registration. Must be purchased through a private vendor.)
  5. For Milwaukee based Direct Entry students, a laptop computer that meets the minimum recommendations specified by the university is required. All Direct Entry students are required to have a computer with webcam, microphone and internet access.

Program Fees for Nurse Anesthesia Students

Acceptance Fee

  • The College of Nursing requires that all students accepting an offer of admission to the graduate nurse anesthesia educational program submit a non-refundable deposit of $1,500 to the Graduate School to be guaranteed a spot in the program. The deposit is then applied toward tuition and fees after the students register for the initial fall term.

Annual Fees

  • Annual, nonrefundable, technology and evaluation related fees of $2,925 per student paid each fall term.

  • Annual malpractice insurance fee of $275. Nurse anesthesia students are required to hold malpractice insurance coverage as identified by the program with a policy start date of 11/1 for each year enrolled in the program. This coverage must be maintained throughout the program. A lapse in malpractice coverage may result in removal of students from clinical site rotations.

Additional Expenses
  • Specialty textbooks: estimated at $2,400 for entire program (Note: additional costs may be necessary for non-specialty texts or other course-related resources).
  • Associate membership with the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) (approximately $300). Purchased in fall of the first year in the program, and membership is valid for the duration of nurse anesthesia educational program enrollment. 
  • BLS/ACLS/PALS certification: variable. BLS/ACLS/PALS certifications must be held at the time of matriculation to the program and must be maintained throughout program enrollment. Failure to maintain active BLS/ACLS/PALS certifications may result in removal from clinical rotations. 
  • Any costs incurred while on rotation to various clinical sites, attending professional meetings or external review courses. Students may incur secondary housing costs while on rotation at clinical sites > 75 miles from the Marquette campus.  
  • Scrubs: $75. Students must purchase one set of program-specific scrubs. 
  • Clinical credentialing fees: approximately $100 annually.

Accreditation

The bachelor of science in nursing, master of science in nursing, doctor of nursing practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Marquette University College of Nursing are accredited by

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
655 K Street NW, Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 887-6791
aacnnursing.org/CCNE;

The Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM)
8403 Colesville Road, Suite 1550
Silver Spring, MD 20910-6374
(240) 485-1800
http://www.midwife.org/;

Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)
10275 W. Higgins Road, Suite 906
Rosemont, IL 60018-5603
(224) 275-9130
https://www.coacrna.org/.

A post-master's certificate program prepares the nurse who already has a graduate degree in nursing to become academically eligible for certification as an advanced practice nurse or nurse leader.

Specific information regarding application and course requirements may be obtained from

Marquette University
David A. Straz Jr., Hall
1225 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53233
(414) 288-3800.