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Master of Science in Nursing

Available online and on the Jackson, Hendersonville, and Germantown Campuses

Mission Statement

The mission of the Master of Science in Nursing programs is to connect Christian faith and the professional practice of nursing that is excellence-driven, Christ-centered, people-focused, and future directed within the scope of their practice as determined by education, licensure, and specialty certification. 

MSN Program Goals

  • To provide master’s nursing education that builds upon one’s previous nursing education using evidence-based knowledge.
  • To prepare the graduate to provide advanced professional nursing within their scope of practice and within a Christian worldview.
  • To prepare advanced professional nurses academically for continuing academic/professional growth and development.

MSN Expected Student Outcomes

The graduate of the master’s nursing program will be able to:

  1. Incorporate theory and research in advanced nursing practice.
  2. Assume leadership roles in one’s specialty area of nursing to promote health and well being of persons in an intercultural world.
  3. Demonstrate competency in the provision of evidence-based practice in the selected nursing specialty.
  4. Integrate knowledge of healthcare economics and policy into the delivery of cost effective, ethically responsible nursing care.
  5. Manage health care information utilizing available technology to influence nursing practice and improve health care outcomes.
  6. Promote the nursing profession by executing the role with competence, responsibility, and integrity, and maintaining current and emerging professional standards.
  7. Collaborate with other disciplines to advocate for improved access, quality, and cost-effective health care.

The Cohort Approach and Calendar

In the fall semester of each year the MSN Program accepts students in the Nurse Education, Nurse Administration, and Nurse Practitioner tracks. Groups pursue the degree as a cohort. This model emphasizes group cohesion, cooperation, and interactive support. Within semesters, some courses are offered in an accelerated, 7-8 week format.

Each cohort is presented its unique calendar for the complete program. Current MSN calendars are available at www.uu.edu/msn.

Program Admission Requirements for All Tracks

Admission to the program will be based on competitive selection from the pool of applicants who meet the following admission requirements:

  1. Completed application with application fee of $50.
  2. Completion of an ACEN or CCNE accredited and state approved nursing program according to track specific options. Applicants with a previously earned Bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing must complete or show evidence of completion of the designated courses for the specific track or program.
  3. Students dismissed from a graduate nursing program for academic, clinical, or behavioral reasons will not be admitted to Union University’s Graduate Nursing Program. Students who have been enrolled in another program and withdrew or are still enrolled in good standing must have a letter from the program director or Dean stating that they are in good standing or withdrew while in good standing in order to be considered for admission to Union University’s Graduate Nursing Program.
  4. Last 60 hours cumulative GPA 3.0 on 4.0 scale (minimum).

    Calculation of GPA for the last 60 hours will occur as follows:
    • The grades used to calculate the 60 hours GPA will be the most recent, and exactly 60 hours will be included in the calculation.  If a partial semester must be utilized, the course with the highest grade will be chosen, and the number of hours needed will be multiplied by the grade. For example, if 2 hours are needed to complete the 60, and the applicant has a 3 hour course in which they earned an A, 8 points will be added (2 x 4 = 8).
    • If an applicant re-took a course, the higher grade will be used in the calculation; the lower grade will not count in the calculation at all.
    • Plus and minus grades will be considered as standard A, B, C, etc.  For example, an A+ and an A- will both be a assigned 4 quality points per credit hour.
  5. Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions must be submitted directly through NursingCAS. Please do not send transcripts for non-traditional nursing programs to Undergraduate Admissions. Transcripts must be received by NursingCAS in a sealed envelope from all previous academic institutions attended. Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions must be sent to: NursingCAS, P.O. Box 9201, Watertown, MA 02471.
  6. Proof of current unencumbered RN licensure in state of residence and eligible for licensure as an RN in Tennessee.
  7. Interview with the Nursing Graduate Admissions Selection Committee.
  8. Applicants from a country where the native language is not English may be required to show proof of English proficiency with scores no lower than 105 on the DuoLingo English Proficiency test. In addition, students must provide WES evaluations of transcripts.
  9. Three letters of professional/academic reference specifying the applicant’s capabilities for graduate study. One letter of reference must be from the applicant’s current supervisor.
  10. Completion of undergraduate statistics course.
  11. Cleared criminal background check.
  12. Clean drug screen.

Additional requirements for the Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Educator tracks include a Science GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale, defined as Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2, and Statistics is preferred.

Applicants are required to submit the following:

  1. Statement of professional goals to include (limit to 2 pages):
    •  Why you wish to become a Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, or Nurse Administrator/Leader
    • What you plan to do with this degree, including long term goals
    • How you have prepared for success in this program
  2. Curriculum Vitae

RN to MSN Without Previously Earned Bachelor’s Degree; All Tracks

  1. Applicants must complete the following undergraduate courses.
    • Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 – 8 hrs.
    • Microbiology – 3 or 4 hrs.
    • Pathophysiology – 3 hrs.
    • Christian Studies – 6 hrs.
    • English Composition 1 and 2 – 6 hrs.
    • Social Science – 9 hrs.     
    • Humanities – 9 hrs.    
  2. When these courses are completed, the applicant will notify the track coordinator no later than December 31 prior to the year they wish to start. 
  3. The following undergraduate nursing courses must be completed with a grade of “B’ or above by May 31st of the year the applicant plans be considered for the MSN cohort. The nursing course may be in progress when the applicant notifies the coordinator of their readiness to be considered for the MSN applicant pool.

The RN to MSN does not award a BSN.

Acceptance to the RN to MSN program does not guarantee acceptance to any MSN track. Applicants who are not selected to progress to the MSN cohort will be given the opportunity to enter the RN to BSN program. 

RN to MSN With Previously Earned Bachelor’s Degree In Field Other Than Nursing; All Tracks

  1. Applicants must complete or show evidence of completion of the following undergraduate courses:
    • Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 – 8 hrs.
    • Microbiology – 3 or 4 hrs.
    • Pathophysiology – 3 hrs.
    • Any undergraduate statistics course – 3 hrs.
  2. The above courses must be completed by December 31st of the year prior to the year the applicant plans to be considered for the MSN cohort. At that point, the applicant will notify the track coordinator they wish to be considered for the applicant pool in the next cohort for that track.
  3. The following undergraduate nursing courses must be completed with a grade of “B’ or above by May 31st of the year the applicant plans to be considered the MSN cohort. The nursing courses may be in progress when the applicant notifies the coordinator of their readiness to be considered for the MSN applicant pool.

The RN to MSN does not award a BSN.

Acceptance to the RN to MSN program does not guarantee acceptance to any MSN track. Applicants who are not selected to progress to the MSN cohort will be given the opportunity to enter the RN to BSN program.

Students admitted to the program must have and maintain while in the program:

  1. Current CPR certification
  2. Evidence of Hepatitis B, MMR, and tetanus vaccination (TDaP unless TD within the past 2 years)
  3. Proof of 2 Varicella vaccinations or positive antibody titer (If titer is negative, student must repeat the 2 vaccine series.)
  4. Freedom from tuberculosis as evidenced by a negative PPD, negative QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus , or negative chest x-ray.
  5. Health insurance

Conditional Admission

Applicants who do not meet the regular admission requirements to the MSN program may be admitted conditionally at the discretion of the MSN Graduate Admissions Committee. Conditional admission will require contractual agreement between the applicant and the Graduate Admissions Committee. The contract will specify the conditions and deadlines that must be met to matriculate to the regular MSN program. 

Transfer of Credit

Graduate credit for courses earned at a regionally accredited college or university or at a foreign college or university may be transferred to Union University if the courses are essentially the same as those required in the MSN program. The maximum number of semester hours that may be transferred to Union University and applied to the MSN degree is nine, based upon evaluation of transcripts and/or course syllabi. In order to meet MSN and/or DNP Essentials, applicants may be required to audit courses at the recommendation of the faculty.

Applicants may take a maximum of two MSN core courses as non-degree seeking students. Enrollment in core nursing courses does not guarantee acceptance into a specific track. No grade less than “B” may be transferred. Courses completed more than five years before beginning the MSN program at Union University will be considered on an individual basis.

Academic Standards, Requirements for Progression, Probation, and Dismissal

Students must maintain an overall B average. After completion of 9 graduate hours at Union University, a graduate student whose cumulative GPA from courses completed at Union University for graduate credit is below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. A student placed on academic probation has one semester to increase his or her cumulative GPA to 3.0 or greater to be removed from a probationary status. If the student fails to increase his or her cumulative GPA to 3.0 or greater during the following semester, the student will be dismissed from the graduate program. 

 

Students will also be dismissed without opportunity for probation if they:
  • Receive an “F” (i.e., any grade below a “C”) in any course
  • Receive more than two “C”s in any non-track specific courses.

Students must make a grade of B or higher in all track specific and 700-level courses (excluding pass/fail courses) in order to progress in or graduate from the graduate nursing program. The program faculty recognize that situations may arise which prevent students from successfully matriculating through the program. Students who are concerned about their academic standing should contact their advisor. If it appears the student may not be able to achieve a minimum passing grade in a course they may be encouraged by the appropriate Program Chair to withdraw from the program. This can potentially prevent the student from acquiring an F on their Union University transcript if the dropped class occurs prior to the deadline listed on the academic calendar (“last day to drop a class”). All students who withdraw or who are academically dismissed from the program can reapply for admission. However, readmission is not guaranteed.

Financial Information

Tuition Rates (per credit hour) and Fees

All RN to MSN Tracks:

Undergraduate courses

 $520

Graduate courses

 $685
All BSN to MSN Graduate courses $685
All Post-Graduate Certificate tracks $685
Application Fee $50
General Student Fee $34/credit hr.
Insurance Fee per year $25
Binding of Thesis or Scholarly Project $45
Clinical Tracking System $45/yr.
Cap and Gown Approx. $150
Castle Branch Medical Document Manager $35
Castle Branch Drug Screen and Background Check $110
NUR 600 Lab Fee $100
Course Evaluation Annual Fee $105/yr.

One-time fee for virtual patient
(all NP and Education students)

 $89
Random Drug Screen $37.50/yr.

Full payment for a term (fall, spring, summer, or other non-regular term) is expected at the time of registration for classes.

Any combination of the following payment is available.

  1. Check, cash, or credit card. The latter is subject to a convenience fee of 2.5%.
  2. Federal Direct loan
  3. Employer reimbursement
  4. FACTS (an electronic monthly draft from a savings or checking account)

Books cost approximately $150 per course.

All financial information is subject to change without notice.

Financial Assistance

Financial aid information for graduate students is available on our website at www.uu.edu/financialaid. Generally, graduate students may be eligible for Federal Direct student loans or private alternative student loans, depending on the program of study and the eligibility of the borrower. Union University is also approved by the Department for Veterans Affairs to offer educational benefits to veterans, reservists, and dependents of veterans who qualify for Veterans Benefits. Any person who qualifies for VA Benefits should check with the Office of Student Financial Planning as soon as possible after acceptance into a graduate program.

Employer Tuition Reimbursement

  1. The student is responsible for providing information to the university regarding his/her employer’s policies for reimbursement.
  2. If the employer reimburses the student directly, the student must pay the university in full at the time of registration.
  3. If the employer provides partial reimbursement directly to the university, the student must pay his/her portion of tuition at the time of registration.
  4. The university will provide any required information to an employer when requested by the student. 

Acceptance Deposits

All MSN tracks require a $300 acceptance deposit. These deposits are non-refundable if the student elects not to enroll. Applicants accepted on an “alternative” basis will receive a full refund if status is not changed to “accepted” by the first day of class.

Graduation Requirements

  1. Completion of the course work within each specified track.
  2. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 for the required course of study.
  3. File an application for graduation with the Graduate Nursing Office by the published deadline.
  4. Pay in full the student’s account in the Business Office.
  5. Discharge all other obligations (fines, credentials, fees, etc.) at the University.

Master of Science in Nursing Degree Requirements:

Administration, Education, and Nurse Practitioner Tracks (Family and Psychiatric Mental Health specialties)