Return to: School of Nursing: Programs/Courses
Characteristics of Graduates
The disciplinary and professional domains of nursing give direction to current and evolving nursing practice. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree prepares nurses for practice as advanced generalists as Clinical Nurse Leaders or as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs).
The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) is prepared through graduate nursing education as an advanced generalist nurse who provides and leads care at the point of care to individuals and groups or populations in all settings in which health care is delivered. The CNL designs, implements, and evaluates client care by coordinating, delegating and supervising care provided by the health care team. Nurses implementing these roles are prepared to provide leadership and assume accountability for client care outcomes through assimilation and application of evidence-based information to design, implement, and evaluate client plans of care.
MSN-prepared nurses in specialty practice demonstrate in-depth knowledge and skills in nursing and health care systems with diverse populations. Components of their roles are expert clinical practice or leadership, assessment of outcomes, research, teaching, collaboration, and consultation within health care systems or in the community. Nurses prepared through graduate nursing programs with advanced practice knowledge, critical thinking, and decision-making skills can function in a variety of nursing roles. Examples of such roles include clinical nurse specialist or nurse practitioner. Nurses implementing these roles demonstrate specialized knowledge and skills. For example, nurses engaged in advanced clinical practice conduct in-depth assessments and demonstrate expertise in judgment and decision-making for purposes of health promotion/disease prevention, intervention, and follow-up in specified populations. Implementation of a particular role may emphasize some role attributes more than others and reflect the advanced practice nurse’s area of expertise.
Purpose
The purpose of the master’s program is to prepare nurses with strong critical thinking and decision-making skills for generalist practice as a clinical nurse leader, or as an advanced practice registered nurse in acute care, primary care, or psychiatric mental health.
Program Objectives
Graduates of the MSN program are expected to:
- Integrate theoretical and research based knowledge as a generalist leader or in an advanced nursing practice specialty.
- Provide care and comfort to individuals, families, and groups experiencing complex health care needs.
- Provide care that reflects sensitivity to differences among culturally and ethnically diverse populations.
- Assume a leadership role in establishing and monitoring standards of practice to improve patient care in collaboration with other nursing experts.
- Use ethical principles to guide decision-making in nursing practice.
- Evaluate clinical practice in relation to professional practice standards and relevant statutes and regulations.
- Apply the research process to improve evidence based clinical practice and contribute to knowledge development.
- Engage in self-directed and purposeful activities in seeking necessary knowledge and skills to enhance career goals.
- Examine economic, political, and social forces affecting nursing care delivery in complex health care systems.
- Promote multidisciplinary collaboration to ensure quality, cost effective care.
- Contribute to the development of peers, colleagues, and others to improve patient care and foster the growth of professional nursing.
- Act as change agents to create environments that promote effective nursing practice and patient outcomes.
These core characteristics are in accordance with national guidelines for the Clinical Nurse Leader and professional standards of advanced nursing practice specialties.
Admission
Individuals with BSN degrees apply for the MSN tracks leading to preparation in advanced practice. Registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing area may apply for CNL MSN track. Non-nurse applicants with baccalaureate degrees in fields other than nursing apply for the master’s-entry Clinical Nurse Leader track.
Master’s Entry MSN
Applicants are offered admission to the master’s-entry MSN Clinical Nurse Leader track on the basis of intellectual capacity, healthcare experience, academic performance, maturity, clarity of goals, and other qualities appropriate to graduate study in nursing. Not all of these qualities are measured in absolute terms, and the decision to make an offer of admission is based on a balanced appraisal of the total application record.
The applicant must submit a completed application and:
- Have a baccalaureate or master’s degree from a nationally accredited school
- Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Successfully complete the following prerequisite courses before enrolling:
- Human anatomy & physiology within five years of program start
- A course in microbiology within five years of program start
- A course in statistics at the graduate or undergraduate level within five years of program start
- A course in life span development (conception to death)
- Submit three satisfactory recommendations; one of which should be from a health care provider with whom you have worked or volunteered.
- Submit a resume or CV.
- Have prior work or volunteer experience in healthcare; exposure to nursing is recommended.
- Be available for an interview, if requested.
- International applicants have additional admissions requirements
Applicants who are non-native speakers of English must demonstrate a strong ability in academic English from the TOEFL or IELTS examination.
Advanced Generalist and Specialty Practice Preparation
Applicants are offered admission to the Master of Science in Nursing program on the basis of intellectual capacity, clinical and academic performance, maturity, clarity of goals, and other qualities appropriate to graduate study in nursing. Not all of these qualities are measured in absolute terms, and the decision to make an offer of admission is based on a balanced appraisal of the total application record.
The applicant must submit a completed application and:
- Have completed a baccalaureate degree in nursing from a nationally accredited school. NOTE: Registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing area may apply for Clinical Nurse Leader MSN.
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate study.
- Have completed an undergraduate or graduate statistics course within five years of program start.
- Submit three satisfactory academic and professional recommendations, including one from an APRN.
- Submit a current resume or CV.
- Possess an unencumbered RN license in the state where you intend to do your clinical practica. All matriculating students who are not active-duty military nurses must have a Virginia RN license before the first day of classes.
- Have at least 1 year of full-time RN experience before entering the program.
- Applicants to the NNP track must have 2 years of full-time clinical practice experience (within the last five years) as an RN in the care of critically ill neonates or infants in critical care inpatient settings, typically in a NICU.
- Be available for an interview if requested.
- International applicants have additional admissions requirements.
Applicants who are non-native speakers of English must demonstrate a strong ability in academic English from the TOEFL or IELTS examination.
Technology requirements
All graduate nursing students are required to have a laptop. Students in the NP and CNS tracks programs are also required to have a smartphone (Apple or Android).
Admission Procedures
Applications for admission are available on the School of Nursing website: https://nursing.virginia.edu/admissions.
Application Deadlines
Advanced practice: December 1 is the deadline for matriculation the following August.
Direct-entry CNL: November 1 is the deadline for matriculation the following May.
RN-CNL: December 1 is the deadline for matriculation the following May or August.
All correspondence concerning admission should be addressed to the Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid, Office of Admissions and Student Services, School of Nursing, P.O. Box 800826, Charlottesville, VA 22908 or nursing-admissions@virginia.edu.
Degree Requirements
Course requirements are specified under the Program Description section. Satisfactory completion of all course work is specified in the policy on grades, with a final cumulative grade point average of at least 3.000 (B).
Course Load
The University’s full-time minimum is 12 credits and part-time minimum for some financial aid types is 6 credits. Students who must meet the corresponding full-time or part-time status must enroll in elective(s) when the required coursework for the semester is below the minimum thresholds. MSN students conducting scholarship or research with a faculty member can seek approval from the program director for taking GNUR 8999.
Time to Completion
MSN students have a maximum of 10 semesters from the date of matriculation in which to complete all graduation requirements while certificate specialty students have 6 semesters. Exceptions must be approved by the advisor, department chair, and the Program Director and are granted only under extenuating circumstances.
Enrollment and payment of tuition and fees for no fewer than two regular semesters or the equivalent are required.
UVA CNL Graduates
The following two courses fulfill the requirements toward a second MSN in an APRN specialty track: GNUR 6010 Advanced Pathophysiology and GNUR 6056 Health Policy. Additionally, GNUR 5410 Theory & EBP is equivalent to GNUR 6054 Research & Biostat. Processes. Other UVA MSN graduates with a generalist program will require a credit gap analysis.
