The University of North Dakota College of Nursing has been approved to offer a program of study designed specifically for qualified, experienced registered nurses who are graduates of an associate degree program in nursing to obtain a master’s degree in nursing. 

The streamlined curriculum allows highly motivated associate degree nurses a means of obtaining a master’s degree without first completing requirements for the bachelor’s degree in nursing.  Students are admitted to the undergraduate program after completing pre-requisite coursework and complete 20 credits of coursework at the baccalaureate level.  Students are then eligible to apply to the Graduate School for completion of one of the master’s specializations.

Pre-requisite coursework (anticipated to begin fall 2009 semester) includes:

• English Composition I & II (6 credits)
• Communications course (3 credits)
• Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
• Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)
• Human Growth and Development (3 credits)
• Sciences courses, including Human Anatomy and Physiology, Nutrition, and 
   Microbiology (18 credits)
• Arts and Humanities courses (9 credits)
• Statistics (2-3 credits)

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS (to the undergraduate program) includes: 

• An associate degree from a regionally accredited school
• A minimum GPA of 3.0
• Completion of pre-requisite coursework
• Current, unencumbered RN license
• Minimum of one year of experience as a registered nurse (recommended)
• An interview 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AT THE BACCALAUREATE LEVEL

NURS 350: Nursing in Transition (3)
NURS 282: Health Promotion (2)
NURS 302: Pathophysiology (3)
NURS 490: Transcultural Health Care Theories, Research, & Practice (3)
NURS 324: Public Health Nursing (2)
NURS 374: Public Health Nursing Clinical (2)
NURS 474: Professional Development II (5)

TOTAL CREDITS: 20

*UND does not accept transfer credit which were completed by challenge examinations.

Admission to the Graduate School

Following successful completion of required coursework at the baccalaureate level, students then apply for admission to the Graduate School.  Depending upon the specialization chosen by the individual student, the program of graduate course study varies from 37 to 59 credit hours. 

Specializations students may opt to complete include:

            ·  Advanced Diabetes Management CNS and NP  (Pending implementation)*
            ·  Family Nurse Practitioner (59 credits)
            ·  Gerontology Nursing CNS and NP  (CNS: 56-58 credits) (NP: 55-57 credits)
            ·  Nurse Education (37 credits)
            ·  Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, CNS  (46 credits)
            ·  Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, NP  (56 credits)
            ·  Public/Community Health CNS  (49-51 credits)

For further information, contact:

Pam Henderson, Graduate Student Service Specialists, at pamhenderson@mail.und.edu or 701-777-4552

Download the RN to MS Brochure

Download the RN to MS application