Arizona MSN Programs

Arizona State University: RN to MSN Program Review
Arizona State University, 1120 South Cady Mall, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1003
Arizona State University (ASU) has more students enrolled than any public university in the United States. It is a research university that was founded in 1885 and began as a normal school. Today, it offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs at its four locations in Phoenix. A Master of Science with advanced nursing courses provides training for nursing careers that require a master’s degree.

One of the masters programs offered by the College of Nursing & Health Innovation at ASU is Master of Science, Clinical Research Manager. The program is completely online, and it prepares graduates to fill management roles in global clinical research. Thirty-three credits are required in this specialty field. The program has a trans-disciplinary approach that includes operational management of clinical drug, biological, and medical device trials. Applicants must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or a bachelor’s degree in a related field with healthcare experience. Those with non-healthcare bachelor’s degrees usually need additional prerequisite courses before entering the program.

The Master of Science-Community Health Advanced Practice Nursing is another program offered by the College of Nursing. Four semesters of full-time studies totaling 45 credits plus 540 hours of practicum and internship hours must be completed to qualify for graduation. Nurses receive training in evaluating the needs of the community and designing and implementing services to those of all ages. Registered nurses must apply to the program by submitting three professional recommendations and evidence of their RN licensure in the state where clinical practice will occur. They must have a 3.0 grade point average, be eligible for admission to the Graduate College, and complete an interview.

Nurses who want to prepare for a career as a nurse educator, patients, and their peers in healthcare settings can train for this position by completing the Nurse Educator Program at ASU. Interested Registered Nurses must apply to the Graduate College and submit three professional recommendations, have current licensure in the state where clinical experience will take place, and they must have a grade point average of 3.0. An interview with nursing faculty is also required. Most courses are offered online.

Brookline College: RN to MSN Program Review

Brookline College

2445 W. Dunlap Avenue, Suite 100

Phoenix, AZ 85021-5820

Brookline College has several campus locations in Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. The college’s main location is at 2445 W. Dunlap Avenue, Suite 100 in Phoenix. Online courses are offered for the Nursing Education Master of Science Degree that offers training for Registered Nurses to become nurse educators. The advantage of this online program is that students may complete the courses at their convenience, depending on their personal and work schedule. Thirty-six credits are required for this RN to BSN program, including two practicums focused on academic leadership and at the instructor level.

Students complete courses such as Teaching with Technology, Curriculum Structure and Development, Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice, Health Care Systems and policy, and others. In this program, nurses receive training that will prepare them for advanced nursing careers as nurse educators in healthcare or in academic settings as they teach student nurses on the undergraduate level.

Applicants must have a bachelors degree in nursing as evidenced by their official transcripts. International students are required to have official transcript translation and evaluation from a member of the Association of International Credentials Evaluators or the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Current licensure as a RN from any state, territory, or district in the United States is also required. Transfer students must complete a minimum of 27 credits through the Brookline College Master of Science in nursing program.

Midwestern University: RN to MSN Program Review

Midwestern University

19555 North 59^th Avenue

Glendale, Arizona 85308

Midwestern University offers a Master of Science (MS) in Nurse Anesthesia at their Glendale campus at 19555 North 59^th Avenue. Registered Nurses with a bachelors degree in nursing can complete their masters degree in nursing while training to become a nurse anesthetist. These advanced care nursing specialists administer 65 percent of all anesthesia in the country. Entrance requirements are that the RN should have a grade point average of 2.75, but 3.0 is preferable to remain competitive. Two years of work experience in critical care are required plus successful completion of the prerequisite courses with a grade of at least C in each of them. The program requires 27 months of full-time study, and the graduate takes the national exam for certification in this nursing career.

Students complete clinical practicums in many different settings, including urban and rural hospitals, pain clinics, doctors’ offices, and same day surgery centers. The first four quarters of the program consist of coursework to prepare the student for the clinical practicums that take five quarters to finish. Clinical sites are in states other than Arizona, including Arkansas, California, Florida, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Montana, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington. Students may be required to complete their practicum experiences in several or more of these states as they receive nurse anesthetist training in every type of anesthesia. This program is unique because it requires students to travel to work site around the country. Students are responsible for their own transportation and housing while working on each practicum.

Northern Arizona University: RN to MSN Program Review

Northern Arizona University

E. Pine Knoll Dr.

PO Box: 15035

Flagstaff, AZ 86011

Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public university with its main campus in Flagstaff, a mountain town that is 7,000 feet above sea level. There are also 34 extended campuses located throughout Arizona, plus online programs. Bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees are offered, including masters degrees that lead to Nurse Generalist, Nurse Educator, or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP).

A Registered Nurse (RN) with a bachelors degree in nursing or a nurse who has an associates degree in nursing and a bachelors degree in another area with a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) may apply to the graduate program in nursing. A nurse with a lower GPA than 3.0 may take two graduate nursing courses may reapply if the course grade is at least 3.0. Current licensure in Arizona or a multistate license is also required. Nurses interested in the nurse educator program must have two years of work experience, and those applying for the generalist Master of Science (MSN) program do not need to have any work experience. Three to five years of working in a clinical setting as an RN are needed for the Family Nurse Practitioner program.

Interested candidates must also apply to the Graduate College of NAU, and submit a personal statement explaining their interests and goals. An interview with faculty is required in some cases. The MSN program originates from E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff and includes clinical experience hours for each of the three tracks as part of the training for the MSN. Students in all specialty areas must first complete core courses equaling 13 credits and a project or thesis. The School of Nursing’s Nurse Generalist track requires 30 credits plus 180 clinical hours. Family Nurse Practitioner students are required to complete 48 credits and 720 clinical hours. Nursing scholarships, grants, and federal financial aid are available at the university for Registered Nurses who are interested in completing their MSN.