Metropolitan State University Nursing School Review

Metropolitan State University (Metro State) does not have a very long history; as it was started in early 1970s. The need to bring higher education to the communities led to the legislature of the State to vote towards its founding. The university, set in the urban area of the Twin cities, started off serving communities from many areas including other colleges as a university without walls until it got its own grounds. Currently, the university has four campuses in St Paul, Brooklyn Park, Minneapolis and Midway in Minnesota. It is a member of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) .

Nursing Programs at Metropolitan University

Nursing programs at Metro State University are under the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. They range from completion baccalaureate to doctoral nursing programs. They have been approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing and the baccalaureate accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.

Nursing (RN-BSN)

This program is meant to build on prior nursing experience for RNs who already hold a diploma or associate degree. The same curriculum is delivered in the main campus at St Paul and in other five locations in community colleges.  Students can therefore take classes at North Hennepin CC, Anoka Ramsey CC, Normandale CC, and Inver Hills CC or at Century CC. All nursing courses are taken on a part time format in all locations for five semesters. Learning is through cohorts that meet once weekly for all semesters.

 Master of Science in Nursing

The college of nursing and health sciences at Metro State University offers BSN prepared nurses a path to become advanced practice nurses. There are two tracks from which students can choose i.e. Nurse Educator or Nurse Leadership & Management tracks. Both programs can be completed in either full time or part time study modes. For full times students, the programs can be completed in two years and additional summer semester. On the other hand, part times students are expected to complete the programs in about three academic years and two summer semesters.

Curriculum delivery of a hybrid nature, including web enhanced courses, online instructions and face to face classroom instructions. The master programs have been accredited separately by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

MnSCU Consortium Doctor of Nursing Practice

The university, together with other four state universities in Minnesota has come together to offer this consortium of DNP. The participating universities are Metropolitan state university and Minnesota State universities- Moorhead & Mankato and Winona State University. This collaborative program is specifically meant for masters prepared students.

On a further note, the university has plans underway to introduce an independent DNP program within its mandate. As such, the program will have two routes towards the DNP. On the first option, a curriculum that helps BSN students to get a Doctor of nursing practice has been developed. Students will have to take the Family Nurse Practitioner concentration as a master level nurse specialty.  The second route will be for the usual MSN prepared students who took specialties in nurse leadership concentrations.  In view of this, the first cohort of students at the independent Metro State University DNP program kicked off in the fall 2012.

Contact:
Metropolitan State University
1501 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis,
MN 55403