Master of Science in Nursing
The Master of Science in Nursing program allows the registered nurse to continue their education to become an advanced practice nurse and specialize in one of two concentration areas: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner or Family Nurse Practitioner.
The Department of Nursing offers programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degree levels. For more information, contact the Department of Nursing at (813) 253-6223 or see www.ut.edu/nursing.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, the master’s degree program in nursing, post-graduate APRN certificate, and DNP programs at the University of Tampa are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Please be aware that successful completion of the MSN program does not confer automatic licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. MSN graduates must successfully complete a national certification examination to be eligible for advanced practice licensure in the State of Florida.
For additional information on how this program prepares students for professional licensure, please visit: MSN disclosure.
Department of Nursing Mission Statement
The primary mission of the Department of Nursing is to offer programs of study in nursing science at the baccalaureate, masters and doctoral level that prepare graduates from entry into professional nursing practice to advanced levels of nursing practice and knowledge. Through clinically relevant teaching, learning, research and active application of evidence-based practice, students are prepared to practice competently as providers and managers of care, and members of the profession in a complex, diverse, and evolving healthcare environment.
The Department of Nursing shares the commitment of the College of Natural and Health Sciences and the University to teaching, research, and service; preparing each student as a life-long learner and as a health professional providing quality, safe, evidence based and compassionate health care to the citizens of Florida, the nation, and the global community.
Faculty
Associate Professor Botwinski, Director/Chair Department of Nursing; Associate Professor Berg, Graduate Program Director; Associate Professor White, BSN Program Director;; Associate Professor D’Alesandro BSN Nursing Admissions Director, Associate Professor Delacroix; Assistant Professors Bryant, Ernewein, Pedroff, Umberger; Associate Teaching Professor Culp, Director of Nursing Skills and Simulation Lab, Associate Teaching Professor Llerena; Assistant Teaching Professors Jeffrey, Royal; Lecturer II Franks; Lecturer I Coleman, Jaegar, Lewis, Moyer, Snow.
Admission Standards
Admission to the MSN program is competitive and based upon several factors. Every student admitted to the MSN program must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution recognized by The University of Tampa.
General Admission Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree from an institution that is nationally accredited by ACEN, CCNE, or CNEA.
• Current licensure as a registered nurse in the state of Florida.
• GPA of 3.0 or higher for the last 60 credit hours completed.
• Completed application with nonrefundable fee.
• Official college transcripts.
• Résumé.
• Personal statement.
• Two letters of reference (forms are attached to the application, available at www.ut.edu/msn).
• Completion of an undergraduate statistics course, an undergraduate nursing research course and an undergraduate nursing leadership course. Only courses with a grade of "B" or better will be accepted. Students must repeat the course for grades below "B" prior to starting the graduate level courses.
• A minimum of one year of direct patient care experience as a registered nurse within the past five years must be demonstrated.
• Optional: GRE score of 300 and 4.0 in analytical writing.
• Completion of mandatory criminal background check with no disqualifying results (upon acceptance into program and to be done within 2 weeks of semester start).
M.S. in Nursing Guaranteed Admission Students and alumni who have earned the Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from UT with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 will be guaranteed admission to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program provided other stated requirements are satisfied.
The application fee and TOEFL requirements are waived. UT BSN earners must have a minimum of 6 months of direct patient care RN experience within the past five years instead of a full year. One letter of recommendation is required instead of two. The required prerequisite Nursing courses are satisfied with the UT BSN. A resume’ and personal statement and all other admissions requirements apply.
The guaranteed admission opportunity recognizes the exceptional quality of UT’s academic programs, and the University’s mission to support continuing education and professional growth.
Note: No Credits taken more than seven years prior to application will be accepted for transfer credit.
Students can be admitted under two categories based on the criteria listed below.
Full Admission
For full admission, applicants must have achieved the following:
Bachelor’s degree in nursing
Florida RN license
Minimum 3.0 GPA
Pre-MSN Admission*
For pre-MSN admission, applicants must have achieved the following:
A bachelor’s degree in an area other than nursing
Florida RN license
Minimum 3.0 GPA
Four required nursing prerequisites
*Students who have bachelor’s degrees in an area other than nursing are admitted as pre-MSN students and are required to take and complete NUR 322, NUR 415, NUR 432 and NUR 422 prior to starting the graduate-level curriculum. They must also have completed an undergraduate statistics course. Only grades of "B" or better will be accepted. Students may complete pre-MSN courses at another university with the program director's permission provided the Course Approval Form has been completed. Students will be re-evaluated for admission once the pre-MSN courses are completed.
Non-Degree Seeking Students
Students with a BSN and a valid Florida nursing license may be permitted to take up to two graduate-level nursing courses at the discretion of the program director. Non-degree seeking students are permitted to take classes only on a space-available basis, with priority registration going to current degree seeking MSN students. Those interested must apply to the University as a non-degree seeking student. Being granted permission to take classes as a non-degree seeking student does not assure admission into the MSN program. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible for University or federal financial aid. International students are not eligible for non-degree seeking student status.
Post-Master’s Certificate Admission
A student with a previously earned MSN may apply for admission to the post-master’s certificate program to complete requirements for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) certificate or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certificate. Students will be individually evaluated to determine required coursework. There must be evidence from the previous master’s program of courses fulfilling UT requirements. Courses taken more than seven years prior to admission will not be applied toward a post-master’s certificate.
Advising
Each student will be assigned to a nurse practitioner (NP) nursing faculty member for advising purposes pertaining to course planning, academic performance, practicum placement and professional guidance. For matters related to registration, withdrawal and other academic issues, students should contact their advisor in the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies.
Transfer Credits
All MSN/PMC students transferring to UT from other institutions must meet the graduate studies transfer guidelines of UT. The Graduate Programs Director will evaluate the courses taken at other institutions for comparability to UT curriculum requirements. Transfer credit will be accepted at the discretion of the Graduate Programs Director in accordance with the MSN/PMC curriculum requirements. Only credit earned with grades of “B” or better will be considered for transfer. Graduate courses completed more than seven years ago will not be accepted in transfer. A maximum of nine graduate-level credit hours may be taken at an institution recognized by The University of Tampa.
Student Organizations
In addition to student organizations at The University of Tampa, nursing students have access to several professional and honorary organizations. MSN students are also encouraged to join the Tampa Bay Advanced Practice Nursing Council (TBAPNC). The Delta Beta Chapter-at-Large of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing was founded in 1980 at the University of South Florida and re-chartered in 2000 to include The University of Tampa. Delta Beta sponsors an annual research program, provides opportunities for scholarships and research grants and promotes scholarly work in the community.
Nursing Student Handbook
More information about the MSN program can be found in the Department of Nursing MSN Student Handbook which can be found on the MSN Student Canvas site. Policies and procedures in the handbook may exceed those outlined in this catalog. See the handbook for further details.
Program and Course Requirements
Satisfactory completion of the MSN curriculum requires a minimum of 45 (Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner) or 52 (Family Nurse Practitioner) credit hours of graduate work.
MSN students must obtain a grade of “B” or higher in NUR 618, NUR 618L, NUR 645 and NUR 655 in order to progress in the program. If a student receives a grade below B in any of these four progression barrier courses, it is considered a course failure and:
The course must be repeated the next semester (or next time it is offered).
The original grade will not be removed from the student’s academic record and both course grades will be reflected on the transcript.
Student must meet with MSN director for counseling and re-design a course plan for remainder of program.
When the course is repeated – the course must be taken alone (no other course can be taken with the repeated progression barrier course).
In addition, if the student has any remaining progression barrier courses (NUR 618/618L, 645 or 655) left to take - that course must be taken alone.
No academic withdrawal is allowed with the repeated course – if the student academically withdraws, the student will be academically dismissed and ineligible to return.
If the student would receive another grade below B in any future course (that will be their second) and they will be academically dismissed from program and ineligible to return.
MSN/post-MSN students cannot earn more than one grade below a “B.” If they do, they can repeat up to one course, but the original grade will not be removed from their academic record. A second grade below “B,” regardless of grades in repeated courses, will result in academic dismissal. Students may withdraw from one course for academic reasons. Withdrawal from a second course for academic reasons will result in dismissal. Students who receive a grade less than a "B" in a healthcare management or practicum course will be required to repeat that course. No grade below “C” will be accepted toward a graduate degree or certificate completion.
A student is allowed seven years from the time graduate work begins, whether at UT or elsewhere, in which to complete the degree. Under certain circumstances, the student, with approval from the director, may retake outdated courses.
Degree Requirements
Core Nursing Courses (apply to both concentrations):
| NUR 600 | Scholarly and Professional Communication in Nursing | 2 |
| NUR 601 | Professional Issues and the Nurse Practitioner | 3 |
| NUR 618 | Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning | 3 |
| NUR 618L | Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning Lab | 1 |
| NUR 620 | Knowledge Generation and Validation in Advanced Practice | 3 |
| NUR 621 | Primary Care Procedures | 2 |
| NUR 625 | Business Skills for the Independent Nurse Practitioner | 1 |
| NUR 645 | Clinical Pharmacology | 3 |
| NUR 647 | Health Promotion and Disease Prevention for Families and Communities | 3 |
| NUR 655 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 24 |
NUR 600 may be waived for students who receive a GRE score of 300 and 4.0 or higher on the analytical writing section of the GRE.
Concentration options: Family Nurse Practitioner concentration courses:
| NUR 675 | Practicum in Adult Primary Care | 4 |
| NUR 676 | Practicum in Older Adult Primary Care | 4 |
| NUR 677 | Healthcare Management of the Adult Client | 3 |
| NUR 680 | Healthcare Management of the Older Adult | 3 |
| NUR 682 | Healthcare Management of Women | 3 |
| NUR 685 | Practicum in Infants, Children and Adolescent Primary Care | 4 |
| NUR 686 | Practicum in Women's Primary Care | 4 |
| NUR 687 | Healthcare Management of Infants, Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 28 |
NUR 675, 676, 685, 686: These courses each require a minimum of 192 hours of supervised practicum practice in a designated facility.
Concentration options: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner concentration courses:
| NUR 675 | Practicum in Adult Primary Care | 4 |
| NUR 676 | Practicum in Older Adult Primary Care | 4 |
| NUR 677 | Healthcare Management of the Adult Client | 3 |
| NUR 680 | Healthcare Management of the Older Adult | 3 |
| NUR 682 | Healthcare Management of Women | 3 |
| NUR 686 | Practicum in Women's Primary Care | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 21 |
NUR 675, NUR 676, NUR 686: These courses each require a minimum of 192 hours of supervised practicum practice in a designated facility.
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Total Credit Hours: 45-52
PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES
Practicum experiences are required in all concentrations for the graduate nursing program. For the purpose of the FNP and AGPCNP practicums, primary care sites are identified as ambulatory sites that see patients with acute and chronic illness. These include family and/or internal medicine practices that do primary care, free clinics, health clinics, public health or rural health clinics. Opportunities in specialty care practice are also available. The NP Practicum/Preceptor Liaison and the NP faculty facilitate the process of obtaining preceptors. Students should expect to travel to practicum sites and practicum sites may be within an 100 mile radius of the University. Orientation to practicum experiences and responsibilities will be provided in the semester prior to starting practicum courses.