University Catalog

MSN Admissions Requirements - Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, Nurse administrator, post master's certificate

The applicant for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree must meet the general requirements of Graduate Admissions and have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from a regionally accredited program and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or proof of equivalent education at a foreign institution.  Individual consideration may be given to applicants who hold a BSN degree from non-accredited programs.

Our masters specialty degree prepares students for advanced practice, education and management and research endeavors to address a change in health care landscape.  Both full-time and part-time study options are available as well as online and classroom-based programs.

Potential students must also possess a current unencumbered RN license from Texas, a compact state, or other state board of nursing.

The College of Nursing and Health Innovation admission criteria are detailed in the MSN Graduate Admission table below. The admission status options are described below.

Unconditional Admission

Applicants must meet all criteria for unconditional admission.

Probationary Admission

Criteria for probationary admission status and minimum GRE scores are listed in the MSN Graduate Admission table below. When admitted on probation, a student must maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first two semesters of enrollment in the graduate program. Probationary students are admitted for part-time study only.

Provisional Admission

An applicant unable to supply all required documentation prior to the admission deadline but who otherwise appears to meet admission requirements may be granted provisional admission.

Deferred Status

Deferred decision is granted when a file is incomplete or when a denial decision is not appropriate.

Denial of Admission

An applicant will be denied admission if they have less than satisfactory performance on a majority of admission criteria listed in the MSN Admission Table.

MSN Graduate Admission Table (nurse practitioner, Nurse Educator, nurse administrator, post master's certificate)

Admission Criteria

Admission Criteria	Unconditional	Probationary
GPA on last 60 hours of Undergraduate Program (BSN) (as calculated by Graduate Admissions of UTA)	3.01	2.8-2.992,3,6
GRE4 Two highest GRE scores will be used in admission process	Not required	Verbal: 430 or 1492 or Quantitative: 430 or 141 or Analytical Writing: 3.5 Analytical: 430
TSE (Test of Spoken English) or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System)	TSE: Score of 40 or higher or TOEFL: Minimum of 550 on paper-based test, 213 on computer-based test, or 79 on the internet-based test and achieve the following minimum scores on subtests: Writing, 22; Speaking, 21; Reading, 20; and Listening, 16 or IELTS minimum score of 7.0
Clinical Experience	1. Two years clinical experience as a Registered Nurse (RN) is required..
	2. For all high-acuity MSN NP Programs, (Acute Care Pediatrics, Neonatal and Adult Gerontology Acute Care), two years clinical experience as an RN in an acute care setting within the previous five (5) years is required. (Evaluated by the Associate Dean and/or designee.)
	3. For the MSN in Nursing Education program, 2 years clinical experience as an RN is required.
	4. International students are required to have two years RN clinical experience in a United States (or equivalent) health care system.
Current and unencumbered RN License from Texas, a compact state, or other state board of nursing5	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)	Required only for the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program.
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)	Required only for the Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program; Neonatal NP applicants may complete the NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program).
BSN from ACEN or CCNE Accredited Program	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee
Undergraduate Level Statistics	Minimum grade of "C"
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation	Required for all programs.

1	Minimum undergraduate GPA requirement for unconditional admission is a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale as calculated by Graduate Admissions.
2	If a person does not meet probationary admission requirements, he or she may request review by a Committee of the Graduate Nursing Faculty. The Committee may request completion of coursework and/or additional information to support the individual's petition for admission.
3	If admitted on probation, a student must maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first two semesters of enrollment in the graduate program. Probationary students are admitted for part-time study only.
4	Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing GRE scores will be reviewed and the two highest scores will be considered for the admission process.
5	All graduate nursing students must have an unencumbered Registered Nursing License as designated by the Board Of Nursing (BON) for clinical courses. It is imperative that any student whose license becomes encumbered by the BON must immediately notify their department chair. The complete policy regarding encumbered RN license is available online at: http://www.uta.edu/nursing/MSN/unencumbered
6	For applicants with an undergraduate GPA of 2.8-2.99 on the last 60 hours, but have completed a graduate level degree following the BSN, the GRE is not required.
7	If a student has master's level coursework, we will consider the information in the review of the applicant.

References or Letters of Recommendation are not required for admission into the MSN Program.

Admission Policy for Individuals Ineligible to Continue Graduate Study

Applicants who are on academic probation or who are ineligible to continue graduate study at another university are ineligible for admission.  However, applicants may submit a petition to be reviewed by a Committee of the Graduate Nursing Faculty.

Students at The University of Texas at Arlington who are ineligible to continue graduate study, may request review by a Committee of the Graduate Nursing Faculty.

The committee will make a decision regarding admission based on the following:  :

1. Admission materials GPA on the last 60 hours of BSN, graduate GPA, GRE scores (if applicable), and English language score (if applicable);
2. Official transcripts from BSN and all universities attended following completion of BSN;
3. A narrative statement from the potential student providing a rationale for their ineligibility in the previous graduate program;
4. A letter of reference from a graduate faculty in the previous program; and
5. A plan for successful study at UT Arlington.

The admission committee reserves the right to ask for additional materials as needed. The committee will make its recommendation regarding admission to the Associate Dean or their designee of the Graduate Nursing Programs.

DNP Program

The Doctor of Nursing Practice Program builds on a foundation of previous advanced practice education in nursing and prepares advanced practice nurse providers who demonstrate leadership, clinical expertise and innovation in problem recognition and resolution. The required courses identified for the DNP curriculum meet the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials for Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, August 2006).  Our innovative DNP Program prepares clinical and research leaders to advance nursing and improve health care in our local community and around the world. This program is offered online and classroom-based.

DNP Admissions Requirements

The applicant for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree must meet the general requirements of Graduate Admissions, a GPA of 3.5 or higher in an earned master's degree in nursing (Master's of Science, Master of Arts, Master's of Science in Nursing), a postmaster's Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Nursing Administration (Admin) Certificate from a program or school accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), or equivalent accrediting body. Applicants with an MSN which prepares them for a role in advanced nursing practice as defined in The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Current Issues and Clarifying Recommendations paper, Published by AACN in 2015, are eligible for admission.

The UTA Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program is open to individuals who have completed their program at an institution accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education accreditation (NLN-CNEA), or an equivalent accrediting body, including Board certified Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN's), including Nurse Practitioners (NP); Nurse Midwives (CNM); Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA); Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS); and Nurse Administrators who completed a Master's of Science in Nursing with a Nursing Administration specialty (MSN-ADM).

Master Nursing Education Degree is not eligible for the DNP program.

The DNP Program does not accept course transfers from other DNP programs.  All required courses must be completed at UTA.

The College of Nursing and Health Innovation admission criteria are detailed in the DNP Graduate Admission Table below. The admission status options are described.

Unconditional Admission

Applicants must meet all criteria for unconditional admission.

Probationary Admission

Not applicable.

Provisional Admission

An applicant unable to supply all required documentation prior to the admission deadline but whom otherwise appears to meet admission requirements may be granted provisional admission.

Deferred Status

Deferred decision is granted when a file is incomplete or when a denial decision is not appropriate.

Denial of Admission

An applicant will be denied admission if they have less than satisfactory performance on a majority of admission criteria listed in the DNP Graduate Admission Table.

DNP Graduate Admission Table

Admission Criteria

Admission Criteria	Unconditional	Probationary
GPA on master's course work or Post-Master's NP or Nursing Administration Certificate	3.5 on a 4.0 scale	Not applicable.
Transcripts	Submission of transcripts from all universities or colleges attended or received a degree.
GRE	Waived	Not applicable
For International students, TOEFL score of TSE-A.	The minimum acceptable scores for the TOEFL and TSE-A comply with the graduate admission requirements for The University as stated in the Graduate Catalog.	Not applicable.
Graduate level statistics course.	Students must complete a graduate level statistics course with a grade of B or higher prior to being admitted to the DNP Program. Students can apply before completing the statistics course, but cannot be admitted to the DNP Program until the course has been completed.
Professional liability insurance.	Evaluated by the Associate Dean.
Unencumbered RN license in any U.S. State or Territory.	Evaluated by Associate Dean
Current license as an RN in the State of Texas.	Evaluated by Associate Dean.
Proficiency in use of computer for word processing, spreadsheet development, and data and text file creation and manipulation	Evaluated by Admissions Committee.
APRNs: Current Board of Nursing certified Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in Texas. Board Certified APRNs may count a maximum of 500 clinical hours achieved in their APRN master's program toward the 1000 post-bachelors practice hours. Students will need to submit a copy of active certification during admission as evidence of clinical hours.	Evaluated by the Associate Dean.
Administrators: Current National certification as a Nurse Administrator preferred. Applicants must submit a completed and signed practice/clinical hour verification form with school seal verifying the number of MSN clinical/practice hours completed during the program of study. Students must submit the verification form to or obtain a certified letter on university letterhead from the MSN program at which they completed their MSN program and practice hours.	Evaluated by Associate Dean.
Administrators: Verification letter from institution of post-baccalaureate practice hours.	Evaluated by Associate Dean
Current NP practice or current Nurse Administrator practice.	Evaluated by Admissions Committee.
Current CPR, ACLS, or PALS if required for their Specialty Area.	Evaluated by Associate Dean.
Immunizations required by the College of Nursing.	Evaluated by Associate Dean.
Clear criminal background check, which satisfies the Dallas/Fort Worth Hospital Council and the Texas Board of Nursing.	Evaluated by Associate Dean.
Negative drug screen prior to clinical and research activities in health care agencies.	Evaluated by Associate Dean.
Practice Hours: A minimum of 1000 clinical practice hours are required for the UTA Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Up to 500 clinical/practice hours obtained during the student's MSN program may be applied to the 1000 post-bachelors practice hours.	Evaluated by Associate Dean

1

All DNP Program NP students must have an unencumbered APRN and RN license as designated by the Board Of Nursing (BON) for clinical courses. It is imperative that any student whose license becomes encumbered by the BON must immediately notify the Associate Dean for the Graduate Nursing Programs. The complete policy regarding encumbered RN license is available online at: https://www.uta.edu/conhi/_doc/gnurs/MSN_student_handbook.pdf

Admission Policy for Individuals Ineligible to Continue Graduate Study at Another University:

If potential students are ineligible to continue graduate study at another university and apply to The University of Texas at Arlington DNP Program, they may request to be reviewed by an Admission committee. The admissions committee will be composed of (at a minimum); 

1. Two representative faculty, and 
2.  DNP Graduate Advisor

The Admissions Committee will make their recommendation for admission or denial based on the following:

1. Admission materials (GPA on the Master in Nursing or Post-Master’s certificate, grade of B or higher on graduate statistics, current vita, and English language score if applicable);

2. A narrative statement from the potential student providing a rationale for their ineligibility at another university; and

3. A plan for successful study at UT Arlington.

The committee reserves the right to ask for additional materials as needed. The admissions committee will make its recommendation of admission or denial to the Graduate Office for the University.

PhD Program

The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Program is built on a foundation of prior nursing education and prepares the student for original research and theory development. The PhD in Nursing Program is designed to prepare nurse scientists to meet the health needs of a rapidly changing and culturally diverse society. The central focus of the PhD in Nursing Program is to prepare researchers and teachers who understand how communities evolve, interact, and change and how they prescribe, understand, and sanction health, illness, and health seeking behaviors.

The PhD in Nursing Program offers two routes of entry: BSN-PhD or MSN-PhD. Potential students should refer to admission criteria below.

PhD Admission Requirements

The applicant for the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) degree must meet the general requirements of Graduate Admissions and have a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN-PhD entry) or a Master of Science in Nursing degree (MSN-PhD entry) from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or proof of equivalent education at a foreign institution. Applicants must submit to the Office of Graduate Admissions official transcripts from each college or university attended.

PhD Admission Status Options

The College of Nursing admission criteria are detailed in the PhD Program Requirements table below.

Unconditional Admission

Applicants must meet all criteria for unconditional admission.

Probationary Admission

Criteria for probationary admission status are designated in the PhD Program Requirements table below. When on probation, a student must maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first two semesters of enrollment in the graduate program.

Provisional Admission

Applicants who are unable to supply all required documentation prior to the admission deadline but who otherwise appear to meet admission requirements may be admitted provisionally.

Deferred Status

Deferred decision is granted when a file is incomplete or when a denied decision is not appropriate.

Denial of Admission

An applicant will be denied admission if he/she has less than satisfactory performance on a majority of admission criteria listed in the table below. The PhD Admissions Committee will make a recommendation for denial.

PhD Program in Nursing Admission Requirements

Note: A student on probation must maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first two semesters of enrollment in the graduate program.

Admission Criteria

Admission Criteria	Unconditional	Probationary
Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN-PhD entry) or Master's Degree in Nursing (MSN-PhD entry) from a National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or accredited College of Nursing or equivalent.	Evaluated by Admissions Committee	Evaluated by Admissions Committee1
GPA on all bachelor's coursework (BSN-PhD) or on master's coursework (MSN-PhD).	3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale as calculated by Graduate Admissions	3.0-3.49 GPA on a 4.0 scale as calculated by Graduate Admissions1
GRE for BSN-PhD entry; GRE waived for MSN-PhD entry	GRE with a total minimum score of: 500 or 153 on verbal; 500 or 144 on quantitative; 500/4 on analytical/analytical writing scores	Verbal: 400-490 or 146-152; Quantitative: 400-490 or 140-143; Analytical Writing: 3.0-3.5; Analytical: 400-490; (Based on GPA/GRE ratio)1
For international students, TSE (Test of Spoken English) or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System)	TSE: Score of 40 or higher or TOEFL: Minimum of 550 on paper-based test, 213 on computer-based test, or 79 on the internet-based test and achieve the following minimum scores of subtests: Writing, 22; Speaking, 21; Reading, 20; and Listening, 16. IELTS minimum score of 7.0.	TSE: Score of 40 or higher or TOEFL: Minimum of 550 on paper-based test, 213 on computer-based test, or 79 on the internet-based test and achieve the following minimum scores of subtests: Writing, 22; Speaking, 21; Reading, 20; and Listening, 16. IELTS minimum score of 7.0.1
Graduate level statistics course from an accredited college or university of 3 or more credit hours with a minimum grade of B.	Implement as stated	Implement as stated
Interview2	75th percentile or higher on rating scale. Evaluated by Admissions Committee	70th percentile or higher on rating scale. Evaluated by Admissions Committee1
Written statement of goals2	75th percentile or higher on rating scale. Evaluated by Admissions Committee	70th percentile on rating scale. Evaluated by Admissions Committee1
Match of student's research interest with a faculty advisor/chair.	A faculty member agrees to be the student's advisor and future dissertation chair.	A faculty member agrees to be the student's advisor and future dissertation chair.
Professional liability insurance.	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee
Evidence of current professional nursing licensure/registration in at least one political jurisdiction. Licensure/registration must be maintained throughout the program. If a PhD student is going to perform direct patient care activities or supervise students in clinical agencies, he or she will be required to obtain an RN license in Texas or a compact state.	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee
Two years of clinical experience recommended (BSN-PhD entry)	Evaluated by Admissions Committee	Evaluated by Admissions Committee
Immunizations required by the College of Nursing.	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee
Criminal background check prior to clinical and research activities in health care agencies, which satisfies the Dallas/Fort Worth Hospital Council and the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners.	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee
Drug screen prior to clinical and research activities in health care agencies, which satisfies the Dallas/Fort Worth Hospital Council and the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners.	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee	Evaluated by Associate Dean or designee

1	A student on probation must maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first two semesters of enrollment in the graduate program.
2	A new goal statement and a new interview are required with every application.