Registered Nurse to Master of Science in Nursing - Nurse Educator

1. Completion of the application for admission.

2. Complete all university admissions requirements.

3. Completion of an associate degree or diploma in nursing from an accredited post-secondary institution with a 3.0 CGPA or better.
   

   1. Applicants can be conditionally admitted into the program by providing unofficial transcripts or a copy of the conferred nursing degree. Official transcripts which meet the requirements set forth must be received by the end of the add/drop period to be admitted to the program.

4. A valid and unencumbered license as a registered nurse in any US State or territory in which the student is licensed, including the State in which the student completes all assignments for the program.

   1. Military, federal, and foreign-educated nurses must meet this State requirement for nursing licensure.

   2. An active and unencumbered RN license(s) must be maintained throughout the program.

   3. A domestic or foreign medical degree is not equivalent to a nursing degree.

5. Submit official transcripts from one of the programs below approved by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) (including any prior courses taken to be considered for transfer of credit). 

   1. Associate of Science in Nursing

   2. Associate of Applied Science in Nursing

   3. Diploma in Nursing

   4. State-approved nursing with evidence of an earned RN license

   5. Foreign nursing equivalency with evidence of an earned RN license in the United States

   6. Associate of Science with evidence of an earned RN license

   7. Associate of Applied Science with evidence of an earned RN license

   8. Non-Nursing Bachelor's Degree with evidence of an earned RN license*

   9. Foreign-Foreign equivalency with evidence of an earned RN license in the United States*

* West Coast University requires proof of English Proficiency. Applicants for whom English is not their primary language should refer to the University Admissions Requirements section of the catalog.

RN-MSN Probational Admissions Requirements 

Applicants with a CGPA of 2.70-2.99 may be considered for probational admission after meeting the following probational admissions requirements. Based on review of the applicant packet the Program Dean may request an interview in consideration for admission.

1. The applicant must provide a letter of intent.

2. The applicant must be approved for admission by the Program Dean/Director.

3. The applicant must satisfy program prerequisites and achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all coursework attempted over the first trimester (two terms). Students failing to meet these requirements following the first trimester (two terms) will be administratively withdrawn from the university.

Applicants who have successfully completed a pre-licensure nursing program and who have an active, unencumbered license may be awarded up to 90 credit hours of transfer credit. The transfer credit is comprised of up to 51 credits for lower level nursing and an unencumbered license and up to 39 general education credits. Applicants who fail to demonstrate competencies through transcript review are required to complete equivalent course(s).

Students who request transfer credits for courses must submit sealed official transcripts to the Registrar’s Office from originating institutions prior to their first day of class. All 500 or 600 level nursing transferred courses in which a grade of B or better was received will be evaluated for transfer credit. All 400 level or below nursing transferred courses in which a grade of B- or better was received will be evaluated for transfer credit.  If students are unable to submit transcripts or transcripts are unavailable at admission, students may submit unofficial transcripts by the student’s first day of the first course. Official transcripts must be received by the end of the first term In addition to official transcripts, copies of course descriptions, school catalogs, and course syllabi may be requested for evaluation purposes.

Graduate post/non-licensure programs require a grade of B(3.0) or better, except when general education undergraduate courses are included as part of the program where a C- (1.7) or better grade is required in general education courses.

To achieve the graduation requirement of total credit hours, all students must complete 39 credits of general education courses. All general education credits must fall into one of the general education category areas below. Students may request to satisfy general education credit requirements through transfer credit per university policy.

Students must have at least one course in each GE competency area with 4 credits in Scientific Reasoning.

A complete list of General Education Competency Outcome requirements and a complete list of WCU General Education Course Offerings are available on the General Education Page.

Students must complete all required clinical hours in each of the clinical courses, or they will not progress into the next course; they will have a maximum of 30 days at the end of that term to complete the hours, consistent with the University incomplete policy. No further extension will be granted. This track requires a total of 135 precepted clinical hours.

A cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 is required for all 500 and 600-level courses for graduation. Students are also required to meet all requirements under the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy.

1. Maintain an active, unencumbered RN license throughout the program.

   1. An active, unencumbered license is required up to degree completion and will be verified throughout the program.

   2. Failure to present a valid RN license may result in dismissal from the university until such time as an active, unencumbered license is obtained.

2. All course and clinical educational program requirements must be successfully completed to meet graduation requirements. All course and practicum requirements are published in the course syllabi and expanded upon in the Post-Licensure Nursing Student Handbook. Students will have access to course syllabi one week prior to the term start date. Students will have access to the Post-Licensure Nursing Student Handbook after acceptance into the nursing program.

3. Students in good standing are required to meet the academic progression standards as stated in the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy. Failure to meet the SAP standards will result in dismissal from the nursing program.

4. A grade of C- (1.7) or better is required in general education courses. 

5. Students in the nursing graduate program must earn a B- or better in all 400 level or below post-licensure nursing courses. Students will be required to repeat any 400 level or below nursing course for which they achieved less than a B- the next term the course is offered.

6. Students in the nursing graduate program must earn a B or better in all 500 or 600 level post-licensure nursing courses. Students will be required to repeat any 500 or 600 level nursing course for which they achieved less than a B the next term the course is offered.

7. Probationally admitted students are required to adhere to the Probational Admission Policy.

8. Students who fail a sequenced theory and/or clinical course may not continue to the next course in the sequence until the failed course is repeated successfully. Students must complete all required clinical hours in each of the clinical courses, or they will not progress to the next course and must follow the University's Incomplete policy.  

9. Student Conduct from a Clinical Site

   • Students in clinical sites will be held to the University’s Incidents reported to the student’s Program Dean will be reported to the Campus Director of Student Affairs for investigation and potential adjudication and disciplinary sanctions.

Fully admitted students in specialty tracks other than nurse practitioner tracks who receive a third non-passing in any nursing course will be dismissed from the nursing program.