The RN to MS program will be offered online except for the clinical requirements. Students will be required to complete clinical nursing experiences, which will be undertaken in their home communities with appropriate local preceptor agreements.
- The Bachelor’s portion of the curriculum builds on the strong theoretical and skills preparation in nursing and general education completed by the Associate Degree prepared RN.
- The Bachelor’s component of the program, leading to the BS in nursing, fulfills professional nursing standards for baccalaureate education in nursing, providing for immediate career mobility and seamlessly transitions into an accelerated path to the master’s degree by offering six double counted graduate level courses.
- The Master’s component of the program prepares practicing nurses to meet the core expectations of graduate education in nursing and to assume the role of a nurse educator, family nurse practitioner, or adult gerontology nurse practitioner.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Minimum Associate Degree Transfer Hours1 | 79 |
| Liberal Studies | 28 |
| Professional Nursing Portfolio Credit2 | 45 |
| Major Requirements | 14 |
| Major Requirements Shared with MS Requirements | 26 |
| Total hours required | 192 |
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Synthesize knowledge from the sciences, the humanities, and nursing science to assess, plan, and provide care for individuals, families, and communities using evidence-based and values-based modalities.
- Develop a foundation for professional nursing practice emphasizing autonomy, integrity, change agency, and advocacy to social justice integrating Vincentian and altruistic values.
- Design and deliver culturally appropriate nursing care services to diverse individuals, families, and populations, in coordination with appropriate multidisciplinary providers across the continuum of care.
- Demonstrate progression in life-long learning by applying critical thinking to analyze contemporary health care, including but not limited to social determinants of health, health inequities, serving high-risk populations, technological applications in healthcare, health care policy, and health care finance.
Liberal Studies Requirements
These requirements take into account liberal studies coursework completed as part of the basic Associate Degree/Diploma Nursing program. The requirements outlined below are beyond the associate degree work and are required for the DePaul degree.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| Not Required | ||
| Focal Point | ||
| Not Required | ||
| Writing | ||
| Not Required | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Not Required | ||
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Race, Power, and Resistance | ||
| LSP 200 | SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE | 4 |
| Junior Year | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| This requirement is met through Portfolio Credit. | ||
| Senior Year | ||
| Capstone | ||
| NSG 380 | UNDERGRADUATE NURSING SYNTHESIS (counted in major requirements) | 4 |
Learning Domains
Arts and Literature (AL)
- 1 Course Required
Historical Inquiry (HI)
- 1 Course Required
Math and Computing (MC)
- Not Required
Philosophical Inquiry (PI)
- 1 Course Required
Religious Dimensions (RD)
- 1 Course Required
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
- Not Required
Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)
- Not Required
Liberal Studies Electives
- 2 Additional Courses Required (must be from different domains)
Notes
Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major. Students who choose to take an experiential learning course offered by the major may count it either as a general elective or the Experiential Learning requirement.
In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.
Major Requirements
Course Requirements
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NSG 330 | FOUNDATIONS OF PROFESSIONAL NURSING PRACTICE 1 | 2 |
| NSG 376 | COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING FOR THE PROFESSIONAL NURSE 1 | 4 |
| NSG 377 | PRACTICUM: THE PROFESSIONAL NURSE AND COMMUNITY HEALTH 1 | 4 |
| NSG 380 | UNDERGRADUATE NURSING SYNTHESIS (Capstone required for major requirements) | 4 |
- 1
These are bridge courses for ADN with non-nursing MS pursing the RN-MS.
Courses Counting toward BSN and MSN
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NSG 400 | THEORETICAL COMPONENTS OF NURSING | 4 |
| NSG 401 | NURSING RESEARCH I | 4 |
| NSG 446 | ETHICAL AND POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT IN NURSING | 4 |
| NSG 464 | HEALTH ASSESSMENT FOR ADVANCED PRACTICE | 6 |
| NSG 554 | INFORMATICS AND TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS | 4 |
- *
Each track has a unique set of double counted courses. See individual RN-MS (MS) track pages for a full list of double counted courses specific to track.
Transfer Credit
This program builds on the strong theoretical and skills preparation in both nursing and general education that the associate degree prepared RN has completed. The learning outcomes achieved at the associate degree level are validated by the National Council Licensing Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN), a nationally standardized exam considered to be a highly valid and reliable test of basic competence. Students will receive at a minimum 79 quarter hours of transfer credit for the associate degree. Students who have earned more than 79 quarter hours of transfer credit will receive credit based on the transferrable coursework successfully completed. Please note that some liberal studies credit has been accounted for as part of the nursing program's 79 transferrable hours. Only courses in excess of the required nursing program - and still within the restriction on the maximum number of allowable transfer credit hours - can be considered to fulfill the remaining requirements. In addition, students must meet the DePaul residency requirement. View the Undergraduate Student Handbook to learn of the restriction on the maximum number of allowable transfer credit hours and how to meet the residency requirement.
Professional Nursing Portfolio Credit
The student entering the RN to MS program will be taking more advanced coursework at DePaul; coursework that relies on a knowledge base established by the nursing courses taken at the community college and assessed by the NCLEX-RN® examination. By successfully completing the first quarter of the RN to MS program, students will have demonstrated their success in the RN to BS bridge course and a graduate level course. The 45 quarter hour portfolio credit will be applied to their degree at DePaul upon successful completion of NSG 330 (bridge course) and NSG 464 (graduate course) with a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Students are advised to talk with their advisor before double majoring, because some major combinations are prohibited. No more than 50% of the credits that apply to one major may be drawn from another major.
Student Handbook
A complete list of policies specific to this program of study is contained in the Student Handbook that is updated regularly on the website for the School of Nursing. The complete RN-MS student handbook can be found here: BSN Student Handbook
Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing/master's degree program in nursing/Doctor of Nursing Practice program and/or post-graduate APRN certificate program at DePaul University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Retention Policies
1. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or greater to remain in good standing. A student will be placed on academic probation if the GPA dips below 2.5. and must enroll in the School of Nursing Success Coaching program. If the GPA is raised to at least 2.5 at the end of the next academic quarter, the student is no longer on probation. If the GPA has not risen to 2.5 at the end of the next academic quarter, the student will be eligible for dismissal from the program, but not from the university. The student may transfer to other majors as appropriate.
2. If a student earns a C or C- in any course, the student is placed on probation. The student must enroll in the School of Nursing Success Coaching program. If the student is able to earn grades in all courses that are C+ or above AND earn a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or greater in the next academic quarter, the student is no longer on probation. If this does not occur, the student will be dismissed from the program.
3. A student who earns a D+ or lower in any course will be dismissed from the program.
4. A student may be placed on probation a maximum of two times during their program.
5. In accordance with the nursing licensing regulations, students found to be convicted of a crime will be reviewed by the APR Committee and may be suspended or dismissed from the program. It is the student’s responsibility to disclose any arrests or convictions while enrolled in their program. Degree conferral from the University does not guarantee licensure eligibility in the event the student is convicted of a crime. It is the student’s responsibility to be knowledgeable of the licensure requirements for the state in which they intend to apply for RN licensure.
6. The School of Nursing expects a respectful environment conducive to teaching and learning for all students, faculty, and staff. Inappropriate conduct is defined as any action that interferes with the creation and maintenance of an effective learning environment. Students are expected to display civility in all aspects of their educational experience at DePaul University and affiliated institutions.
7. Appropriate student conduct is outlined in detail in the Professional Development Guidelines
8. Students displaying inappropriate conduct may be asked to leave the classroom, clinical area, or meeting. Inappropriate conduct will be documented with written contract and placed in the student’s file. Such incidents of inappropriate conduct will then be reported to the Director of the School of Nursing, with copies sent to the Associate Director of the Program, and the APR Committee. Additional sanctions for inappropriate conduct may be imposed, including dismissal from the nursing program.
Progression Policies
1. All students must attend an orientation session before beginning the BSN program.
2. The student is responsible for reading the Student Handbook. Students are responsible for signing and submitting the Student Handbook Agreement Statement to affirm they have read and fully understand the policies therein.
3. Students are assigned an academic advisor. Students should consult with the academic advisor for any program-related concerns.
4. A student may not register for any course that has a prerequisite that has not been completed.
5. Students may not attend classes for a class which they are not enrolled.
6. Students are responsible for maintaining and updating all required records. See Clinical Guidelines for further information. Failure to have all records submitted and up to date at the beginning of each course will result in inability to attend the clinical component of the course.
7. Leave of absence:
a) Students who need to interrupt their studies for personal, health or other reasons may request a leave of absence for up to one full year. The request should be made to the Associate Director of the Program and the Coordinator of Clinical Placements, APR Committee and Director of School of Nursing should be notified. Depending on circumstances and estimated length of absence, the Associate Director or student’s academic advisor may recommend additional action to complete the request process.
8. Students who have taken a leave of absence from the program for greater than 12 calendar months must re-apply to the University. Their application will then be considered with all other qualified applicants applying for admission to the nursing program.
9. A student who withdraws from a core nursing course while in good standing cannot progress in the sequenced nursing curriculum until that course has been successfully completed. In courses that contain both a clinical practicum and a lecture component, both course segments must be completed simultaneously. Exceptions may be identified and defined by the APR Committee in consultation with both the Director of the School of Nursing or Associate Director of the Program and the course faculty.
10. A student who withdraws from a core nursing course who is “not in good standing” (with a grade of “C” or lower or on probation) at the time of withdrawal, will be referred to the APR Committee. The APR Committee will review the student’s past and current performance and elicit recommendations from the course faculty. A representative of the APR Committee may then meet with the course faculty, Associate Director of the Program, and student, to counsel the student and to establish a contract for academic improvement. Such students may not progress in the sequenced nursing curriculum until the course has been retaken and successfully completed. In courses that contain both a clinical practicum and a didactic theory portion, both course segments must be completed simultaneously.
11. A student may withdraw from a core nursing course “not in good standing” (with a grade of "C" or lower) only once during their program of study. A second such withdrawal will result in dismissal from the program.
12. All out-of-sequence students will be placed in clinical on a space/faculty available basis. Scheduling priority will be given to students who are out of sequence for military service, illness, or family leave before students who are out of sequence for failure or withdrawal “not in good standing.”
13. A student who has a grade of B- (86% or less) at mid-quarter may be placed on a contract for academic improvement by the instructor. The student must satisfactorily fulfill all course and contract requirements by the end of the quarter of contract initiation in order to progress in the program.
14. Failure to meet all of the agreed upon terms outlined in the student contract will result in the consequences identified in the contract which may include program dismissal.
15. In accordance with DePaul University policy, students must complete their program within 6 years of matriculation.
Academic Integrity Policy
Violations of academic integrity in any form are detrimental to the values of DePaul, to the students' own development as responsible members of society and to the pursuit of knowledge and the transmission of ideas. Violations of academic integrity include but are not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, fabrications, falsification or sabotage of research data, falsification of clinical data, destruction or misuse of the university's academic resources, academic misconduct, and complicity. If an instructor finds that a student has violated the Academic Integrity Policy, the appropriate initial sanction is at the instructor's discretion. An instructor may choose to file an academic integrity violation with the university. Actions taken by the instructor do not preclude the college or the university from taking further action, including dismissal from the university. Conduct that is punishable under the DePaul Academic Integrity Policy.
Academic Integrity Policy Extension for Clinical and Service Settings
DePaul University is committed to education that engages its students, faculty and staff in work within Chicago's institutions and communities. As DePaul representatives to our partner institutions and community organizations, we ask that you take seriously your responsibilities to these institutions during service and clinical experiences and internships. The community and its institutions are extensions of the DePaul classroom. The University's Academic Integrity Policy and Code of Responsibility apply to professional interactions as well.