MSN & RN-MSN Programs in Alabama

The joint Auburn University and Auburn University (Montgomery) Master of Science in Nursing program offers specialties for Nurse Educator and Primary Care Nurse Practitioner.  The jointly operated program is a demanding and challenging program designed to offer a wide range of academic opportunities and diverse resources.

Admission Requirements

1. A BSN from an accredited university or college
2. Total grade point average of 3.0 or higher
3. Current unencumbered license as a Registered Nurse
4. Three letters of reference
5. Personal Statement describing reasons for seeking the MSN

Admissions for the program is competitive and enrollment with only applicants meeting all admission requirements being considered. Selected applicants may be asked to interview with the admission committee and or other faculty as part of the admission process.

The RN license requirement may be waived for applicants completing their BSN during the semester. Students who are granted a waiver are required to obtain a license in the first 6 weeks in the first semester of study or be unable to continue in any clinical hours.

Applicants accepted into the program are required to complete the intent to enroll form and all related materials within the pre-designated period of time after receiving email notification of acceptance or forfeit their place in the program.

Students in the program may be asked to submit to a criminal background check.

Admission to the MSN program is competitive and enrollment is limited. Minimum requirements include:

• A bachelor’s of science in nursing from an accredited college or university
• Good academic standing from the last university you attended
• Successful completion (C or better) of an undergraduate statistics course
• Overall grade-point average of 3.0
• Unencumbered license as a registered nurse
• Submission of GRE scores
• Three letters of reference
• Current resume
• Essay on the reason for seeking the MSN

Full-time admission is available in the fall and summer semesters.
Part-time admission is available in all semesters.

The Jacksonville State University Master of Science in Nursing Degree program is a CCNE accredited program that prepares advance community health nurses.

The program provides students with advanced knowledge and skills in health planning, community needs assessment, program development, analysis of aggregate data, program development, implementation and evaluation.    

Students in the program are able to select a focus group for practical study.

Students can complete the 38 semester hours required for this program on a part time or full time basis. Students enrolled on a full time basis can complete their coursework in four semesters.

Admission Requirements:

• A BSN Ddegree from a regionally accredited university and a professionally accredited nursing program
• Official Transcripts
• Official GRE or Miller Analogies Test
• Current unencumbered RN license
• Written Essay stating professional goals
• Professional Recommendations

All courses in the program are delivered in an online format with students having the option to enter the program at the beginning of the spring, fall, or summer semesters. Students are required to sit for a comprehensive examination administered on campus during the final semester.

The Samford University, Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing offers a MSN Degree in a flexible online setting.The program prepares its graduates to practice in an advanced capacity to meet patient needs and to manage a range of health care settings.

The program offers different tracks including Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthesia, Nurse Educator, and Nurse Management.

The Family Nurse Practitioner tracks prepares students to offer primary care after successful completing the national certification exams while the Nurse Anesthesia program prepares graduates to sit for the nurse anesthesia national certification  examination. The nurse educator track is intended for those who are interested in becoming clinical or academic educators and the management track trains students for entry and mid-level managers.

Admission Requirements

• A BSN degree from a program accredited by the CCNE or NLNAC
• Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0
• GRE or MAT scores (taken within the last five years)
• The GRE requirement is waived for applicants with a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.20 or postgraduate GPA of 3.00 or above.

Applicants are also required to have a C grade or higher in at least one undergraduate course in nursing research and a B grade or higher in one undergraduate health assessment course.

The MSN program offers a combination of theoretical nursing knowledge and advanced concepts of nursing practice to prepare graduates to work in a range of advanced positions within different healthcare setting.

The curriculum consists of six core courses to be taken alongside the courses offered in the areas of specialization offered by the university. The program is designed to include integrated clinical practice opportunities in the student’s area of concentration and a final project that combines both the theoretical and practical aspects of nursing.

The areas of specialization are Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, and Adult Health Nurse Practitioner.

The Nurse Practitioner Track is a 56 credit hour specialization (Adult Health Nurse Practitioner). The program consists of theoretical as well as supervised intensive clinical practice. The Family Nurse Practitioner specialization on the other hand requires 62 credit hours and the Nurse Educator specialization requires 48 credit hours.

Admission Requirements:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in nursing from a program accredited by the CCNE or NLNAC
• Official Transcripts with completed coursework and grade point average
• Current valid, unencumbered license for Registered Nurses
• Complete application package

The University of Alabama, Capstone College of Nursing, masters program in nursing prepares post baccalaureate nurses seeking advanced nursing education. The college offers an MSN in Nursing Case Management for Rural Populations, Clinical Nurse Leader, as well as the dual degree (MSN/MA) program offered in partnership with the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration.  

The program allows students to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing on a full time or part time enrollment basis. All classes in the MSN program have the option of being completed through a distance learning modality. Graduates from the MSN program are eligible to apply to sit for a range of certification exams.

Admission Requirements

• A Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree from an accredited nursing program
• Undergraduate Grade Point Average of 3.0 or more
• Current unencumbered Registered Nursing license

The dual enrollment MSN/MA program requires applicants to present the official scores for the Valid Graduate Management Admission Test and Graduate Record Examination.

Applicants who fail to meet any of the admissions criteria for the program or have lower grade point averages than required may still be considered for the program on the basis of their qualifications if space permits.

The Troy University MSN program is an online based program offered by the Montgomery, Phoenix City and Troy campuses. The program is designed to offer students who have completed baccalaureate programs in nursing an opportunity to further enhance theoretical and practical knowledge in a range of specialty areas.

Students can enroll in the program on a part time or full time study basis for all courses offered online and clinical experience.

Admission Requirements:

• Application for admission
• BSN Degree from acredited university
• Official transcripts  for all baccalaureate level work (acceptable GPA)
• Official MAT or GRE test scores
• Current and unencumbered RN License
• Minimum of one year experience as a practicing RN (for the Family Nurse Practitioner track)

The deadline for applications for admission is the 1st October for the Spring Semester, the 1st of March for the Summer Semester and the 1st of May for the Fall Semester.

Students are required to have a professional liability insurance, drug screen, criminal background check, annual physical exam (including TB skin test), proof of immunity to measles, rubella, mumps, varicella and Hepatitis B as well as Proof of BCLS certification.

The University of Alabama RN-to-MSN/MSN program at Birmingham is designed to train students for specialized advanced nursing roles and to serve as an entry for doctoral study in the field.

The program offers the following four areas of specialization under the MSN: Nursing  Education, Nursing and Health Systems Management, Nurse Practitioner (in primary or acute) care and Nursing informatics. Most of the tracks offer most of their course work online.

Admission Requirements

• A BSN Degree from a accredited program
• Minimum of 3.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average for at least the final 60 semester hours of undergraduate level coursework
• GRE (Combined 1000, or 297 new exam for verbal and quantitative sections) MAT (410) or GMAT (480) scores
• Current, valid and unencumbered license to practice as a RN
• Successfully complete a basic statistics course at the undergraduate level from an accredited institution

Admission to program is competitive for most of the specialty tracks

The University of Mobile MSN program is designed to prepare graduate level nurses to practice as administrators and educators in a range of health care settings. The program is intended to offer opportunities for theoretical, practice and research.

The program is intended to meet the need for various professionals in the nursing sector including leaders, teachers and administrators. The program is designed in a way to offer major components with leadership, decision making and critical thinking in a manner that is integrated throughout the curriculum.

Admission Requirements:

• A BSN Degree from an accredited program
• Official transcripts from all institutions in which college level coursework have been completed
• Have an overall Grade Point Average of 3.0
• Official GRE test scores (no older than five years)
• Current and unencumbered licensure as a Registered Nurse
• Current immunizations series (measles, rubella, mumps, varicella and Hepatitis B)
• Health examination including laboratory testing for contagious diseases (for clinical components as required)

The University of North Alabama RN to MSN program is accredited by the CCNE. The program is offered in two tracks in Nursing education and Nursing Leadership.

The first track (educator) is designed to prepare students with the tools to educate nursing students, health care personnel, and clients as well as being able to serve as part of the faculty of institutions of higher education and in the clinical environment.

The second track (leadership) is designed to prepare RN’s to offer advanced level health care administration and management. These programs is intended for applicants engaged or seeking to engage in the administrative or management elements of health care.

The program, both tracks, is offered completely online in an asynchronous format.

Admission Requirements

• BSN Degree from an accredited college or University(for MSN)
• Current and unencumbered license
• Cumulative grade point average of 3.0
• A year of practical experience as an RN (for the educators track only)
• Three professional references
• Personal Statement on professional goals

Applications for the MSN program are primarily accepted in the fall semester although a very small number of applicants are accepted in the spring and summer semesters.

For RN to MSN program students both BSN and MSN degree is awarded.

The program is fully accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education. The program prepares students for advance nursing practice and further post graduate work. Students in the program are prepared to synthesize and implement advance theories and to conduct research in a specialized area of nursing practice. 

The program offers several tracks and opportunities for specialized options within the scope of the MSN program. The  course-works are completed completely online and clinical hours to be completed at an approved health center in your area.

Admission Requirements:

• BSN degree from an accredited college or university
• No letters of reference required

Clinical practice components of the program require students to submit to a range of requirements including criminal background check, travel costs, health examinations, etc. Students are also responsible for financial requirements for test monitoring and proctoring as well as authentication of identity as required.