2014-2016 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
John and Nevils Wilson School of Nursing
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 Return to: Robert D. & Carol Gunn College of Health Sciences and Human Services
Robin Lockhart
Chair, John and Nevils Wilson School of Nursing
Debra Walker
Graduate Coordinator
| Graduate Faculty: |
Bowles, Howard, Knauff, Leach, Lockhart, Mercer, Polvado, Williamson |
| Emeriti Faculty: |
Sportsman, Tickle |
The Master of Science in Nursing
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program at Midwestern State University is a professional program of study offered in concert with the mission and purpose of the University, and building upon the foundation of undergraduate nursing education. Master’s education includes the development of refined analytical skills, broad-based perspectives, enhanced abilities to articulate viewpoints and positions, as well as the ability to integrate theory with practice and to utilize research findings in advanced practice roles. MSU’s MSN program offers three options: Nurse Educator, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. The master’s programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
The Nurse Educator program provides the student with the knowledge and expertise to teach in any undergraduate nursing program, i.e., LVN, ADN, and BSN. In addition, students are prepared to teach in staff development and patient education roles.
The Family Nurse Practitioner program prepares the student for practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner, meeting the requirements for advanced practice nursing established by the Texas Board of Nursing. Graduates are eligible for national certification examinations. The Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program prepares the student for practice as a Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, meeting the requirements for advanced practice nursing established by the Texas Board of Nursing. Graduates are eligible for national certification examinations.
Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Wilson School of Nursing to prepare nurses who will provide competent and compassionate health care to individuals, families, groups, and communities. The nursing faculty values teaching/learning in an individualized, collegial environment inclusive of a variety of teaching methodologies. Building on a liberal arts foundation, this approach to both undergraduate and graduate nursing education develops students as leaders through collaborative identification of issues and the implementation of innovative creative solutions to the provision of health services.
Program Objectives
The graduate of the Master of Science in Nursing program will be able to
- synthesize knowledge from a variety of theoretical perspectives in the provision of comprehensive client-focused nursing services;
- analyze clinical and non-clinical problems and constructively critique them related to professional literature as a foundation for matriculation to post-master’s and/or doctoral programs;
- integrate current research methods and findings into nursing education, administration, or advanced practice nursing;
- develop a comprehensive understanding of health care issues as a foundation for participation in the advancement of health care policy and the discipline of nursing;
- integrate ethical-legal principles in the analysis and practical resolution of health care dilemmas;
- evaluate the multi-faceted roles of the advanced practice nurse, nurse educator, or nurse administrator in light of relevant theory, legislation, professional standards of practice, and social mandate;
- achieve national certification as an advanced practice nurse (Family Nurse Practitioner, Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) or clinical nurse generalist (Nurse Educator); and
- engage in scholarly activities including oral and written communication.
Admission to the MSN Program
Consideration for admission to the MSN program at MSU requires completion of the following:
- A completed application to the MSN Program which can be found online at http://www.mwsu.edu/admissions/apply;
- A completed application to the Billie Doris McAda Graduate School at MSU which can be found online at https://www.applytexas.org;
- Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended, which are to be sent directly to the Graduate School, 3410 Taft Boulevard, Wichita Falls, TX 76308;
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores sent directly to the Graduate School;
- Personal Interview with program coordinator to be scheduled; and
- Description of goals related to graduate study, which is the final section of the MSN application.
Admission Requirements for Students Holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
The Wilson School of Nursing endorses the Admissions Policy as set forth in the Midwestern State University Graduate Catalog. Refer to the section titled, “Admission to the Graduate School ” for admission requirements.
In addition to the Graduate School requirements, the Wilson School of Nursing adds the following criteria for unconditional and conditional admissions.
- Unconditional Admission
May be granted to an applicant who has the following:
- An earned baccalaureate degree in nursing from a Department of Education recognized accrediting body of nursing programs. The Billie Doris McAda Graduate School must receive an official transcript, including one on which the bachelor’s degree is posted, directly from each institution the applicant has attended.
- A GPA of at least 3.0 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work exclusive of credit hours awarded by a two-year college.
- An official score on the GRE. The Graduate School must receive official admissions test scores directly from the organization which administers the test.
- Personal Interview with program coordinator.
- Satisfactory score on the professional goal statement essay located on the MSN application.
- At least 2 years of professional nursing experience judged by the Program Coordinator to be adequate for success.
- Conditional Admission
A student who does not meet each of the above admission criteria may be conditionally admitted by review of the Graduate Coordinator if the applicant has the following:
- An earned baccalaureate degree in nursing from a Department of Education recognized accrediting body of nursing programs. The Graduate School must receive an official transcript, including one on which the bachelor’s degree is posted, directly from each institution the applicant has attended.
- An official score on the GRE. The Graduate School must receive official test scores directly from the organization which administers the test.
- An undergraduate background judged by the Graduate Coordinator to be adequate for success. The Graduate Coordinator may require additional undergraduate credit for unconditional admission to be granted.
- A grade of no less than a “C” in undergraduate nursing course work, or
- A grade of “B” in an undergraduate Clinical Decision Making leveling course.
- A student who is conditionally admitted must remove the condition by earning a grade of “B” or better in each of the first four graduate courses (which total at least 12 SCH) applicable to the student’s graduate major (FNP, FPMHNP, Nurse Ed.). These courses must be completed as designated in the degree plan, with no drops or incompletes. Courses may not be repeated. Exceptions for severe, extenuating circumstances may be granted jointly by the Chair of the Nursing Department and the Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services.
- A student who is assessed additional undergraduate leveling work must complete that work at the direction of and to the satisfaction of the Graduate Coordinator.
Certificate Programs
An applicant who has earned an MSN or an MS in nursing from an institution accredited by a Department of Education recognized accrediting body for nursing programs may be accepted into the family nurse practitioner or family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program in pursuit of a certificate. The program consists of advanced nursing practice courses mandated by the Texas Board of Nursing.
An applicant with the MSN or MS in nursing, or a BS in nursing from an institution accredited by a Department of Education recognized accrediting body for nursing programs and a master’s degree in a related field from an accredited institution may be accepted into the Nurse Educator program to earn a certificate in Nursing Education or to meet the Texas Board of Nursing requirements for teaching in a nursing program.
Specific Program Requirements
- Current RN license to practice in any compact state and/or any other state relevant to student’s clinical experiences.
- Basic undergraduate statistics course (3 semester hours).
- Personal interview with the graduate and/or program coordinator.
- Compliance with the State and Program mandated immunizations before enrollment in the first clinical course. Refer to the Wilson School of Nursing Immunization Policy at http://www.mwsu.edu/Assets/documents/academics/hs2/nursing/pdf/immunizations.pdf.
- Current liability insurance purchased through MSU is required by students in the clinical setting in advanced practice student roles.
- Documentation of current health insurance.
- Documentation of current CPR/BLS Health Care Provider Certification.
- 10 panel drug screen.
- Background check.
- Prospective students must present evidence of basic physical assessment content in their undergraduate program or completion of approved physical assessment content. Students may be required to demonstrate competence in physical assessment skills if most recent content exposure and clinical experience occurred more than three years prior to admission.
Full-time Status
The Wilson School of Nursing MSN program considers 6 credit hours per semester as full-time status in Family Nurse Practitioner, Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and the Nurse Educator programs.
Progression Policy
Satisfactory progression in MSU graduate nursing courses is defined as a 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and no grade lower than a “B” (80-89%) in the nursing courses.
- If a grade of “C” or lower is earned in any graduate nursing course, the course must be successfully repeated the next regular academic semester during which the course is offered. Failure to achieve the minimum grade of “B” when repeating a course will result in dismissal from the program. Students may petition the Graduate Curriculum and Standards Committee to accept a repeated course from another university in advance of enrollment for the course; however, the original grade will remain on the transcript and will be calculated into the CGPA. The only way to remove the grade from the GPA calculation is to retake the course at MSU.
- A student who fails to successfully complete a nurse practitioner major clinical course either by dropping the course during the semester or by earning less than a “B” will be required to register for and satisfactorily complete (minimum grade of “B”) a one semester credit hour special topics course for each semester until retaking the dropped or failed course. The purpose of the special topics course is to maintain clinical competence. The course will consist of 64 clinical hours under the direction of an FNP or FPMHNP faculty member. Clinical hours that were earned during the dropped or failed course will be forfeited. Clinical hours earned during the special topics course will be in addition to the minimum required clinical hours for the FNP and FPMHNP programs.
- A student who earns lower than a “B” in any two graduate nursing courses either the same course twice or two different courses, will be dismissed from the program. Readmission will be considered by the Graduate Curriculum and Standards Committee on an individual basis.
Students making unsatisfactory progress in the program are not eligible for assistantship positions.
A student who is in the process of appealing a course grade through the Academic Appeals Committee may not enroll in any subsequent nursing courses for which the course under appeal is a prerequisite. If the student has already registered, he/she will be administratively withdrawn from those courses.
Exceptions to the Progression Policy: The MSN program’s Graduate Curriculum and Standards Committee (GCSC) can make exceptions to the above due to extenuating circumstances. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the Graduate Coordinator and GCSC with a written request (accompanied by appropriate documentation) for exceptions to the progression policy. The student will be notified in writing of the GCSC’s decision within ten (10) working days.
Grading Scale
| 90 - 100 |
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A |
Thesis in Progress |
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X |
| 80 - 89 |
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B |
Completed Thesis |
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Letter grade equal to score on oral comprehensive exam |
| 74 - 79 |
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C |
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| 65 - 73 |
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D |
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| 64 or below |
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F |
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Degree Requirements
The Master of Science in Nursing offers three programs with different curricula that focus on the roles of nurse educator, family nurse practitioner, or family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Each student must complete either a thesis or evidence-based project (EBP).
Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy will occur when the graduate student successfully presents the prospectus for the thesis or evidence-based project. At this time, the student will be approved to complete the thesis or project required for the MSN degree. The student’s Graduate Advisory Committee or EBP course faculty will complete the form at the time of the presentation and file it with the Chair of the John and Nevils Wilson School of Nursing. The student will receive a copy at the conclusion of the presentation meeting. Requirements for the Thesis or EBP can be found in the MSN Student Handbook at http://www.mwsu.edu/Assets/documents/academics/hs2/nursing/pdf/graduatehandbook_2010.pdf.
Comprehensive Oral Examination
The comprehensive oral examination will be completed during the defense or final presentation of the thesis or EBP. The criteria for the comprehensive examination are included in the MSN Graduate Student Handbook. Successful completion will demonstrate the student’s ability to integrate theory and research with practice, as evidenced by the thesis or EBP and its oral defense/presentation.
Program Completion Time Limit
The Master of Science in Nursing must be completed within seven calendar years from the date of enrollment in the first course applied to the degree. FNP students who do not graduate at the end of the semester in which they complete NURS 5371 - Family Nurse Practitioner III , must remain continuously enrolled in NURS 6911 in which 64 clock hours of advanced practicum must be completed each semester.
Additional Policies Pertinent to the RN to MSN Program
Students in the RN to MSN program are held to all policies previously stated for the MSN programs and to the following additional policies.
Admission Requirements
- Declare intent to pursue the RN to MSN program upon application for admission to the Wilson School of Nursing.
- An official score on the GRE. The Billie Doris McAda Graduate School must receive official test scores directly from the organization which administers the test.
- Satisfactory score on the professional goal statement essay located on the MSN application.
- At least 2 years of professional nursing experience judged by the Program Coordinator to be adequate for success.
- Personal interview with program coordinator.
Progression Requirements
- Students pursuing the RN to MSN program may substitute up to 6 semester credit hours of graduate nursing courses for up to 6 semester credit hours of undergraduate courses as follows:
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NURS 5023 |
Research in Nursing in lieu of NURS 3613 Nursing Research for Clinical Practice |
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NURS 5043 |
Pathological Processes for Advanced Nursing Practice in lieu of NURS 3203 Pathophysiologic Process |
- Students must earn a “B” or better in all graduate courses in order to meet the requirements for the MSN. A grade lower than “B” in a graduate course precludes progression in the RN to MSN program; however, the course may be substituted, if applicable, toward the BSN degree. A student whose RN to BSN degree plan includes a substituted master’s course will not be allowed to use the same course during any future enrollment in the graduate programs at MSU.
- Upon completion of all courses required for the BSN degree, students may elect to exit the program and receive a BSN.
- Students who elect to exit the RN to MSN program with a BSN and who do not enroll in the subsequent fall or spring semester will not be able to use the master’s courses in their graduate degree plan. Appropriate educational experiences will be designed in lieu of the master’s courses previously applied to the BSN.
Distinguished Professorships
John and Nevils Wilson Distinguished Professorship of Nursing
The John and Nevils Wilson Distinguished Professorship of Nursing was established in 2003 to support the teaching and research of a professor in the John and Nevils Wilson School of Nursing.
Dr. Kathleen Williamson is currently Wilson School of Nursing Chair and Associate Professor. Previously she was the Director of Assessment and Accreditation and Assistant Professor at Widener University. She has authored or co-authored nineteen publications and two chapters on the Evidenced-based Practice (EBP) process, implementation, and outcomes. She has presented her research at various local, national, and international venues on topics such as integrating technology in pedagogy, EBP, leadership in nursing education, and assessment of learning outcomes. Dr. Williamson was previously the Associate Director for the Center of the Advancement of Evidence-based Practice (CAEP) at Arizona State University. Dr. Williamson continues to promote EBP and the integration of technology with her research agenda that includes conducting studies on nurses’ knowledge, attitude and skills with EBP and the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning. Dr. Williamson continues to promote EBP with healthcare professionals and educators through community partnerships, workshops, conferences, and educational coursework. She has over 25 years combined clinical and educational experience and has taught many courses at the graduate and undergraduate level. She works on advancing EBP through innovations in technology and continues to integrate technology to have an impact teaching and learning.
Minnie Rhea Wood Distinguished Professorship of Nursing
The Minnie Rhea Wood Distinguished Professorship of Nursing was established in 2005 to support the teaching and research of a professor in the John and Nevils Wilson School of Nursing.
Programs and Courses
ProgramsMajorGraduate CertificateCoursesNursing
Return to: Robert D. & Carol Gunn College of Health Sciences and Human Services
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