MS in Nursing Program—Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I return to school for my master’s in nursing degree?

There are many opportunities for the nurse who would like to increase his or her knowledge and skills to become an advanced practice nurse. At Rutgers, we offer specializations that prepare you to become a nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist. As you consider graduate education, be aware that Rutgers offers the Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP). This is a post-master’s program that provides you with the terminal degree in clinical nursing practice. For more information on this program, please go to the DNP Program page.

What are the specializations that you offer?

We offer eight clinical nursing specializations:

• Advanced Practice in Acute Care
• Advanced Practice in Pediatrics
• Advanced Practice in Women’s Health
• Community Health Nursing (a MS/MPH option is also available)
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Oncology Nursing (currently on hold)
• Primary Care of Adults and the Aged
• Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing

Students in most tracks of the master’s program must complete 42 credits of course work. The exceptions are the family nurse practitioner track and the oncology track, which both require completion of 48 credits, and the acute care nursing track, which requires 47 credits, and the Psychiatric/Mental Health track which requires 39 credits..

There is also a nursing research sequence that is part of the BS/MS-PhD Program which is 30 credits in length. This program is currently on hold in 2007 but will be available beginning in 2008 if enough students are interested.

Do you offer nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist role options?

Yes, the acute care, pediatrics, women’s health, family nurse practitioner, oncology, adults and aged, and psychiatric/mental health specializations are nurse practitioner programs. The pediatrics, oncology, adults and aged, and psychiatric/mental health specializations can also be taken as a clinical nurse specialist program. The community health nursing specialization is a clinical nurse specialist program. At the end of your program, you will be eligible to take the certification examination for the specialty and role option that you completed (e.g., the certification examination for the pediatric nurse practitioner).

Will the clinical specialization courses be offered every year?

The clinical specialization courses are offered, beginning in the spring semester, if there is a cohort of students ready to take these courses. In the past, community health, oncology, and psychiatric/mental health have not been offered every year.

Do you offer post-master’s certificates?

Yes, you are able to obtain a post-master’s certificate in each of the above eight clinical nursing specializations, and also in nursing education (there is also a minor option for this program, although this program is currently on hold). These programs vary in length, from 15 credits taken over two semesters for the nursing education option to 24 credits taken over four semesters for the family nurse practitioner option. All of the other options are 18 credits (three semesters) in length. Note that the nursing education option is only offered if there is a cohort of students.

Do you offer minor options?

Yes, we offer a minor in nursing education which is a 15 credit, two semester offering. This program is currently on hold.

How do I obtain an application for the master’s program in nursing at Rutgers?

You must apply online for the master’s in nursing (MS) program. The application is found at: http://rutgers-newark.rutgers.edu/gradnwk/.

What are the admission requirements for the master’s in nursing (MS) program?

The requirements for admission to the MS program in nursing are:

• A baccalaureate degree in nursing from a nationally accredited program. If your baccalaureate degree in nursing was not from a nationally accredited program, you must take the GRE and receive a satisfactory combined score on the verbal, quantitative, and written portion,
• An undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 (where A=4.0). For the BS/MS to PhD program, an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.5 is required,
• A satisfactory combined score on the verbal, quantitative, and writing portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within the last five years, OR, in lieu of the GRE, one of the following: (a) five years of relevant practice experience, (b) a grade of B or better in three Rutgers’ College of Nursing graduate courses taken on a nonmatriculated basis, or (c) a BS in nursing in the past 12 months with a GPA of 3.2 or better from a nationally accredited program,
• Three satisfactory academic and professional letters of reference,
• Completion of a descriptive/inferential statistics course and a physical assessment course or equivalent, prerequisite for full matriculation.

What if my GPA is below 3.0?

Applicants who have a GPA of 2.75 to 2.99 on a 4.0 scale may receive conditional admission. These students must achieve a B or better average in the first 12 graduate credit hours to become matriculated and continue in the program.

Does Rutgers consider applicants whose baccalaureate is not in nursing?

As noted in the admission requirements, a baccalaureate degree in nursing is required. For potential applicants who do not have a baccalaureate degree in nursing, they may consider the 14-month accelerated baccalaureate program in nursing prior to beginning the master’s in nursing or the MS-PhD program.

What are the steps in applying to the program?

It is important to submit all of your materials as soon as you can after making the decision to apply to our MS program. You should start by completing the on-line application form. Then, send all of the required supplemental materials to the address for Rutgers-Newark Admissions Office listed in the on-line instructions. As the Admissions Office receives your information, it will be forwarded to the College of Nursing.

Does the program provide advisement to prospective students?

Yes. Feel free at any time to contact the Associate Dean for Graduate Education, Dr. Mary Ann Scoloveno, at 973/353-5060 or by email at scoloven@rutgers.edu.

What is the application deadline?

Admission to the MS program occurs in the fall and the spring; the deadline for submitting a completed application for US citizens is June 1 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester. Additional deadlines can be found at http://www.studentabc.rutgers.edu/billing.

Do I need a computer?

Yes, you will need a computer with Internet access preferably with high speed (DSL, cable) to successfully complete the requirements for the MS degree. Although we do not have an entire program offered online, you can take all of the core courses online and many of the specialty courses are offered as web-enhanced courses. Full technical requirements can be found at http://ecollege.rutgers.edu/technicalreq.jsp.

What computer skills do I need?

You will need to be proficient in word processing (preferably Microsoft Word), presentation software (preferably Microsoft Powerpoint), spreadsheets (preferably Microsoft Excel), Internet use (e.g., search/browse, access specific web sites), email (including the ability to attach and send documents via e-mail and to retrieve documents from incoming emails), uploading and downloading documents and files to online courses and official University web sites, and the installation and maintenance of anti-virus and firewall software. If you are lacking in any of these skills, it is important that you obtain these skills through, for example, courses offered at your area community college and/or high school or via self-study through any of the free on-line tutorials that are available on the web.

What are the hardware and software requirements?

The minimum hardware requirements are as follows:

For Windows users:

• Microsoft Windows 2000, ME, or XP
• 64 MB RAM

For Macintosh OS users:

• MacOS 10.2 or 10.3
• 32 MB RAM (64 or 128 recommended)

For both:

• 1 GB of free disk space
• Access to a computer-based DVD player that is capable of read and write functions.
• Minimum 28.8 kbps modem (56K recommended) (high speed cable or DSL is required)
• A screen resolution of 800 x 600 pixels or higher (14-15” screen is recommended)
• At least one of the following browsers: Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher and Netscape Communicator 7.1 or higher
• A good printer

The online platform that will be used for the nursing courses is either Blackboard or eCollege. NOTE: the use of AOL’s internal browser does not interface adequately with Blackboard. Internet Explorer or Netscape is recommended.

You will also need the following software and application downloads:

• Microsoft Word (preferred)
• Microsoft Powerpoint (preferred)
• Microsoft Excel (preferred)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Anti-virus and firewall software
• Real One player
• Macromedia Flash Player
• Macromedia Shockwave Player
• For Windows users: Sun’s Java 2 JRE (Java 1.3.1) and Windows Media Player 9
• For Macintosh OS users: MacOS Classic Java (MRJ 2.2.5) and Windows Media Player 7.1

The student will learn more about specific University software needed for the program when they attend the orientation session in their first year.

Does the program have graduate assistantships, financial aid, and scholarships available?

Yes, the College of Nursing has two graduate assistantships (GA) for nursing master’s students. The GA works 15 hours per week in the College of Nursing psychomotor skills laboratory; one GA works in Newark and the other works in New Brunswick.

The College of Nursing has two additional funding options available for the full time student (9 credits in the fall and spring semesters and 6 credits in the summer semester): a Federal traineeship and the Nurse Faculty Loan Program. The traineeship provides money for tuition, fees, and sometimes pays for books. The Nurse Faculty Loan Program provides funding for tuition, fees, books, and other costs for conducting research. If the student receiving a loan works full-time for four years as a nursing faculty member after graduation from the PhD program, they will have 85% of the loan forgiven.

Students are encouraged to explore scholarship opportunities at area hospitals and community and professional organizations. Work settings may also offer tuition reimbursement. Occasionally we will also have scholarship opportunities at the College and Graduate School levels that provide tuition and fees and sometimes, a small stipend. When these are available, they are announced to students via email.

Are there any pre-requisite requirements for the master’s program or post-master’s certificate program?

Yes. Students entering the master’s program in nursing are required to have successfully passed a descriptive/inferential statistics course and a physical assessment course or equivalent.

In the post-master’s certificate program, students are expected to have successfully passed a graduate level pharmacology, pathophysiology, and physical assessment course or equivalent. If the student has not completed one or more of these courses, they can take them at Rutgers prior to beginning the specialization courses.

How do I develop my coursework?

Upon admission, students are assigned to a faculty advisor. Every attempt is made to identify someone with similar interests. This faculty member will work with the student to determine their progression through the program of study.

Where do the courses meet?

Many of the graduate nursing courses are online, some meet a few times during the semester and the rest of the time are online, and some meet every week. The courses that meet a few times during the semester are held in locations that are convenient and meet the needs of the students. The courses that meet on a weekly basis are held in the location that is indicated in the schedule of courses; usually Newark or Camden.

What nursing courses are online?

The nursing courses that are offered each semester online are indicated as such in the schedule of courses that comes out prior to each semester. Your advisor can also indicate to you which courses are offered online.

Where do the clinical practicums take place?

The location of your practicums for each of the clinical courses is determined by your interest area, skill level, and geographic needs, as well as by the availability of clinical sites and course objectives. Your practicums may take place in a clinic, hospital, and/or private practice setting.

Do I have to find my own preceptor?

The clinical faculty member for your practicum will identify for you two to three possible preceptors that they feel will best meet your interest area, skill level, and geographical need. You will then need to contact each of these potential preceptors to see which one of them will best meet your educational needs. You will negotiate your clinical days and hours with your preceptor each semester.

How many hours of clinical do I have to complete?

The number of clinical hours needed for certification varies by speciality. The Adult and Aged, Oncology, Acute Care, and Community Health specializations all require 500 hours. The Psychiatric/Mental Health specialization requires 545 hours. Pediatrics and Women’s Health specializations require 600 hours. The Family Nurse Practitioner specialization requires 601 hours. In general, you will receive 45 hours of clinical time in the graduate physical assessment course and the remaining hours are divided equally among the number of practicum courses.

How long is the program?

On average, students complete the MS program in 15 months with full-time study and two to three years with part-time study. The maximum allowable time according to the College of Nursing and University policy is five years.

Do I have to take a certain number of credits each semester?

Most students take their coursework on a part-time basis; two courses per semester. If you are receiving financial aid that requires full-time study, you need to take nine credits (usually 3 courses) for the spring and fall semesters and six credits (usually 6 credits) in the summer semester.

Can I take a semester off?

Yes, you can. When you wish to do this for personal reasons, you must register for Matriculation Continuation after obtaining approval from the Director of the Graduate Program. This allows you to retain your active student status for the nominal student fee of $79.00. There is no tuition for this registration.

If you have further questions that were not answered, please contact:

Mary Ann Scoloveno, RN, EdD
Interim Associate Dean for Graduate Education, and Associate Professor
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, College of Nursing
180 University Ave., Ackerson Hall, Rm. 102A
Newark, NJ 07102
973/353-5060 (ph), scoloven@rutgers.edu (email)

To obtain specific information about any of the specializations, please contact: