Transferring Credits From One Master’s Program In Nursing To Another

Limits on how many credits you can transfer in also vary from one nursing graduate school to another. Grand Canyon University, as an example, will accept up to 12 credits or 1/3 of the total program requirements on master’s degrees, pending certain requirements. On the other hand, Western Governors University, which has some of friendliest policies toward adult students in the online degree world, simply does not accept any transfer credits at the master’s degree level. Among schools that do accept graduate transfer credits, it’s not unusual to find that 15 credits is the maximum accepted for previous learning. But there is no hard and fast rule. Ashford University accepts no more than 9 transfer credits on its Doctor of Nursing Practice grad degree, while Regis College will accept no more than 2 courses in transfer for grad school and famed Columbia University in New York accepts up to six credits or graduate or doctoral level courses from another school.

Remember that whether you’re looking at BSN or MSN programs, no matter how many nursing courses you have already taken, there will be a minimum number of credit you will have to earn at the school you are transferring into. That’s true at almost any school, regardless of what major you’re studying for.

If you can determine that a school of interest to you accepts graduate credits in transfer for master’s degrees in nursing, you then need to go through the same steps you would to transfer credits into a bachelor program. Generally, you will need to provide a syllabus for any course you took to prove that it replaces a particular course at your new school, supply a transcript of your grades and demonstrate that you have completed any required clinical work. If your school turns down transfer of a particular course, it can be worth asking them to reconsider. If you do some research and manage to prove that the content of a course you took previously really does match a course they want you to take again, you can often submit an appeal form. It’s less likely that they will accept core major requirement courses from another school than prerequisites, but you never know for sure until you try. It can be well worth the effort. Whatever approach you take, remember to get your transfer review process started as early as possible. Some admissions departments take several weeks to come back with a decision.

Switching Nursing Schools Halfway through a Program

The longer you study in one nursing school, the less likely it is that you’ll be able to transfer all the credits you’ve earned to another nursing program. That’s partly because courses, even courses with the same name, can vary a lot from one school to another.

How many credits a nursing school will accept can be difficult to determine without talking to the school you’re looking to move to. Many school don’t make it clear on their websites exactly what the maximum number of credit transfers they will accept is. The type of courses you want to transfer makes a big different. BSN programs often don’t accept any clinical coursework, and some don’t accept transfer credit for any advanced level courses. BSN schools may insist that you have at least a B grade in any course at another school in order to transfer credit from it, but will allow credits for non nursing courses in the introductory phase of a BSN if you only earned a C. Additionally, many BSN programs will only accept you as a transfer student if you completed at least one year of study, or about 60 credits, at another school. On both nursing bachelor’s and master’s degrees, transfer credits are generally more complex than with humanities type degrees.

Can I Get Into Another Nursing Program After Failing Out?

Failing out of a bachelor’s nursing program can put you in a tough position. Many schools want to be able to say their graduates all pass the NCLEX exam, and if you have failed out of one school, they may not believe you’ll be able to finish their program and pass the test. It may be helpful if the transcript from the school you are leaving lists your failing grades as “W” for withdraw rather than as fails. But you will need to he honest when the admission counselor at your new school asks why you are jumping schools.

At the MSN level, the simple fact that there are fewer spaces open for students than at the bachelor level, so schools can be more picky. Many nurses who did well in their BSN program struggle when they get to graduate school because they have to balance their studies with a full-time job. Also, classes like advanced pharmacology you encounter in an MSN program are much tougher than what you run into as an undergrad.

If you failed to complete an MSN program at one school for any reason at all, you’ll need to talk to admission advisers at a school you want to transfer to. Because graduate nursing classes are quite specialized, you may find it hard to prove that classes at your first school completely match those at your new school, which will be an obstacle to getting transfer credits.

When you apply for transfer, it’s important to be armed with a good story about why you’re going to do much better at your target school. Transfers at the graduate level are considered closely on a case by cases basis, so your attitude and your ability to portray the work you did at your first school in a positive light can boost your chances of success.

RN to MSN Bridge Programs Online

If you’re an RN who has not yet earned aa bachelor’s degree, but you’d like to get a nursing job that a master’s might qualify you for, an RN to MSN program could be worth your consideration It can provide a fast track to a graduate level credential. These so called “bridge” degree programs, which allow you to compress your bachelor and master’s degree studies, can allow you to do both your undergrad and graduate program at one nursing school, without having to think about applying to an MSN program or transferring credits. program and tare fairly unique to the nursing profession. In recent years, RN to MSN online programs have gained in popularity, as new nursing specialties have sprung up that require nurses with more advanced qualifications.

While virtually all of these degrees are designed to help you earn a nursing master’s on an accelerated basis, they don’t all have the same admission requirements. Some RN to MSN online bridge programs can be completed in three years if you study at an intensive rate. By comparison, going to college for a full bachelor’s degree and then going to a graduate school to get your MSN can take you more than six years of full-time study.

What Qualifications Do You Need For An MSN Program?

The first question to research is what kind of credentials you need to enter a particular degree programs. Many of the top RN to MSN programs are designed for RNs who have an associate’s in nursing and at least two years of work experience in the field. But many will accept RNs who have a diploma rather than an associate’s. Still others are designed for RNs who have already completed a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing specialty.

If you have completed some college study toward a BSN or any other type of bachelor’s degree, make sure to ask out about transferring credits from your old school toward your MSN. Since the basic idea of the RN to MSN degree is to accelerate the student’s studies, most schools that offer it tend to be friendly toward degree transfer. And because this type of program does include bachelor’s level study, which means a certain number of general education or humanities type courses, it’s very likely that at least some of your bachelor’s degree courses will be counted toward your MSN even if you were studying to be an English major previously.

Top MSN Specializations

The nursing master’s can qualify you for a management positions in a hospital or other health care facility, for certain clinical specializations or even, in some cases, to become an independent practitioner. Some popular specialties for MSN degrees include:

• Nurse Midwifery
• Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Anesthetist
• Nurse Educator
• Nursing Informatics Specialist
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
• Adult Health Care Nurse
• Emergency Nurse Practitioner
• Women’s Health Care (Title X) Specialist

It’s hard to provide exact earnings numbers for MSN degree holders because they work in so many different specialties. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, an advanced practice nurse coming out of school can earn up to $90,000. per year (Source: AACN), though salaries in small health facilities in rural areas can be less than half that. Nurse anesthetists are about at the top of the earnings ladder. According to a recent article on ExploreHealthCareers.org, they can earn well over $200,000. (Many advanced nursing specialties, including nurse anesthetist, require certification in addition to a master’s degree.)

Graduate Options If You Have a BSN

Be aware of two issues relating bachelor degree studies. First: if you enter an RN to MSN program with only an associate’s degree, you may not be eligible to go into all of the specialties that are open to BSN holders. Second: while most RN to MSN programs give you a bachelor’s degree along with your master’s, some do not. It’s not likely that the lack of a BSN will hinder you if you have an MSN, but it’s good to make sure that it doesn’t present an issue in the particular specialty or even the exact hospital you want to work in.

Why Not Just Get an RN to BSN?

RN to BSN programs have become extremely popular for nurses wanting to move up the career ladder. A BSN can certainly help get a nurse hired in many hospitals and clinics. But this type of degree doesn’t provide a background in leadership or management. If you’re a nurse who would like to eventually stop spending 100% of your time in direct patient care, which can become physically taxing as you get older, an MSN is more likely to qualify you for a managerial position than a nursing bachelor’s degree.

Can An MSN Count Toward CNL Certification?

Many RN to MSN online programs are meant to qualify the graduate to sit for the CNL (clinical nurse leader) Certificate Exam sponsored by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The CNL is a somewhat new role in healthcare. A clinical nurse leader will oversee the care of certain specific patients, generally who tend to have complex health issues. CNLs college info on patients and evaluate care outcomes, working with doctors, pharmacists, social workers and others in the clinical care environment. This is a senior role in direct patient care and not, strictly speaking a management position. However, it can be a more intellectually challenging role with a slightly higher salary and a basic nursing position. CNL jobs can also offer some upward mobility to nurses working in hospitals where budget constraints have cut down on the number of management jobs available.

For a fast alternative approach for early stage RNs, read about direct entry MSN programs and accelerated nursing master’s.

Hard Work That Pays Off

It’s harder work to find out about credit transfer at the graduate level, but it can be well worth the effort. Graduate degrees in nursing can be expensive, and getting credit for your previous work can save a great deal of time and money. It’s something you don’t want to overlook if you want to get to the next level in your nursing career quickly.