Direct Entry MSN Admissions Overview
When it comes to accepting students into our College of Nursing, we seek applicants who not only meet our admissions requirements but also hold values that align with our university’s mission of driving positive change for others, our communities, and our health care system.
To enroll in our Direct Entry MSN (both 5 and 8-semester options), you will need to satisfy several requirements. Applicants must hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, and are required to complete several prerequisite courses, such as anatomy and physiology.
Applicants specify their preferred start semester, site, and program modality as part of the application process. Those that wish to complete the program in five semesters may elect to apply for a spring or fall start out of our Pleasant Prairie campus, which follows a hybrid-online program format, or a summer start from our Milwaukee campus, where classes are predominantly in person. A new, extended, eight-semester option is also available exclusively as a summer-start option in Pleasant Prairie.
Dedicated Admissions Advisers
We have dedicated admissions advisers who work exclusively with our nursing applicants. Committed to student success, these champions of higher learning go above and beyond to help potential candidates understand the full scope of the program and the time commitment involved.
Once you decide to pursue your nursing degree through Marquette University, we will assign you an adviser who can help you:
- Decide whether a 5-semester or 8-semester program format is best for you
- Discuss options for completing prerequisite courses
- Create an academic plan that works toward a program start date
- Stay on task throughout the admissions and application processes
- Get answers to financial aid questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make my application more competitive?
While you can’t go back and improve your academic history, you can control how well you do in the prerequisite courses and how well you put together your application package. We require applicants to submit a series of supplementary admissions materials — a resume, three letters of recommendation and an admissions statement — as part of the application process. These materials help give us a sense of your character, motivation and passion for the nursing profession. Ask your adviser for assistance; he or she will be more than happy to help you optimize your application package.
Is there a time limit on prerequisite courses? What if they won’t be completed by the deadline?
Statistics must be completed within seven years of program start. It is preferred that anatomy and physiology be completed within the past five years. If your prerequisites are older, you may wish to refresh your learning in these areas. You are encouraged to contact the Direct Entry MSN Graduate Program Adviser with your questions about the suitability of a course.
You may take prerequisite courses and/or be in the process of completing a degree when you apply. To strengthen your application, have your instructor email our Graduate Program Coordinator with the final fall semester grade as soon as it is available.
You will still be required to submit an official transcript reflecting the completed prerequisite and any other outstanding requirements as soon as it is available. To provide your strongest application, it is recommended that all but one or two of your prerequisites be completed by the application deadline. In all cases, all courses leading to your degree, or the completion of your prerequisite requirements must be successfully completed by the time the program begins.
What if I miss the application deadline by one day?
We do not review any application that is not complete by the specified deadline, except for any prerequisite courses you are in the process of completing.
I am concerned that my GPA does not reflect my true abilities. Would you take this into consideration?
While we do require a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA for consideration, if you feel that a unique, short-term situation may be a problem for your candidacy, please bring this to our attention. You may wish to include a brief statement explaining the situation and asking us to take note of a special circumstance. For example, an applicant could ask us to look at each semester’s GPA, where we would see outstanding performance except for one semester, when a special problem occurred.
Contact us to learn more about the admissions process for Marquette University.