The Midwest is filled with educational and career opportunities, with cities like Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For prospective nursing students looking to make the most of these opportunities, Marquette University’s Second Degree Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) might be what you have been searching for.
With accelerated five or eight-semester curriculum offerings in Milwaukee and Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, on the border with Illinois, our Direct Entry MSN program offers you the opportunity to earn your nursing degree near Chicago with no prior nursing experience.
See which of a BSN vs. MSN degree might be the right option for your education and career.
Why Choose a Direct Entry MSN Program for Non-Nurses near Chicago?
Though the on-site instruction takes place in Pleasant Prairie, about an hour outside Chicago, Marquette partners with many hospitals in Illinois for students to complete their clinical rotations, but each stands out as an excellent institution.
Completing your in-person instruction in Pleasant Prairie and then receiving your placement in Illinois or Wisconsin can give you the benefits of experiencing different environments and prepare you to enter your first nursing job.
What Makes Marquette University’s Direct Entry MSN Program Stand Out?
Pursuing your MSN with Marquette has many benefits, such as small class and cohort sizes during in-person classes and skill labs. Professors can create more one-on-one connections with students and develop those relationships throughout the course of your degree.
The Pleasant Prairie nursing program near Chicago also boasts the latest technology for classroom equipment and high-fidelity simulation labs, giving you a chance to learn in a safe yet realistic environment.
The site has multiple high-fidelity medical manikins that can simulate a wide range of patient care scenarios, which might include:
- Caring for a patient that has normal and abnormal lung sound
- Communicating with a patient
- Listening for a patient’s heart sounds
- Placing an IV on a patient
Learn more about what simulation labs in nursing might look like as a Marquette DE-MSN student.
In terms of time, Marquette’s Direct Entry MSN Program has options to complete your degree in either five or eight semesters, giving you flexibility depending on your life circumstances or learning style.
How to Start Your Journey Towards a Nursing Degree near Chicago with Marquette
If Marquette’s Direct Entry MSN program sounds right for you, there are a few steps you’ll need to complete before enrolling in the nursing program. Prerequisites and online courses will set the foundation for the skills you’ll learn in simulation labs and clinicals.
Through Marquette’s online learning platform, you can complete these courses at your own pace while meeting assignment deadlines. Lectures and resources are available to you to support you through your classes, and so are our experienced educators as well as your fellow cohort members.
Make sure you are in communication with your admissions advisor on the courses you are required to take. For example, if you already hold a degree in a STEM field, some of your courses transfer. When in doubt, talk with your advisor to make sure you have all the necessary information before starting your MSN program.
Master’s in Nursing Near Chicago: Career Opportunities After Graduation
Located on the border of Wisconsin and Illinois, our program site in Pleasant Prairie is perfectly located for opportunities in Chicago and Milwaukee. Kenosha County, Wisconsin, which includes Pleasant Prairie, has a population of 167,488 and over 10 hospitals and healthcare facilities. If you decide to stay in the area after graduation, there are plenty of opportunities for work.
The nearby greater Chicago area has more than 9.4 million people and 33 community health and hospital systems. The Chicago metro area has 102,330 nursing roles, making up the third-highest employment of registered nurses in the nation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses in Chicago can earn an annual mean wage of $90,810, well above the national average.
Ready to Earn a Nursing Degree Near Chicago?
If you want to pursue a nursing degree near Chicago and be prepared to train for advanced practice nursing roles, Marquette’s Second Degree MSN program, with learning sites in Pleasant Prairie and Milwaukee, could be perfect. With so much opportunity, nursing is one of the best fields to set yourself up for a consistent and rewarding career. Contact us today to begin the conversation.