Direct Entry MSN Curriculum
Our Direct Entry MSN program is available to students in two formats and lengths, namely a five or eight-semester Direct Entry MSN with curriculum delivered in a predominantly hybrid format at our Pleasant Prairie program site or a predominantly campus-based format on the main campus in Milwaukee.
While these programs can be intense learning experiences, you can expect to receive a quality education from instructors who care about your success and are driven to work with you to provide the necessary tools and resources to excel.
The full-time, five- and eight-semester options are composed of three essential elements:
- Nursing theory courses, to be completed either predominately online (for Pleasant Prairie cohorts) or predominately in-person (for Milwaukee cohorts)
- On-site skills labs, clinical simulations, and exams that will allow you to continue developing your nursing techniques
- Clinical rotations in top health care facilities
Over the course of the accelerated MSN curriculum of both of our Direct Entry MSN program format options, you will complete 75 credit hours, which include extensive lab work and clinical practice hours at different health care facilities.
Five-Semester Direct Entry MSN Curriculum Overview: 75 Credits
Semester One – 14 Credits
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6011 | Health Assessment & Fundamentals - Theory | 3 |
| NURS 6013 | Health Assessment & Fundamentals - Lab/Clinical | 2 |
| NURS 6003 | Essentials for Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 6015 | Pharmaco-therapeutics for Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 6030 | Pathophysiological Concepts for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
Semester Two – 16 Credits
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6005 | Concepts and Interventions for the Promotion of Mental Health - Theory | 3 |
| NURS 6007 | Ethics, Policy and Health Care Advocacy | 3 |
| NURS 6201 | Nursing Concepts and Interventions, Adults/Older Adults I - Theory | 3 |
| NURS 6500 | Family-Centered Nursing Care of Children - Theory | 3 |
| NURS 6970 | Nursing Care for Patients with Chronic Conditions - Clinical | 4 |
Semester Three – 16 Credits
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6010 | Research and Evidence as a Foundation for Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 6100 | Community and Population Health Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 6202 | Nursing Concepts and Interventions, Adults/Older Adults II - Theory | 3 |
| NURS 6700 | Perinatal Nursing, Sexual and Reproductive Health | 3 |
| NURS 6971 | Nursing Care for Patient with Acute Conditions - Clinical | 4 |
Semester Four – 16 Credits
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6000 | Theoretical Foundations of Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 6032 | Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 6244 | Health Promotion Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| HEAL 6825 | Quality and Patient Safety in Health Care | 3 |
| NURS 6973 | Professional Nursing Practice - Clinical | 4 |
Semester Five – 13 Credits
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 6009 | Organizational and Systems Leadership | 3 |
| HEAL 5901 | Interdisciplinary Palliative Care | 3 |
| HEAL 6835 | Informatics, Technology, and Professional Issues | 3 |
| NURS 6976 | Transition to Nursing Practice and Leadership - Clinical | 4 |
Eight-Semester Direct Entry MSN Extended Option Curriculum Overview: 75 Credits
This direct entry MSN curriculum has been assembled to ensure each semester builds on skills in an effective manner to form practice-ready nurses. To learn more about our Direct Entry MSN program, contact an admissions adviser today. They can answer any questions you may have and guide you throughout the application process to ensure that qualified students will be able to take part and earn their master’s degree.
Year One – 26 credits
Summer Term
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| N6030 | Pathophysiological Concepts for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| N6003 | Essentials for Nursing Practice | 3 |
| N6015 | Pharmaco-therapeutics for Nursing Practice | 3 |
Fall Term
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| N6011 | Health Assessment & Fundamentals - Theory | 3 |
| N6013 | Health Assessment & Fundamentals – Lab/Clinical | 2 |
| N6007 | Ethics, Policy and Health Care Advocacy | 3 |
Spring Term
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| N6010 | Research and Evidence as a Foundation for Nursing | 3 |
| N6825 | Quality and Patient Safety in Health Care | 3 |
| N6005 | Concepts and Interventions for the Promotion of Mental Health - Theory | 3 |
Year Two – 29 credits
Summer Term
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| H6835 | Informatics, Technology, and Professional Issues | 3 |
| N6970 | Nursing Care for Patients with Chronic Conditions - Clinical | 4 |
| N6201 | Nursing Concepts and Interventions, Adults/Older Adults I - Theory | 3 |
Fall Term
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| N6000 | Theoretical Foundations of Nursing | 3 |
| N6500 | Family-Centered Nursing Care of Children - Theory | 3 |
| N6700 | Perinatal Nursing, Sexual and Reproductive Health | 3 |
Spring Term
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| N6971 | Nursing Care for Patient with Acute Conditions - Clinical | 4 |
| N6202 | Nursing Concepts and Interventions, Adults/Older Adults II - Theory | 3 |
| N6244 | Health Promotion Across the Lifespan | 3 |
Year Three – 19 credits
Summer Term
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| N6973 | Professional Nursing Practice - Clinical | 4 |
| N6032 | Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| N6100 | Community and Population Health Nursing | 3 |
Fall Term
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| N6976 | Transition to Nursing Practice and Leadership - Clinical | 3 |
| N5901 | Interdisciplinary Palliative Care | 3 |
| N6009 | Organizational and Systems Leadership | 3 |
Explore the coursework to see your path toward a nursing degree today.