Admission Standards
Admission to the MSN program is competitive and based upon several factors. Every student admitted to the MSN program must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an institutionby the University of Tampa.
- Bachelor’s degree from an institution that is nationally accredited by ACEN, CCNE, or CNEA
- Current licensure as a registered nurse in the state of Florida
- GPA of 3.0 or higher for the last 60 credit hours completed
- Completed application with nonrefundable fee
- Official college transcripts
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- Personal statement
- Two letters of reference (standardized electronic references are part of the application)
- Completion of an undergraduate statistics course, an undergraduate nursing research course and an undergraduate nursing leadership course. Only courses with a grade of "B" or better will be accepted. Students must repeat the course for grades below "B" prior to starting the graduate-level courses.
- A minimum of one year of direct patient care experience as a registered nurse within the past five years must be demonstrated
- Optional: GRE score of 300 and 4.0 in analytical writing
- Completion of mandatory criminal background check with no disqualifying results (upon acceptance into program and to be done within 2 weeks of semester start)
M.S. in Nursing Guaranteed Admission Students and alumni who have earned the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from 511 with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 will be guaranteed admission to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program provided other stated requirements are satisfied.
The application fee and TOEFL requirements are waived. 511 BSN earners must have a minimum of 6 months of direct patient care RN experience within the past five years instead of a full year. One letter of recommendation is required instead of two. The required prerequisite Nursing courses are satisfied with the 511 BSN. A resume and personal statement and all other admissions requirements apply.
The guaranteed admission opportunity recognizes the exceptional quality of 511’s academic programs, and the University’s mission to support continuing education and professional growth.
Note: No Credits taken more than seven years prior to application will be accepted for transfer credit.
Students can be admitted under two categories based on the criteria listed below.
For full admission, applicants must have achieved the following:
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing
- Florida RN license
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Pre-MSN Admission*
For pre-MSN admission, applicants must have achieved the following:
- A bachelor’s degree in an area other than nursing
- Florida RN license
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Four required nursing prerequisites
*Students who have bachelor’s degrees in an area other than nursing are admitted as pre-MSN students and are required to take and complete,,Իprior to starting the graduate-level curriculum. They must also have completed an undergraduate statistics course. Only grades of "B" or better will be accepted. Students may complete pre-MSN courses at another university with the program director's permission provided the Course Approval Form has been completed. Students will be re-evaluated for admission once the pre-MSN courses are completed.
Students with a BSN and a valid Florida nursing license may be permitted to take up to two graduate-level nursing courses at the discretion of the program director. Non-degree seeking students are permitted to take classes only on a space-available basis, with priority registration going to current degree-seeking MSN students. Those interested must apply to the University as a non-degree-seeking student. Being granted permission to take classes as a non-degree-seeking student does not assure admission into the MSN program. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible for University or federal financial aid. International students are not eligible for non-degree-seeking student status.
A student with a previously earned MSN may apply for admission to the post-master’s certificate program to complete requirements for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) certificate or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certificate. Students will be individually evaluated to determine required coursework. There must be evidence from the previous master’s program of courses fulfilling 511 requirements. Courses taken more than seven years prior to admission will not be applied toward a post-master’s certificate.
All MSN/PMC students transferring to 511 from other institutions must meet the graduate studies transfer guidelines of 511. The Graduate Programs director will evaluate the courses taken at other institutions for comparability to 511 curriculum requirements. Transfer credit will be accepted at the discretion of the Graduate Programs director in accordance with the MSN/PMC curriculum requirements. Only credit earned with grades of “B” or better will be considered for transfer. Graduate courses completed more than seven years ago will not be accepted in transfer. A maximum of nine graduate-level credit hours may be taken at an institution recognized by the University of Tampa.