General Policies for the M.S.N. Program
The MSN Programs prepare students as advanced practice registered nurses in the role of nurse practitioner. All population-specific options are designed to enable students to meet current graduate-level education requirements for the population-specific national certification examinations. Students can follow full-time or part-time plans of study (online). The on-campus programs were placed on pause during the Covid-19 pandemic. Online students participate in two or three on-campus intensive experiences that typically last three or four days each.
Coursework: The programs of study are planned and sequenced to provide students with foundational courses prior to mastery of higher-level coursework. An incomplete grade (I) may be awarded based upon individual student circumstances that impacted their ability to complete course requirements. An Incomplete must be converted to a grade by mid-semester of the following semester or it will automatically convert to a grade of F. All Incompletes must be approved by the Program Director and Dean. Students should submit a formal written request to the course instructor with the reason for the Incomplete at least 2 weeks prior to the end of the course.
Transfer of Courses: Comparable courses taken at another accredited institution prior to matriculation at The Catholic University of America with a grade of B or higher will be reviewed for currency and equivalency. Up to 6 transfer credits of graduate coursework from another university will be considered. Transfer of credit applications are recommended by the Associate Dean and approved by the Dean.
Grading: A grade of B- or higher is required to pass all clinical and core (health assessment and diagnostic reasoning, pathophysiology, and pharmacology) courses. A grade of C or higher is required to pass all non-clinical courses. A failed course may only be repeated once.
Dismissal: A student will be dismissed from the MSN program for a) failing to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for two consecutive semesters, b) withdrawing from more than one nursing course, c) earning two or more failing course grades, and d) failing to maintain continuous enrollment (or failing to secure an approved academic leave). Please refer to the Graduate Studies Announcements for a full description of causes for dismissal.
Change of NP Population Option: Changes in a population-focus area must be approved by both the Associate Dean and Program Director responsible for the program
Residence: Students admitted to graduate study at the master's level must complete degree requirements within five years from the date of initial enrollment. Continuous enrollment must be maintained unless a written leave of absence has been granted.
School-Based Financial Support: In addition to University-based aid, the Conway School of Nursing has limited funds via traineeships, school-based scholarships, and special federal programs. The availability of funds varies from year to year. To be eligible for any type of funding, applicants must a) complete a FAFSA and b) apply for funding annually. Additional information is available via the Conway School of Nursing website.