Overview
Designed for students looking to advance their careers in nursing, the Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN/FNP) Program, is a 24-month part-time graduate degree program, offered on both the Worcester and Manchester campuses, which provides an opportunity to specialize in family nursing practice.
Program Highlights
- Part-time, 24-month program
- Summer start
- Instruction conducted in state-of-the-art facilities at both the Worcester and Manchester campuses
- Learner-centered education in which students are immersed in rigorous, relevant, and creative learning experiences
Program Details
The Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN/FNP) Track, offered on both the Worcester and Manchester campuses, allows students to complete coursework in 24 months of part-time, on-campus study. Upon the completion of the MSN program students will be able to:
- Provide safe, effective, culturally-competent, and advanced nursing care to individuals and families across their lifespan as a member of an interdisciplinary team and in the context of community
- Integrate the core competencies of research, diversity, health care policy, ethics, health promotion and disease prevention, and theoretical foundation of nursing in the advanced nursing practice role
- Demonstrate leadership role in the profession of nursing
- Engage in ongoing nursing knowledge development to guide practice
Candidates will complete all FNP courses, including a required master’s thesis and a FNP clinical practicum of 630 hours, for a total of 42 credits.
The unpaid clinical hours (which are in addition to your work hours) can be earned at a location of your choice pending program director approval. All students are required to find their own clinical sites.
Graduates of the Family Nurse Practitioner program are eligible to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner Board Certification Exam. Please see important information regarding upcoming program changes and the DNP.
The Master of Science in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner track) prepares students to meet select competencies from the AACN 2011 approved master’s essentials.
Real-Time Distance Education Technology
Some of the core courses for the Master of Science in Nursing program are delivered via real-time distance education technology between the Worcester, MA and Manchester, NH campuses; approximately 50% of the instruction on each campus is taught by faculty from the other. Large, flat-panel screens in classrooms on both campuses create a highly interactive learning system that has been proven to work well at MCPHS.
Curriculum
COURSE
|
TITLE
|
SEMESTER HOURS
|
| NUR701 |
Professional Role Development in Nursing |
3 |
| NUR702 |
Human Diversity, Ethics, and Social Policy Issues |
3 |
| NUR703 |
Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan |
4 |
| NUR706 |
Advanced Pathophysiology |
3 |
| NUR707 |
Advanced Pharmacology |
3 |
| NUR708 |
Research for the Advanced Practice Nurse |
4 |
| NUR709 |
Family Primary Care I |
6 |
| NUR810 |
Family Primary Care II |
6 |
| NUR811 |
Family Primary Care III |
6 |
| NUR820 |
Translational Research Practicum |
4 |
| |
Total Semester Credit Hours |
42 |
Residency Requirement
In addition to coursework, the MSN program requires students to attend three residencies, generally 1-3 days in length, during their respective tenure in the program. These residencies include: new student orientation, second residency and final residency in May that coincides with graduation. Details are available here.
Admission Requirements
For admission to the MSN/FNP program, an applicant must have:
- Earned a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) from an accredited college or university
- One year of full-time RN employment prior to the program start date (May 2013), preferably in an acute care setting
- A current unencumbered license to practice nursing in the jurisdiction where experiential learning will occur
- Achieved a minimum score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as detailed in the current MCPHS College Catalog
Please note that priority consideration is given to those applicants who have achieved an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher in their professional nursing coursework.
To find additional requirements for this program, please click the link below.
Admission Requirements for Nursing (MSN/FNP) (Manchester, Worcester)
Facilities
The state-of-the-art learning facilities and resources that Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences provides for nursing students ensures a high quality education that prepares students for the pace and realities of contemporary nursing practice.
Manchester, N.H.
MCPHS-Manchester's 33,000 square-foot campus houses both standard and distance education classrooms with media and Internet capabilities, a computer laboratory, a health sciences library with electronic linkages to MCPHS-Boston and a student lounge with wireless and Internet access for study, socializing and relaxing.
The patient assessment laboratory on the Manchester campus, completed in 2003, is designed to provide an optimal environment for student experiences in outpatient and other ambulatory clinic environments.
Worcester, Mass.
The beautifully renovated Living and Learning Center on the Worcester campus includes classrooms, labs, an office suite and apartment-style housing for students. As in Boston, clinical simulation and patient assessment laboratories prepare students for leading-edge practice. Opened in 2009, the building at 40 Foster Street houses 30,000 square feet of academic and student space.
The intimate and easily accessed Worcester campus offers:
- Classrooms with media and Internet capabilities linked directly to the Boston and Manchester campuses
- State-of-the-art video conferencing technology
- Clinical simulation and patient assessment laboratories
- Computer classrooms
- Health sciences library with electronic linkages to other campuses
- Seminar rooms
- A student lounge, student meeting rooms, and quiet study areas
Accreditation
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is authorized to grant undergraduate and graduate degrees in the health sciences and related fields.
MCPHS is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Inc. through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs at MCPHS have full initial accreditation for the term of five years from The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). CCNE is located at One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: 202.887.6791; fax: 202.887.8476; website: www.aacn.nche.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
This program is part-time, so am I eligible for financial aid?
Yes. As long as you are taking at least five graduate-level credits each semester, you are eligible to apply for financial aid. All financial aid is awarded through the FAFSA.
I am a RN with an associate degree in nursing, but I have a bachelor’s degree in another subject—can I apply for this program?
The MSN/FNP program requires a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) prior to enrollment. You would be a great candidate for our ADN to MSN Bridge program at MCPHS Online, which requires one additional year of part-time “bridge” coursework prior to entering the master’s level coursework.
What are the prerequisite courses for the MSN/FNP program?
The prerequisites are a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and one year of full-time RN experience. You can be completing your BSN when you apply, as long as you would earn it prior to enrollment at MCPHS. Proof of RN licensure is also required.
Can I take some courses on-campus in Worcester or Manchester and other courses through MCPHS Online?
No. You must complete all courses within the curriculum on the campus where you enroll. Students enrolling in the MSN program on the Worcester or Manchester campus may not take any of the required courses through MCPHS Online.
Residency Requirements
MCPHS School of Nursing
Students in the MSN programs at MCPHS are required to complete three on-campus residencies. Attendance at all three residencies is mandatory. There are no opportunities to “opt out” of any scheduled residency. This commitment must be taken into consideration when contemplating admission into the MSN programs at MCPHS. Students are responsible for all travel related expenses related to the three on-site residencies.
Residency I- Orientation
All MCPHS SON students must attend an on-site orientation residency prior to beginning their respective program. This three day residency is held in the late spring prior to the start of the first semester of study. The residency is held on the Worcester campus of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. The orientation residency is designed to provide important information to enable students to succeed in the program. Additionally, students are afforded the opportunity to meet their cohort group, faculty and staff.
Residency II- Competency Testing
All MSN students must attend the on-site competency testing residency upon completion of the advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology and advanced health assessment courses and prior to enrolling in the major clinical courses. This second on-site residency is a three day residency and is held between the end of the spring and start of the summer semesters, usually in May.
The second residency is held on the Worcester campus. Students will submit a recorded complete health history to the respective faculty prior to attending the residency. Upon arrival at the second residency, all students will successfully demonstrate the completion of a head to toe physical examination under the supervision of faculty. Students must successfully pass the health history and complete physical examination in order to register in subsequent clinical courses. Students will also complete the HESI 3 P Examination (Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology and Advanced Health Assessment) during the residency. The scores for this test are for individual benchmarking purposes and do not apply to the grade in any MSN course. Students will have the opportunity to meet with their program faculty and meet with their respective clinical faculty member.
Residency III- Final Presentations & Evaluation
All MSN students are required to complete a third and final on-site residency program on the Worcester campus. This three day residency is scheduled in the spring of the final year of study and coincides with MCPHS commencement exercises. Students will present their final posters/portfolios to faculty and peers. Students will also complete the HESI APN Examination a comprehensive advance practice nursing exam. The scores for this test are for individual benchmarking purposes and do not apply to the grade in any MSN course. Students will also be invited to participate in commencement taking place during this time frame on the Worcester campus.