Program eligibility requirements
Applicants must meet the requirements listed for admission to the ELMSN program at Metropolitan State University.
- Applicants must have a completed baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Applicants whose degrees are from a non-US college or university shall have their degrees evaluated by a credentials evaluation service to determine equivalency to a US baccalaureate degree.
- Applicants must have a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA for all previous post-secondary study and degrees, including any courses completed that did not lead directly to a completed degree.
- Applicants must complete the four science prerequisites of chemistry, human anatomy, human physiology and microbiology with their lab components prior to the application deadline, and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher across these four requirements.
- If an admission offer is made, the remaining prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C of better by the start of the program, as indicated by an official transcript submitted to the Department of Nursing prior to the start of the program.
- All courses must be at least three (3) semester credits, with the exception of Nutrition which must be at least two (2) semester credits.
- Courses taken under the quarter system must be at least four (4) quarter credits for the 3 semester credit prerequisites and three (3) quarter credits for the 2 semester credit Nutrition course.
- Applicants must achieve a grade of "C" or above in prerequisite courses and a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Prerequisite Courses
- Chemistry with laboratory component
- Human Anatomy with laboratory component
- Human Physiology with laboratory component
- Microbiology with laboratory component
- Nutrition
- Life span psychology
- Medical Ethics
- Statistics course (college level), which must be completed no more than 4 years prior to the date of program application.
Application instructions
Class size is limited up to 32 students so admission is competitive. The selection process is based on cumulative GPA, prerequisite grades, and evaluation of applicant essay. The Nursing Department Admission/Retention Committee will begin review of completed applications once the application deadline has passed.
Deadline
Application Deadline: January 15
The ELMSN program admits students every Fall. Applicants meeting the application deadline should anticipate an early April admission decision to start in the Fall of the following calendar year (i.e. April 2018 to begin August 2018).
Applications not complete by the final deadline will be cancelled.
Application
Review the ELMSN Applicant Policies (see CNHS Applicant policies) before submitting your application materials. To be considered for full admission to the Entry Level Master of Science Nursing program, you must submit all items listed below, by the application deadline.
A complete application file consists of two parts (three for international students). Begin the application process by first applying online using the new online graduate application. Once you've applied online you can log in to the Applicant Portal using your StarID and password at any time and upload your remaining documents and check on the status of your application. If you encounter difficulty with the online application please email graduate.studies@metrostate.edu.
Part One
Online Graduate Programs Application
- The application period for fall 2024 opens September 1, 2023, and closes at 11:59 p.m. January 15, 2024.
- You will use your Minnesota State StarID to complete the application. If you don't have a Minnesota State StarID you will create one at the beginning of the application. If you encounter difficulty with the online application please email graduate.studies@metrostate.edu
- Non-refundable application fee can be paid through online application
- Current fee of $20 is waived for graduates of Metropolitan State University.
- Official transcripts
- Must show a baccalaureate degree or equivalent earned from an accredited institution with grade-point average or narrative description describing courses completed.
- Transcripts from ALL schools attended after high school and from any graduate or professional programs are required.
- All transcripts from non-U.S. schools must be evaluated (course-by-course) by either ECE (preferred) or WES.
- Electronic transcripts (preferred) sent to graduate.studies@metrostate.edu.
- Paper transcripts sent directly from the sending institution (preferred).
Part Two
- Prerequisites: using the Applicant Portal (log in with your StarID), upload the Entry-Level MSN application prerequisites supplement showing completion of the admission prerequisites (eight total).
- All prerequisites must be at least three semester credits, or at least four quarter credits, with the exception of the Nutrition course, which must be at least 2 semester credits or at least three quarter credits, and be taken at an accredited college or university. A grade of C or better is required for all prerequisite courses.
- The four (primary) prerequisites of chemistry, human anatomy, human physiology, and microbiology must be completed prior to the application deadline (with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better).
- Chemistry (with laboratory component)
- Human anatomy (with laboratory component)
- Human physiology (with laboratory component)
- Microbiology (with laboratory component)
- The four (secondary) prerequisites of lifespan growth and development, medical ethics, nutrition, and statistics may be pending at the application deadline. If an admission offer is made, the remaining prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or better by the start of the program. To verify successful completion, official transcripts must be submitted to the Nursing Department prior to the start of the program.
- Lifespan growth and development (course must cover the entire lifespan)
- Medical Ethics
- Nutrition
- Statistics (college level), which must be completed no more than 4 years prior to the date of program application
- Admission Essay: using your StarID, upload using the Applicant Portal.
- A three-page word-processed essay using double-spacing and 12-point font (approximately 750 words) addressing the following:
- An important part of the Metropolitan State University Nursing Department's mission is to enhance the health of underserved and diverse populations.
- Describe how your talents, experiences, and/or cultural background have:
- prepared you to support our mission
- prepared you for graduate education
- Describe your anticipated professional goals after completing this program and attaining registered nurse licensure.
- Applicants are expected to use their own words and ideas when responding to essay questions. To clarify or strengthen a point, applicants may choose to include the thoughts and ideas of others when responding. In these cases, applicants are required to provide proper 6th edition APA citation of the works in which the ideas originated. Applicant essays are subject to plagiarism review, including the use of plagiarism detecting software. The consequences for essay plagiarism will be decided by the Nursing Department's Admission/Retention Committee and could result in various consequences, including the full denial of an application.
- Applicants are encouraged to review language regarding plagiarism found in the Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures.
- A three-page word-processed essay using double-spacing and 12-point font (approximately 750 words) addressing the following:
Mailing address
700 East Seventh Street
Saint Paul, MN 55106-5000
Email address: graduate.studies@metrostate.edu
Nursing Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing (ELMSN)
College of Nursing and Health Sciences Metropolitan State-Saint Paul Campus
700 East Seventh Street
Saint Paul, MN 55106-5000
651-793-1375