Our Master of Science in Nursing Entry-into-Nursing program allows you to enter the nursing profession at the master’s level. It is specifically designed for those who are driven to change health care and improve patient outcomes. It also positions you perfectly for your next career move.
If you would like to receive information and be alerted when the application opens, please provide your name and email address in our online form.
Through our two-year, direct entry-into-nursing master's program, you'll gain the knowledge and skills to:
It’s not just caring for others: This program will teach you to engage in self-care practices, incorporating self-reflection and feedback from others, to promote personal and professional resilience and well-being.
Our highly motivated students join us from a variety of fields. From fine art majors to public health graduates, former geologists to psychologists, this master's option attracts those with a common goal: the desire to become nurses and change health care for the better.
We are flexible, so you can be, too: This program offers pathways to a doctorate, a certificate, a nursing specialty, or deeper exploration of a variety of topics. Some of the pathways allow you to take courses you can apply toward a future degree or certificate.
If you want:
Our graduates leverage their former life experience and nursing master's degree to pursue a variety of health care careers with roles that include:
Some have also gone on to start their own businesses.
If you wish to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at UMSON, there is no need to repeat coursework you've already completed for your master's degree. You can save up to 9 credits over the traditional entry-into-practice path to the DNP and up to 12 credits if you choose to take a third elective. Your personalized plan of study will be determined at the time of admission to the DNP program.
Find out how your prerequisites transfer.
If you have taken coursework in Maryland, the Articulation System for Maryland Colleges and Universities (ARTSYS) is an online evaluation system that can help you determine how courses taken at any two-year college in Maryland transfer to UMSON.
Before you begin the admissions process, you can submit copies of your unofficial transcript(s) to us for review, and an admissions counselor will advise you on your requirements for admission.
Prerequisite Courses
The following lower-division, pre-professional courses may be completed at any accredited college or university.
| Prerequisite Course | Credits | Helpful Course Tips |
|---|---|---|
| General Chemistry* | 4 | • Must include lab • Must be general chemistry or higher (example: organic) • Preparatory or introductory chemistry is not accepted |
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II* | 8 | • Must include lab |
| Microbiology* | 4 | • Must include lab |
| Human Growth and Development | 3 | • Must be a lifespan course covering conception through death • Child/adolescent psychology is not acceptable |
| Statistics | 3 | • Must be a 100-level or higher statistics course |
| Nutrition | 3 | • Must be a human nutrition course |
| English Composition I and II or Creative Writing/Literature | 6 | • Introductory-level English and one higher-level course fulfills this requirement • English as a second language is not accepted |
| Psychology | 3 | • Any course from the psychology department |
| Sociology | 3 | • Any courses from the sociology department |
| College Algebra | 3 | • College algebra or higher, such as pre-calculus or calculus • Intermediate/preparatory algebra is not accepted |
| Social Sciences | 3 | • Anthropology, behavioral science, criminal justice, economics, geography, history, international relations, legal studies, sociology, political science, psychology, social work, women's/cultural studies |
| Arts and Humanities | 9 |
• Courses must come from at least two of these disciplines: art history, classics, communications,dance, history, humanities, film and media studies, foreign language (to include American sign language), linguistics, literature, music studio/visual art, philosophy, religious studies, speech, theatre, women’s/cultural studies |
| General Electives | 7 | • Any additional courses, academic in nature, that are not below the 100 level • English as a second language, orientation, and nursing courses are not accepted |
* These courses must have been taken in the past 10 years.
General Notes:
For financial aid purposes, there are credit minimums for full-time status that may differ from the plans of study. See details.
Students admitted in the fall semester enroll in classes for four semesters and one summer session.
This plan of study is for students entering the MSN-E program in fall 2024 and subsequent fall semesters.
| FALL ADMISSION | Credits |
| Semester 1 | |
| NURS 510: Pathophysiological and Pharmacological Bases for Nursing Practice | 5 Credits |
| NURS 512: Health Assessment Across the Lifespan | 3 Credits |
| NURS 515: Foundations of Nursing Practice (90 Clinical Hours) | 5 Credits |
| NURS 516: Nursing Role and Professionalism | 3 Credits |
| Total: | 16 Credits |
| Semester 2 | |
| NURS 525: Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (90 Clinical Hours) | 4 Credits |
| NURS 527: Adult Health Nursing 1: Common Conditions (135 Clinical Hours) | 5 Credits |
| NURS 524: Healthy Aging and Gerontological Nursing | 2 Credits |
| NURS 526: Evaluating the Evidence | 3 Credits |
| Total: | 14 Credits |
| Semester 3 | |
| NURS 531: Reproductive Health Nursing (90 Clinical Hours) | 4 Credits |
| NURS 533: Pediatrics Nursing (90 Clinical Hours) | 4 Credits |
| Total: | 8 Credits |
| Semester 4 (Summer Semester) | |
| NURS 541: Community and Population Health Nursing (90 Clinical Hours) | 4 Credits |
| NURS 547: Adult Health Nursing 2: Complex Conditions (135 Clinical Hours) | 5 Credits |
| NRSG 782: Health Systems and Health Policy: Leadership and Quality Improvement | 3 Credits |
| NELC XXX: Elective | 3 Credits |
| Total: | 15 Credits |
| Semester 5 | |
| NURS 551: Practicum (180 Clinical Hours) | 6 Credits |
| NRSG 550: Leadership in Practice | 3 Credits |
| NELC XXX: Elective | 3 Credits |
| NELC XXXX: Elective (optional) | 3 Credits |
| Total: | 12-15 Credits |
| TOTAL 65 CREDITS (68 with optional elective)/900 CLINICAL HOURS | |
View information on the Foundations of Interprofessional Education and Practice Course.
For financial aid purposes, there are credit minimums for full-time status that may differ from the plans of study. See details.
Students admitted in the spring semester may enroll in classes for:
Students choosing to enroll in both summer courses (531 and 533) in the first summer may have the opportunity to apply for a residency or certified nursing assistant position at a health care facility for their second summer in the program.
This plan of study is for students entering the MSN-E program in spring 2024 and subsequent spring semesters. This option is four semesters and one summer session.
| SPRING ADMISSION | Credits |
| Semester 1 | |
| NURS 510: Pathophysiological and Pharmacological Bases for Nursing Practice | 5 Credits |
| NURS 512: Health Assessment Across the Lifespan | 3 Credits |
| NURS 515: Foundations of Nursing Practice (90 Clinical Hours) | 5 Credits |
| NURS 516: Nursing Role and Professionalism | 3 Credits |
| Total: | 16 Credits |
| Semester 2: (Summer Semester) | |
| NURS 531: Reproductive Health Nursing (90 Clinical Hours) | 4 Credits |
| NURS 533: Pediatrics Nursing (90 Clinical Hours) | 4 Credits |
| Total: | 8 Credits |
| Semester 3 | |
| NURS 525: Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (90 Clinical Hours) | 4 Credits |
| NURS 527: Adult Health Nursing 1: Common Conditions (135 Clinical Hours) | 5 Credits |
| NURS 524: Healthy Aging and Gerontological Nursing | 2 Credits |
| NURS 526: Evaluating the Evidence | 3 Credits |
| Total: | 14 Credits |
| Semester 4 | |
| NURS 541: Community and Population Health Nursing (90 Clinical Hours) | 4 Credits |
| NURS 547: Adult Health Nursing 2: Complex Conditions (135 Clinical Hours) | 5 Credits |
| NRSG 782: Health Systems and Health Policy: Leadership and Quality Improvement | 3 Credits |
| NELC XXX: Elective | 3 Credits |
| Total: | 15 Credits |
| Semester 5 | |
| NURS 551: Practicum (180 Clinical Hours) | 6 Credits |
| NRSG 550: Leadership in Practice | 3 Credits |
| NELC XXX: Elective | 3 Credits |
| NELC XXXX: Elective (optional) | 3 Credits |
| Total: | 12-15 Credits |
| TOTAL 65 CREDITS (68 with optional elective)/900 CLINICAL HOURS | |
UMSON offers multiple opportunities to help you afford your graduate education.
| Type of Aid | Award |
|---|---|
| Federal Financial Aid | various award amounts |
| Merit Scholarships | $1,500-$3,000 per semester (You are automatically considered for a merit scholarship upon submitting a completed application for enrollment in an UMSON academic program.) |
| Donor-Funded Scholarships | $500-2,000 per semester (offered during the fall and spring semesters) |
| Conway Scholarship | full scholarship: tuition and fees (for those who will have completed 9 credit hours of graduate study by the start of the semester for which the Conway Scholarship is awarded and who have at least half of their credit hours remaining) |
| Graduate Assistantships | stipend, tuition remission, in-state status, and paid student health insurance |
Learn More About Financial Aid and Scholarships
All students receiving funds through the University must:
The UMB Office of Student Financial Assistance & Education is available to guide prospective and current students through the FAFSA application process and the financial aid award package.
Contact Us:
UMSON Scholarships and Grants Office
410-706-0489 | nrsscholarships@umaryland.edu
UMB Student Financial Assistance and Education Office
410-706-7347 | aidtalk@umaryland.edu
Competitive applicants will be offered admission first. Space is limited so applicants are encouraged to apply early.
| Spring 2024 Timeline | |
|---|---|
| Priority Deadline | July 15, 2022 If your online application and all supplemental application materials are received by this date, your application will be reviewed immediately for priority consideration for admission decisions and scholarships. |
| Deadline | Sept. 1, 2023 Completed applications received after the deadline are reviewed solely on a space-available basis. Only those who apply by this deadline will be eligible for consideration for merit scholarships (no additional application required). This deadline does not impact eligibility for federal financial aid. |
| Application Review | Rolling basis beginning in September |
| Admissions Decisions Announced | Rolling basis beginning in September |
* These courses must have been taken in the past 10 years.
Prior to applying, applicants must complete a minimum of:
* These courses must have been taken in the past 10 years.
See more information on MSN-E Prerequisite Requirements.
Accepted students must submit proof of enrollment for any outstanding prerequisite courses. Documentation must be received by June 1 for students admitted for Fall and Sept. 1 for students admitted for Spring. Acceptable documentation includes an official transcript, unofficial transcript or a letter from the registrar’s office stating that you are enrolled for those courses. Failure to provide documentation of coursework in progress may result in the cancellation of your admission. Proof of enrollment documentation can be uploaded on your student portal. All prerequisite courses must be complete prior to enrollment at UMSON. Applicants must submit final grades one week prior to classes starting.
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Materials |
Submission Guidelines |
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Online Application and non-refundable $75 application fee. |
Start your application now via the Admissions Dashboard. The Admissions Dashboard is where you will:
You can save your progress and return to your application at a later date. We recommend that you continue to log in for regular updates. |
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One recommendation. Your recommendation must come from a professor who can attest to your academic performance. Only the first recommendation received will be considered. |
Submit/request these materials via the Admissions Dashboard.
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Essay. Please submit a 500-1,000-word essay that addresses the following:
For applicants who don’t meet the minimum GPA requirement, we highly encourage you to provide additional information regarding your academic history by submitting an additional essay via the Additional Supplemental item area in your portal. Please submit a 200-word essay that addresses the following:
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Typed résumé or CV. Be sure to include your full name with your résumé submission. |
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Prerequisite Course List. Download and complete the Prerequisite Course List. Prerequisite courses must be taken at regionally or nationally accredited schools. ACE credits are not accepted. |
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Official transcripts. An official transcript from every institution previously attended or currently attending must be submitted in a sealed envelope, as prepared by the sending institution. Returning students are not required to submit UMSON transcripts; we will upload a copy of your UMSON transcript to your application. Please note that UMSON is listed two ways in the Academics area. Please make sure you choose one of the following:
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Have each institution submit electronically to admissions.nursing@umaryland.edu. |
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Residency classification. Applicants who are claiming in-state (Maryland) residency MUST apply for in-state status. |
Complete a residency application and submit it either by mail, e-mail, or fax to the Office of the Registrar using the instructions supplied at the bottom of the residency application. The completed application, signed and dated, should be submitted prior to the first day of enrollment for the term and program for which you are seeking admission. |
If you have questions regarding the admissions requirements or process, contact the Office of Admissions and Student Scholarships to avoid errors that could delay the processing of your application.
