Graduation from a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program is a prerequisite for employment as a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who offer specialized care in areas such as oncology, pediatrics and primary care. Nurses can complete MSN programs on a part-time or full-time basis. The programs consist of coursework in areas such as pharmacology and assessment and diagnosis of health conditions, as well as clinical practice in settings such as outpatient clinics and private practices. Specific admission requirements to MSN programs may vary, but applicants will typically need a bachelor's degree in nursing, recommendation letters and a valid nursing license.
RN-to-MSN programs provide a way for registered nurses who hold an associate degree or diploma in nursing to earn a master's degree. Students in RN-to-MSN programs can select from a number of nurse practitioner specialties, such as emergency, public health and women's health care nursing. Coursework in a RN-to-MSN program might cover topics such as decision making, genetics, and health policy and finance. Candidates for a RN-to-MSN program generally need to be licensed nurses with at least one year of work experience and submit transcripts, recommendations and standardized test scores in order to be considered for admission.
Prospective nurses who hold bachelor's degrees in non-nursing fields can earn a master's degree in nursing by enrolling in a direct entry MSN program. Direct entry programs are designed so that students first complete the prerequisite general education courses and nursing-specific courses in order to earn the equivalent of a bachelor's in nursing in about 15 months. Students then go on to take the required graduate-level courses needed to earn a master's degree and become nurse practitioners. Students in direct entry MSN programs take courses in health care assessments, pharmacology and nursing practice. They also complete a nursing internship.