Nursing-M.S.N. Program Requirements

Master’s program requirements vary by CNS or NP clinical concentration and by the dual-degree or interdisciplinary gerontology programs; however, concentrations typically require between 36-42 semester credit hours. All programs are four to five semesters (two full-time academic years) except for the dual-degree programs (see dual-degree programs). Part-time students typically take three to four years of study to complete their program; the university mandates a six year time limit in obtaining a master’s degree. Under selected circumstances and upon the consent of the advisor, petitions for extensions of an additional one year to completion may be submitted to the Director of Graduate Programs. In most of the curriculum designs, there is a total of 19 semester credits of courses related to the area of clinical concentration, 9 semester credit hours in courses related to the advanced nursing practice role, and 8 to 12 credits in courses related to theory development and research. The thesis is optional. Full- or part-time sample plans for a particular concentration are available from the college or online at http://www.kent.edu/nursing.

Sample Programs
Because many of the plans for programs change for reasons related to certification and the maintenance of updated courses, interested applicants are urged to contact the College of Nursing, Graduate Office, for current samples of desired program plans. All programs contain sufficient clinical hours to meet certification requirements of the specialty. A part-time plan may be developed from the full-time plan by taking fewer courses per semester, over more semesters.