MSN and Post Master’s Certificates: Curricula

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Core Curriculum Plan

APRN Role Options-CNS* & FNP** Specialty Courses

MBW:eab 12/09; revised 6/10, 9/10
DMC 9/11; revised 9/12; revised 9/13; revised 9/14; reviewed 2/16

MSN in Nursing Education Core Curriculum Plan (admissions starting 1/2014)

Accelerated MSN in Nursing Education/PhD  

Executive Nurse Leadership MSN Curriculum (2019)

RN to MSN Option Curriculum

Registered nurses holding a bachelor’s degree in another field of study are eligible to apply to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. Registered nurses must hold a license to practice in the State of Pennsylvania. The following admission requirements must be met in order to qualify for acceptance into the MSN program through the bridge option:

• Completed application form (applicants can apply online at www.widener.edu)
• Transcripts from ALL previously attended institutions of higher education
• Licensure as a registered nurse in the State of Pennsylvania
• Two letters of recommendation, preferably from professional nurses with graduate degrees, regarding the applicant’s practice and potential for a graduate level studies in the advance practice roles of Family (Individual Across the Lifespan) CRNP Nurse or Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist or in Nursing Education 
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in Nursing or Bachelor’s degree 
• Completion of an undergraduate statistics course with a grade of “C” or better ( C- will not be accepted)
• Satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for all applicants from non-English speaking countries if applicable 
• Transcript assessment 
• Current resume 
• Goal statement

Once matriculated, the student may begin the RN to MSN bridge courses listed below:

RN to MSN

NURS 443 Population Health for the RN (6 Credits)
NURS 446 Research Design for the RN (3 Credits)
NURS 447 Evidence Based Practice for the RN (3 Credits)

Students must complete all of the RN to MSN bridge courses with a grade of B or better (B – is NOT acceptable).

Program Advisement for the RN to MSN Program Student:

Students will be advised by the Coordinator of the RN to MSN Program until completion of the bridge courses. Upon completion of the RN to MSN bridge courses, the student will be advised by the designated MSN program advisor.
No more than 2 MSN courses can be taken prior to completion of the bridge courses.
Students are eligible to enroll in two (2) of the following courses listed below while completing the RN to MSN bridge courses.

NURS 611 Introduction to Nursing Science (required for CNS and Nursing Education) (3 Credits)
NURS 634 Nursing Leadership for Advanced Practice (3 Credits)
NURS 636 Dynamics of family Health Care (required for FNP) (3 Credits)
NURS 638 Issues in Health Care for the Underserved (Vulnerable) Populations (required for FNP) (3 Credits)
NURS 664 The Healthcare Environment (3 Credits)