The Master of Science in Nursing - Direct Entry program is not accepting applications in 2026-2027.

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is a Master’s Direct Entry (MDE) program designed for individuals holding a non-nursing baccalaureate degree who are ready to enter the nursing profession. Building on prior academic and professional experience, the program equips students with knowledge in nursing science, clinical judgment, leadership skills, and ethical principles needed for RN licensure and practice. Students will be provided the opportunity to receive advanced nursing content in the areas of informatics, nursing scholarship, and population health. Graduates are prepared to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care and to lead within today’s complex healthcare systems. Upon completion, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to become licensed as registered nurses.  

Admissions

The Master of Science in Nursing - Direct Entry program is not accepting applications in 2026-2027.

Students entering the Master of Science in Nursing Direct Entry program must have a completed bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and completed all prerequisite coursework with a B or better (completed in the last 7 years).

Admission Criteria

The School of Nursing is meeting the changing needs of society by selecting applicants who demonstrate the academic achievement, maturity, integrity, and motivation necessary for the successful study and practice of nursing, and who will best meet the needs of the citizenry. Students are selected based on college scholastic achievement, interest in and commitment to nursing, letters of reference, extracurricular activities, personal characteristics, and health-related work and volunteer experience. The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. 

Program Completion Time Limit

Master of Science in Nursing degree requirements must be completed within five years of the date of first enrollment in MSN program courses.

Prerequisite Coursework

• Human Development (3)
• Anatomy and Physiology with Lab (at least 5 hours)
• Graduate Level Statistics (3)    

All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a B or better and taken within the past seven years. Anatomy and Physiology can be taken jointly but must be at least 5 credit hours total.

Locations

The School of Nursing has two campuses: one on the University of Kansas Medical Center campus in Kansas City, KS, about one hour east of the Lawrence Campus, and one on the University of Kansas Medical Center campus in Salina, KS, about two hours west of the Lawrence campus. The MSN Direct Entry program is only available at the Kansas City, KS location.

English Language Requirements 

All applicants for study at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) whose native language is not English must demonstrate an established level of English language proficiency through either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the academic format of the EILTS (International English Language Testing System). The test must have been taken within two years of the first semester of enrollment.

See also Admissions in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.

The Master of Science in Nursing - Direct Entry program is not accepting applications in 2026-2027.

Degree Requirements

Nursing Education (NE) Specialty (minimum 39 credit hours) - prepares nurses for the educator role in academic and clinical settings to deliver didactic and clinical instruction through a variety of teaching, learning and evaluative methods.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Common Core
NRSG 748	Theories for Practice and Research	3
NRSG 754	Health Care Research	3
NRSG 755	Professionalism in Advanced Nursing Practice	3
Leadership and Advanced Practice Core
NRSG 880	Organizational Foundations for Leading Change	3
NRSG 812	Advanced Pathophysiology	3
NRSG 801	Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning	3
NRSG 813	Advanced Pharmacology	3
NRSG 888	Clinical Specialty Practicum for Nurse Educators (1 credit hour required)	1-3
Research Core
NRSG 898	Scholarly Project in Nursing	2
Specialty Core
NRSG 870	Designing a Student Learning Environment	3
NRSG 871	Curriculum Development and Evaluation	3
NRSG 873	Technologies for Teaching and Learning	3
NRSG 874	Health Professions Educator Preceptorship	3
NRSG 877	Foundations in Education and Learning	3
Total Hours		39-41

New Footnote

The Nursing Education Specialty is 39 credit hours.

Organizational Leadership (OL) Specialty (minimum 37 credit hours) - prepares nurses to assume leadership positions in hospitals and other health agencies.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Common Core
NRSG 748	Theories for Practice and Research	3
NRSG 754	Health Care Research	3
NRSG 755	Professionalism in Advanced Nursing Practice	3
Leadership Core
NRSG 808	The Social Context for Health Care Policy	2
NRSG 820	Program, Project, and Communication Planning	2
NRSG 826	Global Perspective and Diversity in Healthcare	2
NRSG 880	Organizational Foundations for Leading Change	3
NRSG 885	Evaluation and Analysis for Healthcare Effectiveness	2
Research Core
NRSG 898	Scholarly Project in Nursing	2
or NRSG 899
Specialty Core
HP&M 822	Health Care Economics	3
NRSG 881	Applied Budgeting and Finance	3
NRSG 886	Organizational Leadership Practicum	3
NRSG 891	Human Resources and Workforce Development	3
Total Hours		34

Public Health Nursing (PHN) Specialty (minimum 39 credit hours) - prepares nurses to develop advanced community-based interventions and determine outcomes with emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention strategies for a targeted population.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Common Core
NRSG 748	Theories for Practice and Research	3
NRSG 754	Health Care Research	3
NRSG 755	Professionalism in Advanced Nursing Practice	3
Leadership Core
NRSG 808	The Social Context for Health Care Policy	2
NRSG 820	Program, Project, and Communication Planning	2
NRSG 826	Global Perspective and Diversity in Healthcare	2
NRSG 880	Organizational Foundations for Leading Change	3
NRSG 885	Evaluation and Analysis for Healthcare Effectiveness	2
Research Core
NRSG 898	Scholarly Project in Nursing	2
or NRSG 899
Specialty Core
NRSG 811	Principles of Clinical Epidemiology	3
PRVM 830	Environmental Health	3
NRSG 809	Health Promotion	2
NRSG 827	Advanced Concepts in Public Health Nursing	2
NRSG 828	Public Health Nursing: Practicum I	3
NRSG 829	Public Health Practicum	3
Total Hours		38

Health Informatics (HI) Specialty (minimum 37 credit hours) - prepares students with skills in analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation of information systems that support a full range of clinical and patient care functions. Note: HI specialty is transitioning to the Master of Science, Health Informatics (MSHI, see following section). New students will be considered for admission to the MSHI program.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Common Core
NRSG 748	Theories for Practice and Research	3
NRSG 754	Health Care Research	3
NRSG 755	Professionalism in Advanced Nursing Practice	3
Leadership Core
NRSG 808	The Social Context for Health Care Policy	2
NRSG 820	Program, Project, and Communication Planning	2
NRSG 826	Global Perspective and Diversity in Healthcare	2
NRSG 880	Organizational Foundations for Leading Change	3
NRSG 885	Evaluation and Analysis for Healthcare Effectiveness	2
Research Core
NRSG 898	Scholarly Project in Nursing	2
or NRSG 899
Specialty Core
IPHI 853	Abstraction and Modeling of Healthcare Information	3
IPHI 854		3
IPHI 856		1-3
IPHI 851	Transforming Health Care through Use of Information Systems and Technology	3
IPHI 852	Health Data Theory and Practice	3
Total Hours		35-37

The Master of Science in Nursing - Direct Entry program is not accepting applications in 2026-2027.

Sample Degree Plan for Students Admitted 2027

Year 1
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
NURS 600	3	NURS 603	4
NURS 601	2	NURS 809	3
NURS 602	4	NURS 662	3
NURS 661	3	NURS 692	4
NURS 691	4
	16		14
Year 2
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
NURS 700	3	NURS 762	2
NURS 701	3	NURS 788	3
NURS 761	3	NURS 789	3
NURS 791	5	NURS 792	5
	14		13
Total Hours 57

End of Program Student Learning Outcomes

1. Analyze nursing and interdisciplinary theories to inform clinical judgment in delivering safe, equitable care across
   diverse settings.
2. Use clinical judgment in the design and implementation of person-centered care plans across the continuum.
3. Analyze population-level data to inform nursing interventions that promote health equity and address disparities across
   the care continuum.
4. Appraise evidence to inform practice decisions and contribute to the advancement of nursing knowledge.
5. Design strategies that foster a culture of safety and quality improvement in healthcare environments.
6. Facilitate interprofessional collaboration to enhance care coordination and improve health outcomes for individuals and
   populations.
7. Assess healthcare systems and resource utilization to advocate for policies and practices that promote equitable and
   efficient care delivery.
8. Integrate informatics tools and emerging technologies to optimize communication, decision-making, and safety
   outcomes.
9. Integrate professional identify that reflects nursing’s knowledge, values, and ethical comportment.
10. Engage in reflective practice to support lifelong learning, resilience, and professional growth.

Technical Standards for Admission 

I.  Introduction

All individuals admitted to the University of Kansas School of Nursing will be asked to verify that they can meet the following Technical Standards, with or without accommodation(s). In courses or programs without clinical components, or involving no direct client care, the Technical Standards may be modified. After acceptance, but before admission to the School of Nursing, students in all programs must be able to document current certification/evidence of completion of a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for healthcare providers. This requires being able to successfully complete both the written and practical test for certification. In addition, with or without accommodation, the following abilities and expectations must be met by all students, undergraduate and graduate, admitted to the School of Nursing.

II.  Standards

A.  Observation/Sensory-motor: Applicants must be able to observe demonstrations and learn from experiences in the basic sciences, including but not limited to, physiology and pharmacology, microbiology and pathophysiology laboratory situations. Applicants must be able to observe and learn from experiences in the clinical nursing laboratory such as the following examples: accurately read gradients/calibrations on a syringe; measure medications accurately; accurately recognize color changes on chemical reaction strips; assess heart, breath, abdominal sounds; assess normal and abnormal color changes in the skin; observe pupil changes; and observe digital or waveform readings.

B.  Communication: Communications include not only speech but also reading, writing, and computer usage, including handheld digital access. Applicants must be able to communicate accurately and effectively with patients, caregivers, physicians, other health professionals, clinical facility staff, faculty and staff, peers, and the community in general in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, and perceive nonverbal communications.

C.  Psychomotor: Applicants should have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic maneuvers. Applicants should be physically able to collect specimens and perform basic tests (such as glucose finger stick, urine dipstick). Applicants should be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. Examples of emergency treatment reasonably required of nurses are cardiopulmonary resuscitation, administration of intravenous medication, application of pressure to stop bleeding, and assist in moving and lifting patients using proper body mechanics. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium and using tactile and visual senses.

D.  Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative: Applicants must be able to comprehend and interpret documents written in English. Applicants should have cognitive abilities including measurements, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Critical thinking is the ability to synthesize knowledge and integrate the relevant aspects of a client’s history, physical exam findings and diagnostic studies. Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of nurses, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the applicant should be able to comprehend three dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures in order to understand normal and abnormal anatomy and physiology.

E.  Behavioral and Social Attributes: Applicants must possess the emotional health required to utilize their intellectual abilities fully, exercise good judgment, complete all responsibilities attendant to the nursing diagnosis and care of patients promptly, and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients and their families. Applicants must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal communication skills, interest and motivation are all personal qualities that should be assessed during the admissions and education process. As a component of nursing education, a student must demonstrate ethical behavior including adherence to the professional nursing and student honor codes. The honor code at the KU School of Nursing is the Professional Integrity System (PROFITS). KU PROFITS is a peer-oriented integrity system to promote an environment where academic honesty is valued and expected.

III.  Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants who disclose a disability are considered for admission if they are otherwise qualified so long as such accommodation does not significantly alter the essential requirements of the curriculum and the educational program, or significantly affect the safety of patient care or others. When applicants or students disclose a disability, the provision of reasonable accommodations will be considered in an attempt to assist these individuals in meeting these required technical standards. Applicants whose response indicates that they cannot meet one or more of the expectations will be reviewed further by the University’s Office for Academic Accommodations, with applicant and faculty input, to determine if any reasonable accommodations are possible to facilitate successful completion of the nursing curriculum and preparation for the national registry examination.

It is important to give persons interested in enrolling in nursing a realistic view of the vigorous demands of the School of Nursing’s theoretical and practicum curriculum while at the same time investigating reasonable accommodations. Whether or not a requested accommodation is reasonable will be determined on a case by case basis. Interested individuals may schedule an orientation visit to the nursing skills laboratory and actual sites of the University of Kansas Hospital and/or University of Kansas Medical Center. These orientation visits enable persons to assess their interest and ability to function in the actual clinical areas and in learning and demonstrating manual skills.