Program Admission Requirements
In addition to the Graduate School Admission Requirements , applicants for the Master of Science degree in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner must possess a B.S.N. from a regionally accredited college or university and a nationally accredited nursing program with at least a 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work or a 2.85 on a 4.00 scale cumulatively. They must present a satisfactory score (combined scores Verbal and Quantitative of 850, a minimum of 400 on the Verbal, and a minimum of 4.0 on the Analytical) on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) and have completed an undergraduate or graduate level statistics course and a course in research methods. They must also submit three professional references (including one from a current or recent employer), a resume, and a professional statement (details at www.wcu.edu/1277.asp).
Applicants must be a registered nurse eligible for licensure to practice in North Carolina and have a minimum of one year of clinical nursing experience within the past five years and may be required to participate in an interview session that includes a written exercise. Applicants who are admitted to the program must own or have access to a computer with Internet service. Computer literacy is a necessary prerequisite. Meeting minimum requirements for admission does not guarantee acceptance into a program.
Program Description
The Master of Science degree in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner prepares nurses in an advanced practice role with competencies in family health promotion and clinical management of common conditions across the life span. The three-year program requires 49 to 50 semester hours of graduate course work including 720 clinical hours. The total number of required hours depends on whether the thesis option is selected. A written comprehensive exam will be required during the final semester. The research requirement is a two-hour clinical project that is to be completed during the final semesters of the program. Students selecting the thesis option will be exempt from the research project requirement.
In addition to the academic requirements, students are expected to adhere to the technical and professional standards of the program. For the most up to date information regarding these standards, program suspension, and termination refer to the program’s website linked from the College of Health and Human Sciences.
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