MS in Nursing

The mission of the graduate program in nursing is to promote foundational competencies that are core to all advanced nurse practice in an ever-changing and globally reaching health care environment. Academic, practicum and interpersonal preparation is characterized by increased depth in organizational and systems' leadership within a culture of integrity and personal accountability in a community that values the dignity and contributions of our members. Standards of ethical behavior and decision-making are essential foundations of our graduate education programs, which guide individuals to distinguish ethical principles and understand the consequences and implications beyond personal and organizational self-interest. By pursuing more effective and innovative methodologies through which students utilize administrative expertise with the foresight to analyze problems, structure and facilitate development, and find and implement solutions, WCU graduates can and will make a positive impact on society.

The core courses and directed practicum offer expanded study in the health care areas of advocacy, program management, education, clinical practice, research, and health policy formulation. Graduates will be able to formulate an inspirational perspective of nursing, incorporating a wide range of theories from nursing and other sciences. Individuals who complete the core and educational component will be qualified to teach nursing.

The MSN program is committed to the development of the nursing professional who can:

• Integrate nursing science and related fields, such as phychosocial, political, financial, genetics, public health and organization sciences in the continued improvement of nursing across the continuum of health care settings.
• Provide leadership in a variety of settings that promotes high quality, safe patient care that also incorporates ethical decision making and effective working relationships.
• Demonstrate the skills needed to effect quality improvement that incorporates the various models, standards and performance measures necessary to apply quality principles, within any type of organization.
• Apply evidenced based research in clinical practice by identifying actual or potential practice problems in a setting and resolving them while functioning in the role of change agent.
• Demonstrate proficiency in both technical computer skills and in the application of informatics to enhance, deliver, communicate, integrate and coordinate patient care.
• Recognize the need for and ability to affect policy changes by using the policy development process and advocacy strategies to influence individual health and health care systems.
• Communicate and coordinate inter-professionally in a variety of settings to manage and coordinate care.
• Identify and integrate the various evidenced based practices of health promotion and disease prevention using client centered, culturally and age appropriate concepts in the nursing process of services to indiciduals, families and broad-based aggregate populations.
• Demonstrate an advanced level of scientific and nursing-specific knowledge with the ability to integrate that knowledge into nursing practice that influences health care outcomes for individual, families, populations and/or systems.

• 3.0 CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average from all undergraduate college coursework), or
• BSN or BA/BS in related field or  90% on HESI-A2 or 1000 on GRE
• BSN or BA/Bs in related field from an accredited college/university
• Current RN license

For a complete list of program requirements, please see the catalog or contact your admissions representative.

*The Total Book Cost reflects the Manufacture Suggested Retail Price totals compiled in May 2011

Note:  Students who wish to take Challenge Exams will be subject to a fee of $100 for each Challenge exam.  Please see your campus Business Office for a full price listing.

List of Textbooks

California Program Fees

¹ West Coast University also offers certain online courses to students enrolled in on-ground programs.  If a student enrolled in an on-ground program chooses to take a course or courses offered online, he/she will be subject to a Technology fee of $150 per course in addition to the tuition charges listed above.

² All credits taken in a single semester which exceed 18 credits will be charged at $800 per credit with the exception of students in the core requirements of Dental Hygiene.

³ The Uniform and Supply costs are based on the Manufacture Suggested Retail Price as of May 2011 and are subject to change. 

Note: Tuition fees may change from year to year.

Only graduate level courses in which a grade of B (3.0) or better was received, taken in a nursing program will be evaluated for transfer credit. A maximum of six (6) credit hours will be considered for transfer, and must reflect the same content and course credit as the course for which transfer credit is requested.

More Information on Transfer Credits