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MASTERS OF NURSING PATHWAY TO MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING (MN PATHWAY TO MSN) 

Welcome from the Program Director 

Welcome to the MN Pathway to MSN program of Emory University! This program is designed to prepare you as an advanced practice nurse in your chosen specialty. The first year is the pre-licensure program in which you will gain and apply foundational knowledge and competencies for licensure as a registered nurse generalist. This licensure is a prerequisite for the advanced practiced nursing role. The graduate portion of your program builds and expands on your pre-licensure education, preparing you to engage in advanced practice and leadership as an APRN-advanced practice registered nurse. Our faculty and I look forward to getting to know you and working with you to achieve your educational goals. 

Sincerely, 

Dr. Terri Ades, DNP, FNP-BC, AOCN 

MN and MN Pathway to MSN Program Director tades@emory.edu 

Introduction 

The MN Pathway to MSN program is designed for students with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline to provide a faster track to becoming an advanced practice nurse. MN Pathway to MSN students first complete the pre-licensure program in 4 semesters of full-time study and earn an MN. Earning the MN allows the graduate to take their NCLEX-RN licensing examination to become a professional registered nurse (RN) prior to beginning the Master of Science in Nursing program with specialty areas. The Master of Science portion of the program takes an additional 4 semesters to complete. On completion of the MSN specialty program, the student will be board-eligible to sit for the certification examination. The MN Pathway to MSN program begins in the summer and the total program length is eight (8) continuous semesters. 

Note: A valid Georgia RN license is required for students to begin clinical experiences in the MSN program (clinical experiences begin in October). Therefore, all students must have passed the NCLEX-RN examination by October 1 to engage in clinical coursework. Progression may be delayed if the October 1 deadline is not met. 

 Facts: 

  1. The degrees earned are an MN (pre-licensure) and an MSN (post-licensure). 

  2. The student is required to take 60 semester hours to earn an MN degree and the program-specific number of semester hours in their specialty area to earn an MSN degree. The range of credit hours varies by specialty. 

  3. Complete eight (8) semesters of continuous enrollment. 

  4. The MN Pathway to MSN course load for full-time study is a minimum of nine (9) credit hours per semester to be considered full-time during both the MN and MSN portions. Students typically take 12+ credits in the MN portion to complete requirements and 12 hours/semester in most MSN specialties. 

  5. Program delivery: specialty tracks vary in the program delivery mode. Most specialties hold some classes in-person with/without intensives. Check with your program director to identify required intensive schedules. 

  6. Some specialty options require additional nursing experience prior to entry. ** 

**Family/Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Acute Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, Acute Pediatric Nurse Practitioner programs require clinical experience. The student should speak with the Specialty Director to identify an individualized plan of study for how to attain this experience during their program. This may require a part-time plan of study.