Frequently Asked Questions - MSN and NP Programs
- Are Programs Offered Online?
- What States Can I Live In/Practice In?
- Is There an Admission Interview?
- What are the Guidelines for Letters of Recommendation?
- Are GRE Scores Required for Admission?
- How Long Does It Take to Receive Acceptance Once I Have Applied?
- How Soon Can I Begin My Degree Once I Have Been Accepted?
- How Much is the Cost of the Program I am Applying To?
- How Long Will It Take to Complete My Degree Program?
- How Do Clinical Placements Work?
- What is the Difference in Salary Once I Have My MSN?
Programs are offered in multiple formats, including: 8-week accelerated, 16-week regular, online and evening classes at our site in Oak Brook.
Seven fully equipped patient exam rooms in Oak Brook are utilized by nurses who are advancing their knowledge to become nurse practitioners and other advanced nursing experts. Acute care labs in Oak Brook are designed to simulate emergency room (ER) and critical care settings.
Â鶹Դ´ University participates in the National Council for State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education.
If the online program that you are considering requires a professional license in your home state, we urge you to contact the appropriate licensing agency in your state for guidance before embarking on an academic program located outside of your state. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing offers a
It is highly recommended that you speak with graduate admissions grad@lewisu.edu if you are an out of state student.
If you are an out-of-state student and choose to enroll at Â鶹Դ´, you do have the option to obtain Licensure in Illinois and complete your practicum in Illinois.
No, we do not conduct interviews. Applications are reviewed by an admission committee.
Two Letters of Recommendation are required: one from a nurse with a master’s or doctoral degree in the specialty for which you are applying; the second from your current supervisor or manager.
No.
MSN and NP student applications are reviewed and notified on average within 3 weeks.
CAS student transcripts and course transfer equivalencies will be reviewed upon notice of acceptance to the program.
It is expected that students will begin taking courses in the semester immediately following the date of admission. Early application is encouraged and recommended.
Current tuition and fees can be found here. Tuition for the program is the number of credit hours times the fee/credit hour. The University covers the cost of student clinical insurance.
Students are responsible for all fees related to background checks and health and clinical documentation in preparation for clinical experiences.
Time to complete each specialization can vary depending on the area of specialization and whether the student is working full-time or part-time. On average, anywhere from 1 year for the School Nurse non-degree program to 3 ½ years for the master's programs.
Nursing Education | 40 credit hours + 450 clinical hours |
Healthcare Systems Leadership | 36 credit hours + 300 clinical hours |
Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | 46 credit hours + 540 clinical hours |
Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner | 46 credit hours + 540 clinical hours |
Family Nurse Practitioner | 48 credit hours + 630 clinical hours |
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 49 credit hours + 540 clinical hours |
School Nurse | 38 credit hours + 450 clinical hours |
School Nurse (non-degree) | 38 credit hours + 300 clinical hours |
The above are for MSN programs. CAS and school nurse non-degree are much shorter.
MSN and CAS NP Tracks
The student admitted to the Nurse Practitioner track must complete 540-630 hours of supervised clinical experiences during the program. Students are encouraged to start their practicum planning upon acceptance to the program. For clinical placement, students are expected to be active participants by identifying preceptors and facilitating communication during the process. Students must play an active role. The preceptor and the clinical site must be approved by the Clinical Coordinators and/or Track lead faculty to best meet the needs of the student in the designated course.
Our Clinical Placement Office will act as facilitator and the primary point of contact for you in the placement cycle.
Many nurses question whether it is worth it for them to further their education by earning a Master of Science in Nursing degree. There are several reasons why an RN may choose to go back to school, including the opportunity to expand their practice, increase their impact and of course the increased MSN salary.
, the overall employment of APRNs is expected to grow by 40% from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that MSN-prepared nurses, on average, make $42,000 more than RNs. Salaries vary according to the specialty and region of the country.