Getting a Masters of Nursing w/o BA in Nursing

Students General Students

Published

Hello! I am planning on applying to the University of Texas's Alternate Entry to a Masters of Nursing program. With this program, you can get a masters without having a BA in nursing, as long as you have a BA in something.

I am wondering if anyone has heard anything about this program, and if they know any others like it around the country? I want to make sure that I do the right thing. I considered getting an Associates or a BA in nursing, but it would take me just as long to get the masters. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

Originally posted by Marialeah:

Hello! I am planning on applying to the University of Texas's Alternate Entry to a Masters of Nursing program. With this program, you can get a masters without having a BA in nursing, as long as you have a BA in something.

I am wondering if anyone has heard anything about this program, and if they know any others like it around the country? I want to make sure that I do the right thing. I considered getting an Associates or a BA in nursing, but it would take me just as long to get the masters. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

Mariahleah...you may have unwittingly opened the same can of worms that was opened a while back regarding advanced preparation for novice nurses. I, for one, support the concept, having experienced the calibre of students from the academic side. We have several such programs in Virginia and it is my experience that these nurses leave the educational setting with as good or better preparation than generic BS students. It certainly boils down to the calibre of the adult learner. Life experience plays a major role. I love the concept and only wish it were available to me years ago when I finished my first baccalaureate degree. Stick to your guns and talk to folks who have had experience with the program and much success to you!

chas

Marialeah

10 Posts

Can you link me to the discussion on this topic? I don't want to repeat anything that has been discussed before.

I have heard pros and cons about the program I am looking at. I have been told to go for it. I have also been told by others to go to our local JC and get an AA instead since our JC is known to produce well prepared nurses.

I have been volunteering in a clinic for about 2 years and I have made some pretty good nurse-friends. I am still hoping that I can convince one to take me under her wing and teach me once I'm actually a nurse :)

It is weird because I have read on this site about the "eating the young" stuff and I haven't seen that at all. The vast majority of the nurses I met were very helpful and encouraging - especially when they found out I wanted to be a nurse.

University of California San Francisco (UCSF) also has a BSN to MSN for those w/ a BA/BS degree in any field... http://nurseweb.ucsf.edu/www/arease.htm

However, I don't know anyone who has completed it.So, I can't comment on the accelerated MSN program, whether good or bad.

What are your plans in nursing? If you plan to get some acute care hospital nursing experience on the floors, you will learn the ropes just like the rest of us did. The difference is that you will have the MSN as well, which can't hurt job prospects in the future. Obviously, in the beginning, you will not have the foundation nursing experience that most other MSN RNs have (those that went for the MS after their RN). But that experience will come with time. Good luck to you!

[ May 18, 2001: Message edited by: kona2 ]

kennedyj

252 Posts

hi,

I am doing a BSN to masters at the Health sciences center in Denver colorado. They have a doctorate program that may be what your looking for. It is designed for non nursing Bacc degrees but you get a doctorate at the end. Many combine it with a masters specialty. The school if rated 5th in the US.

www.uchsc.edu

Take care,

Jared

rachel_tx

6 Posts

hey guys for anyone who needs a list of schools giving the alternate / direct entry msn program please visit this link:

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education/pdf/aplist.pdf

this link also has the list of schools for the accelerated bsn program as well.

hope this helps:)

suzanne4, RN

26,410 Posts

The above thread that you responded to is more than five years old.

Bala Shark

573 Posts

:confused:

I am looking for an online msn program. I have a BA in English and an ADN. Does anyone know of any that are accredited?

GeneralJinjur

376 Posts

Specializes in Psych.

A couple of my professors got theirs from the University of Wyoming.

http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/nursing/registerednurses/rns.asp

I'm in my first semester, so it's tucked into the back of my brain for a few years from now.

Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

I am currently in a Direct Entry Masters in Nursing Program. It is designed specifically for those who have a degree in a field other than nursing and were looking for a career change.

I am in the 6th cohort hey have a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX, so I'd say that they are doing a good job. True we come out with an RN and little experience so we will be at the same level as an ADN or BSN prepared RN, but we will have a Masters that will prove beneficial to us later on down the road. Plus, I will graduate 3 classes short of an NP so I plan on going back for that.

oreo84

35 Posts

Hello! I am planning on applying to the University of Texas's Alternate Entry to a Masters of Nursing program. With this program, you can get a masters without having a BA in nursing, as long as you have a BA in something.

I am wondering if anyone has heard anything about this program, and if they know any others like it around the country? I want to make sure that I do the right thing. I considered getting an Associates or a BA in nursing, but it would take me just as long to get the masters. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

I'm currently in a Master of Nursing program (MN), but it is not advanced practice. It is for students who do have a bachelor degree in something else. It basically prepares you with everything a BSN program has, but it also has additional research classes, leadership, healthcare policy, etc (which I've been told would transfer to a MSN program if I did ever do that). I went back and forth about going and getting an ADN, BSN, or this program. I realized that to practice as a nurse that this program isn't necessary, however, if I picked ADN or BSN I would have ended up on a wait list and would have to retake a few basic classes such as A&P, chemistry, biology etc. With my program they used those type of classes as prereq requirements and I got right in. I will finish this program much much quicker then if I did anything else, and since my end goal is to be an RN it works for me. This program does cost more, but it still ended up being the best thing for me to do the program. The NCLEX pass rate for my program is high as well.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me:-) I can offer other insight that I'd prefer not to write on the message boards! Good luck w/ what you decide!

+ Add a Comment