UT Austin - Alternative Entry Accelerated MSN program

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I currently live in CA, but am relocating to the Austin area and am looking at UT Austin's - Alternative Entry Accelerated MSN program. It's designed for people who currently hold BA's in another field, and are looking to change careers. I've got a BA and am a Certified Paralegal but now am considering a RN, MSN. My interest are is child/mother care. The great part about this program is that it's a fast-track to your RN and allows you to go from full-time student to part-time if you want. Starting out for 3 semesters f/t until you take what's necessary for licensing, and Texas lets you work as an RN while working on your MSN. No BSN is awarded, straight from BA to MSN.

My question is, what is your recommendation for completing the pre-requisites while working full-time? How did you do it? They are:

Anatomy, Physiology, Chem, Microbiology, Genetics, Pharmacology, Human Growth & Devel, Nutrition, & Statistics. Microbiology, Genetics, Pharmacology, Human Growth & Devel, Nutrition, & Statistics. are offered online from many schools, which is perfect, but I'm worried about the first three courses. I'll likely attend the local community college for an evening course for the others. By the way, I've had general Bio and college level Algebra for my undergrad degree program.

Any suggestion??? I'd appreciate any help from anyone who'll give it!

Also, what are reasonable salary expectations for new RN's and MSN's in Austin/Round Rock?

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I checked out the AE MSN program at UT. It's very competitive; the counselor I spoke with told me not to apply without a 4.0 on prereqs. I had some classes with folks working toward their application to that program, and they were INTENSELY competitive. I have the 4.0 (so far), but I decided to not pursue it for various reasons, one being that I don't want to declare a specialty without working in the field first.

We all were taking prereqs at ACC. For transfer purposes, UT lumps all community colleges together. So you can take prereqs at any community college, online or in class, and UT will transfer them. They used to be weird about pharmacology, I believe. I'm not sure if you can transfer that one or not.

As for salaries, from what I was told, all new RNs on a hospital floor make about $21.50/hour to start. If you're an FNP, I'm guessing you'd make more.

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Specializes in Tele, Cardiac Post Op, ER.

Also, the UT AE MSN program is for people who want to become a Clinical nurse specialist. This is very different from a nurse practitioner. Talk to the admissions counselor and ask to speak to some current students. They can give you a heads up on what to expect and what to take to get in.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, ICU, ER.
Also, the UT AE MSN program is for people who want to become a Clinical nurse specialist. This is very different from a nurse practitioner. Talk to the admissions counselor and ask to speak to some current students. They can give you a heads up on what to expect and what to take to get in.

Sorry to resurrect a thread from so far back, but since I'm in the program now, I just wanted to say a couple of things since I know lots of people lurk around here for this kind of info (I was doing just that at this time last year, lol).

There are actually several tracks to this program. I'm currently in the Public Health track, which unfortunately is not an APN track... I'm not sure it's worth it seeing that UTHSC-Houston has just opened a full regional School of Public Health campus at UT (which I believe will be physically connected to the SON)... more opportunities with an MPH.

Only one track in the program is Adult Health CNS. Probably 30-40% of my classmates are in this track, and with permission of the instructor, it is possible for an AE MSN student to take a course to gain prescriptive privileges if so desired.

They have started allowing AEMSNs to enter some NP tracks. As of this semester, they have started some kind of neonatal or pediatric NP program (don't know exactly what the focus is, whenever they start talking about it I zone out... kids are not my thing). There is apparently a track for us in that program.

I also have a very good source who tells me they are going to start offering a Psych NP at the school, and we can also track into that.

Just some FYI for all y'all out there. Keep your eyes peeled, because some changes might be coming. :)

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