Working while in school

hkPSUrn:

The work/study recommendation differs based on programs. We do not recommend that students in the Master's Entry program work at all.

Since you have "rn" in your name, I presume that you are already a nurse and looking at a MSN program. We do not recommend that you work fulltime (.9 FTE) and also be a full-time student (taking 12 graduate credits). Most of the students in our MSN and DNP programs are part-time students (taking 6 or 9 credits per term). You could complete any of the MSNs or the DNP in 3 years this way. Being a full-time student (12+ credits a term) would allow you to complete the MSN or DNP in 2 years.

Students who work full-time (and are enrolled as part-time students) usually get tuition benefits from their employers (as well as health insurance). Not a bad trade-off for that extra 12 months of calendar time.

Full-time students are encouraged not to work more then 20-24 hours a week. A few students have done the Full+Full, but they have generally been energetic folks with no families at all who also put a hold on any social life for 2 years. All of our clinical practica are in the last year of the program, so doing 25-30 hours of practica and working 36 hours and taking several courses and papers/logs/posters is asking a lot of yourself. We have seen unfortunate outcomes from people who try the Full+Full.