Graduate Admission Requirements

Requirements for Persons with Bachelor’s Degrees

  1. A completed application to our M.S.N program
  2. A B.S.N. degree from an accredited school or a bachelor’s degree in any field in conjunction with completion of the Loyola M.S.N. Bridge program.
  3. Official transcripts from each college/university attended.
  4. A current unencumbered Registered Nurse license.
  5. A minimum of one year of recent/appropriate work experience in clinical nursing for NP applicants.
  6. Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on all course work or a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on the last 60 hrs in an undergraduate accredited nursing program. For RNs with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on all undergraduate work plus a minimum grade of B on each course taken in the Loyola BLEND program.
  7. Three recommendations from persons knowledgeable about the applicant’s aptitude for graduate school, such as former professors or master’s prepared nursing supervisors.
  8. A well-thought-out, type-written, double-spaced goal statement of approximately three-quarters to one page in length describing career goals and interest in graduate education.
  9. Prior to admission or as a condition of progression, evidence of completion of a 3 credit hour undergraduate level statistics course with an earned grade of C or better prior to NURS 735.
  10. A formal interview with one or more graduate faculty at Loyola.
  11. Proof of Professional Liability insurance (limits $1,000,000/$3,000,000) prior to admission for BLEND students and upon entering N752 for HCSM students.
  12. Certified Background Check: Sixty days prior to enrollment, you are required to apply for a certified background review, at your expense, by a provider designated (www.certifiedbackground.com) by Loyola University New Orleans (School Code: LO22) with the results reported to Loyola University New Orleans School of Nursing.

Requirements for R.N.-to-M.S.N. Option in the M.S.N. Program

Graduates of associate degree and diploma nursing programs may apply for admission to the R.N.-to-M.S.N. option for the M.S.N. program. In this option, students complete requirements for both the B.S.N. and M.S.N. degrees.

  1. A graduate of an associate degree or diploma nursing program is first admitted to the Loyola B.S.N. program and classified as a “B.S.N.” student.
  2. Requirements for admission to B.S.N. program include: Application for Undergraduate Admission; official Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended; and proof of a current Registered Nurse license.
  3. Application fee of $40. Checks to be made payable to Loyola University New Orleans. Upon admission to the B.S.N. program, a student will be advised to first complete most core, adjunct, and elective courses.
  4. In the semester prior to taking the first 700-level nursing course, the student must submit an application to our M.S.N. program
  5. During Phase One, the student will take a combination of undergraduate and graduate nursing courses leading to the B.S.N. degree and complete all other B.S.N. requirements.

Transfer Credits

Students who have earned academic credit at another accredited college or university may be allowed to transfer a maximum of six credit hours into the M.S.N. program. In all cases, course work will be evaluated for equivalence to Loyola requirements; therefore, students must provide course descriptions and/or other supporting materials to assist faculty in the evaluation process.

Requirements for Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

Loyola University offers an online DNP program for Post-Masters students in two tracks:

1. Nurse Practitioner track: applicants must hold current license and certification as a nurse practitioner in one of the following areas:

  • Adult
  • Family
  • Gerontology
  • Pediatrics
  • Women’s Health

2. Executive Leadership track: applicants must have a master’s degree in nursing and have an interest in Executive Leadership.

Students are admitted as a cohort for this 39+ credit program. The number of credits will be determined by transcript evaluation to give credit for supervised practice hours taken at the master’s level. This program is online with students coming to campus for 1 week each year prior to summer classes and prior to graduation to defend their capstone project.
 

  1. A completed application to our D.N.P. program
  2. BSN or equivalent and master’s in nursing from a school accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
  3. Official transcripts from each degree-granting college or university attended.
  4. Copies of current, unencumbered RN License and advanced practice license (if applicable) in the state in which all clinical practicums for thie program will occur, NP certification (if applicable).
  5. Cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher on earned graduate degree course work.
  6. Minimum of one year’s recent post-master’s work experience.
  7. Three letters of recommendation from persons knowledgeable about the applicant’s aptitude for doctoral study, such as former professors.
  8. Copy of a current Basic Cardio Life Support (BCLS).
  9. Two page type-written, double-spaced essay must be submitted online when filling out an application, addressing three areas: 1) description of goals for doctoral study, 2) research translation area of interest for the capstone project, and 3) career goals.
  10. A formal in-person or web-based interview with one or more Loyola School of Nursing faculty members.  Applicants are required to have all necessary equipment in order to complete the web-based interview (i.e. webcams, speakers & microphone if needed).
  11. Prior to admission or as a condition of progression, evidence of completion of a 3 credit hour graduate-level statistics course with an earned grade of C or better prior to NURS 920 Biostatistics.**
  12. Evidence of a minimum of 500 supervised practice hours in one area of specialization in the accredited master's level program from which you graduated
  13. Certified Background Check: Sixty days prior to enrollment, you are required to apply for a certified background review, at your expense, by a provider designated (www.certifiedbackground.com) by Loyola University New Orleans (School Code: LO22) with the results reported to Loyola University New Orleans School of Nursing.
  14. Computer system that complies with Loyola University Blackboard Specification requirements
  15. Proof of Malpractice Insurance required by the start of the first day of class.

** HCSM Outcomes Measurements & Data Management - N724 may be taken in the Spring prior to admission to satisfy the graduate statistics requirement.

A deposit will be required when a student accepts an offer of admission to the DNP program. This deposit will be applied to the tuition bill after the final drop/add period in the second semester. The deposit will not be refunded for any reason should the student who accepts admission subsequently not enroll in the semester authorized for admission.  Complete the Online Deposit Form

Transfer Credits

Students who have earned academic credit at another accredited college or university may be allowed to transfer up to six credits into the DNP program. In all cases course work will be evaluated for equivalency to Loyola requirements; therefore students must provide course descriptions and syllabus to assist faculty in the evaluation process. However 36 of 38 credits of course work must be earned at Loyola for the DNP.

Requirements for Post-Baccalaureate to Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

Loyola University offers an online Post-BSN-DNP program in a Family Nurse Practitioner track.

Students are admitted as a cohort for this 77credit program. This program is online with a one-week campus orientation required each year and a campus visit to defend the capstone project at the conclusion of the program.

  1. A completed application to our Post-BSN D.N.P. program
  2. BSN from a school accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
  3. Official transcripts from each degree-granting college or university attended.
  4. Proof of current, unencumbered RN license, in the state in which all clinical practica for this program will occur.
  5. Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on all course work.
  6. Minimum of one year’s recent nursing work experience.
  7. Three letters of recommendation from persons knowledgeable about the applicant’s aptitude for doctoral study, such as former professors.
  8. Copy of a current Basic Cardio Life Support (BCLS).
  9. Two page type-written, double-spaced essay must be submitted online when filling out an application, addressing three areas: 1) description of goals for doctoral study, 2) research translation area of interest for the capstone project, and 3) career goals.
  10. Formal in-person interview with one or more Loyola School of Nursing faculty members.
  11. Certified Background Check: Sixty days prior to enrollment, you are required to apply for a certified background review, at your expense, by a provider designated (www.certifiedbackground.com) by Loyola University New Orleans (School Code: LO22) with the results reported to Loyola University New Orleans School of Nursing.

A deposit will be required when a student accepts an offer of admission to the DNP program. This deposit will be applied to the tuition bill after the final drop/add period in the second semester. The deposit will not be refunded for any reason should the student who accepts admission subsequently not enroll in the semester authorized for admission. 

Student Progression

Students must maintain a cumulative of 3.0 GPA and may not earn a grade below B in any course to progress in the curriculum. Only DNP courses are calculated for the GPA.

Graduation Criteria

Students are eligible for graduation upon completion of the 77 credit Post-BSN DNP curriculum with a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Students are required to complete the degree within five years of the first term of enrollment.

Transfer Credits

Students who have earned academic credit at another accredited college or university may be allowed to transfer up to six credits into the DNP program. In all cases course work will be evaluated for equivalency to Loyola requirements; therefore students must provide course descriptions and syllabus to assist faculty in the evaluation process. However 36 of 38 credits of course work must be earned at Loyola for the DNP.

Licensure Requirements

Each student must sign a declaration stating that she/he has a current, unencumbered, unrestricted, and valid registered nurse license and there are no grounds for disciplinary proceedings. If at any point during the program a student’s R.N. license becomes encumbered or restricted, the student is obligated to immediately inform the director of the School of Nursing.

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