Are you looking for a college or university offering a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program deep in “The Heart of Dixie”? The State of Alabama provides you with quite a selection of such schools. We have assembled the list schools below in Alabama offering nationally accredited MSN programs for your convenience.
Auburn UniversitySchool of Nursing
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program offered by Auburn University’s School of Nursing is a joint program offered in conjunction with Auburn University Montgomery. The MSN program is designed for Registered Nurses who already hold a Bachelor’s degree and who have an interest in advancing their nursing career. The program is offered in two areas of specialization:
- Nurse Educator
- Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The program requires students to be on campus 1-2 times each semester. Many students are able to work full-time during most courses. But the clinical hours required for some practicum courses may make it difficult to work on weekdays during those semesters where the courses are taken.
Applicants to the program must possess a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited university. Generally, students are required to have an overall GPA of 3.0 during their undergraduate studies and be in good academic standing from the last university attended. Applicants are not required to take the GRE of MAT. They should hold an unencumbered license as a Registered Nurse unless they are in the process of completing a BSN degree in which case the nursing license requirement may be waived provided that it is obtained within six weeks of beginning courses in the MSN program. Students whose applications meet all admissions criteria will be given priority consideration.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
107 Miller Hall
Auburn University, AL 36849
(334) 844-6135
Auburn University MontgomerySchool of Nursing
As previously mentioned, the School of Nursing at Auburn University Montgomery (AUM) offers a Master of Science in Nursing program in conjunction with Auburn University. Like the Auburn University program, the MSN program at AUM is offered in two different areas of specialization:
- Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Educator
Requirements for admission to the AUM program are the same as those for the Auburn University above.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
101 Moore Hall
PO Box 244023
Montgomery, AL 36124
(334) 244-3000
Jacksonville State UniversityCollege of Nursing
The College of Nursing at Jacksonville State University (JSU) offers a Master of Science in Nursing program in Community Health Nursing. Those students entering JSU’s MSN program can choose from several vulnerable populations of interest including but not limited to:
- Women and Infants
- Children
- Adolescents
- Adults with Chronic Illnesses
- Geriatric Clients
- Clients with Ethnic or Racial Disparities
- Clients with HIV
All courses are offered online and the program can be completed in less than two years. Students are offered full-time and part-time options. Flexibility in the program’s curriculum allows students to continue working while pursuing their degree.
Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s in Nursing from a regionally accredited university whose nursing program is professionally accredited. Transcripts from all previously attended institutions as well as a GRE or MAT score are required. Students must also hold an unencumbered U.S. license as a Registered Nurse.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
700 Pelham Road North
Jacksonville, AL 36265
(256) 782-5781
Samford UniversityIda V. Moffett School of Nursing
Two pathways are offered to those pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing from the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing at Samford University. Students holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing can choose the traditional BSN to MSN pathway program. Registered Nurses who hold an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN/ASN) or a hospital diploma are offered the opportunity to earn an MSN through the RN to MSN pathway. It should be noted that a BSN is not awarded as part of the RN to MSN program.
Both of Samford’s MSN pathways allow students to choose from one of the following specialty areas:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Educator
- Health Systems Management and Leadership
Those entering the BSN to MSN program can also choose to specialize in Nurse Anesthesia. This option is not, however, offered to those in the RN to MSN program.
Applicants entering the BSN to MSN FNP, Educator, or Manager programs should hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an ACEN (formerly NLNAC) or CCNE accredited program with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 or a 4.0 scale. They should also have made an acceptable score on the MAT or GRE exam within the last 5 years. MAT or GRE requirements can be waived for those with a 3.2 or higher undergraduate GPA or those who have completed a graduate program with a 3.0 or higher GPA.
Those seeking entrance into the BSN to MSN Nurse Anesthesia program must meet all of the above requirements plus hold an unencumbered license as a Registered Nurse and have at least one year of full-time experience as an RN in a critical care setting such as a Cardiac Care, Cardiovascular Recovery, Medical ICU, Neuro ICU, Neonatal ICU, Surgical ICU, Burn ICU, Trauma ICU, or Pediatric ICU.
Applicants to the RN to MSN program are required to hold an Associate of Science in Nursing from an ACEN/NLNAC or CCNE accredited program or a hospital diploma. They must hold an unencumbered license as a Registered Nurse. Students must have completed 72 hours of college credit with an GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Acceptable MAT or GRE scores must be submitted from a test taken in the last 5 years.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL 35229
(205) 726-2011
Spring Hill CollegeDivision of Nursing
Spring Hill College offers applicants seeking a Master of Science in Nursing degree essentially two different pathways: an RN to BSN Bridge pathway for RNs with an Associate’s degree nursing, a nursing diploma, or a non-nursing Bachelor’s degre as well as a traditional BSN to MSN pathway for those who already hold a Bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Regardless of the pathway chosen, students will be awarded a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization as a Clinical Nurse Leader. Clinical Nurse Leaders are generalists whose skill sets complement those of Advanced Practice Nurses such as Clinical Nurse Specialists.
All applicants must hold a license as a Registered Nurse where he/she practices with at least one year of clinical experience. They must already work in a clinical setting or have access to a health care facility where they can complete their clinical integration and research requirements. There are additional requirements depending on the pathway chosen.
Applicants to the RN to BSN Bridge program who hold an Associate’s degree or diploma in nursing must complete five nursing bridge courses as well as the necessary general education courses before being advanced to graduate degree status in the MSN program.
Those RNs entering the RN to BSN Bridge program who hold a non-nursing Bachelor’s degree will be admitted as a non-degree graduate student. Once they have completed the five nursing bridge courses their status will be changed to graduate degree status in the MSN program.
Those entering the BSN to MSN program must obviously hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
4000 Dauphin Street
101 Quinlan Hall
Mobile, AL 36608
(251) 380-4485
The University of AlabamaCapstone College of Nursing
The Capstone College of Nursing at The University of Alabama offers several pathways to a Master of Science in Nursing degree.
Registered Nurses holding a nursing diploma, an Associate’s degree in nursing, or a non-nursing Bachelor’s degree can choose the RN to BSN/MSN pathway. This requires six semesters as a full-time student to complete, though a part-time option is also available. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is awarded after completing all BSN requirements along the way (during the 4th semester for full-time students). The program is offered online.
The university offers a traditional BSN to MSN pathway for those already holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with specializations available the following areas:
- Rural Case Management
- Clinical Nurse Leader
The Rural Case Management specialty emphasizes leadership, administration, and case management at the systems level. The Clinical Nurse Leader specialty focuses on improving clinical outcomes for specific patient populations at the point of service in both acute and community based practice settings. These programs are both offered online.
Two other dual degree pathways to an MSN are available. Students can pursue a dual MSN/Master of Arts in Management which combines practice in nursing case management administration with health care management. Those seeking to become a Nurse Educator in a higher education setting can pursue a dual MSN/Ed.D. degree with a Nurse Educator specialization. These two dual degree programs are offered in a blended format.
Applicants to all programs should hold a current RN license in the U.S. They should generally have a 3.0 overall GPA on a 4.0 scale for unconditional admission in the programs. Students with a 2.5 overall GPA on a 4.0 scale with acceptable score on the GRE or MAT may be admitted conditionally.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
504 University Boulevard, Room 455
Box 870358
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
(205) 348-1040
The University of Alabama at BirminghamSchool of Nursing
The School of Nursing at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) offers Master of Science in Nursing degree programs in a variety of specializations:
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Dual Primary/Acute Care
- Family Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care w/ Secondary Specialization as a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA)
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care w/ Occupational Health Subspecialty
- Adult-Gerontology/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Nursing and Health Systems Administrator
- Nurse Educator
- Nurse Informatics
- Clinical Nurse Leader
While some individual specializations may have additional experience requirements, all applicants to the MSN program are required to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited institution similar to the BSN program offered at UAB. They must have at least a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or a 3.0 or higher GPA on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. Students are required to have taken the GRE or MAT within the last 5 years with acceptable scores unless they have a 3.2 or higher cumulative undergraduate GPA or GPA on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work, in which case the GRE or MAT requirement can be waived.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
1530 Third Avenue South
NB 204
Birmingham, AL 35294
(205) 934-5360
The University of Alabama in HuntsvilleCollege of Nursing
The University of Alabama in Huntsville’s College of Nursing offers two pathways to a Master of Science in Nursing degree: a traditional BSN to MSN pathway and an RN to MSN pathway. Regardless of the pathway, MSN students can choose from one of four specialty areas:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Leadership in Health Care Systems
The RN to MSN pathway is designed for Registered Nurses who hold a nursing diploma or Associate’s degree in Nursing. Acceptance into the RN to MSN program guarantees the applicant a spot in the graduate program so long as they maintain the requisite 3.0 GPA on overall Bachelor’s level work or on the last 60 hours of Bachelor’s work.
The RN to MSN program can be completed in 2.5 years (seven semesters). During the first year students take Bachelor’s level courses plus 4 graduate courses. The remaining 1.5 years are spent working strictly on Master’s level coursework. It should be noted that the RN to BSN and MSN programs can be completed separately for those who do not wish to apply to the RN to MSN program or who do not unconditionally qualify for both the graduate and undergraduate programs.
Applicants to the RN to MSN program must apply to and be unconditionally accepted by both the undergraduate and graduate program. To be accepted into the undergraduate program, students must be licensed as an RN or eligible to be licensed at the time of application. They must be licensed before beginning the program and remain active and unencumbered throughout the program. Students must hold a nursing diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing with a minimum of 59-60 credit hours and have completed all of the lower division general studies prerequisite coursework listed under the Baccalaureate Program of Studies. To be unconditionally accepted into the graduate program they simply meet or exceed the graduate program’s GPA and GRE/MAT requirements (see below).
Applicants to the BSN to MSN program must hold a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a ACEN/NLNAC or CCNE accredited program with and overall GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or on the last 60 hours of Bachelor’s level coursework. Acceptable GRE or MAT test scores are required, but can be waived if the student had at least of 3.2 overall undergraduate GPA or on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. All applicants must hold an unencumbered Registered Nurse license in Alabama or the state where they plan to perform their clinical requirements (if permission to do so out of state has been granted). Their license must remain unencumbered throughout the program.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
301 Sparkman Drive
NB 202
Huntsville, AL 35899
(256) 824-6345
University of MobileSchool of Nursing
The Master of Science in Nursing program offered by the University of Mobile’s School of Nursing is a traditional BSN to MSN program. Two areas of specialization are available from which to choose:
- Nurse Administrator
- Nurse Educator
Applicants should hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited program in nursing and hold a current unrestricted license as a registered nurse. They are required to have an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Students must have taken and scored satisfactorily on the GRE sometime within the last five years.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
5735 College Parkway
Mobile, AL 36613
(251) 675-5990
University of North AlabamaCollege of Nursing and Allied Health
The College of Nursing and Allied Health at the University of North Alabama (UNA) offers two pathways to a Master of Science in Nursing degree: an RN to MSN pathway and a traditional BSN to MSN pathway. The programs offer students two areas in which they can specialize:
- Nursing in Teaching-Learning Environments
- Nursing Leadership in Organizational Environments
The Teaching-Learning specialization prepares students to teach in both collegiate and non-collegiate academic settings as well as in clinical settings such as hospitals, home health, clinics, hospices, etc.
The Leadership option prepares students for management, administrative, or executive positions in various health care settings.
The RN to MSN is designed for students holding a nursing diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing. It is offered completely online with clinicals arranged in your own locale The RN to MSN program reduces the hours required to earn both a BSN and MSN by one full-time semester (9 credit hours). Graduates from the RN to MSN program are awarded both a BSN and MSN degree.
Applicants to the RN to MSN program must first apply to and meet the requirements for UNA’s RN to BSN program. They must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. After completing 12 hours of nursing courses, the student should meet with their advisor and express their intent to pursue the RN to MSN option. Once they have successfully completed 9 credit hours of designated graduate courses (Advanced Nursing Research, Advanced Theory, and Health Policy and Social Issues), they can then apply to the MSN Program.
Applicants to the MSN program must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a professionally accredited institution in the US with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. They must hold an unencumbered license as a Registered Nurse in the U.S. If applying to the Teaching-Learning program then they must have at least 1 year full-time experience as an RN.
Applicants to the MSN program who cannot meet all of the above requirements but have three plus years of full-time experience as an RN may be conditionally admitted on a case-by-case basis. They may be required to take the GRE or MAT. Those who score 1000 or more on the GRE or 410 or more on the MAT are automatically qualified for unconditional admission to the MSN program regardless of their undergraduate GPA.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
One Harrison Place
UNA Box 5054
Florence, AL 35632
(256) 765-4311