If you live in the Palmetto State of South Carolina and are thinking of taking your nursing career to the next level by pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree then you have come to the right place. The list below of schools in South Carolina which offer nationally accredited MSN programs has been compiled for your convenience to assist you with finding the right program to meet your career goals.


Charleston Southern UniversityCollege of Nursing and Allied Health

The College of Nursing and Allied Health at Charleston Southern University offers Registered Nurses (RNs) multiple pathways to a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. They offer an RN to MSN pathway for Associate’s prepared RNs. They also offer a traditional MSN pathway for those nurses holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

The RN to MSN program requires 51 credit hours and 19 months to complete. The BSN to MSN program requires 39 credit hours and 16 months to complete. Graduates of both programs are prepared as Nurse Educators.

Applicants entering via the RN to MSN pathway are required to hold an Associate’s degree in nursing with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Those with GPAs lower than 3.5 are required to submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Students are required to have completed an undergraduate course in Statistics within the past 10 years. Candidates are required to hold an active unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse.

Applicants entering the program via the BSN to MSN pathway are required to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree with at least a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA. If an applicant’s GPA is lower than 3.5 then GRE or MAT scores must be submitted. Students must hold active unrestricted RN licensure.

Program Accreditations

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (Formerly NLNAC)

Program Contact Information

9200 University Boulevard
Charleston, SC 29406
(843) 863-7000

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Clemson University School of Nursing

Clemson University’s School of Nursing offers Master of Science in Nursing programs to prepare Registered Nurses for a variety of roles/specializations. Programs are available in the following:

  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
  • Nurse Administrator
  • Nurse Educator

Applicants to the MSN programs must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a nationally (CCNE or NLNAC/ACEN) accredited nursing program with a 3.0 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale. They must submit competitive GRE scores. Regardless of specialization, students are required to have completed courses in Statistics and Health Assessment. Those entering the Nursing Administration program are also required to have completed a course in Accounting. Candidates are required to hold licensure as an Registered Nurse in South Carolina. They must have 600 or more hours of clinical nursing experience within the last 12 months.

Program Accreditations

Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education

Program Contact Information

510 Edwards Hall
Clemson, SC 29634
(864) 656-5528

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Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing

The College of Nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina offers several Master of Science in Nursing degree programs for Registered Nurses who hold a BSN degree. Programs are offered in the following areas of specialization:

  • Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

The programs are offered online and require very few visits to campus.

Applicants entering the MSN program should hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a nationally accredited program with a nursing GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is also preferred. Students must have completed an undergraduate course in Statistics. They should hold an active unencumbered license to practice as an RN in the state where practicums will occur.

Program Accreditations

Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education

Program Contact Information

99 Jonathan Lucas Street, Room 205
PO Box 250160
Charleston, SC 29425
(843) 792-3941

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University of South Carolina College of Nursing

The University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing offers a Master of Science in Nursing degree. MSN programs are available to prepare RNs for two roles/specialties:

  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Family Nurse Practitioner

They require 37-40 and 45-48 credit hours to complete, respectively. Programs are delivered online.

Students seeking entry to the MSN programs above should hold a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited program. Competitive scores on either the GRE or MAT must be submitted. Candidates must be licensed as a Registered Nurse in South Carolina or be eligible for licensure there.

Program Accreditations

Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education

Program Contact Information

1601 Greene Street
Columbia, SC 29208
(803) 777-3861

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