If you are considering the pursuit of a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in the Volunteer State of Tennessee then you should find our site quite useful. We have compiled the list below of nationally accredited MSN programs offered by colleges and universities in Tennessee to aid you in your search for the program that best fits your needs.
Belmont University Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing
Belmont University’s Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing offers a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree to students who already hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The program is designed to prepare Registered Nurses (RNs) as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Applicants to the program should hold a BSN degree from a nationally accredited program with at least a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (GPA). Students must submit official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) +scores taken within the last five years. Candidates must hold a current license to practice as a Registered Nurses. They must hold a Tennessee RN license or a license from a member state in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is required for clinical experiences in Tennessee.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
1900 Belmont Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37212
(615) 460-6109
Carson-Newman College School of Nursing and Behavioral Health
The School of Nursing and Behavioral Health at Carson-Newman College offers two pathways to a Master of Science in Nursing degree. They offer both an RN to MSN pathway and a traditional MSN pathway.
The RN to MSN program is designed for diploma or Associate’s prepared Registered Nurses. Students are required to complete 51 semester hours of general education coursework in order to be accepted. Once completed they are then required to complete 18 hours of transitional/bridge courses. Then they progress into their MSN curriculum. A BSN is not awarded
Regardless of the pathway, students seeking an MSN can choose from the following specializations:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Educator
There is also a Family Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Educator dual specialization program.
Applicants to the RN to MSN program are required to hold a diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. They must hold a current active unencumbered license as a Registered Nurse in Tennessee or a compact state.
Those entering via the traditional MSN pathway are required to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a nationally accredited nursing program with a GPA of at least 3.0 for all undergraduate work. They must submit GRE scores taken within the last ten years. Candidates are required to hold a current unencumbered active Tennessee or compact state license as an RN.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
1646 Russell Avenue
C-N Box 71883
Jefferson City, TN 37760
(865) 471-3426
East Tennessee State University College of Nursing
East Tennessee State University’s College of Nursing offers a Master of Science in Nursing on campus to those applicants interested in the Clinical Nurse Leader specialty. They no longer offer MSN programs for nurse practitioners and nursing administration specializations on campus.
The university does offer other MSN programs through the Regents Online Degree Program (RODP), a collaboration among the various Colleges of Nursing in the Tennessee Board of Regents system. These online MSN programs are offered in the following specializations:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Informatics
- Nursing Education
- Nursing Administration
Applicants to the RODP are required to hold a Bachelor’s degree with an overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Those holding a non-nursing Bachelor’s (RN to MSN candidates) are required to complete a 12 credit hour series of nursing bridge courses. They must have completed an undergraduate course in Statistics. Students entering the program must hold an unencumbered license to practice as as RN in Tennessee or the state where their clinical assignments will be completed.
Applicants to the on campus MSN program with Clinical Nurse Leader specialization are required to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited institution with a nationally accredited nursing program. They must have a 3.0 nursing GPA on a 4.0 scale. If their cumulative undergraduate GPA is less than a 3.2 then students must submit GRE scores. Candidates must hold a license as an RN in the U.S. and be eligible for licensure in Tennessee.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
310 Nicks Hall
Campus Box 70617
Johnson City, TN 37614
(423) 439-7199
King UniversitySchool of Nursing
King University’s School of Nursing offers MSN programs in the following roles and specializations:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Education
- Nursing Administration
An MSN/MBA dual degree program is also offered.
Applicants to the program are required to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better on all prior academic work. Students with lower GPAs will be considered for conditional admission. Students must have completed undergraduate courses in Statistics and Nursing Research. Those not specializing in Nursing Administration are also required to have completed a course in Health Assessment. Candidates must hold a current unrestricted license as an RN in Tennessee or a compact state. They must alos hold a current CPR or BLS certification.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
1350 King College Road
Bristol, TN 37620
(423) 652-4748
Tennessee State UniversityDivision of Nursing
Tennessee State University’s Division of Nursing offers Master of Science in Nursing degree programs in several roles/areas of specializations including the following:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Holistic Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Education
Applicants to the MSN degree programs must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. They must be BLS certified. Students must hold an active license as an RN in the state where they practice with current clinical practice.
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (Formerly NLNAC)
3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37209
(615) 963-5000
The University of Tennessee Health Science CenterCollege of Nursing
The College of Nursing at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center offers a single Master of Science in Nursing program. The program prepares RNs as Clinical Nurse Leaders. The program can be completed in one year of full-time enrollment or two years of part-time enrollment.
Applicants to the MSN program must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Students must have completed courses in Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II, Microbiology, and Statistics. They must be licensed as a Registered Nurse.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
920 Madison Avenue
Memphis, TN 38163
(901) 448-6128
Union University School of Nursing
Union University’s School of Nursing offers multiple pathways to a Master of Science in Nursing degree. They offer an RN to MSN pathway and BSN to MSN pathway.
The RN to MSN pathway is designed for Registered Nurses with a diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing. Students can gain entry into the program with or without a Bachelor’s in a non-nursing discipline. A BSN is not awarded.
Regardless of pathway, MSN programs are offered in the following roles/specializations:
- Adult/Geriatric Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Education
- Nursing Administration
Applicants to the RN to MSN must hold a diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing. Those with a Bachelor’s in a non-nursing field must have completed undergraduate courses in Anatomy and Physiology I & II, Microbiology, Pathophysiology, and Statistics. Those without a Bachelor’s degree will be required to complete additional general education coursework. All RN to MSN students must also have completed courses in Scientific Writing and Nursing Research with a grade of “B” or better. Candidates must hold a current unencumbered RN license. They must also hold and maintain a current CPR certification if pursuing a Nurse Practitioner or Nursing Education specialization.
Those seeking entry via the BSN to MSN pathway are required to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. Students must have completed an undergraduate course in Statistics. Candidates must hold a current unencumbered license to practice as a Registered Nurse. Those entering Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Educator tracks must hold a current CPR certification and have a science GPA of 3.0.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
1050 Union University Drive
Jackson, TN 38305
(731) 661-5139
University of Memphis Loewenberg School of Nursing
Multiple pathways to a Master of Science in Nursing degree are offered through the Loewenberg School of Nursing at University of Memphis. They offer both a traditional MSN pathway and an RN to MSN pathway. University of Memphis participates in the Regents Online Campus Collaborative to offer MSN and RN to MSN programs through a collaboration between Colleges of Nursing in the Tennessee Board of Regents system.
The RN to MSN pathway is designed for Registered Nurses who do not hold a BSN degree but do hold a Bachelor’s in a non-nursing discipline. Students complete a 12-unit undergraduate nursing bridge course sequence before progressing into the graduate coursework. No BSN is awarded by this program.
MSN programs are offered in in the following roles and specialty areas:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Informatics
- Nursing Executive Leadership
- Nursing Administration
- Nursing Education
Those seeking admission into the RN to MSN programs are required to hold a diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing as well as a Bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field of study. They must have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. Students must be licensed to practice as an RN in Tennessee or another U.S. state where clinical assignments will be completed.
Applicants entering via the traditional MSN pathway are required to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.8 or higher on a 4.0 scale. They must hold current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in Tennessee or the state in which clinical assignments are to be completed.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
Newport Hall 102
610 Goodman Street
Memphis,, TN 38152
(901) 678-2020
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing
The School of Nursing at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga offers Master of Science in Nursing degree programs in two roles/areas of specializations. MSN program are offered in the following:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Anesthesia
The Family Nurse Practitioner program is a six semester program. The program can be completed on a part-time or full-time basis.
The Nurse Anesthesia program is a 27 month program. It requires full-time enrollment and approximately 40-50 hours per week of commitment for clinical and classroom work. Students are encouraged not to try to work and attend this program.
Applicants to the MSN programs are required to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a nationally (NLNAC/ACEN or CCNE) accredited program with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. All students are required to submit either GRE or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) scores. They must be licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse . Candidates should have at least one year of full-time experience in direct patient care. Those entering the Nurse Anesthesia program are required to have at least two years of experience in a critical care setting.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
615 McCallie Avenue
Department 1051
Chattanooga, TN 37403
(423) 425-4644
University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Nursing
A Master of Science in Nursing degree is offered by the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The program prepares Registered Nurses for a variety of roles and specializations including the following:
- Adult Nurse Practitioner
- Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Global Disaster Nursing
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Nursing Administration
Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. They must have completed a graduate-level course in Statistics. Those enrolling in a clinical track must also have completed an undergraduate course in Health Assessment. Candidates must hold or be eligible for licensure as an RN in Tennessee.
Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education
1200 Volunteer Boulevard
Room 301
Knoxville, TN 37996
(865) 974-7584
Vanderbilt UniversitySchool of Nursing
Vanderbilt University’s School of Nursing offers a Master of Science in Nursing degree via a variety of pathways. Students can pursue an MSN via their Direct Entry pathway, their RN to MSN pathway, or their traditional BSN to MSN pathway.
The accelerated Direct Entry pathway allows students with no background in nursing who have a Bachelor’s in a non-nursing field to earn an MSN degree. They spend a year (three semesters) taking pre-specialty courses which provides the nursing foundation equivalent to a BSN and prepares the student to take the National Council for Licensure Exam (NCLEX) to become an RN. After completing the pre-licensure coursework and earning their RN license, students progress into their MSN specialty coursework.
An RN to MSN program is available for diploma and Associate’s prepared Registered Nurses. Those seeking entry into the program should have at least 78 semester hours or 120 quarter hours of transferable college credit.
MSN programs are offered in a wide variety of roles and specializations at Vanderbilt including the following:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Intensivist
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Healthcare Leadership
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Nurse-Midwifery/Family Nurse Practitioner Dual Focus
- Nursing Informatics
- Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner/Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Dual Focus
Those seeking admission via the Direct Entry pathway should hold a Bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline which must include courses in Lifespan Development, Statistics, Nutrition, Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II, and Microbiology. They must have a 3.0 or higher GPA for all colleges attended. Students must submit GRE scores.
Those seeking entry via the RN to MSN pathway are required to hold a diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program. They must have completed 78 semester hours or 120 quarter hours of transferable coursework including two courses in English, three courses in Social Science, two Humanities courses, as well as courses in Lifespan Development, Statistics, Nutrition, Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II, and Microbiology. They must have a 3.0 or higher GPA from all colleges attended. Candidates must be licensed as a Registered Nurse in the state where they plan to complete their clinical practice.
Registered Nurses who seek entry via the traditional MSN pathway must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a nationally (NLNAC/ACEN or CCNE) accredited program with a 3.0 or higher undergraduate GPA. They must have completed a course in Statistics. Students must submit satisfactory GRE scores. They must be licensed as an RN in the state where they will complete their clinical practice.
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (Formerly NLNAC)
461 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37240
(615) 322-4400