Admission Requirements
The Master’s Entry in Nursing Practice program at Elmhurst University is an entry option to the Master of Science in Nursing with a clinical nurse leader concentration.
Designed specifically for students with baccalaureate degrees outside of nursing from a regionally accredited university/college who want to transition into the field, the program prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensing exam and the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) certification exam.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend a graduate information session. College-level oral/written communications skills and computer literacy are a program requirement. During the session, you will visit the University, meet faculty and learn more about the program.
How to Apply
The Nursing CAS application for fall opens September 1, 2023 and closes February 29, 2024.
For assistance regarding the application, please refer to the NursingCAS FAQs.
Applications must be verified by NursingCAS on or before February 29, 2024. Unverified applications will not be reviewed for consideration by the committee. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis.
It is the responsibility of the applicant, without exception, to meet all application deadlines and maintain all updates to the applicant’s NursingCAS application.
In order to ensure the proper delivery of emails to your inbox, it is recommended to add donotreply@webadmit.org to your address book. It is also suggested to periodically check the “Messages” section of your application as any email that is sent from NursingCAS can also be found there.
Admission Criteria
A baccalaureate degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 on a 4.00 scale
- Prerequisite coursework must be completed from a regionally accredited institution.
- Applicants must have satisfactory completion of all undergraduate or graduate level prerequisite coursework with grades of C or better.
The prerequisite courses listed below must be completed within five years of the anticipated start of the program for full consideration, without exception (e.g., if you are applying to the Fall 2024 term, you would need to have had these courses completed during the Fall 2019 term or after).
- General Chemistry with lab
- Microbiology with lab
- Two semesters of Human Anatomy and Human Physiology with labs
- Human Anatomy and Human Physiology may be taken as two separate courses or as a sequence of Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology II
- Statistics
- Example: Elementary Statistics, Business Statistics, Social Science Statistics
- Social Science
- Example: Introduction to Psychology or Introduction to Sociology
The University offers all prerequisite courses. For details on non-degree-seeking enrollment, please contact the Office of Registration and Records at (630) 617-3250 or regrec@elmhurst.edu.
- Official transcripts from all graduate and undergraduate institutions attended must be submitted directly to NursingCAS, PO Box 9201, Watertown, MA 02471
- Official transcripts sent to the University will not be considered
The master’s entry in nursing practice program does not accept transfer credits toward the fulfillment of graduate-level coursework required to complete the master’s entry in nursing practice degree at Elmhurst University.
All in-progress and future coursework including outstanding prerequisite requirements must be documented in the NursingCAS application and/or included on an official transcript verifying the intent to complete the requirement.
The personal statement should be uploaded to the Personal Statement tab under program materials in the NursingCAS application. The 1,000-word personal statement should answer the following questions:
- Why do you want to pursue a master’s degree in nursing at Elmhurst University?
- How will this program further your academic and professional goals?
A current professional resume should be uploaded to the CV/Resume tab under program materials in the NursingCAS application. You may also include community service, educational, leadership and professional organization activities, scholarly activities including publications, presentations, research, honors and awards, and work experience.
Three letters of recommendation are required from:
- A professor, teacher, or academic adviser
- A person who supervised your employment, an observation or volunteer experience
- A person of your choice, other than family or friend, who can speak to your potential for success in professional graduate education
Qualified candidates will be notified via email if they are selected for an interview with the nursing faculty admission committee. An interview with the nursing faculty admission committee does not guarantee admission to the program.