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University of Wyoming

MS Program FAQ Page

 


Questions & Answers
about the
Master of Science in Nursing Program


If you do not see your question(s) answered below, please email us at nurs.inq@uwyo.edu!  We will add your questions - and answers - to the list below to help others students. Thank you!

MS Program - IN GENERAL

  1. First, go to the MS Program page on this site - you may find many questions answered there!

  2. Can I attend the graduate program if I am a nurse, but my bachelor’s degree is not in nursing?
    Answer: Yes, you can. You will need to take three additional courses (two before you start the program and one that can be taken while you are in the program). See the Application Packet/Admission Criteria for more details.

  3. Are there any prerequisites for the nursing graduate program?
    Answer:  There are no specific prerequisites for admission to the graduate program; however, specific graduate courses do have prerequisites.

    • An undergraduate statistics course is required for NURS 5026 (Nursing Research).

    • PHCY 4450 (Pathophysiology) or the equivalent is a prerequisite to the NURS 5165 (Advanced Pathophysiology) for students in the NP program.

    • If you are interested in the NP program, our recent graduates have told us they wished they would have had anatomy and physiology more recently. We encourage you to consider taking a human anatomy and physiology course prior to coming into the program.

  4. How long would it take to get a masters degree at your institution?
    Answer:  The length of your study would depend on the program option you choose and whether or not you plan to go full time.  For the Family Nurse Practitioner option, the majority of the students complete the program in either 2 years + the summer following the last semester for the final practicum (full-time plan) or 3 years (part-time plan). For the Nurse Educator option, we have a 2-year, 3-year, and 4-year plan of study to which the student must commit and follow if admitted. The graduate degree is required to be completed within 6 years.

  5. I have taken several graduate level courses within the last several years and was wondering if I can transfer those courses into the program.

    Answer:  

    • Our graduate school at the University of Wyoming allows students to transfer up to 9 credits of upper division coursework from other schools that have not been used to satisfy the requirements of a previous degree, are documented on an official transcript, and are not older than five years at the time they are accepted into our program. The graduate degree is required to be completed within 6 years. That 6 year timeframe is based on the oldest course being applied toward the degree. If you took graduate courses 8 years ago, those would be beyond the limit. If you are transferring courses 5 years old, then you would need to complete the whole program in one year to have those courses count, since the program cannot go beyond the 6 year timeframe.

    • If you desire to transfer courses that you think are equivalent to courses required in our program, once accepted to our program you can petition to have your courses transferred. To do that, you first send copies of your course descriptions to the coordinator of the option to which you have been accepted (FNP Coordinator: Mary Burman or EDUC Coordinator: Norma Wilkerson) along with a letter asking that the course be reviewed and for which course/requirement you want it to be considered. If the coordinator needs more information to determine equivalency, he or she may request course syllabi before a decision can be made.

  6. What are the admission criteria for entering your MS program?
    Answer:  Go to the Admission Criteria page on this site.

  7. How extensive is the GRE testing? Is this something I should study for? Is it just a placement exam? Is it extremely important as far as getting/not getting admitted to the program?
    Answer: The GRE is extremely important as far as admittance into the MS program. You must have at least a cumulative score of 900 between the verbal and quantitative sections. If applicants' scores are below that, the admissions committees recommend that they retake the test and be reconsidered for admission the next time around. If your cumulative grade point average (GPA) for all undergraduate work leading up to your bachelor's degree is below 3.0 (that is the minimum GPA required), you would need to have a GRE score much higher than even the 900 to be considered - to balance out the low GPA. If you have been out of school for quite a while, it would be a good idea to study hard for the GRE test. If you do not use math very much, you would particularly need a refresher course or order materials and study them.

  8. Do you offer credit for being CCRN certified, or previous work experience?
    Answer:  No, we do not offer credit for being CCRN certified, nor do we offer credit for previous work experience.

Nurse Practitioner Option

  1. First, go to the Nurse Practitioner Page on this site - you may find many questions answered there!

  2. What nurse practitioner (NP) options do you have?
    Answer: We have two options currently available in the NP program: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). 

  3. Can I do the Nurse Practitioner program entirely online?
    Answer:  No, not entirely! The graduate core nursing courses are online, but the NP specialty classes require campus visits. Those classes are in three-day blocks -- Thursday, Friday and Saturday, three to four times per semester.

  4. I’m interested in the FNP option, but my background has not been in primary care. I’m interested in the PMHNP option, but my background has not been in psychiatric nursing? Is it important to have clinical experiences in primary care or mental health? Will that affect being admitted to the program?
    Answer:  We admit students with a variety of backgrounds, including those that have been in an area different from primary care (FNPs) or mental health/psychiatric nursing (PMHNPs) that are changing career focus. However, experience in primary care can be a real asset for the FNP option, while experience in mental health/psychiatric nursing can be very helpful if you are interested in the PMHNP option. Clinical experience in any area that requires high levels of independence and decision-making is clearly desirable.  Prior experience with rural dwellers is also a priority. 

  5. Can I work during the program?
    Answer:  The coursework and clinical practice requirements of the NP program are significant, and students need time to think, learn, synthesize new knowledge, and grow. And this takes time! Full-time graduate study is defined as taking 9 or more graduate credits. While online presentation of didactic content offers considerable flexibility, students must be prepared to devote a minimum of 12-15 hours each week to study for each 3 credit course (more for courses with more credits). Consequently, a full-time load of 9 credits of coursework would require from 36-45 hours a week of class preparation, in-class work or on-line participation, and completing required assignments. Moreover, clinical courses also generally require 8 hours a week of clinical practice with a preceptor during a 15 week semester. Faculty in the NP program encourage full time NP students to consider their coursework and clinical time as equivalent to a full time job. If you plan to attend the NP program, faculty strongly encourage only minimal work, if any work at all.  If you feel that you need to work full time, then the NP faculty strongly recommend that you attend the NP program part-time.

  6. What about part-time study?
    Answer:  Yes, part-time study is available.  The full-time program is two years in length and the part-time program is three years in length.

  7. I already have a master’s degree in nursing.  Do you have a post-master’s program?
    Answer:  Yes, a post-master’s option is available for student who already have a master’s degree in nursing.  The master’s degree must be in nursing. 

  8. Do students find their own clinical sites?
    Answer:  Generally, no. Clinical placements are coordinated and arranged by the School of Nursing faculty and are made using many variables such as where the student lives, what experience the student has had already and the objectives of the course.  Availability of sites is also a determining factor. After careful matching of student needs with available resources, faculty members arrange clinical placements for students. You are welcome and encouraged to help identify appropriate clinical sites.

  9. Where do I do my clinical experiences?
    Answer: Placements will be done by NP faculty and staff with input from you. Students are generally placed in approved clinical sites in Wyoming or northern Colorado.  Placements outside of these areas require prior approval from the NP Program Coordinator.  New placements will be developed as needed, especially in areas where no previous NP students have been.  We try to place students near their home, but this may not be possible for all of the required clinical experiences.  

  10. Is travel necessary for clinical experiences?
    Answer:  It could be. We make every attempt to arrange for clinical experiences near your home; however, you should be prepared to travel (and in some cases even relocate) in order to obtain needed clinical experiences. As noted above, students are placed approved clinical sites in Wyoming and northern Colorado, so you may need to travel for clinical experiences if you are outside of these areas. Travel to clinical sites and living arrangements (if needed) are the student’s responsibility.

  11. Do I need a nursing license?
    Answer:  Yes. You will need a RN license in any state that you do clinical practice.  If you are not from Wyoming, you will need a Wyoming license because you will come to campus at times to work with faculty in their clinical placements. Information about licensure in Wyoming is available at the Wyoming Board of Nursing website at http://nursing.state.wy.us/.

  12. What other resources are recommended?
    Answer:  We advise you to become "computer friendly" and to invest in your own personal computer with access to the Internet. Although there are computers available at libraries and community college campuses, you probably will prefer to have a computer at home and to be familiar with using the internet (email and the web) and be able to use word processing software (e.g. Microsoft Word), for papers and other assignments. You will use a variety of textbooks and other references in the program.  You will be introduced to these as you enter your first NP courses.  You will need a good stethoscope and this will be addressed in the first NP clinical course (N5006). You may also find a PDA helpful in clinical experiences. 

  13. How many days during the semester am I required to be on campus?
    Answer:  Currently, NP students come to campus approximately 3-4 times a semester when taking the NP specialty courses. Classes are scheduled from Thursday afternoon through Saturday afternoon.  In addition, you will be expected to spend 1-2 days each semester working with faculty in their clinical settings in Laramie and Cheyenne. 

  14. How many NP students are admitted to each class?
    Answer:  Approximately 20-30 candidates apply for about 15 positions each year.

  15. What can I do to improve my chances of being accepted? How can I strengthen my application? Should I be doing anything between now and when I apply to the program?
    Answer:  The faculty in the NP Program strongly encourage anyone who is seriously considering a career as an nurse practitioner to begin the planning process early, perhaps as much as a year ahead of the application deadline. Here are some specific things that can be done to strengthen the application:

    • Learn as much as you can about the about advanced practice roles, specifically the history and development of the advanced practice movement and the role and scope of practice of family nurse practitioners (FNPs) or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs).

    • Consider enrolling in a GRE preparation course. GRE scores are only one of many measures by which applicants will be evaluated but, unlike the GPA, they are a measure over which you can exercise some control.

    • Choose your reference writers carefully. Ideally, one writer should be able to speak to your academic performance, e.g., a faculty member from your undergraduate program.  Another should address your health care experience and clinical skills.  This person could be a nursing or medical colleague.  Finally, one reference should speak to your general character (this person should not be a family member). 

    • Give some thought to past clinical experiences, leadership activities, volunteer activities, or other activities that are consistent with your decision to pursue a career as a FNP or PMHNP. If you have none, you may want to develop some. Professional experiences in primary care, public health, mental health and/or emergency medicine  can be helpful.

    • This program focuses on primary care and/or mental health care within rural areas. Take time to write your professional statement outlining your goals, why you want to become a nurse practitioner, outlining the contributions you intend to make as a nurse practitioner, and why you are interested in rural health care.

Nurse Educator Option

  1. First, go to the Nurse Educator page on this site - you may find many questions answered there!

  2. First, go to I am interested in the Nurse Educator MS program at UW. I am currently a licensed RN in another state. I am not quite sure if your program would make me eligible to teach in my state.

    • First, take note of the coursework (MS Educator Course Requirements) you will complete if you take our Nurse Educator program by clicking on the blue course requirements link. 

    • Then, check with your State Board of Nursing to see if they have any requirements for nurses to teach in your state. Each state has the right to make their own regulations. For example, here in Wyoming nurses need a minimum of a master's degree in nursing to teach. Wyoming also requires a minimum of 10 credit hours of education courses in either an academic program or continuing education. If your state requires certain coursework beyond what our program requires, you can take those courses as your electives while in our program, and when you graduate you will be prepared for both your state and Wyoming.

  3. For what setting will I be prepared to teach by completing the Nurse Educator program?
    The Nurse Educator Option in our graduate program will satisfy the requirements for teaching basic nursing in a community college AD program, a BS program, or to teach in a hospital setting as continuing education/trainer, or for nursing education in clinical settings. If you wish to teach in an online baccalaureate program, you would probably need to have additional instructional technology training in the system that hires you. In order to teach in a Master's Program, a doctoral degree is preferred. There are exceptions to these requirements in some situations. For example,  nurses with a Master's degree in Nursing Education and clinical experience in nursing can do clinical teaching in many nursing programs -- including the masters program -- without obtaining the doctorate. These requirements vary according to the institution that will employ you.

  4. Do I ever need to come to Wyoming to complete coursework for this online Nurse Educator program?
    No - you do not need to come to Wyoming, although you are certainly welcome!  We hope you will join our graduation festivities!  But you do not need to come to our campus for any of the coursework. That is all online.

  5. Is the out of state fee included in the on-line price, or is it separate?
    There is no tuition differential for resident vs. non-resident status in the online Nurse Educator program. Everyone pays the same tuition. Go to Online UW, click into the "Tuition and Fees" link to check the tuition for the upcoming semester. You are also assessed an online fee, so make sure you note that figure as well.

  6. Will I need to apply for a Wyoming RN license even though I will be taking classes on-line?
    No, you do not need to have a Wyoming RN licensure. You only need to prove active, unencumbered RN licensure for the state in which you are living and in which you will be completing your final Nurse Education Practicum.