Frequently Asked Questions
Please review the program links below to get answers to frequently asked questions for each. If you have additional questions, please contact health@usfca.edu.
MSN Program Questions - General
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Master's education prepares nurses for flexible leadership and critical actions within complex, changing systems, including health, educational, and organizational systems. Master's education equips nurses with valuable knowledge and skills to lead change, promote health, and elevate care in various roles and settings. The dynamic nature of the healthcare delivery system underscores the needs for the nursing profession for graduate nurses to anticipate the healthcare needs for individuals, populations, and systems.
Fundamental aspects of the master's-prepared nurse practice include:
- Clinical leadership for patient-care practices and delivery, including the design, coordination, and evaluation of care for individuals, families, groups, and populations;
- Participation in identification and collection of care outcomes;
- Accountability for evaluation and improvement of point-of-care outcomes, including the synthesis of data and other evidence to evaluate and achieve optimal outcomes;
- Risk anticipation for individuals and cohorts of patients; Lateral integration of care for individuals and cohorts of patients;
- Design and implementation of evidence-based practice(s);
- Team leadership, management, and collaboration with other health professional team members;
- Information management or the use of information systems and technologies to improve healthcare outcomes;
- Stewardship and leveraging of human, environmental, and material resources; and,
- Advocacy for patients, communities, and the health professional team.
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The School of Nursing and Health Professions provides two (2) entry points toward a master of science degree in nursing - the first entry point is for individuals who have a nursing background (registered nurses or RNs), and the second is for individuals with a baccalaureate degree in a field outside of nursing. Choose a track that is appropriate for your background to learn more about admission requirements, deadlines, curriculum patterns and more.
Learn more about prerequisites:
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The program takes two (2) years, or six (6) semesters. Courses are held year-round, in the fall, spring, and summer.
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Please note that tuition rates and fees are subject to change and more information can be found about tuition and graduate student fees on the University Tuition and Fees Schedule. In addition to tuition there are fees for graduate students including mandatory health insurance (Fall/Spring), Associate Graduate Students of USF (AGSUSF), and an applicable fieldwork fee per practicum course and required malpractice insurance fee per practicum course.
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USF offer institutional financial aid in the form of loans. U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible for up to $20,500 per year in unsubsidized federal loans. You can also apply for Graduate PLUS loans to make up the remainder of the cost.
USF's School of Nursing and Health Professions may offer limited scholarships to help offset program-related fees, upon availability. Many candidates look online for appropriate outside (non-USF) scholarships or grants.
MSN Application Questions - General
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You may upload official or unofficial copies of your transcripts at the point of application, as long as they are readable and include your name, grades, GPA, and name of the school. Transcripts must also reflect any degree earned at the institution. If you are accepted and decide to attend, we will then require you to mail official transcripts from all schools attended.
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Please refer to the USF's five-year Academic Calendar for semester start and end dates and holiday breaks.
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No, we do not conduct interviews. The admissions committee carefully reviews each applicant’s personal statement instead.
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Letters of recommendation should be from individuals who can speak to either your academic or intellectual readiness for graduate level work, or your professional capacities or experiences. These letters of recommendation should be on letterhead. Our online application allows you to supply the names and email addresses of your recommenders. Upon receiving those, USF will contact your recommenders by email with instructions to complete their information and upload their letter. Please note all recommendations must be received via the online system, directly from the recommender. We will not accept paper letters of recommendation, or any other paper application materials.
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The ME-MSN option does not allow applicants to defer enrollment. Should you be admitted to the program but find yourself unable to attend, you will need to re-apply.
The RN-MSN option may allow applicants to defer enrollment, however this may result in an extended delay of program start.
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In order to re‐apply, simply go to the online application and fill out a new application. We are not able to provide individual feedback on your application, however we recommend that you submit an updated resume, statement and different letters of recommendation to strengthen your application.
Please note that you will need to resubmit all application materials, as we are unable to keep any previous application materials on file.
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Admission decisions are communicated to applicants approximately ten weeks after the deadline.
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Our application is 100% online. Once you fill out the application, you will also upload all supplemental documents (transcripts, resume, personal statement) to your application and supply the names and email addresses of your recommenders. USF will contact your recommenders by email with instructions to complete their information and upload their letter.
Please note all recommendations must be received via the online system, directly from the recommender. We will not accept paper letters of recommendation, or any other paper application materials.
Transcripts can be unofficial as long as they are readable and include your name, grades, GPA, and name of the school. Transcripts must also reflect any degree earned at the institution. If you are accepted and decide to attend, we will then require you to mail official transcripts from all schools attended.