Post-MSN Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Graduate Certificate (PMHNPC)

The Nursing Program

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Dr. Carol Gullo Mest,
Director of Graduate Nursing Programs
610.282.1100, ext. 1394
carol.mest@desales.edu

The program prepares nurses to function as collaborative colleagues in health care planning, in policy decision making, and in implementing and directing care.

Mission Statement

The mission of DeSales nursing is to impart contemporary education in the art and science of nursing consistent with the Salesian tradition. Graduates are prepared as competent, caring nursing professionals responsive to dynamic healthcare systems. Prepared to assume leadership roles, graduates contribute to the overall advancement of the profession and are able to embark on future academic endeavors.

The baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-MSN APRN certificate programs at DeSales University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation).

Learning Outcomes

The MSN program focuses on preparing professional nurses as collaborative colleagues in the delivering, planning, policy making, and directing of health care. Students gain an advanced core of knowledge in an area of primary, secondary, or tertiary care, or in health care administration.

The MSN program prepares graduates who:

1. Exemplify Christian humanism through practice excellence in the areas of quality, safety, direct and indirect care, and professional accountability.
2. Model ethical behaviors and apply ethical principles to clinical decisions, team collaboration, and conflict resolution.
3. Engage in scholarly activities through the implementation of evidence-based practice to improve health outcomes.
4. Apply innovation strategies for vulnerable and diverse populations.
5. Participate in policy development to influence health and health care.
6. Apply leadership strategies to create collaborative relationships with patients, inter-professional teams, the healthcare system, and professional organizations.
7. Integrate advanced nursing skills into improvement of clinical outcomes, ensuring inclusion of patients and family members as part of the team.
8. Integrate the use of information systems and health care technologies to support and improve clinical outcomes.
9. Integrate improvement science and interdisciplinary theories to support culturally sensitive and evidence-grounded practice decisions.
10. Apply communication theory and skills to promote high quality, safe patient care.
11. Create a personal philosophy and professional development plan for future practice that acknowledges intentions for life-long learning.

Upon successful completion of the program of study, students are eligible to become certified in their specialty area through examinations offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and/or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

Degree and Certificate Options

The Department of Nursing and Health offers the following MSN degree and certificate options:

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Program (Adult CNS)
• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program (AGACNP)
• Family/Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Program (FNP)
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program (PMHNP)
• MSN in Forensic Nursing with Certification in Investigative Forensics (Forensic Nursing)
• MSN in Nursing Informatics with Certification in Healthcare Information Management (Nursing Informatics)

MSN/MBA Dual Degree Program

• Nurse Educator Certificate Program
• Post-MSN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Certificate (Adult CNSC)
• Post-MSN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate (AGACNPC)
• Post-MSN Family/Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Certificate (FNPC)
• Post-MSN Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate (PMHNPC)
• Post-MSN in Forensic Nursing with Certification in Investigative Forensics
• Post-MSN in Nursing Informatics with Certification in Healthcare Information Management
• MSN Completion Program for Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

MSN Admission Requirements

The admission criteria for the MSN program is:

1. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN degree from a ACEN or CCNE accredited college or university);
2. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 (B) is ordinarily required;
3. Satisfactory performance on either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) taken within the past five years. GRE/MAT will be waived for applicants with an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher;
4. An active registered nurse license, or eligibility for licensure, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania;
5. For the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) track, evidence of the equivalent of two (2) years of full-time nursing practice in an adult acute care/ ICU specialty area (i.e. medical/surgical ICU, trauma ICU, neuro/neurosurgical ICU, cardiac ICU, open heart unit, burn unit, etc.) within 18 months of application completion. Should a prospective student apply to the AGACNP program with less than 2 years of acute care/ ICU nursing experience, they will be required to continue their work in the acute care/ICU setting to fulfill the two years of nursing practice experience required to progress through the program. All admission to the AGACNP program will be at the discretion of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program Coordinator.
6. For the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track, evidence of the equivalent of 12 months full-time experience as a practicing psychiatric RN within 18 months of application completion. Students will be required to continue to work as a psychiatric nurse while in the program if they have less than 2 years of psychiatric nursing experience prior to program acceptance.
7. Evidence of having completed a basic physical assessment course or its equivalent;
8. Evidence of basic computer literacy including use of Microsoft Office tools and Internet research.

International Admissions Requirements

Graduate Language Requirements

International applicants (regardless of citizenship) for whom English is a second language must submit English proficiency test scores as part of their application.

Please note that graduate admissions requires the following minimum scores on the TOEFL, IELTS, or the Cambridge English Language Assessment: Advanced (CAE):

Graduate Admissions	TOEFL iBT	IELTS	CAE
Healthcare	104 total score, with a minimum of 26 in all subscales	7.5 total score, with a minimum of 8 in speaking, 7 in reading and listening, 6.5 in writing	C1 or higher
Non-Healthcare	90 total score; with a minimum of 25 speaking, 23 writing, and 21 reading and listening	6.5 total score; with a minimum of 7.5 in speaking, 6 in writing, 6.5 in reading, and listening	B2 or higher

Language Requirement Exceptions

Language skills assessment and other exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis by the admissions committee. Examples of some language requirement exceptions could include:

• If an applicant completed a degree from a postsecondary institution in an English speaking country
• If an applicant attended a U.S. community college, college, or university full-time for at least two years without English of Speakers with Other Languages (ESOL) coursework
• If an applicant has worked full-time in the U.S. for at least two years (non-healthcare programs only)

An official copy of test results must be sent by the testing agency directly to the appropriate program at DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA 18034.

Visit the following websites for up-to-date information:

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Web site at www.ets.org/toefl
• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) https://www.ielts.org/
• The Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE): http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams/proficiency/

*All exams must have been taken within two years of application to a DeSales program

Official Transcripts

All undergraduate and graduate transcripts must be evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) and sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA 18034.

Proof of Finances

A statement of finances that covers the cost of the attendance and living expenses for at least one full year must be submitted to the Director of Graduate Admissions/Designated School Official (DSO) upon acceptance to a graduate program.

Obtaining an F-1 Student Visa

The Director of Graduate Admissions/DSO will advise international applicants and students on the steps to obtain an F-1 Student Visa.

Current F-1 Students Transferring to DeSales

Upon admission to a graduate program, the Director of Graduate Admissions/DSO will provide forms for the student to complete for their current institution, requesting the Form I-20 to be transferred to DeSales.

Maintaining F-1 Student Status

Each F-1 student will meet with the Director of Graduate Admissions/DSO upon acceptance into the program regarding maintaining F-1 student status.

Admission Requirements, Post-MSN Certificates

Requirements for admission to a Post-MSN Certificate program consist of:

1. Meeting all admission requirements to the MSN program.
2. Official documentation of the completion of a MSN or its equivalent from an ACEN or CCNE accredited institution.
3. Minimum of one-year experience as a practicing licensed registered nurse within the past two years.

Applicants who hold a master’s degree in nursing can apply to one of the Post-MSN Certificate programs. Options include Family/Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, Forensic Nursing with Certification in Investigative Forensics, and Nursing Informatics with Certification in Healthcare Information Management. Previous academic education and clinical practice (as applicable) will be used to determine an individual course of study. The completion of required didactic courses and clinical hours will depend upon waived credits and/or clinical hours. Depending upon the number of courses transferred in, the student may complete a Post-MSN Certificate program in one calendar year. Students must satisfy the remaining required credits and course requirements for the Post-MSN Certificate program of study via graduate courses taken at DeSales University. Post-MSN Certificate graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination offered through the ANCC or AANP.

Admission Requirements-Post-certificate MSN completion program for Certified Nurse Midwives, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

Requirements for admission to the MSN completion program consist of:

1. BSN from an ACEN or CCNE accredited program.
2. Meeting all admission requirements to the MSN program.
3. Submitting official documentation of a national midwife, nurse practitioner, or nurse anesthesia certificate.

Up to 26 graduate credits may be transferred to the MSN completion program. The equivalency is calculated from didactic and clinical requirements of the original certificate program. Equivalency is determined on a case-by-case basis, culled from educational experiences in the certificate program only. Continuing education in other forms will not be considered for equivalency credit (e.g. continuing education units or contact hours).

Admission Requirements, MSN/MBA Program

Admission requirements to the MSN/MBA program consist of:

1. Meeting the admissions requirements to the MSN program.
2. Meeting the admissions requirements to the MBA program.
3. Completing the necessary forms for application to both the MSN and MBA programs, forwarding all materials to the Department of Nursing and Health.

MSN Application Procedure

NOTE: All applicants must apply and submit required forms and documentation via NursingCAS (https://portal.nursingcas.org) or via the DeSales on-line application. Further information regarding the application process is available at desales.edu/ msn. To be considered for admission, applicants must submit the following as part of their application:

1. Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended. All transcripts from any degree-granting institution outside the United States must be evaluated by a NACES-approved evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Inc., with the resulting report submitted directly to the Department of Nursing and Health. Visit www.naces.org for more information;
2. International applicants from a country where the official language is other than English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) taken within the past two years. Visit www.ets.org for more information. DeSales University’s institutional reporting code is 2021;
3. Two letters of recommendation: one from a faculty member or direct supervisor from present employment and one from a professional colleague;
4. Current résumé or curriculum vitae; this should reflect all evidence of professional career achievements, publications, presentations, or other forms of professional scholarship;
5. A Personal Statement, in narrative format, 500-750 words in length, demonstrating evidence of solid written communication skills. The Personal Statement should address each of the following: 1.) why you chose your intended MSN track, 2.) how this academic program will help you meet your career goals, 3.) where you see your career 5 years post-graduation, 4.) additional relevant information that may assist the Graduate Admissions and Standards Committee in the review and overall evaluation of the application;
6. Copy of the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) taken within the past five years. GRE/MAT will be waived for applicants with an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Admission process/requirements are rigorous; demonstrating minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the MSN program Select applicants will have an interview with a member of the graduate nursing faculty. The Graduate Admissions and Standards Committee will review and act on all applications. Individuals who are undecided about seeking admission are permitted to enroll as a special student in one graduate level core course without completing all admission requirements. All admission requirements must be completed before enrollment in subsequent courses. All written exception requests submitted to the Director of Graduate Nursing programs will be considered by the Graduate Admissions and Standards Committee.

MSN Re-Application Procedures

A student whose application is not approved by the Graduate Admissions and Standards Committee may reapply to the MSN program. A new application packet must be submitted as outlined in the “Application Procedure”. It is the applicant’s responsibility to include additional elements that may strengthen his/her portfolio. An applicant may elect to take an MSN core course with special student status, in order to demonstrate ability to perform graduate level work. Successful completion of the course does not guarantee future admission to the MSN program.

MSN Transfer Policy

Ordinarily, written approval must be provided by the Director of Graduate Nursing programs before taking and transferring courses from another institution into the MSN program. The MSN program will generally accept up to six (6) transfer credits or two (2) courses into the declared MSN track based upon the following criteria:

1. Course work must have been completed within five (5) years before admission to the MSN program.
2. Courses transferred must be similar in credits, scope and subject matter to courses offered in the MSN program. The student must provide a course syllabus and topical outline for any courses requested for transfer.
3. Only courses from an ACEN or CCNE accredited college or university will be accepted for transfer.
4. Grades for transfer courses must be a B or higher.
5. All transfer credits must be approved by the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs.
6. Transfer credits are not calculated into the cumulative GPA that the student receives while a student at DeSales University.

An exception is made for credit transfer in the post-MSN, and MSN completion options (see specific program policies). All requests for acceptance of transfer of credits must be made through the student’s advisor, and approved by the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs. Official course transcripts must accompany the request for transfer of credit. In addition, a course description and syllabus is required.

MSN Student Categories

Applicants are admitted to the MSN program in one of the following categories:

Full Acceptance

The student has satisfactorily met all admission and application requirements.

Provisional Acceptance

The student may need to fulfill either a single admission requirement or additional requirements set forth by the Graduate Admissions and Standards Committee. The student will be eligible for full acceptance when all requirements have been met. Provisionally accepted MSN students may take one MSN course while on provisional status. The student must gain full acceptance status before taking subsequent MSN courses.

Special Student

The student has not formally applied to the MSN program, and is normally permitted to petition the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs to take one graduate level course as a special student. The completion of this course does not imply or guarantee acceptance into the MSN program.

General MSN Program Policies

These policies are applicable to all students admitted to and enrolled in MSN courses.

Academic Standing

Students must attain a minimum of C+ in all MSN core and MBA foundation courses. These courses include NU 522 , NU 530 , NU 534 , NU 536 , NU 538 , FD 505  , and CR 508  .

Students must attain a minimum grade of B in all clinical, specialty, and advanced core courses. These courses include NU 551 , NU 552 , NU 553 , NU 622 , NU 625 , NU 626 , NU 628 , NU 633 , NU 635 , NU 711 , NU 712 , NU 713 , NU 714 , NU 715 , NU 717 , NU 719 , NU 729 , NU 731 , NU 734 , NU 735 , NU 737 , NU 739 , NU 740 , NU 741 , NU 742 , NU 743 , NU 744 , NU 799 , CR 510 , NU 576 , NU 600 , NU 724 , NU 726 , NU 727 , NU 728 , CJ 510 , CJ 516 , CJ 532 , CJ 533 , CJ 535 , CJ 544 , IT 511 , IT 513 , IT 532 , IT 541 , IT 562 , and IT 580 .

Students in the MSN programs may receive no more than 2 grades at the B- level or below. Course failure is defined as any course grade less than the required minimum course grade, as noted above. Students must attain a grade of PO in any Pass/Fail course. A grade of FO is considered a course failure. Students who do not attain the minimum course grade must repeat the course. A student’s second failure will result in dismissal from the program.

MSN students must also maintain a GPA of 3.0. Students whose GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on Academic Probation. A student may be placed on Academic Probation only once. Academic Probation for a second time results in dismissal from the program. Students who meet the minimum course grade requirements but whose cumulative GPA does not meet the minimum standard of 3.0 will be placed on Academic Probation. Students unable to achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 within six credits, or two courses, following the semester where the minimum cumulative GPA was not achieved, will be dismissed from the program. Students who do not meet the minimum course grade requirements must repeat the course. Students unable to achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 within six credits, or two courses, following the successful completion of the repeated course will be dismissed from the program. Only one course may be repeated due to failure based on the above criteria; failure of a second course will result in dismissal from the program.

Students must pass both the theory and clinical portions in order to pass the course. Failure in either the clinical or theory component results in a failure for the entire course.

Program dismissal may result from a variety of non-academic circumstances, including, but not limited to, scholastic dishonesty, unethical behavior, or non-professional behavior. These circumstances are fully described earlier in the Graduate Catalog and in the MSN Student Handbook.

Requested academic references for students who have been dismissed from the program will only include the dates of attendance.

Remediation Policy

Students who do not progress in a clinical course, whether for didactic or clinical non-progression, and who wish to return the following year to complete the course must develop a Remediation Plan in conjunction with the course faculty and academic advisor. Students are required to self-identify goals for improvement and methods by which those goals will be addressed during their absence from the program. The course faculty will complete the remainder of the plan in conjunction with the student in order to help prepare the student for returning to class and to assure maintenance of skills and knowledge in the intervening period.

Course Enrollment

Students are expected to continuously enroll in courses according to their curriculum plan. Students who have not taken a course within a 12-month period are considered withdrawn from the MSN program: If the student decides in the future to return to complete the MSN degree, he or she will need to reapply to the program. Re-admission is not guaranteed.

Students with an Incomplete on their transcript may not register for another course until the Incomplete is made up and the minimum course grade is achieved.

MSN Clinical Requirements

Students accepted into the MSN program must meet all health, drug, and background clearance checks that are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and by individual clinical agencies. These requirements may change over time. Students are expected to remain in compliance with all of these clearance requirements or risk being unable to practice clinical and progress in the program.

A student who is determined to be a risk to patients, staff, or themselves at any given health care agency will not be allowed to attend clinical at other health care agencies. In this instance, the student may be liable for dismissal from the program. Students may be asked to supply a clinical instructor or course coordinator with a valid note of excuse from a health care provider following an illness or a change in health status. This note must provide a clearance date for a student’s return to class/clinical and outline any medical restrictions the student may be under.

The cost of all health, drug, and criminal clearance requirements is the responsibility of the student. Each year nursing students receive communication from the graduate clinical liaison of the Department of Nursing and Health providing direction for completing all clearance requirements.

Failure to submit and/or satisfactorily complete mandated health, drug, and criminal clearance requirements and/or any other clearances will result in a student not being allowed to attend clinical experiences. Inability to meet clinical requirements will result in course failure.

The following documentation of reasonably good health and disease prophylaxis is to be submitted to the Department of Nursing and Health at least one month before registering for clinical courses.

1. Complete physical examination, including specified laboratory results (form provided by the Department of Nursing and Health).
2. Current immunizations for poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus and pertussis (must be within the last ten years), and diphtheria.
3. Varicella (if unable to provide documentation of having had the disease), mumps, rubella, rubeola, and Hepatitis B antibody titers.
4. Hepatitis B Vaccination (series of three injections).
5. Influenza vaccination.
6. Tuberculosis test.
7. Any additional health, drug, criminal clearance, or certification documentation as set forth by the clinical agency or the Department of Nursing and Health. Clinical agencies retain the right to refuse any student a clinical placement based on results of health, drug, and/or criminal clearances results. This may result in the inability to meet course objectives.

In addition, a current copy of the student’s Pennsylvania registered nurse license, copy of CPR certification, proof of professional liability insurance, proof of medical insurance, proof of automobile insurance, Certified Nationwide Background Check including PA State Police Criminal Record Check, Child Abuse History Clearance, FBI Fingerprint Check, and drug testing clearances (instructions for obtaining/providing appropriate and valid clearance documentation are provided by the Department of Nursing and Health), must be on file in the Department of Nursing and Health. It is the student’s responsibility to submit updated forms and certifications as renewals are received.

Students are expected to notify the graduate clinical liaison of the Department of Nursing and Health immediately of any changes in the following while in the nursing program.

• Health Status
• Certified Nationwide Background Check; Including PA State Police Criminal Record Check
• Child Abuse History Clearance
• FBI Fingerprint Check
• Drug testing status
• Any student enrolled in the nursing program who has criminal charges filed against him/her, or has any type of change in his/her criminal history at any time during the program must immediately disclose the information to the graduate clinical liaison of the Department of Nursing and Health.

Failure to notify the graduate clinical liaison of the Department of Nursing and Health of any changes may result in immediate dismissal from the nursing program. Pending court dates, pending charges, and arrests are considered a change to criminal history.

The Department of Nursing and Health may withdraw an offer of admission or dismiss a student from the nursing programs based on any type of positive background and/or drug clearance results.

MSN Grading Policies

All nursing courses have the following scale:

Grade	Quality Points	Description
A (94 -100) A- (90-93.99)	4 3.7	Indicates mastery of the course content accompanied by evidence of exceptional achievement in critical, independent, and creative thought competently expressed.
B+ (87-89.99) B (83-86.99) B- (80-82.99)	3.3 3 2.7	Indicates a good grasp of the course content accompanied by evidence of marked achievement in critical, independent, and creative thought competently expressed.
C+ (77-79.99)	2.3	Indicates a minimal grasp of the course content accompanied by evidence of minimal achievement in critical, independent, and creative thought competently expressed.
F (≤ 76.99)		Indicates an insufficient grasp of the course content accompanied by evidence of an unacceptably low level of achievement on critical, independent, and creative thought competently expressed.
I		Incomplete. This grade is given only when the student, through no fault of his/her own, is unable to complete course requirements within the regular time. The limit for the makeup of an incomplete grade is six months after the last day of the course. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange completion of course requirements with the instructor.
PO (Pass)		Indicates satisfactory achievement of all course learning outcomes and has achieved expected course competencies.
FO (Fail)		Indicates unsatisfactory achievement of course learning outcomes and expected course competencies.
NG (no grade)	N/A	This grade is assigned when there is no basis for a grade as indicated in the course syllabus.

MSN Program Leave of Absence

Students who have matriculated into the MSN program may request a leave of absence (LOA) for personal, financial, family, or other reasons. A LOA may be granted only once throughout the program, and may not exceed 12 months.

Students requesting a LOA must put their request in writing to the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs.

The request must include the student’s plan for completion of the MSN after the LOA. LOA requests are considered jointly among the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs, the chair of the Department of Nursing and Health, and the student’s advisor. The LOA form can be obtained from the Blackboard Organization “Nursing Department News.”

Students should be aware that there is no guarantee of meeting the original time line for degree completion if a LOA is granted.

Students who do not register for a course by the LOA end date will be considered withdrawn from the program and must reapply for admission.

MSN Course Drop and Add

A student may drop or add a course by the date noted on the academic calendar. The dropped course is not listed on the student’s permanent transcript. Dropping or adding a course requires the approval of the student’s academic advisor and the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs.

MSN Course Withdrawal

A student may withdraw from a course either during or after the official withdrawal period noted on the academic calendar with the permission from the director of the MSN programs. However, tuition is not refunded after the deadline for official withdrawal.

A student who withdraws during the first half of the course will be given a grade of W, WP, or WF. The grade depends upon the completion of course requirements as of the date of withdrawal. Withdrawal after the second half of the course has begun results in a failing grade (F), except in cases exempted by the appropriate admissions and academic policies committee as the result of the student’s appeal.

Withdrawal from a course at any point must be approved by both the student’s academic advisor and the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs. Students who wish to withdraw from a course after the Drop/Add period must complete a Graduate Course Withdrawal form, which can be obtained from the Blackboard Organization “Nursing Department News.” Refer to the “Course Withdrawal Refund Amount” section for information/policy on withdrawal deadlines and tuition refunds.

Course Withdrawal Refund Amount

Withdrawal during the add/drop period: 100% of tuition refunded.

Withdrawal after the 1st class after the close of the add drop period: 80% of tuition refunded.

Withdrawal after the 2nd class after the close of the add drop period: 65% of tuition refunded

Withdrawal after the 3rd class after the close of the add drop period: 50% of tuition refunded

Withdrawal after the 4th class after the close of the add drop period: 25% of tuition refunded

Withdrawal after the 5th class after the close of the add drop period: No refund

Academic Schedule

The MSN programs are designed for nurses wishing to engage in either part-time or full-time study. Scheduling of courses is planned to meet the needs of nurses who are employed fulltime. Courses are offered in three 12-week semester blocks running Fall, Winter, and Spring, and one 6-week block running in the Summer. The MSN program is offered in an online, on-campus, or hybrid format. Online courses use both synchronous and asynchronous technology options. Hybrid classes meet periodically on-site at the Center Valley campus, as arranged by the course faculty before the start of classes, using online learning as enhancement to the classroom experience. Nursing courses are offered primarily 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and are scheduled Monday through Thursday.

The MSN Academic Calendar may be found at www.desales.edu/msn.

The Department of Nursing and Health reserves the right to cancel courses for insufficient enrollment. A minimum number of registrants is generally six students.

Student Status

A full-time student is one who carries at least six (6) credits in a given term. A half-time student is one who carries at least three (3) credits in a given term.

International Student Status

In addition to the criteria described in the Academic Regulations section, an international student (F-1 visa) needs to

• maintain full-time student status,
• carry at least one classroom based course in each semester, and
• take no more than one distance-education (online) course in each semester.

Registration and Advising Policies

Each MSN student is assigned a nursing faculty advisor from the Department of Nursing and Health. Students must confer with their academic advisor immediately upon acceptance into the MSN program and before registering for the first MSN course. The purpose of this initial meeting is to jointly develop a curriculum plan to guide the student’s progress through the program. The curriculum plan includes anticipated dates for taking the required courses and for graduating. Students may not register for a course until the curriculum plan is in place.

The original curriculum plan may be amended, depending upon course availability; however, there is no guarantee that changes will meet the student’s timeline for program completion due to course timing, sequencing, and enrollment. Students who wish to alter a program plan, take a LOA, or change their part-time or full-time student status must petition the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs.

The registration process is conducted online using WebAdvisor (accessible at https://portal.desales.edu). Registration for classes generally begins six to eight weeks before the first class meeting. Students registering for their first course must do so through the Department of Nursing and Health. Courses are to be approved by the student’s academic advisor.

The University reserves the right to limit enrollment or cancel a class if enrollment is not sufficient.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are available at www.desales.edu.

Matriculation

A student is considered matriculated once they have been accepted into the program and have successfully completed their first course.

Graduation Requirements

The MSN degree is awarded to candidates who have satisfied the following requirements: 1. Completion of the approved course of graduate study. 2. A GPA of at least 3.0 for all course work related to the degree. 3. Demonstration of grades at the level of B or better in all clinical and specialty courses. 4. No more than two grades at the “B-” level or below. 5. Submission of all preceptor, site, and self-evaluation forms. 6. Resolution of all Incomplete grades. 7. Resolved financial obligations to the University. 8. Payment of the graduation fee.

MSN Program Structure

The program of study leading to the MSN degree consists of the following components

• Core Courses
• Advanced Core Courses
• Specialty Courses
  Adult CNS
  AGACNP
  FNP
  PMHNP
  Nurse Educator
  MSN/MBA
  Forensic Nursing
  Nursing Informatics
• Clinical Courses
  Adult CNS
  AGACNP
  FNP
  PMHNP
  MSN/MBA
  Forensic Nursing
  Nursing Informatics

Program Requirements

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In accordance with the 2012 Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs, applicants who hold a graduate degree in nursing can apply to the PMHNP Post-MSN Certificate program where previous education and practice (as applicable) will be used to determine an individual course of study. The PMHNP coordinator will complete a Gap Analysis to evaluate prior education and experience in order to determine an individual course of study. The completion of required didactic courses and clinical hours will depend upon waived credits and/or clinical hours. Depending upon the number of courses transferred in, the student may complete the Certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in one year. Students must satisfy the required credit and course requirements for the PMHNP Program of study via graduate courses taken at DeSales University. Post-MSN certificate graduates are eligible to sit for the PMHNP national certification examination offered through the ANCC.

Nurse Scholars

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Academically qualified undergraduate nursing students may be eligible to matriculate directly into one of the MSN programs through the Nurse Scholars program. The Nurse Scholars program is highly accelerated in which five approved graduate level courses may be applied to both the BSN and MSN degrees. These participating students must fulfill all requirements for the BSN degree before obtaining graduate student status.

The Nurse Scholar student may take the following core and advanced core courses: