About Accelerated Nursing Masters Programs

Earning a nursing master's degree opens up opportunities that undergraduate nursing programs do not provide. This includes the ability to become a nurse practitioner, a midwife or specialize in certain nursing practices. A person may also earn an MSN that gives him or her the ability to teach nursing.

General Information

An accelerated master's of science in nursing (MSN) includes a vast amount of options including a choice to earn a BSN to MSN or a specialized master's degree program, such as forensic nursing or neonatal nurse practitioner. You will have to check with the particular school to determine if it has an accelerated MSN program for you. For example, as of 2011, Duquesne University offers three different accelerated programs, while University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing supplies students with 18 different options.

Many master's degree programs are available with a strictly online curriculum, which allows a more flexible schedule. Typically, an accelerated master's of science in nursing program takes three years to complete and requires students to take shorter, more extensive classes and summer classes. The students also have a reduced amount of holiday breaks with these types of programs.

Prerequisites

Prospective students must first complete their bachelor's degrees to be eligible to enter into an MSN program. Most schools require a student maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher for eligibility; this requirement fluctuates based on the school's policies. There is an application process for colleges and universities' MSN programs. This consists of submitting an application, essays, resume, references, GRE scores and completing required classes.