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The RN to MSN (Second Degree) option is an alternate pathway into the existing Master’s in Nursing (MSN) degree program for applicants who have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing, who are currently licensed registered nurses, and who seek MSN preparation.

  • Students are enrolled in the MSN Program, and upon completion will be awarded the MSN degree.
  • Students are not awarded a BSN degree.

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Program Information

  • RN to MSN Admission Requirements

    Prospective Students Must Meet the Following Requirements for Admission:

    • Hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing from a regionally accredited college/university along with a minimum of Associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) from a regionally accredited institution.
    • Possess an unencumbered/unrestricted license to practice as a registered nurse in the state where you plan to conduct your clinical practicum.
    • Cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or on the last 60 semester hours.
    • Students with a GPA less than 3.2 are required to complete and submit scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or GMAT; only scores completed within the past 5 years are accepted. Minimum required scores are a combined score of 297 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE or score of 480 on the GMAT. Applicants who have successfully completed a graduate degree from a regionally accredited academic institution may receive a waiver for this requirement if they achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their previous graduate degree program. The following individuals are not eligible for the GRE waiver process: International applicants, non-native English speaking applicants, and Dual degree seeking applicants (e.g., MSN/MPH). For more information on the Test Score Waiver process click here.
    • Submit three letters of professional reference attesting to the applicant’s potential for graduate study.
    • Applicants should submit an official transcript from every college or university they have ever attended (even if for only one semester). Transcripts may be emailed electronically by the issuing institution to the UAB Graduate School at gradschool@uab.edu or mailed to:
      • UAB Graduate School
        LHL G03
        1720 2nd Ave. S.
        Birmingham, AL 35294-0013
  • RN to MSN Prerequisites

    Applicants to the RN to MSN Pathway must have successfully completed prerequisite course requirements listed below with a grade of “C” or above prior to matriculation into the pathway.

    Course #Course TitleCredit Hours
    BY 115Human Anatomy4
    BY 116Human Physiology4
    MA 180Descriptive Statistics3
    BY 261Microbiology4
    Total15
  • RN to MSN Bridge Courses

    Students admitted to the RN to MSN Pathway are required to complete three courses designed to “bridge” the upper division level undergraduate nursing courses.

    Course #Course TitleCredit Hours
    NRN 501QProfessional Nursing Concepts for RNs4
    NRN 508QPopulation Health for RNs4
    NRN 503QLeadership Development3
    Total11
  • Selection of an MSN Pathway

    Students admitted to the RN to MSN Pathway will select a specialty area from one of two different MSN Pathways:

  • Application for Admission/Application Deadlines

    Application Deadlines

    For MSN-Nurse Practitioner deadlines click here
    For MSN-Nursing Leadership deadlines click here
  • Funding Your Education

    UAB Financial Aid and Scholarships

    Information on Financial Aid, University Scholarships and other funding opportunities is available at:

    UAB School of Nursing Scholarships

    • The School of Nursing at UAB has an excellent scholarship program that provides financial support to Alabama’s best and brightest nursing students.
    • Currently, the School’s scholarship portfolio consists of 76 endowed scholarships and 3 active sponsored scholarships.
    • The school currently has an $10.1 million endowed fund that supports nursing scholarships annually.
    • Scholarships are awarded twice a year – spring and fall semesters. The scholarship application process is simple. One application is needed to be considered for all undergraduate or graduate scholarships.
    • Application and additional information can be found at https://www.uab.edu/nursing/home/scholarships-financial-aid

    For Information about School of Nursing Scholarships, Contact:

    Photo of Stephanie Hamberger
    Stephanie Hamberger, MPA
    Director of Student Engagement, Recruitment and Scholarships
    205.934.5483
  • Information for International Students

    NOTE: Prospective International students must first contact UAB International Admissions to determine eligibility to study in the U.S. and/or submit an application for admission to UAB.

    UAB International Admissions
    Email: IntlAdmin@uab.edu
    Phone: 205.934.4686
    Fax: 205.934.8664

    The table below provides information on eligibility requirements for the MSN Program.

     MSN
    F1 or J1 Visa AcceptableNot eligible for this program
    College Degree (BSN Equivalent)Required
    Foreign Transcripts EvaluatedRequired
    English ProficiencyRequired
    Graduate Record Exam (GRE)Required
    Licensure as a Registered Nurse in the U.S.Required

    Application Requirements

    • Prospective students must have a bachelors degree in nursing equivalent to that offered by a U.S. regionally accredited educational institution.
    • For Graduate Clinical Programs such as the Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program, prospective students must also be licensed as a registered nurse in the U.S., in the state in which they will reside while completing the program.
    • International applicants must, as part of their application, provide a detailed course by course evaluation of their academic transcripts and verification of their academic credentials. Students may use one of the following firms for transcript evaluation; a report of the evaluation must be submitted directly to the UAB School of Nursing prior to admission decisions.
      • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
        P.O. Box 514070
        Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 USA
        Website: www.ece.org
      • World Education Services
        Bowling Green Station
        P.O. Box 5087
        New York, NY 10274-5087 USA
        Website: www.wes.org
    • Applicants must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on prior college/university course work.
    • Applicants must complete and submit their scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as part of the application process. If the GRE was completed prior to application, only scores completed within the previous 5 years are accepted.
    • Completion of a formal admission interview.
    • Meet English language requirements. Students must submit scores on Tests of English Language (TOEFL or IELTS) and achieve the following minimum scores:
      • TOEFL iBT 80 and minimum of 18 in each of the 4 test sections, or
      • IELTS 6.5 and minimum of 6.0 in at least 2 of the 4 test sections.

Contact

Charlene Bender

Charlene Bender

MPH

MSN Program Manager
Office of Student Success

205.975.7529

Kelley Borella

Kelley Borella

DNP, CRNP, WHNP‐BC

Director, Nurse Practitioner Pathway – MSN

205.975.9035