Graduate and Degree Completion Admissions

Graduate Nursing Admission Requirements

The School of Nursing and Health Sciences requires all candidates for master’s degrees and post-master’s certificates to meet educational and experiential requirements that demonstrate the preparation to complete an advanced nursing program.

Applications for candidates that meet the qualifications below must be received by specific deadlines, depending on if you wish to start classes in the fall, spring or summer semesters.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Nursing Degree

  • Candidates for the master of science in nursing (MSN) degree program must hold a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) or bachelor of science (BS) degree with a major in nursing. Candidates for the post-master’s certificate programs must hold a master of science in nursing (MSN) or master of science (MS) degree with a major in nursing
  • Nursing degrees should be from an accredited program (ACEN, NLNAC or CCNE)

Contact the Graduate Admissions Office for more details.

APPLICATION MATERIALS

  1. Official Transcripts from all previous schools should be sent directly to:
    North Park University Admissions
    3225 W. Foster Ave., Box 19
    Chicago, IL 60625

    • North Park Alumni do not need to request transcripts, unless the candidate completed college credits at other schools that were transferred to their BSN or MSN degree.
    • Foreign Transcripts: If you have completed coursework outside of the United States, you must have your foreign transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). A course-by-course evaluation report should be sent to North Park University at the address above.
  2. Resume — Upload an electronic copy of your current resume or curriculum vitae (CV) to your online application.
  3. Personal Statement — Submit an essay (minimum 300 words) that communicates your personal and professional goals in nursing, how earning a graduate education will help you achieve those goals and why you have chosen North Park University to pursue your graduate education.
  4. Recommendations – As part of the application process, you will request recommendations through the same online application system. You will enter the names and email addresses of two (2) individuals in a health professional role who can evaluate your performance as a professional RN – at least one recommendation needs to be from a current or recent nursing supervisor. They will receive a system-generated email with the recommendation request. Recommendations must come from individuals who have current knowledge (last 5 years) of your skills and abilities as an RN. Recommendations are not accepted from family members and/or friends.

Additional Requirements and Admission Criteria

Coursework and GPA

  • You must have completed coursework in statistics, nursing research, and health assessment as part of your undergraduate nursing degree.
  • In general, all candidates for the MSN degree program must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in their undergraduate degree.
    • For merit-based scholarships, you need to have minimum 3.3 true cumulative GPA for a complete BSN degree, which will be calculated based on all credits transferred to and earned from the final degree-granting school.
  • Applicants to the post-master’s certificate programs must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in their master’s degree.
  • All candidates for graduate and post-graduate nursing programs need a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in undergraduate science courses.

Professional Nursing Experience — Prior to the first practicum in the program, the school will verify that candidates have a minimum of two years’ work experience as an RN. Specialization courses and practicum usually start in the second year of the program or later.

Interview — You may be asked to complete an interview with the graduate admissions committee prior to admission. This committee includes admissions representatives and members of the School of Nursing faculty.

Liability Insurance — You will be required to provide proof of liability insurance coverage prior to beginning any clinical courses in your program at North Park.

Licensure requirement — Currently, hold an unencumbered RN License in the State of Illinois. For any questions, please contact Dr. Mary Shehan.

International Applicants

Due to state licensing requirements and federal restrictions that prevent international students (F1 Visa-holders) from working at clinical sites, the School of Nursing and Health Sciences is currently not accepting applications to graduate and postgraduate programs from international students.

Learn More About Nursing Education in Illinois

For detailed information on state-approved nursing education programs at all levels, visit the Illinois Center for Nursing. Here, you will also find detailed information on licensing and certification requirements for all levels of nursing.