Admissions - College of Nursing - Michigan State University

Admissions Criteria
In addition to meeting the requirements of the University as described in the Graduate Education section of the academic programs catalog, students must meet the requirements specified below:

• Submission of the online Graduate Certificate Program Application.
• Completion of a master’s degree in nursing from a National League for Nursing (NLN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited program. A clinical focus is preferred.
• Current licensure to practice aas a Registered Nurse in the applicant’s state or country without restrictions.
• A minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) for total credits completed during their Master of Science in Nursing program.
• One year of clinical practice as a Registered Nurse in the United States prior to the start of the program.
• Submit an essay to the College of Nursing stating plans for post-graduate study including professional career goals.
• Personal interview with College of Nursing faculty.
• If the applicant’s native language is not English, the applicant must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a total score of 580 (paper version) or 21 (computer version). Equivalent scores on the English Language Center Test may be submitted.
• Three references from academic or employment sources.

No provisional admission will be allowed. An applicant must meet all of the requirements for admission upon acceptance. Although students may meet all admission requirements, they may be denied admission solely based on space availability in the program.

Application Cycle and Review

• Application deadlines:
  October 15 (early decision) and
  March 1 (final decision)

• The Post Masters Clinical Nurse Specialist Program enrolls for a fall semester start each year. Admission applications are available in September for the following fall.
• Applications received after March 1 will be considered if space is available.

Select Major Code 4026 for Post Master’s Certificate for Clinical Nurse Specialist.