Admissions
How do I apply for the DNP in Nurse Anesthesiology?
Applications are available each year between April 1 and June 1.
Admission criteria:
- Submit a university application and a curriculum vitae or resume. Click “Start a graduate application” to apply.
- Hold a bachelor’s in nursing from an accredited college or university.
- Possess a current unrestricted license to practice nursing as a registered nurse in the applicant’s state. For those applicants practicing in Michigan, a current registered nurse Michigan license is required. Applicants to the Nurse Anesthesiology programs who hold registered nurse licensure from other states or countries may be admitted provisionally with the requirement that the United States and Michigan registered nurse license must be obtained prior to progression to clinical courses.
- Current American Heart Association certifications in BLS, ACLS, and PALS.
- A minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) for total credits completed during the second half of the four-year baccalaureate nursing program.
- One year of current full-time clinical experience or equivalent as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit is required for the Nurse Anesthesia concentration, completed by the application deadline.
- Submit CCRN (or the specialty equivalent) test scores.
- Complete a 3-credit statistics course, undergraduate (minimum grade 2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or graduate (minimum grade 3.0), within five years of intended program start date (not the application submission date or due date).
- Submit a written essay. This essay should address the applicant’s career goals and motivations for graduate study in the selected area of specialty nursing practice.
- Submit three letters of recommendation. The reference letters must be from a source that has direct knowledge of the applicant’s work and educational experience specifying the applicant’s ability to do graduate work.
- Complete an admission interview with the College of Nursing faculty.
- Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). For the paper-based test (PBT), a minimum average score of 550 is required, with no sub-score below 52. For the internet-based test (iBT), applicants must achieve a minimum average score of 80, with no sub-scores below 19 in reading, listening, and speaking, and no writing sub-score below 22. All test scores must be sent directly to the Michigan State University Office of Admissions by the testing agency.
MSN to DNP admission criteria:
Admission to the post-master's Doctor of Nursing Practice degree is limited to advanced practice registered nurses with a master’s degree from a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education- or National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission-accredited program and who have current national certification in their specialty. To see the admissions requirements for the Post-Master's DNP program, visit Post-Master's DNP.
Critical care experience form:
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Applicants are required to submit a Critical Care Experience Form to verify experience in an intensive care unit.
- All forms must be received by the final application deadline on June 1.
- Applicants are responsible for uploading the completed validation form directly to the application or submitting to the Office of Student Affairs.
Out-of-State Applicants:
Students who reside outside the state of Michigan who are considering an online nursing program should contact the appropriate board in their state of residency to confirm whether the course or program meets requirements for professional licensure in the student’s state of residence prior to beginning a course of study. MSU has an up-to-date, state-by-state summary available online.