Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Master of Science in Nursing

MSN Program Overview

Application Deadline: November 1 for fall admission    
Application Available: September 1    
Program Start: Fall, once a year only    
Length of Program: 2 years full-time    
Degree Awarded: Master of Science in Nursing    
Part-Time Study Available? YES    
Distance Learning Available? Not at this time

Rankings

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Ranked #8 among public schools and #14 among all schools in Best Nursing Schools: Master's Programs

(U.S. News & World Report 2024)

Best Rankings TFE Times

Ranked #9 among public schools and #18 among all schools in Best Master’s of Nursing Programs

(TFE Times 2024)

About the MSN

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program is designed to provide the opportunity for advanced study in select areas of nursing science, professional foundations, related sciences, and modes of systematic inquiry related to advanced and specialized professional nursing practice. This program requires students to have a current Registered Nurse license and hold either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, or a non-nursing baccalaureate degree and an Associate Degree in Nursing or Nursing Diploma. If you do not meet this requirement, please review the Alternate Entry MSN program information.

MSN Concentration Areas (MSN students can choose from one of the following concentration areas on which to focus):

Adult - Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AG CNS)

The Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist includes perspectives of both health-restoration and health-promotion, while developing skills in case management. This concentration area focuses on physiological and psychosocial theories, concepts, and research underlying self-care and growth needs of individuals. Other commonly emphasized themes include: holism of clients, family relationships, environmental influences, conceptual thinking, and independent nursing actions. Faculty assist students in individualizing their education by facilitating work in hospital or non-hospital clinical areas in the specialization courses. Practicum experiences provide opportunities for testing new approaches and developing advanced skills.

Graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for recognition as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. The curriculum also includes coursework required by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners (TxBON) to be qualified as an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). Additional requirements and experience for APN status are available from the TxBON.

Degree Plans

Clinical Nurse Specialist: Visit NACNS: CNS Institute to learn more about the role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist.

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

The Family Nurse Practitioner concentration is a 48-credit hour program that combines skills in primary care with community assessment, intervention, and management skills of community health nursing. It emphasizes health promotion, disease prevention, and the management of common acute and chronic illness across the lifespan. Students complete 645 hours of supervised clinical practice with nurse practitioners and primary care physicians and is tailored to the individual student's goals and program objectives.

Graduates are eligible to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) exam and American Academy for Nurse Practitioner (AANP) certification examinations for the family nurse practitioner. The program meets the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty's curriculum guidelines. The curriculum also includes coursework required by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) to be qualified as an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). Additional requirements and experiences for APN status are available from the BON.

Applicants to the Family Nurse Practitioner program must be graduates of either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree or a non-nursing baccalaureate degree and an Associate Degree in Nursing or Nursing Diploma and have at least two years of full-time clinical experience as a registered nurse by the first date of program enrollment..

Degree Plans

Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PCPNP)

The Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PC PNP) focuses on delivering primary care to children, from newborns to young adults. The educational experiences are led by doctoral prepared nurse faculty through classroom and clinical courses with an emphasis on growth and development, health promotion, disease prevention, mental health, and the management of common illnesses in children/adolescents. Nurse practitioner skills are combined with evidence-based research and interprofessional collaboration to foster patient and family-centered care. The graduate is prepared to assume leadership positions and advocate for policy that improves health outcomes of children and families as well as support the nursing profession.

Graduates are eligible to take the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) national certification examination for PC PNP and the mental health specialist certification (PMHS). The curriculum includes coursework required by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) to be qualified as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN).

Applicants to the Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program must be graduates of either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, or a non-nursing baccalaureate degree and an Associate Degree in Nursing or Nursing Diploma. One year of full-time Registered Nurse experience with children/adolescents within the last five years is recommended.

Degree Plans

Psych/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program (PMHNP)

The PMHNP concentration is a 49-credit hour program that prepares graduates to provide primary psychiatric-mental health care at an advanced level to individuals of all ages and their families. Graduates will be prepared to assume responsibilities including differential diagnosis and management of psychiatric and mental health disorders through medication management and psychotherapeutic interventions including individual, group and family therapies. Graduates will also engage in health promotion and illness prevention strategies with their population. Graduates will participate in and utilize research to improve patient care and patient care systems. Graduates are prepared to work in both inpatient and community based psychiatric/mental health settings and may work in a variety of health care settings providing psychiatric-mental health care and consultation.

Graduates are eligible to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification examinations for the family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. The program meets the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty's curriculum guidelines. The curriculum also includes coursework required by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) to be qualified as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). Additional requirements and experiences for APN status and and prescriptive authority are available from the BON.

Degree Plans

Leadership in Diverse Settings (LeaDS)

The Leadership in Diverse Settings (LeaDS) program is a master's level curriculum created to address the need for nurses to take on leadership roles in various healthcare environments. The aim of the LeaDS program is to equip graduates with a comprehensive set of skills to lead in patient-centered healthcare, community, and educational settings. Graduates of the LeaDS program will be prepared to drive change in complex and dynamic environments. The program offers courses and guided experiences to develop leaders with the following competencies:

  • Advanced Clinical Practice Skills
  • Advocacy for Diverse and Underserved Populations
  • Resource Stewardship
  • Effective Communication, Collaboration, and Negotiation
  • Commitment to Mentoring and Developing Others
  • Organizational Change Management
  • Project Management
  • Visionary Leadership for the Future of Healthcare and Nursing Education
  • Completion of an Evidenced-Based Practice (EBP) or Quality Improvement (QI)
  • Capstone project

Degree Plans

Advanced Practice Nursing (APN): Visit Advance Practice Nursing to learn about APN programs.

Aging & Health Portfolio: Visit College of Liberal Arts: Texas Aging & Longevity Center to learn about Aging & Health Portfolio.

MSN Resources

MSN Objectives
  1. Accept responsibility and accountability for the ethical practice of nursing at an advanced level.
  2. Critically apply theoretical perspectives, teaching/learning principles, and evidence-based knowledge from nursing and related sciences to professional nursing practice across healthcare environments.
  3. Systematically and comprehensively investigate complex issues encountered in nursing practice to promote optimal health outcomes for individuals, families, communities, populations, and systems.
  4. Advocate for patients, families, caregivers and communities to access healthcare services and to preserve and promote health.
  5. Lead initiatives that contribute to the delivery of safe, high quality, person-centered health care with considerations for social, ethical, legal, economic, environmental, epidemiological, systems and policy issues.
  6. Use advanced communications skills to facilitate stakeholder collaboration to optimize health and healthcare delivery.
  7. Use relevant information, technologies, and communications and informatic processes that informs advanced nursing practice to improve healthcare outcomes for individuals, families, communities, populations, and systems.
  8. Practice in an advanced nursing specialty (e.g., leadership) or advanced practice nursing role.
  9. Engage in self-reflection and personal development activities that contribute to life-long learning, leadership development and resilience.
Admission Requirements

All students interested in applying for graduate study in Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin must meet the admission requirements established by the University’s Graduate School and the School of Nursing. Applicants are expected to be graduates of accredited colleges or universities. Below are the minimum requirements for admission.

  1. Degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree OR Associate Degree in Nursing or Nursing Diploma AND a non-nursing bachelor’s degree (BS/BA)
  2. GPA: 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or comparable GPA in upper-division work (junior- and senior- level courses) and in any graduate work completed
  3. Recommendations: 3 required
  4. Statement of Purpose
  5. Curriculum Vitae/resume
  6. Nursing License: Current Texas RN licensure or a license from "Nurse Licensure Compact" state, if admitted.
  7. RN Experience: Applicants to the FNP program must have two-years full-time RN experience by the first day of enrollment.
Application Procedures

All students applying for formal admission to the Master’s and PhD programs must complete the online application and submit the following application materials by the November 1 deadline.

Application for Admission

Complete online application using the Graduate School Application for Admission and pay the application fee. Select program start date fall 2025. The application is only open between September 1st and November 1st. The online application is data entry only. All supporting application documents are uploaded on the My Status page, approximately 72 hours after the application is submitted and paid.

*Recommendation: Complete the online application, at minimum, 2 weeks before the November 1 deadline, ensuring all documents are provided by the application deadline.

Supporting Documents

  1. Official transcripts dated one year or less, from all four-year institutions attended.
  2. Official transcripts dated one year or less, for Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN), if applicable. 
    1. See MSN Application Checklist (PDF) for transcript upload procedures.
  3. Curriculum Vitae/resume.
  4. Personal Statement: Maximum two (2) pages. Readable font, 12-point, double spaced, 1-inch margins
  5. Recommendations: 3 required / 3 maximum
    1. Using our secure, personalized form, three (3) professional recommendations that attest to the applicant's academic ability, professional competency and personal character must be submitted electronically by each recommender. 
    2. Written recommendations are not accepted.
  6. Official TOEFL or IELTS scores taken within the past two years (for International Applicants only). 
    1. See the International Students webpage for English language requirements.

Visit the Graduate Admissions webpage for additional information.

For additional details on how to prepare your graduate application materials and personal statement instructions, please view MSN Application Checklist (PDF).

All materials are to be submitted electronically to the My Status Check which is a available approximately 72 hours after completion of the Graduate School Application for Admission.

Acceptance to Graduate Programs in Nursing

The School of Nursing Graduate Admissions and Progression Committee (GAPC) begin preliminary admission reviews after the November 1st deadline. All application materials are required to be submitted by the program’s application deadline; files that remain incomplete will not be reviewed or acted upon by GAPC.

If admitted, applicants will be notified of the admission decision by early March. Decisions are communicated in the following ways:

  1. Offers of admission are sent via email by the School of Nursing.
  2. Official e-letters from the Graduate and International Admission Center notifying you of the admission decision of the Office of Graduate Studies are available on the application Status Check page.

Acceptance by both the School of Nursing and the Office of Graduate Studies are necessary before enrollment is permitted. Please be aware, if admitted, completion of all compliance requirements are required at least one month prior to the first day of class.

NOTE: Email is the official means of communication for all university business.

If not admitted, applicants will be notified by the GIAC only.

Please feel free to email Graduate Student Services Office if you have questions about the admission process.

Forms/Documents

All files are in PDF format.