Direct Entry - Master of Science in Nursing

Direct Entry - Master of Science in Nursing
Cost Per Credit
825
Start Date
Apply today and start as soon as August 24, 2026!
Scholarship
$1000s in scholarships exclusively for adult and post-traditional learners.
Learn how you can qualify...
Virtual
Tour
Your path Into a nursing career
No matter your current career path, you can become a Registered Nurse. The world needs more nurses. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the U.S. alone, demand for RNs is projected to grow by 5-6% from 2022–2034, faster than the average for all occupations. Can we count on you?
Virtual Tour
Program Overview
Our Direct Entry MSN is designed for individuals with a bachelor’s degree in any field who feel called to change careers and make an impact. No prior nursing experience required
(prerequisite coursework may apply)
A supportive path into nursing
At Concordia University, you’ll join a Christ-centered community that nurtures both your personal and professional growth. Our Direct Entry MSN is designed to guide career changers into nursing with confidence-combining advanced theory, hands-on labs, and supervised clinical rotations.
You’ll graduate prepared to:
Sit for the NCLEX-RN and become a licensed registered nurse
Enter the workforce practice-ready with real-world experience
Lead with purpose as a nurse who integrates skill, compassion, and faith
Career outcomes
With your MSN and RN licensure, you’ll be ready for a career that’s both stable and meaningful. Potential roles include:
Staff Nurse
Clinical Instructor
Unit Supervisor
Charge Nurse
Average RN salaries in US exceed $81,000, with strong growth opportunities nationwide.
What to Expect
Learn the foundations of nursing:
Start with a strong base in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and nursing fundamentals through engaging online coursework led by expert faculty.
Master essential clinical skills:
Practice in Concordia’s simulation labs, where you’ll develop confidence in a safe, supportive environment before working with patients.
Experience real-world nursing:
Step into supervised clinical rotations alongside licensed RNs—providing care, practicing assessments, and learning the daily rhythms of the nursing profession.
Grow in community and purpose:
Join a Christ-centered community of peers, mentors, and faculty who are committed to your personal and professional growth. You won’t just earn a degree—you’ll discover your calling to serve.
Hands-On Training:
Clinicals are the bridge from classroom to career. Like an internship or apprenticeship, you’ll deliver care to real patients under the guidance of experienced RNs.
A seamless transition
At Concordia, we make this transition seamless:
We secure your placements – Our School of Nursing arranges clinical sites so you can focus on learning.
Learn by doing – Apply classroom concepts in authentic healthcare settings.
Gain real-world experience – Clinical shifts of up to 12 hours help you build confidence,
resilience, and readiness for the demands of nursing practice.
Grow with support – Licensed RNs coach you in assessment, care coordination, patient advocacy, and more.
By the time you graduate, you’ll be fully prepared—academically, clinically, and spiritually—to step into the workforce as a practice-ready registered nurse.
Virtual learning, in-person practice
Coursework is online, complemented by hands-on clinical experiences at nearby healthcare facilities, as well as simulation and practical training on campus at CUW (Mequon, WI) or CUAA (Ann Arbor, MI).
Exterior photo of the CUW campus main entrance.
Exterior photo of the CUAA campus main entrance.
Latest News
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Related Programs
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Advance your calling to care for adults and older adults with expertise, compassion, and purpose.
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Prepare to care for patients of all ages—rooted in faith, excellence, and compassion.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing: RN to BSN Completion Program for Registered Nurses
Earn your bachelor's in nursing with our RN to BSN online nursing program. Our accelerated nursing courses let you complete your BSN online in as little as 18 months.
Requirements
Whether you’re pivoting from a different career, rediscovering your purpose, or simply ready for a new challenge, Concordia provides a clear, supportive path to becoming a Registered Nurse.
Career changers welcome:
no prior nursing experience required.
Any bachelor’s degree accepted:
bring your existing degree, no matter the discipline, with a minimum 2.75 GPA or better.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA):
certification or proof of completion (examination not required but recommended) - Current unencumbered EMT certification or current unencumbered LPN licensure may be considered as equivalent to CNA.
Prerequisite courses required within 7 years:
this set of science and health prerequisites ensures you’re fully prepared to succeed:
A&P I*
A&P II*
Chemistry*
Microbiology*
Developmental Psychology
Statistics
*Lecture and Labs must be taken within the last 7 years with an award of B grade or better.
In-person learning:
Students must be able to attend clinicals and on-campus lab experiences at either the CUW or CUAA campus.
Admission process
Submit an online application:
www.cuw.edu/apply
(select the Graduate option)
All students applying for admission to the program must submit:
Resume with educational and professional experience
All official transcripts from all schools previously attended
Personal Statement / essay - should include responses to each of the following statements/questions. This short essay should be an example of student’s best writing for the admission review committee’s consideration. Each touch point should not exceed 350 words.
Describe why you are choosing a career in nursing.
Concordia University is Christ-centered, valuing truth and integrity, excellence, and service. How does this fit with your values and beliefs?
In reflection on your qualifications as a candidate for our direct-entry Masters of Science in nursing graduate nursing program, describe how you will manage your time and financial responsibilities to be successful.
Brief video introduction recorded and submitted through your application
Provide a copy of your government-issued identification
The following items are required upon acceptance, prior to the cohort orientation. If already completed, please provide the documents during the application process:
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification or proof of completion
(examination not required but recommended)
Current unencumbered EMT certification or current unencumbered LPN licensure may be considered as equivalent to CNA
American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Professionals (BLS-HCP) certification
In addition to the Graduate Admission Requirements, there may be a pre-admission telephone interview.
The admission committee will review applications and a formal letter/email of acceptance or denial will be sent to the student.
Please note:
in clinical experiences, students are required to work in healthcare systems or clinics, and must comply with any vaccination requirements of the clinical sites.
For additional information, please contact the Graduate Admission Office at
graduate.admission@cuw.edu
or
262-243-4300
The University reserves the right to delay or cancel the matriculation of cohorts, classes, or programs. Decisions regarding program matriculation are made by the University. Candidates for enrollment in accredited healthcare programs should contact the program director for detailed information and refer to their acceptance letter for any updates about delays or cancellations. Once a student is matriculated into an accredited program, the University is committed to completing the program.
Mission Statement
At Concordia, you don’t just graduate as a nurse—you graduate as a Concordia nurse. Rooted in Christian faith, our education empowers nurses to inspire hope, touch lives, and transform healthcare through compassion, integrity, and unwavering excellence.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program in nursing at Concordia University Wisconsin is accredited by the
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
John L. Dyson
PhD, RN
Coordinator - Accelerated BSN Program, Associate Professor
John L. Dyson
PhD, RN
Coordinator - Accelerated BSN Program, Associate Professor
Office: Rincker Hall HS101-M
Phone:
(262) 243-4208
Bio
I have been at Concordia since 2009, joining the faculty full-time in 2011 after five years at UW Milwaukee, and some adjunct teaching at Moraine Park technical College.
I have worked as a staff RN, Charge Nurse, and Patient Care Coordinator in an acute medical-surgical setting, and as a staff RN in long-term care. I have previously, and again most recently, worked in home health care.
I completed an ADN at Milwaukee Area Technical College, my RN to BSN degree at Concordia University Wisconsin, my Master’s of Science in Nursing Degree (MSN) at Alverno College in Milwaukee, and my PhD in education and curriculum development and assessment at Northcentral University in Arizona.
My philosophy is that no student should fail, as long as they are putting the effort into the class work. I enjoy a one-to-one approach in the classroom, and have found positive ways to achieve this in the on-line learning environment too.
Education
Ph D - Education- Curriculum Development and Assessment- Nursing focused, Northcentral University (2016)
Contributions
Lueders Bolwerk, C., Dyson, J., Jobe, B. & Thompson, W. (2022). In Jamie Spikes (Ed.), (1 ed., vol. 4, pp. 4). Parish Nursing Notes.
Research Interests
Spirituality of Nursing Students
The Anxiety Levels of Gen Z Students
Teaching Interests
Research, Information Literacy, informatics, gerontological nursing, pharmacology
Genetics/Genomics
Dawn R. Kuerschner
Ph.D., APN-BC, CNE
Department Chair - Interim - Traditional Undergraduate Nursing CUAA, Associate Professor
Dawn R. Kuerschner
Ph.D., APN-BC, CNE
Department Chair - Interim - Traditional Undergraduate Nursing CUAA, Associate Professor
Office: Rincker Hall 110G
Phone:
(262) 243-4452
Education
Ph D - Professional Studies, Capella University (2014)
MSN - Nurse Practitioner, Rush University (1997)
BSN - Nursing, Elmhurst College (1981)
Presentations
Krell, J. & Kuerschner, D. (2023).
Summer Camp: Bridging the next generation with health care professionals.
Poster. Reaching, Teaching, & Launching Nurses into Practice. Bellin College.
Research Interests
Student Retention
The Skill of Observation
Teaching Interests
Medical Surgical Nursing
Pediatric Nursing
Julie Parve
DNP, FNP-BC, APNP, RN
Director - Graduate Nursing, Associate Professor
Julie Parve
DNP, FNP-BC, APNP, RN
Director - Graduate Nursing, Associate Professor
Office: Rincker Hall R110E
Phone:
(262) 243-2051
Bio
Julie Parve teaches Advanced Practice Nursing III, Global Perspectives and a clinical course in the BSN-DNP program to Advanced Nursing students. She is also the Director of Graduate Nursing. Her research focuses on refugee health as well as the impact of cross-cultural immersion experiences on college students as well as pharmacogenetics in treatment of patients with chronic pain. She is the author of one book and several clinical practice articles.
Education
DNP - CUW-Mequon (2009)
MS - FNP, CUW-Mequon (2003)
BSN - Nursing, Marian University (2001)
Research Interests
Interactive online education
Cross-cultural immersion for students
Teaching Interests
Global Health
Diagnosis and treatment of chronic and acute health conditions
Anita M. Simmons
MSN, RN
Coordinator - Simulation Program Designer and Interprofessional Education, Clinical Instructor
Anita M. Simmons
MSN, RN
Coordinator - Simulation Program Designer and Interprofessional Education, Clinical Instructor
Office: Ann Arbor North Building 204
Phone:
(734) 995-7300
Bio
Anita has been a registered nurse over 20 years, with over half of that time focusing on nursing education in some form, primarily in the clinical , lab, and simulation settings.
Education
MSN - nursing education, Lourdes University (2015)
BSN - Nursing, Anderson University (1996)
Research Interests
Teaching through simulation
Inter-professional education
Teaching Interests
Nursing simulation
Inter-professional education
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Graduate admission counselors
are ready to work with you! Fill out the form below,
call
262-243-4300
, or email
admission@cuw.edu
if you have any questions.
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22-Month Plan
Semester 1
Hours
NURS 5036
Pathophysiology for Nursing
NURS 5042
Pharmacology for Nursing
NURS 5010
Essential Foundations for Professional Nursing
NURS 5038
Health Assessment for Professional Nursing
Total Semester Credits
12
Semester 2
Hours
NURS 5620
Chronic Health Care Conditions Theory
NURS 5622
Chronic Health Care Conditions Clinical
NURS 5040
Evidence Based Nursing Practice
NURS 6036
Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan
Total Semester Credits
11
Semester 3
Hours
NURS 6630
Population & Community Health Nursing Theory
NURS 6632
Population & Community Health Nursing Clinical
NURS 6610
Mental Health Nursing
NURS 6640
Acute Health Care Conditions Theory
NURS 6642
Acute Health Care Conditions Clinical
NURS 5060
Fundamentals of Health Care Informatics
Total Semester Credits
13
Semester 4
Hours
NURS 7610
Complex &Transitional Care Theory
NURS 7612
Complex & Transitional Care Clinical
NURS 7620
Nursing Care of the Childbearing Woman, Infant & Child Theory
NURS 7622
Nursing Care of the Childbearing Woman, Infant & Child Clinical
NURS 6038
Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan
Total Semester Credits
13
Semester 5
Hours
NURS 5030
Healthcare Policy & Issues in Advanced Nursing
NURS 6042
Pharmacotherapeutics
NURS 5034
Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Roles & Interprofessional Collaboration
NURS 7640
Integrating Professional Nursing Care & Leadership Theory
NURS 7642
Integrating Professional Nursing Care & Leadership Clinical
NURS 7680
Preparation for Professional Nursing Licensure
Total Semester Credits
15
Total Credits
64
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