Admission Criteria

To enter the program leading to the Master of Science in Nursing Degree, the student must meet the requirements established for all graduate degree programs at Albany State University. The applicant interested in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program must meet specific criteria in addition to Graduate Nursing Program criteria. For regular Admissions to the Graduate Program, the applicant should:

1. Possess a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing from an NLN-accredited program.

2. Have a grade-point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or 2.00 on a 3.00 scale.

3. Have evidence of current Professional Nurse License in Georgia prior to entering the functional track.

4. Arrange for a personal interview with the Coordinator of the Graduate Nursing Program.

5. Have a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score of 800 or better or a Miller's Analogies Test (MAT) score of 44 or better.

6. Submit two references regarding professional accomplishments and academic potential.

7. Submit copy of malpractice insurance.

8. Have current CPR certification.

9. Complete the following prerequisites: Health Assessment, Statistics, Pathophysiology and Nursing Research.

Admissions Status

There are three types of Admissions for students interested in pursuing the Master of Science in Nursing degree: regular, provisional and non-degree.

Regular Admissions

The student has met all Admissions requirements and is admitted to the graduate Nursing program with full graduate status.

Provisional Admissions

The applicant who does not meet in full the requirements for regular Admissions may be referred to the Graduate Admissions committee in Nursing for recommendations pertaining to acceptance. In some instances, the applicant may be required to fulfill prerequisites designated by the committee. By meeting Admissions criteria  1, 4, 5 and 8, the student has been accepted for Admissions but has not met all other Admissions criteria.

Once an applicant is admitted to the program, certain conditions must be met before achieving regular graduate status. These conditions are discussed with the student during an Admissions interview with the Coordinator of the Graduate Nursing Program. No more than nine (9) semester hours of graduate courses may be completed in this category. The applicant admitted in this category is required to maintain a 3.00 GPA  in the first nine hours of graduate courses prior to changing to regular Admissions status. The student who does not maintain 3.00 GPA will be asked to withdraw from the program. No more than nine semester hours of graduate courses taken while in this category can be credited toward degree requirements at a later date.

Non-Degree Admissions

Where deficiencies exist, the applicant may be admitted as a non-degree student on the condition that specific make-up undergraduate courses are completed before qualifying for regular Admissions. The student with less than a 2.2 cumulative GPA will not be considered for this category. All conditions to be met while in this Admissions status are discussed during an Admissions interview with the Coordinator of the Graduate Nursing Program. Admissions in this category requires that the student maintain a 3.00 GPA on all courses attempted. No more than nine semester hours of graduate courses can be taken while in this category.

Special Admissions

This category is provided to accommodate the student who has the potential for graduate study but, at the time of application, does not intend to seek a graduate degree; or for the applicant who wishes to take a specified course for personal enrichment or job-related requirements. A student is admitted to this status at the option of the Department of Nursing and when adequate space is available. A student seeking regular graduate status is given preference where the number of applicants to be accepted is limited.

An Albany State University undergraduate student with senior standing may register for graduate courses if each of the following conditions are met:

1. The student has an overall 3.0 (or better) grade-point average.

2. The Vice President for Academic Affairs approves the academic department's recommendation for the student to enroll in graduate courses (such approval is granted on a term-by-term basis; continued enrollment is not provided).

3. The student limits his/her graduate enrollment to a total of nine semester hours of study. No more than six  semester hours of graduate study may be undertaken in a given term.

4. During the term in which graduate enrollment is allowed, the student's registration is limited to a total of nine semester hours (combined graduate and/or undergraduate hours).

An undergraduate student from another institution is not allowed to enroll in graduate nursing courses at Albany State University. Admissions to the Special Admissions category does not warrant or secure Admissions to the Graduate Nursing Program.

Change of Admissions Status

Decisions regarding the student's Admissions status may be appealed. Information regarding appeal procedures may be secured from the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School. Such appeals and their associated documentation are referred to the Graduate Council for consideration. The student has the right to further appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the President of the University.

Re-Admissions

Any student in the graduate program who does not matriculate during the term immediately preceding the term in which she/he intends to matriculate must process a re-entry form with the Graduate School. Upon re-Admissions to the graduate program, the student must follow the curriculum and meet the degree requirements that are in effect at the time of reAdmissions. Re-entry forms may be obtained from the Office of the Dean of Graduate School or from the Coordinator of the Graduate Nursing Program.

Re-activation

A student who has been accepted to graduate studies but has never attended must submit a Reactivation Application for re-Admissions to graduate studies. Documents on students who do not enroll are retained in the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School for one year only. Re-activation Forms can be obtained from the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School.

Procedures For Challenging Prerequisite Courses

An applicant to the Graduate Nursing Program may challenge the prerequisites of Health Assessment and/or Pathophysiology. Evidence of related work experience with supporting documents must be provided.

Request for permission and approval to challenge the above named courses must be obtained the term before the course is offered. The schedule of course offerings can be obtained from the Department of Nursing. In order to receive a grade, the student must register for the course and pay all required fees associated with the course for the term in which the course is scheduled to be taught.

Failure to successfully complete the challenge exam on the first try will necessitate a student taking the course. A copy of the course outlines and name of textbooks for the courses listed above may be obtained from the course instructor.