Master of Science FAQs

• M.S. - Nursing is available in five (5) specialty areas:
  1. 1. Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
  2. Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner/
  3. Family Nurse Practitioner
  4. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

• Yes, however applicant must hold a Master’s Degree in Nursing to pursue this option.  Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) - Nursing is available in areas of:
  1. 1. Adult-Gerontology Primary Nurse Practitioner
  2. Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
  3. Family Nurse Practitioner
  4. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
  5. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (must hold a MSN in Family Nurse Practitioner or Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner)

Yes, students may apply for part-time or full-time study.  Part-time is considered 8 semester hours or less; full-time is 9 semester hours or more.

Yes, online courses are available and can be found here.

The master's program offers a web-enhanced format. Classes are held onsite, face to face, the first official day of class. Subsequent classes are online with both synchronous and asynchronous formats.

You may search the semester’s schedule for all course sections.  Scheduled classes are subject to change at any time and are not guaranteed to be offered online every time.  Course numbers beginning with 7000 reference graduate courses of study.  To view specific term, check GSU website for courses here.  Select a past, present or future semester.  Then select the term and subject.

Our Master of Science in nursing specialties are 48 semester hours.  The length of time it takes to complete the program depends on whether the student attends part-time or full-time.  On an average, a full time student can complete the program within 2-3 years.  A part-time student would most likely take 3-4 years.

No, applicants with a diploma or associate degree in nursing may apply through the RN-MS bridge option.  Students entering through this option may have additional undergraduate coursework to complete prior to beginning the graduate-level coursework (7000-level courses). See RNMS List of Pre-requisites.

Students admitted to the RN-M.S. Program and requiring bridge courses: NURS6910 and NURS6930 should work closely with course administrators.  NURS6910 requires clinical site arrangement one semester prior to registering for course. Students will not be eligible to take NURS6910 in accordance with their program plan if clinical site arrangement is not completed.

RNMS students who hold a baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing field will have additional undergraduate courses waived.  See RNMS List of Pre-requisites.

1. $50 application fee to College of Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions Application for Graduate Study
2. Official transcripts from every educational institution attended, except if you attended Georgia State University. Transcripts are required regardless of the length of stay or if the grades appear on another school’s transcript, including hospital schools of nursing.
3. Two (2) letters of recommendation: the letters should be from individuals knowledgeable of your academic and/or professional abilities and include contact information. If the applicant has been out of nursing school for less than five years, a former faculty member must submit one letter.
4. Statement of Purpose/Goal Statement include a statement of your educational and career goals.
5. Writing Sample – Two (2) pages on a current social or health issue.
6. Resume: include education, work experience, professional development, professional, community and volunteer activities, and research and publications
7. Additional forms (if applicable) include RNMS Prerequisite form; Certificate of Immunization; Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores; evaluation of foreign educational credentials by an independent evaluation service; and Financial Affidavit form.
8. Active Georgia RN License.

Additional requirements include the following:

*Graduation from an accredited nursing program.

*A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale. The GPA is based on all undergraduate college-level course work attempted at regionally accredited institutions.

*Registration as a professional nurse in Georgia or another U.S. state and evidence of application to the Georgia Board of Nursing.

*One to two years of clinical practice in the specialty area for master’s education is preferred for applicants in the clinical practice specialist.

Two (2) letters of recommendation are required from individuals knowledgeable of your academic or professional abilities. If the applicant has been in school within the last 5 years prior to applying, one of the two letters must be an academic letter of support.

Selection is competitive, based upon recommended minimum overall grade point average of 2.75 or higher.

There are no formal prerequisites required for admission. However, it is recommended that the student have taken an undergraduate course in physical assessment and an undergraduate or statistics course before taking graduate courses. For RN to MS applicants, please visit RNMS List of Pre-requisites to view the list of prerequisites needed to apply.

Mailing Address (U.S. Postal Service)

Office of Admissions - Graduate Programs
Georgia State University
P.O. Box 4018
Atlanta, GA 30302

Delivery Address (FedEx, DHL, UPS)

Office of Graduate Admissions
Georgia State University
55 Park Place NE, Suite 308
Atlanta, GA 30303

Submission of Electronic Transcripts:

Electronic transcripts must be submitted directly from the institution by email or through the use of a transcript ordering site:

Email:  [email protected]

Order Site Institution Name:  Georgia State University - Graduate Programs

Upon submission of your application, you will be directed to the Status page, where you can pay the application fee and review and track the receipt of required application materials. After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email.

Your application will move to review once all application materials listed on your Status page are received. Colleges and faculty are dedicated to carefully reviewing the entire applicant pool, therefore review times vary by program. You will be notified by email as soon as a decision is made. Then, you will be able to access the decision letter from your Status page.

Applicants can check the status of their file online here.

All applicants must provide the application materials listed above plus the items listed here.

The Scholarship Resource Center offers free resources to assist you with locating scholarships. Please visit here for more details.

To apply for financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  FAFSA is required to determine your eligibility for federal student financial aid.  FAFSA can be obtained from the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-80-433-3243 or the Georgia State University of Student Financial Aid at 404/651-2227.  For faster processing, FAFSA can be completed and submitted online here.  You should complete FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1.  The priority deadline is April 1.  Visit the GSU Office of Student Financial Aid website.

Housing is available for graduate students through the University.  For information, contact University Housing at 404-413-1800 or here.  Registration and deposits cannot be made until an applicant has been accepted as a graduate student in the School of Nursing.