Frequently Asked Questions
For more information on the Earl and Nancy Hutto Master of Science in Nursing, M.S.N. please review the FAQ's section.
No, any individual with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is eligible to apply for admission to the program through Graduate Admissions.
Applying for admission does not guarantee acceptance.
Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible for admission:
- First meet the University graduate admission requirements described in the Graduate Admission section of the catalog.
- There is a graduate application and process fee of $30.00.
- Course information can be found at here.
- Applicants must have earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an ACEN/NLNAC or CCNE accredited nursing program with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale OR a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours of coursework on the BSN.
- *International students may have additional requirements.
- Space for the program is limited and will be selective and competitive.
Yes, you must be a licensed registered nurse with a BSN from an accredited program (CCNE or ACEN) to enter the Family Nurse Practitioner specialty.
Yes, you must have a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
No, but it might strengthen your application in such a competitive market. Nursing experience maybe helpful for you to be successful in some of the course and clinical content.
There are two levels of graduate admission requirements: university-level and departmental-level. Please review both sets of admissions requirements before submitting an application.
Graduate Admissions Requirements
Each applicant shall be required to meet minimum University requirements:
- An earned bachelor's degree from an institution that is fully accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, or a comparable degree from an international institution with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4-point scale or a 3.0 (GPA) on a 4-point scale on the last 60 hours of coursework in the baccalaureate degree.
- Be in good standing at all previous institutions of higher learning. Students who, for academic or disciplinary reasons, are not eligible to register in the college or university last attended will not be admitted for graduate study.
- Approval by the department offering the degree to which the applicant is applying.
Departments may establish standards that exceed these University requirements or require additional application materials. Departments may accept an earned graduate degree from a U.S. institution that is fully accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, or a comparable degree from an international institution, in lieu of the bachelor's degree and required standardized admission test.
Departmental Requirements
- An earned Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an ACEN or CCNE accredited nursing program with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale OR a 3.0 (GPA) on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours of coursework on the BSN.
- Submission of one of the following graduate admission tests: GRE or MAT*
* Review your eligibility for an admission test score waiver. - Completion of an undergraduate statistics course with a grade of "C" or better
- Possess a current unencumbered Registered Nurse license to practice nursing in a state or territory of the United States
- Submission of current curriculum vita (CV) / resume
- Approval by the School of Nursing Graduate Admissions Committee
- Students who, for academic or disciplinary reasons, are not eligible to register in the college or university last attended will not be admitted for graduate study.
- Express Admission Students are required to become licensed as a registered nurse to practice in a state or territory of the United States by the end of the first semester of enrollment to progress in the program.
Approval by the School of Nursing Graduate Admissions Committee
Students who, for academic or disciplinary reasons, are not eligible to register will not be admitted for graduate study Express Admission. Express Admission is not guaranteed for the FNP program. Only upon acceptance into the program will Express Admission awards be given. Upon admission, students must complete all documents for a background check.
UWF’s FNP program follows an integrated model.
Integrated programs typically arrange their curricula so students participate in didactic and clinical education at the same time. Front-loaded programs are set up where students complete all didactic courses and then begin their clinical experience.
Yes. We highly recommend all applicants to become familiar with the role of the Family Nurse Practitioner through "shadowing." Spending time with a FNP is one of the best ways to determine if the advanced practice nursing role will meet your professional goals. We encourage you to network in your community and ask practicing FNPs if you can shadow them for a day.
We encourage you to apply to the specialty that meets your career interest rather than focus on the number of spaces available. We strongly recommended that you complete your application by the deadline provided on the UWF School of Nursing webpage. The number of students offered admission can vary each year based on many factors. Typically, we admit about 25-50 students into this specialty each year.
The FNP concentration does not maintain a waiting list of prospective applicants. Applicants not selected for the program may reapply for the next application cycle.
Absolutely! A qualified student can enroll in the beginning core courses and reapply to the program during the open application period. Successful academic progress in the core courses can improve your chances for admission in the next class but does not guarantee admission.
Students wishing to earn a M.S.N. must successfully complete both the core courses and the specialty courses. No more than 49% of the program requirements for the M.S.N. degree may be taken in traditional business subjects.
| NGR 6111 | Foundations of Nursing Science | 3 |
| NGR 6638 | Population Health Promotion and Management | 3 |
| NGR 6803 | Integration of Evidence in Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NGR 6893 | Health Systems Leadership and Policy Strategies | 3 |
| NGR 6835 | Project Evaluation and Dissemination | 2 |
| Total Hours | 14 | |
Matriculated students can transfer up to nine semester credits of equivalent graduate level coursework from another accredited university to be applied toward the MSN. To request transfer credit, students must complete the Transfer of Credit Request Form.
Equivalent courses must be approved prior to transfer credit. Equivalent courses must be less than six years old from the time of graduation to meet the time-to-degree requirement. All coursework (including transfer credits) must be completed within six years from the date the UWF degree is awarded. Only courses in which a student has obtained a grade of "B" or better, and which have not been applied to another degree, will be accepted.
Following acceptance into the program, you need to provide the School of Nursing with copies of course syllabi, including a course description as well as other documentation so that they can be compared with the course offered by UWF.
Yes! This program is designed so the students may continue to work either part of full time jobs while getting their degree. However, the curriculum is very demanding. The time commitment involved is a very individualized issue. Here is an example of how to calculate your weekly workload based on credit hour.
Example Calculation:
- Adult Health I Seminar 3 credits
- Adult Health I Practicum 3 credits (180 practicum hours)
Plan for 3 hrs. of prep time for each hour of class credit (3 x 3 = 9 hrs).
- 12 hours in the clinical setting each week (180 hrs. practicum/15 weeks/term) + 3 hrs of prep time
- 9+12+3 = 24 hours/week minimum prep time for the above two courses.
*Remember that if you are taking additional courses, you will need to factor those into your prep time as well. If you are a slow reader, you may want to figure in more study time to get an accurate count. Take your individual work/school/family obligations into consideration.
Faculty strongly advise each student to consider the amount of time needed to complete the academic requirements and the amount of time he/she is working. Students who plan to attend the FNP program full-time and work full-time may need to use flex-time or accrued compensatory time to continue to work full-time. Some students may also be able to work on weekends. Keep in mind that FNP preceptors typically practice Monday-Friday. Practicum hours will have to take place at a time that is convenient to the preceptor.
Unfortunately not, this program requires you to follow a prescribed plan of study. Please talk with your advisor before scheduling courses. Full-time enrollment for a graduate student is 6 credit hours or more per semester. For the purpose of government loans, graduate students need to be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours.
There are 630 clinical hours required.
Due to State Board of Nursing or State Higher Education requirements, practicum placements may not be available in every location. We make every reasonable effort to accommodate a student’s placement requests. Please refer to UWF State Authorization Status. Students who do not live in Florida should review the State Authorization Compliance to confirm their state is on the approved state authorization reciprocity agreements.
Students requesting a new affiliation will need to follow the Affiliation Agreement Processing Guide .
Students may also contact the affiliation agreement coordinator at:
Yes, travel is often a requirement of the specialty, as we strive to give the student a vast array of clinical experiences to enrich the student experience.
Graduation from this MSN FNP specialty does not mean you are an official licensed practitioner. However, the program does give you the necessary tools and skills toward becoming a licensed FNP and prepares you to take the national certification exam. The national certification exam is offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Passage of the exam is the final step that allows you to obtain a license as an advanced practice nurse.
The FNP program is a new specialty to our MSN degree and as such, we do not currently have exam pass rate data. However, we do provide opportunities for students to sit for national examination review course to prep for the exam. We will post examination rates as they become available.
Actual costs may vary.
This is not intended to represent an all-inclusive list:
- Textbooks $2,000
- Personal Computer Access
- Internet Access
- Clinical Supplies (lab coat, stethoscope, nerve stimulator)
- Malpractice Insurance (per academic year)
- Certification Preparation/Review
- National Certification Examination required after graduation and depending on certifying body and membership. American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) $395 or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) $315
- Licensure with the Board of Nursing. See State Board of Nursing Website for details.
- BLS Recertification Courses $35+ depending on place of recertification
- Typhon: The cost is $80.00 for the duration of the program with access to files for three years after graduation
- Personal Health Insurance
- CastleBranch (immunizations and background check)
- Suturing workshop (FNP intensive)
- Total Estimated Other Expenses: approx. $400.00
Financial aid is available for graduate students. Awards include aid from Federal Stafford loans and potential employers.
Accepted applicants should contact UWF Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship 850.474.2400 or finaid@uwf.edu when notified of acceptance.
Begin the process early by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at fafsa.ed.gov.
The baccalaureate degree in nursing/master's degree in nursing at UWF is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (ccneaccreditation.org).
UWF is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC).
If accepted, first contact your advisor to establish a degree plan, and decide when courses are being offered. You can click here to check that you have met all the minimum requirements for the program.
There are 45 credit hours associated with the program. Plan of Study
A student cannot transfer from MSN track into the FNP program. The student must submit a separate application through Graduate Admissions.
Transcripts will be reviewed and the courses required for the FNP, that are equivalent, will be included toward the degree. Course numbers and course descriptions must be comparable and the student must have earned a score of "B" or better in the course to be considered. A review does not guarantee that credit will be applied, an additional demonstration of competencies may be required. This decision may vary depending on the students catalog year and plan of study.
All students will be notified of their admission status within 2 weeks of the closing interview dates.
If you have been accepted a letter will be sent to you via email that will outline the process. You will then need to make an appointment with your advisor.
Should you have any questions, please email msnnursing@uwf.edu.
