Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing Program
Start your nursing career with an
advanced degree
Inspired to make the switch to a career in nursing? If you’ve earned a minimum of a conferred bachelor’s degree in another field of study, you can earn a master’s degree in nursing in as few as 20 months.
The Lourdes University Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) covers 66 credits of course content in:
- Designed for students with a non-nursing background
- Health science concepts across the lifespan
- Clinical practice
- Evidence-based Practice
- Nursing management, leadership, and informatics
- Patient education and advocacy
After graduation, you’ll be ready to provide compassionate, evidence-based care to patients of all ages from diverse populations. You’ll also stand out in a nursing job market where most entry-level nurses have an associate or bachelor’s degree. Finally, you’ll have established the educational foundation you need to pursue a specialty certification later in your career—for example, as a nurse practitioner (NP), nurse anesthesia (CRNA), or nurse educator.
In just 20 months, you can put yourself on a lifelong career path that gives you the opportunity to make a positive impact in the world every single day.
DEMSN Program Format
Our Direct Entry MSN is a mixed-format program that leads to a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) without specialization. This program has been designed for non-nursing majors who desire to become a nurse and earn a master’s degree. It includes 66 hours of coursework with 780 hours of personalized instruction during the lab and clinical experience.
The program is hosted at our Sylvania, Ohio campus. We deliver this program through a blend of online and in-person experiences, including:
- Online theory coursework
- Traditional in-person labs and clinical experiences
- 780 hours of clinical experience with local health care agencies
The Direct Entry MSN takes place over five semesters of study. It is approved by Ohio Board of Nursing.
What You’ll Learn in Our DEMSN Program
As a Lourdes University DEMSN graduate, you will have the knowledge and competencies needed to make a positive impact on people, communities, and systems, with a focus on optimizing patient outcomes in complex health care environments.
After completing the program, you will be able to:
Synthesize liberal education and nursing knowledge within a systems framework for advanced nursing roles.
Exhibit critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making, incorporating scientific inquiry as a foundation to reach appropriate clinical judgements to support health promotion, disease prevention, and management of illness.
Develop leadership capabilities through analysis of the organization, policy, and financing of systems, and their effect on individuals and populations for optimal outcomes.
Employ effective communication, inter- and intra-disciplinary collaborative skills, and interprofessional partnerships to positively impact care through collaboration, management, coordination, and delivery.
Incorporate Franciscan ethics and standards of professional nursing, including core values and ethics of accountability, caring, communication, clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and lifelong learning.
Demonstrate leadership to plan change and promote quality outcomes affecting culturally diverse individuals and populations, while providing safe, high-quality care.
Non-nurse no longer. The combination of your non-nursing undergraduate degree and your advanced DEMSN studies will prepare you to be a compassionate nurse leader.
Courses for the Direct Entry MSN
- NUR 501 Foundations of Professional Nursing and Theories Guiding Practice
- NUR 502 Health and Physical Assessment
- NUR 509 Pathophysiology and Pharmacology Concepts
- NUR 520 Clinical Practice, Clinical Judgement, and Role Development I: Care of Adults with Common Health Problems
- NUR 530 Advanced Nursing Inquiry for Evidence-Based Practice
- NUR 575 Clinical Practice, Clinical Judgement, and Role Development II: Mental Health Nursing
- NUR 580 Clinical Practice, Clinical Judgement, and Role Development III: Care of Adults with Complex Health Problems
- NUR 609 Advanced Pathophysiology and Pharmacology Across the Lifespan
- NUR 618 Clinical Practice, Clinical Judgement, and Role Development IV: Nursing Care of Women, Children, and Families
- NUR 623 Clinical Practice, Clinical Judgement, and Role Development V: Population-Focused Nursing
- NUR 624 Healthcare Systems Management and Policy in a Diverse Community
- NUR 626 Nursing Informatics
- NUR 627 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Globe
- NUR 628 Clinical Practice, Clinical Judgement, and Role Development VI: Synthesis of Concept-Based Practicum
- NUR 639 Clinical Practice, Clinical Judgement, and Role Development VII: Contemporary Nursing Leadership/Management
- NUR 641 Knowledge Integration and Transition into Practice
For complete descriptions of the content covered in each course of the nursing program, please visit our courses page.
How Do I Apply to the DEMSN at Lourdes?
To apply to the Direct Entry MSN program, you must hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing. Additional requirements apply. Visit our admissions page to learn more.