Nursing: Leadership in Diverse Settings (MSN)
Leadership in Diverse Settings (LeaDS) program is a master's level curriculum created to address the need for nurses to take on leadership roles in various healthcare environments. The aim of the program is to equip graduates with a comprehensive set of skills to lead in patient-centered healthcare, community, and educational settings. Graduates of the program will be prepared to drive change in complex and dynamic environments. The program is designed for registered nurses who want to become nursing leaders.
Practicing nurse and nursing students are held to high standards of professionalism and competence to perform responsible and safe care. Successful completion of the nursing program requires that students demonstrate the ability to perform essential skills effectively and safely. Additionally, students must demonstrate proficiency in interpersonal and organizational skills, as well as ethical comportment. Students considering this major must meet the required standards.
Alternate Entry
The alternate entry program is designed for the student who has no previous degrees in nursing, who desires a career in nursing leadership and practice, and who holds at least a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than nursing.
Graduate Handbook
Graduate handbook information is updated and maintained by each program. Graduate handbooks are available within each program's office and online. Please contact the program with concerns or questions.
Admission
All students are expected to complete an approved upper-division statistics course before to the first semester of enrollment.
The entering student usually holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and holds a registered nurse license that allows the student to practice as a registered nurse in Texas. Registered nurses with a non-nursing baccalaureate degree and an associate's degree in nursing may also apply to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program.
Factors considered in the admission decision include a grade point average of at least 3.00 in upper-division undergraduate and graduate coursework; information derived from academic and professional references; professional background and goals; and proficiency in the English language. An interview may also be required. The composite picture presented by these factors is an important part of the holistic admission review and decision.
Alternate Entry
All students are required to complete seven approved prerequisite courses (anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, life span development, nutrition, and statistics) prior to the first semester of enrollment.
Prerequisite courses in upper-division statistics and the natural and behavioral sciences must be completed prior to enrollment. Of the required prerequisites, the courses in anatomy, microbiology, and pharmacology, and any two of the other courses must be completed by December 31 of the application year. All students must be fully compliant with program requirements prior to starting the program, including completing all seven required prerequisite courses and criminal background clearance from the Texas Board of Nursing prior to beginning the alternate entry pre-licensure summer courses.
Factors considered in the admission decision include a grade point average of at least 3.00 in upper-division undergraduate and graduate coursework; information derived from academic and professional references; professional background and goals; and proficiency in the English language. An interview may also be required. The composite picture presented by these factors is an important part of the holistic admission review and decision.
Accreditation
The program is fully approved by the Texas Board of Nursing and is nationally accredited.
Licensure
Alternate Entry
The alternate-entry student is eligible to take the licensure examination to become a registered nurse (NCLEX-RN) in the state of Texas after completing 38 hours of foundation courses.
Total Hours Required: 39
Alternate Entry: 77
Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Program Core (advanced theoretical and empirical knowledge and a deeper understanding of professional issues) | ||
| Hours chosen from: Area of Concentration | ||
| Hours chosen from: Advanced practice | ||
| Hours chosen from: Electives (within and/or outside nursing) | ||
| N 698 | Thesis (optional) | 6 |
| All students in this program must also follow these requirements and policies: | ||
| Graduate Nursing Requirements | ||
| Graduate University Requirements | ||
Alternate Entry Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | ||
| Accelerated foundation hours (all major clinical areas of nursing) | 38 | |
| Program Core (advanced theoretical and empirical knowledge and a deeper understanding of professional issues) | ||
| Hours chosen from: Area of Concentration | ||
| Hours chosen from: Advanced practice | ||
| Hours chosen from: Electives (within and/or outside nursing) | ||
| N 698 | Thesis (optional) | 6 |
| All students in this program must also follow these requirements and policies: | ||
| Graduate Nursing Requirements | ||
| Graduate University Requirements | ||
Additional Requirements and Policy
The student must pass all foundation year courses and have an unencumbered nursing license to enroll in graduate nursing courses beyond the foundation year.