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We're here to answer any questions you have

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Whether you're a high school student applying to your first collegiate program, or a prospective doctoral student accustomed to the procedure, questions arise during the admissions process. For answers to some of the most commonly asked questions, see the FAQs listed by program below. If you still have questions, don't hesitate to contact us using the information provided at the bottom of this page.

 

Student Population Profiles

See the statistics on our student populations in each program at the U-M School of Nursing by visiting the School of Nursing Fast Facts page.

 

FAQs by Program

Traditional BSN Program - Freshmen

  • I am taking AP courses in high school. Can I receive college credit for the AP exams?
  • You will receive credit for U-M Psyc 111 if you meet the minimum score required for the AP Psychology exam. For all other AP exams, you will receive elective credit. The U-M School of Nursing grants credit hours according to the College of Literature, Science & the Arts guidelines.
 
  • Does the School of Nursing offer scholarships?
  • The School of Nursing offers merit-based scholarships. There is no additional application process to be considered for these scholarships as you will be automatically entered into consideration with your application for admission to the School of Nursing. Students will be notified if they are chosen for a School of Nursing scholarship. For full consideration of need-based scholarships, students must complete the FAFSA. However, completion of the FAFSA is not required to be considered for School of Nursing merit-based scholarships. See the Financial Aid page for more details.
 
  • Can the four-year traditional Bachelor of Science (BSN) program be accelerated?
  • The BSN program is a lock-step, four-year program. In other words, students must complete one level before proceeding to the next. Due to the required clinical sequencing of the program, it cannot be accelerated.
 
  • When will I have my first clinical?
  • Your first clinical (Health Assessment I) will be during the Winter term of your freshman year.
 
  • Will I need my own transportation to get to my clinicals?
  • Typically, students are able to walk or take public transportation to clinicals during their freshman and sophomore years. However, students will need to have access to a car during their junior and senior years, as clinicals may be in a variety of locations.
 
  • Where do nursing students live?
  • Nursing students live in a variety of University Housing locations on campus, including residence halls. Non-University housing options include apartments, rental houses, fraternities, sororities, and co-ops.

Traditional BSN Program - Sophomore Transfers

  • Does U-M have an application waitlist?
  • We do not have a waitlist for those wishing to apply, meaning that all completed applications are reviewed during every application cycle. However, each year the School of Nursing receives many more applications than we have space to enroll. Students with strong credentials who are not offered admission may be offered a enrollment waitlist option. With this option, if space becomes available in our incoming class, we will make additional admission offers to those who have accepted the enrollment waitlist offer.
 
  • I have questions about my transcripts and the prerequisite coursework. Would I be able to speak with someone to review my transcripts?
  • Due to the large number of applicants interested in our programs, we are unable to schedule individual appointments with prospective students. We strongly recommend you sign up to attend an information session where an admissions representative will be available to answer your questions.

Further, courses/transcripts are reviewed as part of the application process. You must apply and pay your application fee for your transcripts to be reviewed. Please review the Transfer Equivalencies page for more information on verifying which of your previous coursework can transfer for credit.
 
  • I've taken coursework at another institution. How many credits can I transfer into the University of Michigan School of Nursing?
  • U-M School of Nursing accepts a maximum of 30 transfer credits, including the required prerequisite coursework, from another institution. Please review the prerequisite coursework for sophomore transfer students.
 
  • Can I use the AP or CLEP exam to fulfill the English Composition or Statistics prerequisites?
  • English Composition and Statistics must be fulfilled by a college-level course. Therefore, these prerequisites may not be satisfied via AP or CLEP credit. Please review the Transfer Equivalencies page for information on transferable coursework.
 
  • If I have taken coursework at another college or university, would I be able to apply as a freshman?
  • If you have taken coursework at another college or university, you will apply as a transfer applicant and submit official transcripts from all colleges attended. You will only apply as a freshman if you are in or have graduated from high school, but have not yet attended any college.

Second Career BSN

  • Does the U-M School of Nursing have a waitlist?
  • We do not have a waitlist for those wishing to apply, meaning that all completed applications are reviewed during every application cycle. However, each year the School of Nursing receives many more applications than we have space to enroll. Students with strong credentials who are not offered admission may be offered a enrollment waitlist option. With this option, if space becomes available in our incoming class, we will make additional admission offers to those who have accepted the enrollment waitlist offer.
 
  • How can I make an appointment to speak with someone regarding my transcripts and prerequisite coursework?
  • Due to the large number of applicants interested in our programs, we are unable to schedule individual appointments with prospective students. We strongly recommend you sign up to attend an information session where an admissions representative will be available to answer your questions.

Further, courses/transcripts are reviewed as part of the application process. You must apply and pay your application fee for your transcripts to be reviewed. Please review the Transfer Equivalencies page for more information on verifying which of your previous coursework can transfer for credit.
 
  • How many elective credits do I need?
  • Second Career students need a minimum of 57 credits, including the required prerequisite coursework, for admission. Therefore, the number of elective credits will vary for each applicant depending on the amount of prerequisite credits completed.
 
  • Can I use the AP or CLEP exam to fulfill the English Composition or Statistics prerequisites?
  • English Composition and Statistics must be fulfilled by a college-level course. Therefore, these prerequisites may not be satisfied via AP or CLEP credit. Please review the Transfer Equivalencies page for information on transferable coursework.
 
  • During my undergraduate career, I took a placement exam at another institution. Would I be able to use my passing score on that placement exam to fulfill a prerequisite?
  • No, we do not accept placement exams taken at other institutions to fulfill prerequisites. You must either take an approved transferable course or a recieve U-M School of Nursing Credit by Exam credit to fulfill the prerequisites.
 
  • I would like to take my prerequisite coursework at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. How do I do this?
  • If you are interested in taking prerequisite coursework at U-M Ann Arbor, you need to apply as a Non-Degree Candidate.

Master’s Program

  • What is the value of the Master’s as opposed to entering a BSN-DNP program?
  • The Master’s programs we offer prepare graduates for the essentials of the respective board certification (NP and CNS programs) in the specialty area of focus and a seamless transition into a post-Master’s DNP. As stated on the AACN website (http://www.aacn.nche.edu/dnp/faqs) Master’s education will continue to be offered. The DNP curriculum was designed to build on traditional master's programs by providing education in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership. The DNP is for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice and offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs.
 
  • Are the Master’s programs offered online?
  • The University of Michigan School of Nursing does not offer a completely on-line curriculum. The core courses that are required within each of our Master’s programs are offered as web-blended (students attend on-campus lecture two consecutive days per month and the remaining course time is on-line); specialty courses and cognates are commonly offered in an on-campus setting with class meeting one day per week (some courses and full-time enrollment may require on-campus class time two days per week). That said, please note that the Nursing Business & Health Systems Master’s program is slightly different it is offered primarily online with on-campus lectures two consecutive days per each month and the remaining class time on-line (executive format).
 
 
  • Is the GRE required for admission to the U-M School of Nursing?
  • If you are applying to any of our Master’s programs, the GRE is only required if your cumulative undergraduate BSN GPA was below a 3.25. If your undergraduate cumulative BSN GPA was a 3.25 or above, the GRE requirement does not apply to you.
 
  • Are there prerequisites I need to complete prior to enrolling in a Master’s program?
  • University of Michigan course Stats100, Stats250, Stats350, or its equivalency from another 4-year institution (completely on-line courses are not considered), must be completed prior to your second semester of the nursing courses at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. If you successfully completed (B average or above) an approved statistical course at U-M or another 4-year institution within the last 5 years, you will not need to complete another statistics course. We highly encourage completing the statistics prerequisite course, if needed, prior to the first term of enrollment if offered admission (completion of a qualifying statistics course is not required for admission consideration).

Also, a Nursing Research and Physical/Health Assessment course needs to have been completed as part of your undergraduate Nursing curriculum (these two courses are required curriculum of most four year BSN programs).
 
  • How many clinical hours will I need to complete and will they all be at the U-M Hospital?
  • A minimum of 500 clinical hours are required to be eligible for the NP and the CNS certification examinations. We have over 200 clinical sites; if offered admission, you will be assigned a Faculty Advisor who will work with you to find the best fit for your clinical practice based on your area of interest, research, home address, and current employer(s). If there is a site you'd like to work and the School of Nursing does not have an established partnership with this site, you can work with your Faculty Advisor to submit a new request.
 
  • How long will it take to complete a Master's program at the U-M School of Nursing?
  • You may choose to study on a part-time or full-time basis in any of our Master’s programs. Master’s students attending full-time (9 or more credits each term) can complete a program in 2-2 ½ years; the part-time program plan (3-8 credits each term) is usually 3-3½ years; the exception being the dual Nurse Midwife and Family NP program and the dual Nurse Midwife and Pediatric Primary Care NP program, these two program options are longer in length due to the requirements to meet certification eligibility in both areas, program length for full-time students is usually 4 years in these two programs. Rackham Graduate School requires students to complete a graduate program within 5 years of the first term of enrollment.
 
  • I earned a Bachelor degree in a field other than nursing. Can I apply and be considered for admission?
  • We require a Bachelor Science in Nursing from an accredited institution as part of our admission requirements to graduate programs. If you are interested in a career in nursing, please review information on our Accelerated Second Career in Nursing program.
 

Doctoral Program

  • Is the PhD program offered online?
  • The PhD curriculum is an on-campus program.  We do offer some courses as a hybrid of online courses, interactive courses, face-to-face clinical practice and on campus clinical lectures; we do not offer a completely online curriculum.
 
  • Can I apply to the PhD program prior to completing my BSN and without work experience?
  • Yes, the PhD program is open to post-baccalaureate and post-master’s applicants. If offered admission, you must successfully complete all BSN coursework and be licensed as a Registered Nurse by at least one political jurisdiction before enrolling in the PhD curriculum. If you are applying as a post-baccalaureate student, you will need to complete some Master’s level courses prior to enrolling in the PhD coursework.
 
  • Is the GRE required for admission to the PhD program?
  • GRE scores are required for full consideration to the PhD program. Minimum requirements for the GRE are Verbal – 420, Quantitative – 481, Analytical – 3.73.

NOTE: International applicants are also required to complete the TOEFL, IELTS or MELAB, if the institution in which they earned their BSN did not use English as the primary language of instruction.
 
  • Is a Statistics course required to enter the PhD program?
  • All PhD students must complete a level one and a level two statistics course prior to enrolling in the second year research sequence of the PhD program. Recommended courses will be provided to admitted students. If the last statistics course you completed was offered at a community college and/or completed over 5 years ago, we strongly recommend enrolling in the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) summer program prior to the level one and level two coursework so that you will be prepared for the rigor of this curriculum.
 
  • Does the PhD program include clinical practicum requirements?
  • If you are a post-baccalaureate PhD student, your program plan will include 13 credits of advanced nursing practice. Post-Master’s students that have completed at least 13 credits of advanced nursing practice can have this requirement waived.
 
  • How long is the PhD program?
  • Many post-master’s students can complete the PhD program within 3 years depending on the number of equivalent courses previously taken that satisfy the 500 and 600 level coursework. Most post-baccalaureate students can complete the PhD coursework in 5 years. Full-time enrollment is recommended for PhD students with courses blocked on one to two days per week.

DNP Program

  • Is the DNP required now to be a Nurse Practitioner?
  • No, DNP curricula build on traditional master's programs by providing education in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership, among other key areas. Many DNP programs offered throughout the United States are a post-masters curriculum. The DNP is designed for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice and offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. DNP-prepared nurses are well-equipped to fully implement the science developed by nurse researchers prepared in PhD, DNSc, and other research-focused nursing doctorates. Please see the AACN DNP Fact Sheet for more details.
 
  • I have a BSN and a Masters in a non-nursing area, can I still apply for the DNP?
  • The DNP is designed for graduates of an advanced practice nursing masters. Applicants interested in being considered for admission should have obtained a Masters for a Nursing program.
 
  • May I apply and complete my Masters while enrolled in the DNP?
  • No, the program is designed as a post-Master’s option only.
 
  • Will the program be on-line?
  • The curriculum has been designed to accommodate individuals working full-time. Courses will be offered with a blend of on-line (web, video conferencing) and on-campus; students are required to attend a campus lecture each month. The dates for the on-campus lecture is set prior to each term.
 
  • What is the focus of the DNP?
  • Translational and information science for evidence based practice, the program will not offer the skill set to become an independent researcher. The program was mapped around the competencies set forth by CCNE.
 
  • How many credits will the program entail?
  • 37-40; applicants that have less than 500 completed clinical hours at the APRN level will need to supplement clinical hours to meet the required 1000 clinical hours for DNP certification. Full-time students may complete the program in 1 ½ years.
 
  • Is the GRE required?
  • No
 
  • Are there Funding options for the DNP?
  • Yes; Federal aid, private scholarships, fellowships (for FT students), GSI or RA opportunities and the Nurse Faculty Loan (loan forgiveness of 85% if the student takes a Faculty position for at least 4 years of graduation) are available to all qualified students. We encourage all students to seek funding; searches on the internet may help identify funding sources.
 

Contact Information

Traditional BSN Program sn-undergradadmissions@umich.edu
Second Career BSN Program sn-secondcareeradmissions@umich.edu
Master’s Programs sn-mastersadmissions@umich.edu
PhD Program sn-phdadmissions@umich.edu
DNP Program sn-dnpadmissions@umich.edu