Pre-Specialty Entry
Even if you have no nursing background, you can
become an advanced practice nurse through our
accelerated program of pre-specialty master’s entry.
With three semesters of generalist-level nursing courses and completion of the program in your chosen specialty, often just three additional semesters, you can earn your Master of Science in Nursing degree.
Vanderbilt’s Accelerated Program
If you have no background in nursing but you are interested in pursuing a career in advanced practice nursing without sacrificing excellence in education, entry into the Vanderbilt Master of Science in Nursing program through the pre-specialty master’s program offers you this opportunity. Students who have completed at least 78 semester hours of transferable college credit or have earned a bachelor’s degree can “bridge” into Vanderbilt’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program via a three-semester sequence of accelerated generalist nursing courses. This pre-specialty year provides the foundation equivalent to the bachelor’s degree in nursing for course work in the selected nursing specialty. The three-semester pre-specialty year will prepare you for taking the National Council for Licensure Exam (NCLEX) to become a Registered Nurse (RN).
Upon completion of three semesters of pre-specialty courses, you will enter an additional sequence of courses in your declared specialty in order to earn the MSN degree. Many Vanderbilt School of Nursing Advanced Practice Specialties require completion of an additional three semesters; several programs – including dual-focus areas – are slightly longer, requiring completion of 4 or 5 additional semesters. Just visit the Specialty program websites that interest you to review the sample curriculum plans.
Admission Requirements
The best ways to learn about the Vanderbilt School of Nursing Admissions process and requirements are to join us for Open House in October or March and to schedule an appointment with an Admissions counselor. You can get started by visiting Admissions Requirements on our website to learn more.
Application Requirements
- Standardized Test Scores: GRE
- Official Transcripts from All Colleges Attended (with a 'B' average)
- Letters of Recommendation (3 professional/academic)
- Interview Survey
- Goal Statement
Prerequisite Courses
Students without nursing backgrounds who apply to Vanderbilt School of Nursing must have completed:
78 semester hours or 120 quarter hours of transferable credit which must include:
- 6 semester hours of English
- 9 semester hours of Social Science
- 6 semester hours of Humanities
- 3 semester hours of Lifespan Development
- 11 semester hours of Natural Science which must include
- Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II
- Microbiology - 3 semester hours of Statistics
- 2–3 semester hours of Nutrition
- 38 semester hours of remaining credit from an accredited college/university
Your Pre-specialty Clinical Experience
During the three semesters of your pre-specialty year, you will complete a minimum of 750 hours in a variety of clinical settings:
- Hospital Inpatient Units
- Children’s Hospital
- Community Agencies
- Mental Health Centers
- Psychiatric Hospitals
Meet the Program Director
Judy H. Sweeney, MSN, RN
Professor Sweeney has been on the faculty of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing for more than 25 years. She has a wealth of knowledge and clinical experience in basic health assessment and nursing skills for teaching the pre-specialty year student. Professor Sweeney also teaches in the specialty year in cardiac dysrhythmia recognition and 12 lead ECG interpretation. Her specialties include cardiovascular nursing and renal acute care.
Registered Nurse (RN) Licensure
Pre-specialty students are eligible to apply to the National Council for Licensure Examination to become a Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) upon meeting the requirements specified by the Tennessee State Board of Nursing. Students in good academic standing following the Pre-Specialty program take the exam the first semester of the Specialty program and are required to be RNs prior to completing the MSN degree requirements.
