Detailed Information
Programs of Study
Mountain State University (MSU) offers the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) with concentrations in two areas: family nurse practitioner (FNP) studies and nursing administration and education (Admin/Ed). The family nurse practitioner concentration is also available as a post-master’s certificate program. The programs are offered on MSU’s campuses in Beckley, West Virginia; Martinsburg, West Virginia; and Orlando, Florida (Admin/Ed only). Full-time students can complete the program in two years; part-time students can finish in three to four years. Both concentrations offer great flexibility in helping nurses meet their goals. The didactic portion requires a full day of classes each week. Because most students in the programs continue to work full- or part-time during their graduate studies, services such as registration, advising, and library research assistance are available in the evening as well as during the day, and whenever possible, the clinical portion of the program is scheduled in the student’s local area.
The family nurse practitioner concentration prepares nurses to become primary-care-health providers for individuals, groups, and communities. With a focus on health across the entire life span, FNPs may provide prenatal care, family planning services, and well child care; they also encourage healthy aging and recommend elder care. Family nurse practitioners obtain medical histories and perform physical examinations, diagnose and treat acute health problems or chronic diseases, and prescribe medications and other treatments. This practice is grounded within informatics and research as well as the ability to provide leadership.
The nursing administration and education concentration prepares nurse managers and nurse administrators for first- or middle-level leadership positions in a variety of health-care organizations, and it also prepares nurse educators for teaching in any educational/academic setting. Becoming an educator is a great option for those who love to teach and are looking for a flexible schedule without a full-time clinical commitment. Other students already working in health-care administration look to the M.S.N. program to boost them to levels of higher management responsibility. The concentration incorporates an interdisciplinary perspective by combining the two areas of administration and education. Both course work and clinical practice emphasize the development of leadership skills and the application of theories of leadership, education, informatics, and research.
Research Facilities
Learning resources include multimedia classrooms, computer laboratories, computer-assisted instruction, nursing and health assessment labs, and laboratories for the basic sciences. The Robert C. Byrd Learning Resource Center includes a student-centered library and media center. The collection comprises more than 95,000 titles, supplemented both by interlibrary loan and by extensive electronic resources, including ProQuest, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Social Issues Resources Series (SIRS), EBSCOhost, Westlaw, Wilson Web, Newsbank, and Medline. Technology resources include state-of-the-art telecommunication links, technology equipment, high-speed access and software, and a 3-D immersion module.
Financial Aid
Eligible graduate students may qualify for Federal Stafford Student Loans. Prospective students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for determination of eligibility. Most graduate students receive some sort of financial assistance.
Cost of Study
Tuition in 2009–10 for both the FNP and nursing administration and education concentrations is $365 per credit hour. Payment plans are available. Additional fees are charged for graduation, thesis review, and thesis binding.
Living and Housing Costs
Most students in the graduate nursing programs are commuters; however, many affordable housing opportunities are available in the neighborhoods surrounding the campus and in other nearby areas, which range from suburban to rural. Graduate students may also live in the residence hall on the Beckley campus. Residence hall fees for 2009–10 are $1500 per semester for double occupancy and $2150 per semester for a private room (subject to availability). Students living on campus are required to purchase one of the University’s meal plans.
Student Group
Mountain State University serves more than 8,000 students a year. Graduate enrollment and programming have grown steadily since the University’s first graduate program was launched in 1998.
Location
Mountain State University’s main campus is located near downtown Beckley, West Virginia, a small city in the heart of the southern West Virginia mountains that serves as a regional center for business, health care, education, and tourism. The Beckley area offers the excitement quiet of a small town with a wealth of recreational and cultural opportunities. Nearby recreation includes white-water rafting on the famed New and Gauley Rivers, skiing, hiking, biking, climbing and rappelling, and other outdoor pursuits. Beckley is an hour’s drive from the state capital of Charleston and just a few hours from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Washington, D.C.; and other eastern metropolitan areas.
The branch campuses are in located in suburban areas. The Martinsburg, West Virginia campus is in the eastern panhandle near the Maryland and Virginia borders, and the Orlando, Florida campus is located in Altamonte Springs.
The University
For more than seventy-five years, Mountain State University has been a leader in overcoming barriers to higher education and in offering academic programs that combine a liberal arts foundation with career-oriented studies. The University features innovative programming, flexible learning arrangements, well-qualified and deeply committed faculty members, and outstanding student services, all in a relaxed atmosphere. The M.S.N. program is offered through the Pasty H. Haslam School of Health Sciences.
Mountain State University’s nursing program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (61 Broadway, New York, New York 10006; phone: 212-363-5555.)
Applying
Application requirements vary by concentration; students should visit the MSU Web site for details.
The Full-Time Graduate Faculty
- For information about faculty members, students should visit http://www.mountainstate.edu/programs/nursing/nursing-msn.aspx.
Correspondence and Information
Mountain State University
Beckley Campus
Dr. Judith N. Halle
Dean and Professor, Patsy H. Haslam School of Health Sciences
P.O. Box 9003
Beckley, West Virginia 25802-9003
Telephone:
304-929-1327
Telephone:
304-929-4636
Telephone:
866-367-6781 (toll-free)
Email:
jhalle@mountainstate.edu
Mountain State University, Martinsburg
Martinsburg Campus
Dr. Helen Johnstone
Dean of New Development
University Center
Martinsburg, West Virginia 25401
Telephone:
304-596-6253
Email:
hjohnstone@mountainstate.edu
Mountain State University, Orlando
Orlando Campus
Dr. Joan Morris
Assistant Director of Nursing
151 South Wymore Road, Suite 200
Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714
Telephone:
407-774-6200
Email:
jmorris@mountainstate.edu
