Master of Science in Nursing - Hawaii Pacific University - Overview
A Career-Oriented Nursing Program
The Master of Science in Nursing Program (M.S.N.) from Hawai'i Pacific University (HPU), located in Honolulu, prides itself on preparing registered nurses (RNs) to advance their careers by providing graduate students with a strong foundation in advance nursing practices.
The program focuses on those skills needed by nurses to succeed in the changing health care environment: enhanced critical thinking, assessment, problem solving, and communication skills. Graduate students are provided education in preparation for the 21st century and the changing health care system.
A Caring Faculty Committed to Student Achievement
Faculty members at the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at HPU are expert nurses, researchers, scholars, and exceptional mentors who work one-on-one with their students to help them achieve their educational and professional goals.
The M.S.N. faculty brings an extensive range of experience in significant health care projects at both the community and international levels to their classroom.
State of the Art Facilities
Graduate students engage in intensive instruction through their core coursework, practicums, and final capstone project while receiving state-of-the-art technology tools to enhance their education. These tools include access to online periodical databases in nursing, exceptional wireless services on campus, online courses, and an extensive simulation lab with several simulation men, a simulation baby, and a maternity simulation.
The M.S.N. program highlights the importance of various skills necessary for nurses to be successful in the ever-changing health care environment, such as enhanced critical thinking, communication, assessment, and problem solving.
The RN to M.S.N. Pathway
The RN to M.S.N. pathway is designed for registered nurses who do not have a baccalaureate degree in nursing but want to enter the Master of Science in Nursing program offered by HPU. Students in this program complete 5 courses, totaling 14 credits, including health teaching, leadership and management in nursing, nursing research, and developing a healthy community.
RN to M.S.N. students are granted provisional admission status until all prerequisites are completed, and must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 throughout the program. If all requirements are met, students proceed directly into the M.S.N. program upon completion of the RN to M.S.N. pathway.
Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
Upon completion of all core courses required for an M.S.N. from Hawai'i Pacific University, students may choose to receive a family nurse practitioner concentration. This concentration requires students to take 30 additional credits including courses in advanced theory: primary care of children, advanced theory: primary care of women, and advanced theory: primary care of adults, as well as practicum.
Community Clinical Nurse Specialist Concentration
Another concentration option for graduate students who have completed the core courses in the M.S.N. program is community clinical nurse specialist. Students in this concentration must complete 27 additional credits including courses in human resource management, analysis of communities and vulnerable populations, and an agency management practicum.
A Holistic Admissions Procedure
Hawai'i Pacific University seeks students who demonstrate the ability and motivation to pursue graduate level work; therefore, the M.S.N. program applies a holistic approach to its admissions process. Although the program looks for several key factors for admission, no one factor will exclude a student from consideration.
Students must hold a baccalaureate nursing degree from a nationally accredited school of nursing, have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0, provide evidence of full-time (or its equivalent) of 1 year of experience over the preceding 36 months as a RN, and participate in an interview with a M.S.N. faculty member.
Students must submit a completed application, a non-refundable application fee, an official transcript from all colleges or universities previously attended, 2 letters of recommendation, a statement of career goals, a resume, and a current RN license.
Financial aid is available for qualifying Hawai'i Pacific University students through federal financial aid via FAFSA, university scholarships, assistantships, and private financing.