Pathway to a Master of Nursing M.S.N.

As the field of nursing continues to become more advanced in the health sciences, many nursing schools now require students to have completed a bachelor’s degree (in a variety of different possible majors) prior to enrolling in a clinical nursing program. Upon completion of the clinical education provided by the nursing school, the student is awarded a Master of Nursing degree (MSN). Dominican also provides preparation for this type of program through an affiliation with Rush University College of Nursing, which offers a seven-quarter Generalist Entry Master’s (GEM) in Nursing with a focus in clinical leadership. This MSN degree prepares the student to be a graduate nurse clinician with a focus in clinical leadership. Students must have a bachelor’s degree and must have completed the required prerequisite courses to be admitted to this degree program at Rush. Dominican students who wish to pursue this path to a nursing career can do so by completing a variety of majors at Dominican; however, students are encouraged to major in either biology with a concentration in health sciences or natural science with a concentration in health sciences. Please see Natural Science or Biology sections in this bulletin for additional information.