Cost Per Credit
$825
School of Nursing
Direct Entry - Master of Science in Nursing
Designed for students from any academic background, our Direct Entry MSN blends asynchronous online coursework with immersive, in-person labs and clinicals. Become a practice-ready registered nurse through an accelerated, focused pathway - no prior nursing degree required!
Start Date
Apply today and start as soon as August 24, 2026!
Scholarships
$1000s in scholarships exclusively for adult and post-traditional learners.
View ScholarshipsVirtualTour
Your path Into a nursing career
No matter your current career path, you can become a Registered Nurse. The world needs more nurses. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the U.S. alone, demand for RNs is projected to grow by 5-6% from 2022–2034, faster than the average for all occupations. Can we count on you?
Virtual TourProgram Overview
Our Direct Entry MSN is designed for individuals with a bachelor’s degree in any field who feel called to change careers and make an impact. No prior nursing experience required (prerequisite coursework may apply).
A supportive path into nursing
At Concordia University, you’ll join a Christ-centered community that nurtures both your personal and professional growth. Our Direct Entry MSN is designed to guide career changers into nursing with confidence-combining advanced theory, hands-on labs, and supervised clinical rotations.
You’ll graduate prepared to:
- Sit for the NCLEX-RN and become a licensed registered nurse
- Enter the workforce practice-ready with real-world experience
- Lead with purpose as a nurse who integrates skill, compassion, and faith
Career outcomes
With your MSN and RN licensure, you’ll be ready for a career that’s both stable and meaningful. Potential roles include:
- Staff Nurse
- Clinical Instructor
- Unit Supervisor
- Charge Nurse
Average RN salaries in US exceed $81,000, with strong growth opportunities nationwide.
What to Expect
Learn the foundations of nursing: Start with a strong base in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and nursing fundamentals through engaging online coursework led by expert faculty.
Master essential clinical skills: Practice in Concordia’s simulation labs, where you’ll develop confidence in a safe, supportive environment before working with patients.
Experience real-world nursing: Step into supervised clinical rotations alongside licensed RNs—providing care, practicing assessments, and learning the daily rhythms of the nursing profession.
Grow in community and purpose: Join a Christ-centered community of peers, mentors, and faculty who are committed to your personal and professional growth. You won’t just earn a degree—you’ll discover your calling to serve.
Hands-On Training: Clinicals: Clinicals are the bridge from classroom to career. Like an internship or apprenticeship, you’ll deliver care to real patients under the guidance of experienced RNs.
A seamless transition
At Concordia, we make this transition seamless:
- We secure your placements – Our School of Nursing arranges clinical sites so you can focus on learning.
- Learn by doing – Apply classroom concepts in authentic healthcare settings.
- Gain real-world experience – Clinical shifts of up to 12 hours help you build confidence,
resilience, and readiness for the demands of nursing practice. - Grow with support – Licensed RNs coach you in assessment, care coordination, patient advocacy, and more.
By the time you graduate, you’ll be fully prepared—academically, clinically, and spiritually—to step into the workforce as a practice-ready registered nurse.
Virtual learning, in-person practice
Coursework is online, complemented by hands-on clinical experiences at nearby healthcare facilities, as well as simulation and practical training on campus at CUAA (Ann Arbor, MI) or CUW (Mequon, WI).
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Requirements
Whether you’re pivoting from a different career, rediscovering your purpose, or simply ready for a new challenge, Concordia provides a clear, supportive path to becoming a Registered Nurse.
- Career changers welcome: no prior nursing experience required.
- Any bachelor’s degree accepted: bring your existing degree, no matter the discipline, with a minimum 2.75 GPA or better.
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA): certification or proof of completion (examination not required but recommended) - Current unencumbered EMT certification or current unencumbered LPN licensure may be considered as equivalent to CNA.
- Prerequisite courses required within 7 years: this set of science and health prerequisites ensures you’re fully prepared to succeed:
- A&P I*
- A&P II*
- Chemistry
- Microbiology*
- Developmental Psychology
- Statistics
*Lecture and Labs must be taken within the last 7 years with an award of B grade or better.
- In-person learning: Students must be able to attend clinicals and on-campus lab experiences at either the CUAA or CUW campus.
Admission process
Submit an online application: www.cuw.edu/apply (select the Graduate option)
All students applying for admission to the program must submit:
- Resume with educational and professional experience
- All official transcripts from all schools previously attended
- Two letters of professional recommendation
- Personal Statement / essay - should include responses to each of the following statements/questions. This short essay should be an example of student’s best writing for the admission review committee’s consideration. Each touch point should not exceed 350 words.
- Describe why you are choosing a career in nursing.
- Concordia University is Christ-centered, valuing truth and integrity, excellence, and service. How does this fit with your values and beliefs?
- In reflection on your qualifications as a candidate for our direct-entry Masters of Science in nursing graduate nursing program, describe how you will manage your time and financial responsibilities to be successful.
- Brief video introduction recorded and submitted through your application
- Provide a copy of your government-issued identification
- The following items are required upon acceptance, prior to the cohort orientation. If already completed, please provide the documents during the application process:
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification or proof of completion (examination not required but recommended) - Current unencumbered EMT certification or current unencumbered LPN licensure may be considered as equivalent to CNA
- American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Professionals (BLS-HCP) certification
In addition to the Graduate Admission Requirements, there may be a pre-admission telephone interview.
The admission committee will review applications and a formal letter/email of acceptance or denial will be sent to the student.
Please note: in clinical experiences, students are required to work in healthcare systems or clinics, and must comply with any vaccination requirements of the clinical sites.
Contact us
For additional information, please contact the Graduate Admission Office at graduate.admission@cuw.edu or 262-243-4300.
The University reserves the right to delay or cancel the matriculation of cohorts, classes, or programs. Decisions regarding program matriculation are made by the University. Candidates for enrollment in accredited healthcare programs should contact the program director for detailed information and refer to their acceptance letter for any updates about delays or cancellations. Once a student is matriculated into an accredited program, the University is committed to completing the program.
Mission Statement
At Concordia, you don’t just graduate as a nurse—you graduate as a Concordia nurse. Rooted in Christian faith, our education empowers nurses to inspire hope, touch lives, and transform healthcare through compassion, integrity, and unwavering excellence.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program in nursing at Concordia University Wisconsin is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
John L. Dyson
PhD, RN
Coordinator - Accelerated BSN Program, Associate Professor
Office: Rincker Hall HS101-H
Phone: (262) 243-4208
Bio
After completing my Associates Degree at MATC in Milwaukee in 1996, I returned to complete my BSN at Concordia in 2004, my Master of Science nursing degree at Alverno College in 2007, and my PhD at Northcentral University in 2016. I have worked in long-term care at St. Camillus in Wauwatosa, acute care at Community Memorial in Menomonee Falls (now Froedtert Menomonee Falls) while simultaneously working in home Health with Horizon Home Care, and most recently with Brightstar home health care. I have served as a staff nurse, charge nurse, patient care coordinator, and with home health in infusion and wound care nursing. <br> <br>I taught clinical students for Moraine Park West Bend before moving full-time to UW-Milwaukee from 2006 to 2011 teaching clinical and health assessment. During that time I was also teaching multiple BSN Completion courses at Concordia University as adjunct before joining Concordia full-time in 2011 to the present, while also working in home health care part time.<br> <br>After earning my PhD I advanced to Associate Professor, where I currently teach in three different program areas of study. I am also Program Coordinator for the 22-month Direct Entry Master’s of Science Nursing program. I also serve as Clinical course coordinator and occasionally as clinical instructor for our students’ first clinical. I teach nursing pharmacology, gerontological nursing, courses in nursing informatics, genetics and genomics, and a course prepping senior graduating students for taking the NCLEX-RN for licensure, among others.
Education
- Ph D - Education- Curriculum Development and Assessment- Nursing focused, Northcentral University (2016)
Contributions
- Lueders Bolwerk, C., Dyson, J., Jobe, B. & Thompson, W., (2022). In Jamie Spikes (Ed.), (1 ed.,vol. 4,pp. 4). Parish Nursing Notes. https://www.elpna...
Research Interests
- Strengthening Student Success in Drug Calculations Testing
- The Anxiety Levels of Gen Z Students
Teaching Interests
- Research, Information Literacy, informatics, gerontological nursing, pharmacology
- Genetics/Genomics
Dawn R. Kuerschner
Ph.D., APN-BC, CNE
Department Chair - Interim - Traditional Undergraduate Nursing CUAA, Associate Professor
Office: Rincker Hall 110G
Phone: (262) 243-4452
Education
- Ph D - Professional Studies, Capella University (2014)
- MSN - Nurse Practitioner, Rush University (1997)
- BSN - Nursing, Elmhurst College (1981)
Presentations
- Krell, J. & Kuerschner, D. (2023). Summer Camp: Bridging the next generation with health care professionals. Poster. Reaching, Teaching, & Launching Nurses into Practice. Bellin College.
Research Interests
- Student Retention
- The Skill of Observation
Teaching Interests
- Medical Surgical Nursing
- Pediatric Nursing
Julie Parve
DNP, FNP-BC, APNP, RN
Associate Professor
Office: Rincker Hall R110E
Phone: (262) 243-2051
Bio
Julie Parve teaches Advanced Practice Nursing III, Global Perspectives and a clinical course in the BSN-DNP program to Advanced Nursing students. She is also the Director of Graduate Nursing. Her research focuses on refugee health as well as the impact of cross-cultural immersion experiences on college students as well as pharmacogenetics in treatment of patients with chronic pain. She is the author of one book and several clinical practice articles.
Education
- DNP - CUW-Mequon (2009)
- MS - FNP, CUW-Mequon (2003)
- BSN - Nursing, Marian University (2001)
Research Interests
- Interactive online education
- Cross-cultural immersion for students
Teaching Interests
- Global Health
- Diagnosis and treatment of chronic and acute health conditions
Anita Simmons
MSN, RN
Coordinator - Simulation Program Designer and Interprofessional Education, Clinical Instructor
Office: Ann Arbor North Building 204
Phone: (734) 995-7300
Bio
Anita has been a registered nurse over 20 years, with over half of that time focusing on nursing education in some form, primarily in the clinical , lab, and simulation settings.
Education
- MSN - nursing education, Lourdes University (2015)
- BSN - Nursing, Anderson University (1996)
Research Interests
- Teaching through simulation
- Inter-professional education
Teaching Interests
- Nursing simulation
- Inter-professional education
22-Month Plan
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 5036 | Pathophysiology for Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 5042 | Pharmacology for Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 5010 | Essential Foundations for Professional Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 5038 | Health Assessment for Professional Nursing | 3 |
| Total Semester Credits | 12 | |
| Semester 2 | Hours | |
| NURS 5620 | Chronic Health Care Conditions Theory | 3 |
| NURS 5622 | Chronic Health Care Conditions Clinical | 2 |
| NURS 5040 | Evidence Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 6036 | Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| Total Semester Credits | 11 | |
| Semester 3 | Hours | |
| NURS 6630 | Population & Community Health Nursing Theory | 2 |
| NURS 6632 | Population & Community Health Nursing Clinical | 1 |
| NURS 6610 | Mental Health Nursing | 2 |
| NURS 6640 | Acute Health Care Conditions Theory | 3 |
| NURS 6642 | Acute Health Care Conditions Clinical | 2 |
| NURS 5060 | Fundamentals of Health Care Informatics | 3 |
| Total Semester Credits | 13 | |
| Semester 4 | Hours | |
| NURS 7610 | Complex &Transitional Care Theory | 3 |
| NURS 7612 | Complex & Transitional Care Clinical | 2 |
| NURS 7620 | Nursing Care of the Childbearing Woman, Infant & Child Theory | 3 |
| NURS 7622 | Nursing Care of the Childbearing Woman, Infant & Child Clinical | 2 |
| NURS 6038 | Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| Total Semester Credits | 13 | |
| Semester 5 | Hours | |
| NURS 5030 | Healthcare Policy & Issues in Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 6042 | Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 |
| NURS 5034 | Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Roles & Interprofessional Collaboration | 3 |
| NURS 7640 | Integrating Professional Nursing Care & Leadership Theory | 2 |
| NURS 7642 | Integrating Professional Nursing Care & Leadership Clinical | 3 |
| NURS 7680 | Preparation for Professional Nursing Licensure | 1 |
| Total Semester Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 64 | |
Questions? We’re here to help!
Get answers to your questions
This program is offered through our sister campus, Concordia University Wisconsin. Click here to request information.