Nursing—Direct Entry

Northeastern’s on-campus direct entry nursing program allows you to use the degree and experience that you already have and leverage it into a BSN and master’s degree in nursing. Students enter the direct entry nursing MS program with an undergraduate non-nursing degree and completion of program prerequisites. Then students continue their education to become a master's-prepared Advanced Practice Nurse in an area of specialization.

Part I: Pre-Licensure
The direct entry nursing student enters the accelerated master’s program as a graduate student. The first 16 months (four semesters) of the program consist of intensive, sequential classes and clinical with combined undergraduate- and graduate-level courses. Students are then prepared to take the National Council Licensure Exam upon completion of 64 semester hours. Students earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing after this part of the program. Financial aid will be granted on an undergraduate basis during the pre-licensure phase of the program.

RN Work Experience
Once a student becomes licensed as an RN, the student must acquire full-time RN work experience. This part of the program requires at least one to two years of work experience as a registered nurse, including two years of experience in pediatrics, adult acute care and neonatal, before resuming practicum courses. Students may start core non-clinical courses with the approval of their director during the required RN experience. Finding RN employment is the responsibility of the student as it is a professional nursing experience. Northeastern will help support the student in preparation for the job search. A Leave of Absence (LOA) of one year may be granted on an individual basis to gain more nursing experience before returning to the master’s portion of the program.

Part II: Return to Master’s Specialty Tracks
In the master’s specialty track, students are required to take professional and research core classes, clinical core, and specialty clinical courses. Full- or part-time academic study is available to students. Most students return to the master’s segment of the program, taking coursework as a part-time student while continuing to work and increase the amount of RN professional experience. Full-time study, however, is also an option. Completion of the MSN can take four to six semesters depending on the student’s pace and specialty track. Upon completion of the required specialty area credits, the student receives a Master of Science degree and is eligible to take the national certification exam in their area of advanced specialty nursing practice. Financial aid is awarded on a graduate basis during this portion of the program. Students may choose from the following specializations:

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
• Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Delivery and Informatics (MS or MS/MBA)
• Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner
• Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

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