The nursing profession is definitely one that places great emphasis on education. Many in the profession are constantly continuing their education gaining credit and even changing specialties every few years to gain experience in different areas.

Some RNs even make the jump into a master’s degree in nursing. The program is typically 18- 24 months in length and lets nurses specialize in a specific area of advanced training or research. Some nurses take on even more schooling and go fo joint degrees in hospital and business administration or public health.

The vast majority of people who are working their way toward an MSN already hold a Bachelor of Nursing degree. For those without a BSN, some schools offer accelerated degrees to allow nurses to get a BSN and MSN in one program.

To get into an MSN program at an accredited nursing school, you’ll typically need your RN license, have a minimum GPA/GRE scores and a specified amount of clinical work experience. Always check with the requirements of any school you want to apply to.

RN-to-MSN Programs - These programs are for RNs who already possess an associate degree in nursing, but want to get their MSN right after earning a BSN. Program courses are designed to meet the needs of each student so that they get as much advanced placement credit as possible for their BSN and to avoid overlap between BSN and MSN courses.

Direct Entry MSN Programs - Also known as ‘graduate entry’ programs, these are tailored to non-nurses who hold a bachelor’s degree n a field other than nursing. Direct entry MSN programs give credit for already-completed liberal arts requirements and allow students to complete an accelerated schedule of core nursing courses before moving into graduate nursing courses. This allows students to combine training for an RN licensure with advanced master’s degree training. These programs take about three years to complete and the entire first year is dedicated to entry-level nursing coursework with the remaining two years reserved for study at the master’s level.

So you ‘ve got your master’s degree, now what? If you already hold an MSN, but want to expand your expertise to include new fields, you can enroll in what is known as a post-master’s certificate program to take and exam. These exams are administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, or ANCC (part of the American Nurses Association). The ANCC provides examinations in general, advanced practice and clinical specialties that cover nearly 30 areas. You typically must qualify to sit for these ANCC exams.