Graduate Nursing Department

Never has the role of nurses in our nation’s healthcare been so prominently displayed. It is also a time of unprecedented innovation. WSU’s Graduate Nursing faculty and staff are proud of our excellent programs and our ability to provide graduate courses that can help meet a variety of professional goals and various learning styles and needs.

Grounded in an environment of scholarship, the Graduate Nursing Department educates innovative, authentic, inclusive, and engaged leaders in the field of nursing. Our education emphasizes person and relationship-centered care for individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations in our diverse society.

The mission of the Department of Graduate Nursing is to prepare not only graduate nursing students to lead the transformation of nursing and healthcare, but also nurse leaders, educators, and advanced practitioners for the highest level of nursing practice and improve the world through all aspects of health and well-being.

Attend an Info Session

Program Options

There has never been a better time to level up your knowledge and skill in nursing. Our programs include: 

• 2 Master of Science (MS) degrees
• 6 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs
• 6 Post-Graduate Certificate programs

Program Delivery

All Graduate Nursing programs are hybrid. This means you’ll take some of your classes online and attend some classes, labs, and simulations on our Rochester campus. Online courses may be offered in synchronous or asynchronous formats.

We’ve been delivering courses this way for over a decade, so you can trust us to provide a high-quality education.

WSU faculty value our relationships and interactions with students. You’ll also get to meet with faculty and your peers on a regular basis and in real-time. This means you get the best of both worlds–flexible coursework and engaged learning. 

Practicum & Clinical Experiences

Required immersive, hands-on learning experiences are provided on campus in Rochester, Minnesota. These experiences occur in simulation and health assessment laboratories. 

Our graduate programs provide specialized knowledge and hands-on opportunities in each advanced nursing role through practicums and clinicals.

The Clinical Placement Coordinator works closely with students and faculty to arrange role-specific clinical site and preceptor placements. Placement occurs in designated regional clinical affiliate sites.

We take pride in having clinical affiliations with multiple healthcare facilities in the region. Some of these include: 

• Allina Health
• Fairview University
• Gundersen Health System
• Health Partners
• Mayo Clinic
• Mayo Clinic Health System
• Mercy Medical Center
• Odam Medical Group
• Sanford Health

Give to the Gayle Olsen Graduate Nursing Scholarship

In honor of Gayle Olsen, the Gayle Olsen Graduate Nursing Scholarship is being established.

Donors can give in any of the following ways to the scholarship: check, credit card or debited to the scholarship account monthly.

Make a Donation Online

Make your check out to the WSU Foundation and indicate that it is for the Gayle Olsen Graduate Nursing Scholarship. 

Accreditation

The following programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and American Association of Colleges of Nursing:

• Baccalaureate degree program in nursing
• Master’s degree program in nursing
• Doctor of Nursing Practice program
• Post-graduate APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) certificate program

The WSU Nursing program is approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing. The Baccalaureate and Master’s programs received continuing program approval in June of 2013. The next consideration for continuing approval by the Board of Nursing will be after the planned 2022 Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accreditation visit and when the CCNE board action is complete.

Graduates of the traditional 4-year, pre-licensure program (Generic Option) are eligible to write the professional nurse licensure examination (NCLEX). 

Generic Option and RN to BS Completion graduates are eligible to apply for Public Health Nursing Certification in Minnesota and may also apply to the Board of Teaching for a school nurse license in Minnesota after they obtain Public Health Nurse certification. 

Graduates can give professional nursing care in first-level nursing positions and have a base for graduate study.

Department of Education Disclosures

As of July 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education implemented new regulations that professional nursing programs (RN and APRN) must adhere to: Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a)(5)(v).

In compliance with this regulation, WSU is providing the following information:

• WSU’s nursing curriculum meets state educational requirements for professional licensure in the states/jurisdictions of: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Island, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming
• WSU’s undergraduate nursing curriculum does not meet the state educational requirements for professional licensure in the states/jurisdictions of: None
• WSU has not made the determination if the undergraduate nursing curriculum meets state educational requirements in the states/jurisdictions of: American Samoa, Guam, and Michigan

This information was gathered from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website and last updated on July 1, 2022. 

WSU assumes no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information contained in this resource. It is your responsibility to verify accuracy by visiting the NCSBN website.