MSN: Clinical Research Concentration
Major: Nursing: Clinical Research Concentration
Degree Awarded: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 47.0; 80 practicum hours
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.3801
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 29-1141
NOTE: No applications will be accepted for the 2022-2023 academic year. Please check back in summer 2023 for an update.
About the Program
The Clinical Research program is designed for nurses who wish to be involved in clinical trials and research in a variety of roles and settings. Graduates of this program will be qualified to assume roles such as research coordinator, clinical scientist, developer, and clinical trials manager or coordinator.
The program provides knowledge and skills in several critical areas:
- Applying Federal Drug Administration rules and regulations
- Phases of clinical research investigation
- New drug approval processes
- Drug protocol development
- Budgeting for clinical trials
- Informed consent
- Patient and family issues
- Business management and marketing for clinical trials
The clinical research field is a hot field for nursing employment, especially for seasoned nurses who have expertise in one or more clinical areas. Many potential employers exist outside the hospital environment—in the community or private practices with the pharmaceutical and other scientific companies that produce, test, and market new products.
Admission Requirements
- BSN from a program fully accredited by NLN and or CCNE
- 3.0 or above on all previous coursework or the last 60.0 credits completed. Applications from RNs with a GPA less than 3.0 may be considered on an individual basis.
- Official transcripts from all previous educational institutions are required.
- Two professional references required from colleagues or supervisors who can attest to the applicant’s knowledge, skill, and potential aptitude for graduate study
- Personal statement (no more than two pages and no less than one page double-spaced) that will give the admissions committee a better understanding of the following:
- Why you are choosing this particular program of study
- Your plans upon completion of the certificate
- How your current work experience will enhance your experience in this program
- Curriculum vitae or resume
- Copy of current US RN license required
- Copies of any Advanced Practice Nursing licensure and certification documents
- Minimum of 2 years' work experience as an RN
International applicants must possess a BSN (or its equivalent) and current US RN license.
TOEFL Requirement
International applicants, as well as immigrants to the United States and United States permanent residents whose native language is not English and who have not received a bachelor’s degree or higher in the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom, must show proficiency in English speaking as well as listening, writing, and reading. U.S. citizens born on U.S. military bases abroad may be waived from the TOEFL requirement after providing documentation of this status; otherwise, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
If you take the TOEFLiBT exam, you are required to have a minimum combined score for the listening, writing, and reading sections of 79 plus a speaking section score of 26 or higher.
If you take the TOEFL, you are required to have a minimum score of 550 or higher and a Test of Spoken English score (TSE) of 55 or higher.
Degree Requirements
| Core Courses | ||
| NURS 500 [WI] | Confronting Issues in Contemporary Health Care Environments | 3.0 |
| NURS 502 | Advanced Ethical Decision Making in Health Care | 3.0 |
| NURS 544 | Quality and Safety in Healthcare | 3.0 |
| RSCH 503 | Research Methods and Biostatistics | 3.0 |
| RSCH 504 | Evaluation and Translation of Health Research | 3.0 |
| Support Courses | ||
| NURS 548 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3.0 |
| NURS 549 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3.0 |
| NURS 550 | Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning | 4.0 |
| Major Courses | ||
| NURS 608 | Foundations of Good Clinical Practice in Clinical Research | 4.0 |
| NURS 645 | Concepts of Clinical Research Management I | 4.5 |
| NURS 653 | Concepts of Clinical Research Management II | 4.5 |
| NURS 654 | Pre-Practicum (required for students with less than 1 year experience in Clinical Research)) | 1.0 |
| NURS 655 | Writing for Publication: Introduction Capstone | 3.0 |
| NURS 668 | Practicum, Leadership and Career Development | 5.0 |
| Total Credits | 47.0 | |
Writing-Intensive Course Requirement
A [WI], Writing Intensive, next to a graduate course in this catalog indicates that the graduate course is a writing intensive course. The graduate course is a required course in your curriculum.
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| NURS 500 | 3.0 | NURS 544 | 3.0 | NURS 549 | 3.0 |
| NURS 502 | 3.0 | NURS 548 | 3.0 | NURS 608 | 4.0 |
| 6 | 6 | 7 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| NURS 550 | 4.0 | RSCH 503 | 3.0 | RSCH 504 | 3.0 |
| NURS 655 | 3.0 | NURS 645 | 4.5 | ||
| 4 | 6 | 7.5 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | ||
| NURS 653 | 4.5 | NURS 668 | 5.0 | ||
| NURS 654 | 1.0 | ||||
| 5.5 | 5 | ||||
| Total Credits 47 | |||||
Note: Second Year Fall is less than the 4.5-credit minimum required (considered half-time status) of graduate programs to be considered financial aid eligible. As a result, aid will not be disbursed to students this term.
