Nursing — M.S.

Program learning outcomes

Learning outcomes of the master's degree program are designed to prepare nurse leaders with a Christian perspective to enable them to contribute to professional nursing through clinical practice, teaching, and administration. Upon completion of the Master of Science degree, the graduate should be able to:

  1. Synthesize and apply research findings as a foundation for evidence-based practice.
  2. Apply informatics and health-care technologies to support data management and improve patient care.
  3. Collaborate interprofessionally to improve patient and population health outcomes.
  4. Utilize baccalaureate-level humanities, nursing, and science competencies as a basis for advanced nursing practice.
  5. Use organizational and systems leadership, management, and teaching skills to promote high-quality and safe patient care.
  6. Contribute to health policy and advocacy by working with clients, health professionals, and organizations to improve access, quality, and delivery of health care.
  7. Apply quality improvement and safety methods, tools, performance measures, and standards within professional settings.
  8. Engage in clinical prevention and health promotion to maintain and improve population health.
  9. Utilize advanced knowledge acquired from nursing and cognate sciences as a basis for advanced nursing practice.

In addition to Loma Linda University admission requirements, the applicant to the Master of Science program in nursing must also complete the following requirements:

  1. Baccalaureate degree in nursing or its equivalent from an accredited institution.
  2. G.P.A. of 3.0, both cumulative and in nursing courses.
  3. CA RN license before the start of classes.
  4. Three electronic recommendations from a recent nurse manager or director, nursing peer, and spiritual advisor.
  5. Interview by faculty members in the School of Nursing.

Entry-level master's admission requirements:

  1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (or its equivalent).
  2. Undergraduate G.P.A. of 3.30 (on a 4.00 scale)
  3. Three letters of recommendation (two from instructors)
  4. Volunteer or work experience in a health-care setting
  5. A standardized interview with one graduate and one undergraduate nursing faculty members
  6. The following prerequisites completed with a C or better
  • Communications: oral, written, and group (9 quarter units)
  • Undergraduate statistics and research
  • Behavioral and natural sciences (minimum 24 quarter units)
    • Anatomy and physiology I & II with laboratory (8 quarter units)
    • Introduction to organic and biochemistry with laboratory (8 quarter units)
    • Basic microbiology with laboratory (5 quarter units)
    • General psychology (4 quarter units)
    • Introduction to sociology (4 quarter units)
  • Nutrition (4 quarter units)
Application deadlines

Applicants seeking graduate admission must have the application process completed by the dates indicated in the following.

Nurse Educator, Nursing Administration

  • Autumn Quarter—April 1
  • Winter Quarter—August 1
  • Spring Quarter—November 1

Entry-level masters

  • Winter Quarter—July 1

Pre-entrance requirements:

  1. Health clearance, including immunizations
  2. Background check

Nondegree course status

Up to 12 units of required core coursework may be taken as a nondegree student, with the consent of the instructor, while the application submission and review are in progress. If grades of B or higher are earned, the coursework may be applied toward the graduate degree upon acceptance into the program.

Course scheduling

Core nursing courses are scheduled to accommodate the typical working nurse.

Curriculum change

The school reserves the right to update and modify the curriculum without prior notice to maintain currency with standards in health care.

Students in continuous attendance will meet graduation requirements of the CATALOG under which they enter the School of Nursing unless change is necessary to comply with new professional standards.

General requirements

For information about requirements and practices to which all graduate students are subject, the student should consult the general regulations section for the School of Nursing in this CATALOG.

Demonstration of comprehensive learning is required, either through a project or requirements embedded in courses required for the Master of Science degree, depending on the selected area of concentration