Master of Science in Nursing
Advance your career by developing specialized clinical and leadership skills that elevate patient care and strengthen healthcare practice.
Program overview
A Master of Science in Nursing from Ohio State elevates your nursing career with advanced clinical expertise, expanded professional autonomy and preparation for leadership roles across healthcare. Our program equips you to diagnose, prescribe, manage care and lead practice improvements through evidence-based decision-making and innovative care delivery. As an Ohio State Buckeye, you gain access to nationally recognized faculty, state-of-the-art simulation environments and a supportive academic community committed to your success. You can tailor your education by choosing from nine specialties to reach your career goals and upon graduation be eligible for certification in your chosen specialty. With full- and part-time options, this program equips you with the knowledge and skills to make an impact across diverse patient populations and health care settings.
U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Ohio State among the top nursing programs in the nation, including the #1 online master’s program in 2026. Through rigorous coursework and immersive clinical experiences, you will be prepared for advanced practice in a variety of care settings including primary care, hospitals, specialty clinics, community agencies and beyond. Our strong partnerships with Ohio State’s academic medical center and community-based preceptors ensure you learn alongside expert clinicians who model high-quality, person-centered care.
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53-73 credit hours
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2-3 years
Eligibility requirements
- Completed Bachelor of Science (BSN) or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- Nursing degrees must be from an institution with a nursing education program accredited through the CCNE, ACEN or CNEA. Applicants may apply to the Traditional Master of Science in nursing while a bachelor’s degree is still in progress but must receive the degree by August 1 prior to beginning enrollment in the master’s program.
- International applicants must hold the equivalent Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution. All transcripts must undergo a course-by-course credential evaluation by an approved evaluation agency to verify program equivalency and calculate a Grade Point Average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale.
- Active RN license
- Active, unencumbered license as a registered nurse in the state where they practice. Applicants may apply before receiving an RN license, but must be in possession of a current, unencumbered RN license by August 1.
- Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale in the last degree earned that is relevant to the program of study
- GPAs are reviewed by Ohio State's Graduate and Professional Admissions Office. Applicants whose GPAs fall below 3.0 may still apply and be considered for admission.
We offer nine specialty tracks in the Traditional Master’s program, and one specialty must be selected when you submit your application.
Online only
On-campus only
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
Online or on-campus
- Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
Online program availability varies by state. State authorization provides information on state authorization requirements and disclosures related to online programs and state licensing board contact information.
Time to degree
- 2 years full-time
- 3 years part-time
Credit hours
- 53-73
Delivery format
- Complete core coursework online
- Complete specialty coursework based on your track
- On-campus specialties:
- Attend in-person classes in Columbus, often weekly
- Online specialties:
- Participate in synchronous online classes if enrolled in an online specialty
- Attend prescheduled on-campus sessions for skills training and simulation, if required
- On-campus specialties:
Clinical education
- Complete three to four semesters of clinical coursework, depending on your specialty
- Complete clinical experiences near your home when possible
- Train with preceptors across Ohio and in authorized states
Sample schedules
Year 1
Autumn
- Leadership (3 credits)
- Pathophysiology (5 credits)
- Nursing Policy (2 credits)
- Evidence-based Nursing Scholarship (3 credits)
Spring
- Advanced Health Assessment (3-4 credits)
- Advanced Pharmacology (4 credits)
- Quality Improvement and Informatics (3 credits)
- Health Promotion, Theory and Population Health (2 credits)
- Specialty Coursework (2-9 credits)
Summer
- Clinical and Diagnostic Reasoning (2 credits)
- Clinical Practicum (5-11.5 credits)
Year 2
Autumn
- Clinical Practicum (7-11.5 credits)
Spring
- Professional Role Seminar (1 credit)
- Clinical Practicum (8-11.5 credits)
Year 1
Autumn
- Pathophysiology (5 credits)
- Leadership (3 credits)
Spring
- Specialty Coursework (2-9 credits)
- Quality Improvement and Informatics (3 credits)
- Health Promotion, Theory and Population Health (2 credits)
Year 2
Autumn
- Evidence-based Nursing Scholarship (3 credits)
- Nursing Policy (2 credits)
Spring
- Advanced Health Assessment (3-4 credits)
- Advanced Pharmacology (4 credits)
Summer
- Clinical Practicum (5-11.5 credits)
- Clinical and Diagnostic Reasoning (2 credits)
Year 3
Autumn
- Clinical Practicum (7-11.5 credits)
Spring
- Clinical Practicum (8-11.5 credits)
- Professional Role Seminar (1 credit)
Allow up to five business days for the status of materials to be updated on your application status. You can track the status of your application through your applicant center.
- Deadline
- The application and all materials must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET.
- Decision
- Round 1: Late December
- Round 2: Late April
- The application status will show as “pending” until a decision is posted. Ohio State graduate transfer applicants can track their application status by emailing nursing@osu.edu.
- All applicants, including Ohio State graduate transfer applicants, will be notified of their admission decision via email.
- Accept
- Round 1: Four weeks post decision
- Round 2: Two weeks post decision
- If you do not respond to your offer of admission by the deadline you will have your offer canceled.
- You cannot defer admittance. If you are unable to begin your studies in the term to which you applied, you will be required to reapply in the future.
- Requirements
- August 1
- A conferred BSN degree or Master of Science in Nursing, a valid, unrestricted RN license and students participating in an on-campus specialty must provide proof of Ohio RN licensure and students participating in an online specialty must provide proof of RN licensure in the state where they anticipate clinicals will be performed.
How to apply
Complete online application at Ohio State’s Graduate and Professional Admissions office website. A $60 fee is required at the time of submission of the application.
In the online application you will be required to select your specialization for the program, as well as whether you will attend full-time or part-time and if you will attend on-campus or online, if that option is available for your chosen specialty.
Internationally educated applicants can find additional information on Ohio State's Graduate and Professional Admissions website.
You must submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have previously attended at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. This includes transcripts for any post-secondary courses taken during high school or of coursework that appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Transcripts from The Ohio State University do not need to be submitted.
Transcripts should be submitted directly by the sending institution by mail or electronic transfer to be considered official. Request that your transcripts be sent early so they arrive before the deadline. Transcripts can be sent to gpadocs@osu.edu or by mail to:
The Ohio State University
Graduate Admissions Office
P.O. Box 182004
Columbus, OH 43218-2004
You may upload a copy of an official transcript at the time of application or afterward on the admissions uploader. Documents submitted in this manner are considered unofficial but will suffice for the purposes of your application. Web based documents, online grade reports and related materials are not acceptable. If you are admitted, you will be required to supply official transcripts sent directly from your previous institution(s).
For details regarding these methods of submitting transcripts, visit The Ohio State University Graduate and Professional Admissions and direct all transcript related questions to their office at 614-292-9444 or to gpadmissions@osu.edu.
Your resume or curriculum vitae (CV) should be in a similar format as a job application. Include your previous education, professional experiences, community service, volunteer activities, publications, research and leadership experiences. Submit this document at the time of application or afterward on the admissions uploader.
An opportunity to introduce yourself, to express your interest in advanced nursing practice and to demonstrate your writing skills. Here are some recommended questions to consider and to address when composing your statement:
- What specifically are your academic and career goals?
- How did you decide to seek graduate education in this specialty area?
- How have your life experiences prepared you for a master’s degree and/or to be an advanced practice nurse in your selected specialty?
- How do you see yourself as a leader and advocate for patients in your future practice setting?
Your statement should not exceed three pages and use a standard format of single-spaced, 12-point font, with one-inch margins. You may submit this document at the time of application or afterward on the admissions uploader.
You are required to complete an interview through an online portal called HireVue. You will answer a few questions and your responses will be recorded. This interview can be completed at any time during the application window, however, we ask that you do so only after you have completed and submitted your application.
You must complete the recorded online video interview before the application deadline. Video details and instructions.
During the application process, you will be asked to provide the names and email addresses of three recommenders. Once the application is submitted, an email will be automatically generated and sent to your recommenders with further instructions on how to submit their letters. We encourage you to submit your application far in advance of the deadline so that your recommenders have ample time to upload their letters. Letters of recommendation should not be mailed, and you may not personally submit letters of recommendation.
It is suggested that at least two of the three letters of recommendation come from academic sources. We suggest providing your recommenders with information in advance on the degree and specialty to which you are applying and with a copy of your purpose and goals statement. Ask that they address your potential for success in a rigorous graduate program and what attributes and experiences they feel will allow you to excel as an advanced practice nurse in your chosen specialty. Finally, make them aware of the submission process and the application deadline.
If you completed the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree or higher at an institution outside of the United States, you must submit a course-by-course credential evaluation that verifies U.S. degree equivalency and includes a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale.
The evaluation must be completed by an approved credential evaluation agency and sent directly to the university by the agency. Our preferred agency is TruMerit (formerly CGFNS International) as TruMerit credential evaluations are also required by the Ohio Board of Nursing for RN licensure.
You can find additional information on Ohio State's Graduate and Professional Admissions website.
We will also accept evaluations from the following approved agencies:
- World Education Services (WES)
- SpanTran (The Evaluation Company)
- Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
- International Education Evaluations (IEE)
- Josef Silny & Associates (JS&A)
- International Education Research Foundation (IERF)
- International Consultants of Delaware (ICD)
The course-by-course credential evaluation must include:
- Verification of U.S. degree equivalency
- A list of completed coursework with credit hours and grades
- Calculation of a cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
If you are currently or have been previously enrolled in a degree granting graduate program at The Ohio State University for any length of time, you would be considered a Graduate Intra-University Transfer Student. Choose the appropriate application for "current or former" Ohio State students after clicking apply now.
In addition to the online application, you must complete a supplemental application. This separate application must be submitted to the College of Nursing directly at CON-gradrecords@osu.edu. Choose any of the following options to access this application:
- MS Word Document: Supplemental Traditional Master’s Application (To download, select "Save")
- PDF: Supplemental Traditional Master’s Application
Applicants must submit all application materials by 11:59 p.m. ET on the deadline to be considered for admission.
FAQ
Your application will receive a holistic review, meaning all aspects of who you are as an applicant will be considered including your academic preparedness, professional background, formative life experiences and unique strengths and attributes. The following list of applicant attributes and experiences is not all encompassing but is meant to help guide you in highlighting your strengths as you prepare your application.
- A clear understanding of the role of the advanced practice nurse in your chosen specialty and how it aligns with your future career goals
- Previous personal or professional experience with the population of your chosen specialty
- Leadership, and/or ability for teamwork and collaboration
- Community engagement (local or global)
- Diversity of thought, perspective and experiences
- Evidence of the ability to think critically
- Organization of ideas and written and oral communication skills
- Overall commitment to the nursing profession
Ohio State’s graduate nursing programs prepare students for national board certification in their specialty area. Licensure to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) is regulated by each state board of nursing, and this program meets APRN licensure requirements in the State of Ohio. Students planning to pursue licensure in another state should review that state’s educational and licensure requirements. Licensing board information for online programs is available here, and information for on-campus programs is available at go.osu.edu/onground.
Some students in our master’s-level programs do work while completing the program. However, due to the rigorous nature of the programs and the time commitments required, it is strongly recommended that you pursue the part-time study for the Traditional Master of Science program if you intend to maintain an employment schedule outside of school. The clinical portion of the curriculum, typically completed in the final year, is full-time and generally requires a three- to four-day-per-week commitment.
No, applicants must pick one specialty area at the time of application and it is also extremely unlikely that students are permitted to switch specialties after admission. If you have an interest in more than one specialty field, consider pursuing a second specialty after graduation through our Post-Master’s Study option.
No, Nurse-Midwifery and Women's Health are two distinct and separate specialty tracks.
Applicants must select either the full-time or part-time option at the time of application. While we will try to accommodate your requested status, such accommodation is not guaranteed, and you may be admitted to the alternate enrollment status.
Yes, you can reapply by submitting a new application. Once the new application is received by the College of Nursing, you will be sent an email asking what materials you would like to re-use. We encourage you to revise and submit new versions of all application materials.
Students who enroll in two graduate degree-granting programs concurrently are called dual degree students. Review information from the Graduate School to learn more about the dual degree designation.
Dual Degree students must satisfy the credit hour requirements for each degree program. There may be little overlap between the two sets of coursework, which can result in students being required to fully complete the degree requirements for both programs in order to graduate. This can extend time to graduation. Due to the rigorous nature of some of our graduate clinical programs, prospective students interested in a Dual Degree option with the College of Nursing are advised to closely examine the curriculum requirements of our programs before applying. For degree programs with clinical components, it is important to recognize that adjustments to the standard curriculum plan may not be possible.
After you have reviewed this information, contact the director of the program in which you are interested for further discussion. This discussion should occur before you begin applying in order to gain a better understanding of program requirements. Applicants interested in applying to a College of Nursing graduate program as a dual degree student must follow the application process for that academic program and adhere to all deadlines. Email nursing@osu.edu if you have any questions about how to apply.
After admission, students may petition to waive previous graduate coursework rather than transfer credits. Faculty will review your prior courses to determine whether they meet program requirements. There is no limit to the number of courses you may petition to waive; however, clinical coursework cannot be waived, and all students must complete at least 30 graduate credit hours to earn a master’s degree at Ohio State. For more information, please contact the graduate program manager.
Yes, you may take classes as a “Graduate Non-Degree” (GND) student and you can learn more about this process. You may apply up to ten credits of coursework taken as a GND student to the master’s program.
Possibly. Ohio State offers a Tuition Assistance program for employees, which you can learn more about. Eligibility is based on your employment status. You should consult with your Human Resources representative if you have questions about the Employee Tuition Assistance Program.
Students with international degrees are eligible to apply provided they meet all program admissions requirements, including holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation program. Additional requirements for international applicants:
- Review The Ohio State University’s English Proficiency Policy and other important information.
- For immigration documents and international student requirements, contact Graduate and Professional Admissions Office at gpadmissions@osu.edu or 614-292-9444.
Students are admitted twice-per-year for autumn semester.