Graduate Entry Admissions

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Entry Master of Science in nursing you must have: 

Completed a bachelor’s degree

Applicants may have a bachelor's degree in any area, but it must be from an accredited program. Applicants may apply to the Graduate Entry option while their bachelor's degree is still in progress, but must receive their degree prior to beginning enrollment in the program.

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.

Completed all prerequisite coursework with qualifying grades by the application deadline

See the section below for more details on the prerequisite course requirements. 

Visit this page to learn more about requirements related to vaccines, licenses and other requirements upon admission.

---

Who We Are Looking For

Your application will be reviewed on a holistic basis, meaning all aspects of who you are as an applicant will be considered. This assessment will include academic preparedness and formative experiences in your professional background, schooling and life. We are also looking for applicants that demonstrate a preferred set of attributes and strengths described in the following list. This list is not all encompassing, but is meant to help guide you in what you may wish to highlight in your written application materials and in your recorded online video interview: 

• A clear understanding of your chosen specialty track 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 resilience, personal growth and ability to think critically    
• Emotional intelligence, organization of ideas and written and oral communication skills    
• Examples of key personal attributes such as humility, professionalism, compassion, etc.   
• Overall commitment to the nursing profession 

---

Prerequisites

Applicants must complete all prerequisite coursework for the Graduate Entry option prior to the posted application deadline. Applicants who have not done so, even if prerequisite courses are in-progress at the time of the deadline, will not be considered for admission. 

All applicants must complete a course in each of the following five areas: 

• Human Anatomy - Must include a lab, all body systems, three (3) semester credits or five (5) quarter credits 
• Human Physiology - All body systems, three (3) semester credits or five (5) quarter credits 
• Human Nutrition - Throughout the lifecycle, including sociophysiological factors, three (3) semester credits or five (5) quarter credits 
• Microbiology - Must include a lab, microorganisms and their interaction with the human experience, three (3) semester credits or five (5) quarter credits 
• Pharmacology - All body systems, drug classifications and their therapeutic uses, drug action, two (2) semester credits or three (3) quarter credits 

A grade of B- or better is required in each prerequisite course. Credit by examination (such as AP test scores) is not accepted towards the prerequisite requirement. Lab components of prerequisite coursework may be completed in-person or online starting in Spring semester 2020 and beyond.

Prerequisites taken at Ohio State 

Prerequisite coursework may be completed at Ohio State during a bachelor’s program or as a non-degree student. To take undergraduate courses outside of a degree program, you must first apply as an Extended Education student. Applications can be completed through the Office of Distance Education and eLearning (ODEE). Please contact ODEE to learn more about enrollment as a continuing education student at 614-292-8860 or e-mail odee-extendeded@osu.edu.

The following Ohio State courses fulfill the prerequisite course requirements: 

• Human Anatomy 
  • ANATOMY 2220 Human Structure and Function for Engineers 
  • ANATOMY 2300 Basic Human Anatomy 
  • ANATOMY 3300 Advanced Human Anatomy for Undergraduates 
  • EEOB 2510 Human Anatomy 
• Human Physiology 
  • EEOB 2520 Human Physiology 
  • PHR 3100 Human Physiology and Disease 
  • PHYSIO 3101 Human Physiology I and PHYSIO 3102 Human Physiology II 
  • PHYSIO 3200 Human Physiology 
• Human Nutrition 
  • HUMNNTR 2210 Science of Human Nutrition (no longer offered, but course fulfills requirement)
  • HUMNNTR 2410 Science of Human Nutrition 
  • HUMNNTR 2310 Fundamentals of Nutrition 
  • MEDDIET 3100 Human Nutrition and Metabolism 
  • MEDDIET 6300 Evidence Based Topics in Nutrition & Dietetics 
• Microbiology 
  • MICRBIO 4000 Basic & Practical Microbiology 
  • MICRBIO 4100 General Microbiology 
• Pharmacology 
  • BIOPHRM 5600 Introduction to General Pharmacology 
  • HTHRHSC 5510 Pharmacological Aspects of Practice in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences 
  • NURSING 2470 Introductory Pharmacology for Nurses 
  • PHR 2010 Pharmacology: How Drugs Work 
  • PHR 4000 Molecules to Medicines I: An Integrated Approach to the Pharmaceutical Sciences 
  • PHR 5010 Fundamentals of Pharmacology 

Prerequisites taken at another institution

For prerequisite coursework taken at another institution, please visit our equivalencies page or the Transferology website to see if the courses that you have taken or plan to take at another institution qualify. If you are unable to find results through these tools, then an evaluation of the courses will need to be done by the Office of Graduate & Professional Admissions. 

As a prospective student, to submit courses for evaluation please prepare the following information on each course taken outside of Ohio State: 

• Course Number 
• Course Title 
• Institution 
• Semester of Completion 
• Number of Credit Hours Earned 
• Course Description from Institution’s Course Catalog 

Up to three courses can be submitted directly to ESUE-gpevaluation@osu.edu; be sure to clarify that you are submitting the courses in reference to the MS nursing program. If you have more than three courses that need evaluation, please complete this form and follow the instructions for submission contained therein. Results for course evaluations can take up four weeks and the Office of Graduate & Professional Admissions may request further information on a course, such as a syllabus, and may refer you to contact an Ohio State transfer credit coordinator in the academic area for further review. 

---

How to Apply

To apply for the Graduate Entry option, students must complete the following prior to the application deadline: 

1. Apply online

You can complete an application online at The Ohio State University Graduate and Professional Admissions office’s 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. You can find a list of the available specializations here. 

2. Submit all college transcripts

Applicants must submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have previously attended at both either the undergraduate or 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. Please request your transcripts be sent early so they arrive before the deadline. Transcripts can be sent to:

The Ohio State University
Graduate Admissions Office
P.O. Box 182004
Columbus, OH 43218-2004

or

gpadocs@osu.edu

Applicants may upload a copy of an official transcript at the time of application or after by way of the Admissions Uploader. However, documents submitted in this manner are considered unofficial, but will suffice for the purposes of application. Web based documents, online grade reports, and related materials are not acceptable. If an applicant is admitted, they will be required to supply official transcripts sent direct from your previous institutions.

For details regarding these methods of submitting transcripts, please visit The Ohio State University Graduate and Professional Admissions office’s website. Please direct all transcript related questions to the Graduate and Professional Admissions office at 614-292-9444 or to gpadmissions@osu.edu.

3. Current resume or curriculum vitae

Your resume or curriculum vitae (CV) should be in a similar format to what you would use for a job application. You should include your previous education, professional experiences, and any community service, volunteer activities, publications, research and leadership experiences on your resume or CV. You may submit this document at the time of application or after by way of the Admissions Uploader.

4. Purpose and goals statement

The purpose and goals statement is 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 after by way of the Admissions Uploader.

5. Recorded online video interview

You are required to complete a recorded online video interview through an online portal called HireVue. You will answer four brief 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. Please note: you must complete the recorded online video interview before the application deadline. For further details, instructions and links to the online portal go to the interview.  

6. Three letters of recommendation

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 instruction on how to submit their letters of recommendation. 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. Supervisors are also a good source for recommendations. 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 by which they must submit their letters.

7. Test of English proficiency - International applicants only

Details regarding what English Proficiency tests are acceptable, the scores required, and how to submit scores may be found on Ohio State’s Graduate and Professional Admissions website.

8. Supplemental application for current or former Ohio State graduate students

If you are currently or have been previously enrolled in a degree granting graduate program at Ohio State for any length of time, you would be considered a Graduate Intra-University Transfer Student. Be sure to choose the appropriate application for "current or former" Ohio State students after following the apply link. 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 Graduate Entry Master's Application (to download, select "save")
• PDF: Supplemental Graduate Entry Master's Application

Failure to complete all required steps of this application process by 11:59 pm ET on the day of the posted deadline will result in your application not being considered for admission, with no exceptions. 

Most applicants may review the status of their application anytime at appstatus.osu.edu. If you are currently or have been previously enrolled in a degree granting graduate program at Ohio State for any length of time, you are considered a Graduate Intra-University Transfer and can contact nursing@osu.edu to review your application status.

---

Admission Timeline and Deferrals

All required materials listed above must be submitted by the posted application deadline to be considered for admission. Please allow up to five business days for the status of materials to be updated on your application status webpage.  

Please review the admissions timeline here. The admissions timeline covers what you can expect throughout the application process, including an anticipated timeline for when admissions decisions will be released and next steps if you are offered admission. 

You are not able to 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.