MSN Admission Requirements Addendum
The admission requirements have been updated, effective September 29, 2014. The MSN program will
no longer include a registration fee of $75. In its place, applicants to the MSN program will be charged an application fee of $75. In addition to this, additional updates have been made to the admission
requirements.
Applicants must complete and submit the following:
1. A non-refundable application fee of $75.00 to cover administrative cost of processing application.
2. Official transcripts from a regionally accredited post-secondary school. In addition, a bachelor’s degree from a professionally accredited nursing program is required. Nurses who have received a bachelor's degree from the United States in another discipline are eligible to apply. See the
international section below for non-U.S. or non-English transcripts.
3. Unencumbered license as a registered nurse in the State of California.
4. Completion an introductory course with a grade of “C” or better in statistics equivalent to MATH 211 (Applied Statistics).
5. Proficiency in English is mandatory. All applicants whose first language is not English will be required to either complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) http://www.toefl.org), or meet one of the criteria shown below. (Note: The minimum overall TOEFL score is 84 (internet-based test); 24 is the minimum score in the speaking section, and 24 is the minimum score in the writing section. Consult with Nursing and Student Affairs for any questions on TOEFL examinations and scoring.)
West Coast University will also consider proof of English Proficiency established if official documentation of one of the following is provided:
a. Graduation from an accredited U.S./international high school program where English is the language of instruction and examination, achieving a minimum GPA of 3.0 in a minimum of three English courses.
b. Within the last five years, successfully completed at least three years of instructions from an accredited U.S./international high school where English is the language of instruction and examination, including three years of English (not ESL) courses with a grade of “B” or higher.
c. Within the last three years, successfully completed at least two years of full-time coursework at the post-secondary level (accredited college or University) where English is the language of instruction and examination, including two English courses (one course must be a 200
level course or higher)with a grade of “B” or higher.
d. Minimum university ACT composite score with a minimum English score of 20
e. Minimum university SAT composite score with a minimum Critical Reading score of 525
f. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination (academic modules) taken within the last twelve months, results must be sent by paper to the University campus Registrar office, with a score of 6.5 of better.
6. An undergraduate cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. Students with a GPA below a 3.0, may be admissible through the conditional admission policy found in the University catalog.
7. A minimum of one year documented and university verified work experience as a registered nurse is desirable for all tracks except the Family Nurse Practitioner track.
**Students in the Family Nurse Practitioner track must have complete a minimum of one year of direct patient care nursing experience within the past 2 years.
8. Recommendation for admission following an interview with the Nursing Dean and admission committee members. This also includes an on-site hand-written essay evaluation. Past academic performance and professional activity will be evaluated, e.g., community, organizational, and volunteer service, and creative professional accomplishments. These qualifications will be evaluated using a rubric in order to determine the applicant’s level of qualification.