MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSINGFamily Nurse Practitioner

Family Nurse Practitioners work in a variety of healthcare settings. According to Salary.com, the base salary for Nurse Practitioner ranges from $100,374 to $117,509 with the average base salary of $108,169.Many work in healthcare facilities and many build their own family care practices. FNPs are in high demand across the country, especially in areas underserved by hospitals and clinics.

Chris Webb, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Interests: Caring for liver transplant population; end of life / palliative care education

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Admission to the Master’s program requires approval by the MSN Admission, Progression, and Graduation Committee. Admission of applicants is based upon the following criteria:

1. BSN from a CCNE or ACEN accredited nursing program
2. A completed application at www.nursingcas.org. You must submit all official transcripts directly to Nursing CAS before they will verify your application and submit it to Bellarmine University. All final, official transcripts submitted to Nursing CAS are considered official and you do not need to supply those to Bellarmine University. However, any transcripts which include “In Progress” coursework or degree requirements at the time you submit the Nursing CAS application are not considered official. These final, official transcripts must be submitted directly from the college or university to Bellarmine University by July 31 of the program year.
3. Post-MSN applicants should apply here.
4. Minimum GPA of 3.0 is required
5. If any transcript(s) or undergraduate degree(s) is from an international institution, you must provide an official copy of a third-party course by course credential evaluation to Nursing CAS. The following organizations offer this service and information regarding processes and fees are available at: www.wes.org and www.ece.org. The Office of Graduate Admission reserves the right to request a certified copy of the original transcript(s).
6. Two professional references. Recommendations from friends, other students, or co-workers are not appropriate. The strongest recommendations are from Nurse Practitioners, managers, directors, professors or others in a supervisory capacity. Please use the electronic reference form at Nursing CAS. You will need to include your recommender’s email address so that Nursing CAS can provide the recommender the electronic form.
7. Goal statement: The goal statement is your opportunity to tell us (as specifically as you can at this time) about your career plans after you finish your master’s degree. Your goal statement should also include your understanding of the role of the nurse practitioner in the primary care of persons, families, and communities, and how you envision your career in this role (including where you would like to work). This statement provides us with a sample of your writing ability and helps faculty determine your fit with Bellarmine’s offered program.
8. Resume describing relevant work, professional, and volunteer experiences
9. Active, unrestricted license to practice nursing in Kentucky and/or compact states. We will verify your license via the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
10. An interview with graduate faculty members. Please note: Because enrollment is limited in the FNP track, meeting the minimum requirements may not assure admission to that track.
11. In 2018 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported healthcare facilities across the United States are increasingly requiring healthcare workers be vaccinated for vaccine-preventable diseases to reduce disease outbreaks. Therefore, those who choose not to be vaccinated for personal, religious, or medical reasons are not eligible for admission to the School of Nursing. https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/vaccinationlaws.html

In addition to meeting the requirements for admission, please submit the following:

Language Proficiency. Language proficiency is required to ensure that students within the department of nursing are able to communicate with a diverse population. The department of nursing accepts one of the following as evidence of required language proficiency:

• TOEFL-iBT (internet-based test) and receive a total score of 83 or higher AND a score of 26 or higher on the speaking test OR
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and receive a total band score of 7 or higher AND a speaking band score of 8 or higher OR
• Language training at an approved center. Bellarmine University recognized the following standards and centers: English Language Services level 112 (https://www.els.edu); Interlink Level 5 (http://interlink.edu/); Intensive Language Program at Indiana University Level 6 (http://iep.indiana.edu/); and other centers may be approved at the discretion of the Admission, Progression and Graduation committee of the Department of Nursing.

International students who are exempt from language proficiency requirements are the following:

• Students who are citizens of or have completed a degree from a TOEFL exempt country.
• Students who have a secondary or high school diploma earned in TOEFL exempt countries.
• International students who have completed at least one year of full time university study or its equivalent (i.e., a minimum of 24 earned credit hours or its equivalent and earned a 2.0 GPA) in a TOEFL exempt country.
• Only official score reports will be accepted.

Financial Affidavit. All applicants must provide credible evidence (e.g. a bank statement, letter on bank stationary attesting to the availability of funds, etc.) of the ability to fund the cost of attending Bellarmine University for one academic year. If funds are provided by another person on behalf of the student, an affidavit must accompany the financial information.

Proof of Passport. Scan of passport ID page must show validity for 6 months post completion of the program.

Priority Application Deadline: Priority Application Deadline: March 15. Applications completed after March 15 will be considered on a space available basis. The Family Nurse Practitioner Program begins each fall semester (August).

• Complete the application at www.nursingcas.org. There is a $70 application fee. We do not require a supplemental application to Bellarmine University.
• Post-MSN applicants should apply here.
• To be reviewed in the priority application pool, your completed application and all supporting documents including official transcripts, electronic references, personal statement, résumé and GRE (if required) must be complete at Nursing CAS by March 15 of the program year. Applications completed after March 15 will be considered on a space available basis.
• It takes Nursing CAS 4-6 weeks to verify your application and submit it to us after you submit it to them.
• We require all FNP track applicants (including Bellarmine University alumni and current undergraduate students) to apply via Nursing CAS.
• If you are enrolled in the MSN Administration or Education track but decide to pursue admission to the FNP track, you must complete a change of track application. 
• If you are enrolled as a non-degree student but decide to pursue admission to the FNP track, you must apply via Nursing CAS.

Funding Assistance
As a degree seeking student in the FNP program, students should be eligible for federally supported forms of student aid. Financial aid questions should be directed to the Financial Aid Office at Bellarmine University (finaid@bellarmine.edu or 502.272.7300).

Click here for the most up-to-date tuition and fees information.

Click here for the Nursing FNP Program fees schedule

Bellarmine University cannot confirm whether its courses or programs meet the requirements for professional licensure in states other than Kentucky. Prior to enrolling in a Bellarmine program, a student who does not reside in Kentucky should contact the applicable licensing board(s) in the student’s home state to determine whether the program meets the requirements for licensure in the state where the student resides. Learn more at Distance Education Licensing Disclosure or see the list of Nursing licensure contacts.