This program prepares you to lead care teams, improve patient outcomes, and support staff development across healthcare settings. It’s ideal for those interested in becoming a clinical nurse leader, nurse educator, or stepping into broader leadership positions in practice or academia.

Credit Hours: 40
Completion: 2 Years (4-6 Semesters)

• Family Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (50 Credits): Designed to equip nurses with the skills and knowledge needed to provide exceptional primary care to individuals and families. Through a focus on compassionate, evidence-based practice, this program prepares you to become a leader in transforming community health.
• Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (49 Credits): Allows you to focus on unique characteristics and issues of the aging population in primary care settings. In this role, you will conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat common acute illnesses and injuries, administer treatments, and manage chronic health problems.
• Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (49 Credits): Equips healthcare professionals with the advanced knowledge and clinical skills needed to provide comprehensive healthcare to adults and older adults with acute or chronic illness and/or exacerbation of health problems.

Building upon the master’s degree knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are already part of the Nylen School of Nursing, Morningside’s doctoral program will allow you to reach the pinnacle of your education with two distinct pathways.

• Direct Care (for APRNs): For nurses who already hold a MSN degree and who practice in one of the recognized four Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) roles (certified nurse midwife, certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist, and nurse practitioner).
• Transformative Leadership (for Non-APRNs): For nurses who hold a MSN degree and function or seek roles in systems/indirect care delivery positions, which includes, executive leadership, nursing administration, health informatics, health policy, public health, nurse educator, and quality/safety, among others.

Credit Hours: 34
Completion: 4-6 Semesters

Expand your nationwide career potential and provides a direct route to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) through a proven, efficient pathway. Position yourself for what’s next in healthcare.

• Family Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (73 Credits): Designed to equip nurses with the skills and knowledge needed to provide exceptional primary care to individuals and families. Through a focus on compassionate, evidence-based practice, this program prepares you to become a leader in transforming community health.
• Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (72 Credits): Allows you to focus on unique characteristics and issues of the aging population in primary care settings. In this role, you will conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat common acute illnesses and injuries, administer treatments, and manage chronic health problems.
• Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (72 Credits): Equips healthcare professionals with the advanced knowledge and clinical skills needed to provide comprehensive healthcare to adults and older adults with acute or chronic illness and/or exacerbation of health problems.

Completion: 3-4 years

The Nylen School of Nursing at Morningside University is here to help you grow in your profession. We offer certificate programs for you to build on your bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Post-Bachelor’s

• Clinical Outcomes ($675/Credit) – 11 Credits: This certificate is ideal for nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing who wish to expand their scope of practice and enhance their understanding of the health care system.

Post-Master’s

• Clinical Nurse Leader Certificate ($400/Credit) – 26 Credits: Better prepare yourself for a variety of leadership positions in nursing. This may include clinical nurse leader, clinician, team leader, patient care coordinator, outcome manager, educator, client advocate, and system analyst and risk anticipator roles.
• Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate ($675/Credit) – 36 Credits: The FNP specifically focuses on characteristics and issues of individuals across the life-span population. Nurse Practitioners will obtain certification in the specialty prior to entering the practice setting.
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nuse Practitioner Certificate ($675/Credit) – 35 Credits: The Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specifically focuses on unique characteristics and issues of the aging population in primary care settings. Nurse Practitioners will obtain certification in the specialty prior to entering the practice setting.
• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nuse Practitioner Certificate ($675/Credit) – 35 Credits: The Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specifically focuses on the needs of acutely, chronically, or critically ill patients in the acute inpatient, short-stay, urgent care settings, emergency, trauma, and critical care settings. Nurse Practitioners will obtain certification in the specialty prior to entering the practice setting.

Graduate Nursing Requirements

• Review the admissions requirements below and check to see if you reside within an NC-SARA member state.
• Complete the admissions application.
• You are required to have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If you are denied admission because of failure to meet the GPA requirements, you will be allowed to register for coursework. After completing 10 graduate credit hours, you may be admitted if you maintain a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Requirements

Our Master of Science and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs allow you to build on your existing career in the medical and nursing field while continuing to work while in our program. Our professional faculty provide practical, learning in an online environment that offers you great flexibility at a pace that works for you and your schedule. To apply, you must have:

• Bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing or a Bachelor’s degree in another field with an Associate Degree in nursing from an accredited institution with a 3.0 cumulative GPA or better on a 4.0 scale. (If undergraduate cumulative GPA is below a 3.0, conditional acceptance may be granted).
• Valid RN license in Iowa or state participating in the licensure compact. For applicants with non-compact R.N. license contact the Dean of Nursing for state approval status. A new BSN graduate may be accepted into the graduate program for one semester while obtaining an RN license.
• Completed Morningside University Graduate Nursing Application.
• Official academic transcripts from all prior undergraduate and graduate programs previously attended where degrees were awarded.
• Two professional and/or academic letters of recommendation.
• Professional Goal Essay that includes your area of interest and how graduate education will help you achieve your professional goals. Describe how your professional history such as your practice and leadership experience has prepared you for graduate studies (500 words or less).
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae.
• Background checks are required for nursing students by the Iowa Board of Nursing [see the Iowa Administrative Code 655-2.13(152) Student criminal history checks].

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Requirements

Building upon the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs that are already part of the Nylen School of Nursing, Morningside’s first doctoral program will allow you to reach the pinnacle of your nursing education with two distinct tracks. To apply, you must have:

• Master’s degree with a major in nursing from an accredited institution with a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. 
• Valid R.N. license in Iowa or state participating in the licensure compact. For applicants with non-compact R.N. license contact the Dean of Nursing for state approval status or see Morningside University “Professional Licensure Disclosures” page.  
• Valid APRN license and proof of certification for Direct Patient Care DNP Track.
• Completed application.
• Official academic transcripts from all programs where a degree was obtained. If only attended Morningside University for BSN and/or MSN, the university has transcripts on file.
• Two professional and/or academic letters of recommendation.
• Professional Goal Essay that includes your area of interest and how graduate education will help you achieve your professional goals. Describe how your professional history such as your practice and leadership experience has prepared you for graduate studies (500 words or less typed).
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae.
• Background checks are required for nursing students by the Iowa Board of Nursing [see the Iowa Administrative Code 655-2.13(152) Student criminal history checks].
• 1000 practicum hours are required for the DNP degree at time of program completion. Practicum hours completed in the nursing after the bachelor’s degree are included within this 1000 practicum hour requirement. A GAP analysis will be used to determine additional practicum hour requirements to meet the 1000 hour standard.

Direct Admission – MSN & DNP

Morningside University Nursing alumni who graduated in good academic standing are eligible for Direct Admission status into any Graduate Nursing Program track (MSN/DNP). In the case of Direct Admissions, the applicant must submit the following.

• Completed Morningside University Graduate Nursing Application.
• Valid R.N. license in Iowa or state participating in the licensure compact. For applicants with non-compact R.N. license contact the Dean of Nursing for state approval status or see Morningside University “Professional Licensure Disclosures” page.  
• Valid APRN license and proof of certification for Direct Patient Care DNP Track only.
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae.
• Official academic transcripts from all programs where a degree was obtained. If only attended Morningside University for BSN and/or MSN, the university has transcripts on file.
• Background checks are required for nursing students by the Iowa Board of Nursing [see the Iowa Administrative Code 655-2.13(152) Student criminal history checks].
• 1000 practicum hours are required for the DNP degree at time of program completion. Practicum hours completed in the nursing after the bachelor’s degree are included within this 1000 practicum hour requirement. A GAP analysis will be used to determine additional practicum hour requirements to meet the 1000 hour standard.

Iowa Administrative Code 655-2.10(6) requires notification of students and prospective students that nursing courses with a clinical or practicum component may not be taken by a person: 1) who has been denied licensure by the board; 2) whose license is currently suspended, surrendered or revoked in any U.S. jurisdiction; or 3) whose license/registration is currently suspended, surrendered, or revoked in another country due to disciplinary action. Individuals seeking enrollment or currently enrolled in nursing programs who are not eligible to take a course with a clinical or practicum component because of disciplinary action in any state should contact the Iowa Board of Nursing Enforcement Unit at (515) 281-6472 as soon as possible. Individuals not eligible to take a clinical or

Admission Fees

• Required background check $45.00
• Immunization tracking services $35

Course Fees

• NURS 524 class fee $175.00 (MSN Programs)
• DNP Practicum course fee $50.00
• HIPAA training – annually $20.00
• OSHA training – annually $20.00

Additional Fees

• Graduate Nursing Technology fee $225 per term (fall and spring)
• Any clinical site-specific requirements (e.g. drug testing) at the student’s expense
• Graduation fee $150.00
• Transcript fee $10.00 (Express mail $50.00)

Textbook and/or technology learning resource cost estimates are not listed. Many textbooks are used throughout the nursing curriculum. Nursing textbooks/technology learning resources usually average $600-800 per semester.

Students enrolled in at least 5 credit hours per term are eligible for the following resources. All students must meet satisfactory academic progress standards in order to maintain their aid.

Federal Graduate/Professional PLUS Loans

Federal low-interest unsubsidized loans

Loan Forgiveness

• Rural Iowa Primary Care Loan Repayment Program
• Health Professional Recruitment Program
• Health Care Loan Repayment Program
• Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
• Federal Student Loan Forgiveness, Cancellation, or Discharge

Morningside Alums

Morningside alumni receive direct admission into the graduate program and $50 off/credit for MSN and $100 off/cred