Graduate Information Session
In just fifty years, the University of South Florida has become the 9th largest and one of the two fastest growing research universities in the United States, with an
annual economic impact on the Tampa Bay region of $3.2 billion. Founded in 1956, USF boasts an enrollment of over 46,000 students. In addition to the main
campus located in Tampa, the USF system has campuses in St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland. One of Florida’s top three research universities,
USF is the 6th largest employer in the Tampa Bay region with more than 7,600 faculty and staff.
Graduate Admissions Advisor Melinda Kretschmer Graduate Academic Advisor
Courtney Lewellen
Welcome
Today’s information session will include:
– Admission requirements – Application process
– Explanation of the SOAR online application system – General College and Program information
– Course of study
*All information contained in this document is for informational purposes only and is superseded by the catalog for your intended term of entry.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the following requirements before applying for this program:
– Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited institution – Minimum 3.0 GPA in last “60 hours”
– Evidence of a current Florida RN license in good standing
Please note: If you have not yet graduated with your bachelor degree posted on your transcript or have not yet received your RN license, please wait to apply. The College of Nursing can only
consider applicants who meet all the minimum criteria.
NOTE: The College of Nursing may require nursing students at any level to complete a criminal background check. It is imperative for all applicants to the nursing program to disclose all prior criminal background on the University application (undergraduate or graduate) in order to avoid serious consequences if or when a background check is required. Florida Statute 456.0635 states “that the health care board or Department of Health shall refuse to issue a license, certificate, or registration and shall refuse to admit a candidate for examination if the applicant has been convicted of or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contender to a felony violation in certain statues.” This statute applies to all baccalaureate and master’s students who plan to be licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) or Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) and practice in the State of Florida. Please see the statute for more specific information before applying to the USF College of Nursing.
Application Procedure
1. Complete an application with the USF Graduate School ($30 application fee)
o University ID #
o Must select ‘Nursing’ as you major on this application o Do not send them your documents!
2. Complete an application with the CON using SOAR
o We are a limited-access “direct receipt” program
o Only one concentration can be selected. Pick your first choice as changing concentrations is becoming increasingly difficult.
CON Online Application
(SOAR)
CON Online Application
(SOAR)
Applying through SOAR: Things to Remember
• Only submitted applications are considered (not saved).
• All questions about applications are only answered through the SOAR discussion board (not by phone or personal email).
• Do not submit application until you:
– Meet all minimum requirements for the program, including GPA.
– Have completed your bachelor’s degree and it is posted on your transcript.
– Have already passed the NCLEX and have a current RN license on file with the state.
The process for applying is easy! Just make sure you are completely ready before submitting an application to us.
Application Procedure
3. Submit your documents to us in one packet.
All required documents must be submitted in one complete packet to the College of Nursing Graduate Office. Incomplete packets or individual documents will not be accepted and will be discarded.
Required Documents to be included in packet:
Resume (applicants must use template)
3 sealed letters of recommendation (applicants must use template)
Personal Statement (applicants must review instructions and questions)
Sealed official transcripts*
*Optional Requirement: Not all schools are willing to send official transcripts directly to the student. If this is the case, you must submit a proof of transcript request in your packet.
All documents must be received no later than 5:00 pm on the posted deadline for the desired term of entry. Any application lacking one or more documents will be considered incomplete and will not be considered for admission.
University of South Florida, College of Nursing or Hand deliver to CON 3rd floor receptionist Attn: Graduate Admissions
12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd, MDC 22 Tampa, FL 33612
Application Packet Materials
Letters of Recommendation
One from current or previous nursing program faculty
One from current of previous clinical supervisor
One from an appropriate nursing professional
If one of these options is not applicable; include two from one of the other categories
Personal Statement
APA style
Answer both questions
No more then 1 page per question
Official Transcripts
Send only the ones with an earned bachelor degree or higher
If you graduated from USF, you do not need to send a transcript, but you will need to include this information in the SOAR application.
Evaluation of your Application
Starting Fall 2010, your packet will be reviewed using a rubric. Please note the rubric may change for future admission terms.
– 50% weighted from GPA
– 25% weighted from Personal Statement
– 25% weighted form Clinical/Work experience
Post-Masters Certificate
Application Procedure:
Our Post-Masters Graduate Certificates are designed for students who have already completed a master’s degree in nursing and wish to
obtain certification to practice in another area. In order to accomplish this, students may complete additional coursework
through a graduate certificate.
Admission Requirements:
1) Master’s Degree 2) Overall 3.0 GPA 3) RN/ARNP license
Post-Masters
Application Materials:
1) Submit USF Non-Degree Application
2) Submit a College of Nursing Application
3) Submit Additional Documentation to the CON
Departmental Approval Form
Resume
Personal Statement
3 Sealed Recommendation Forms
Sealed Official Transcripts, showing degree earned
Admission Deadlines
Term Application Opens Deadline to Apply Summer 2011 December 15, 2010 February 15, 2011 Fall 2011 December 15, 2010 February 15, 2011 Spring 2012 August 15, 2011 October 15, 2011
To Each Applicant:
1. If you are eligible, your application will be sent to committee for review.
2. The final list of “committee status” applicants only will be reviewed
after
the deadline.3. Applicants are picked by program directors/committee for interviews.
This selection process can take a couple of weeks or so.
7. After selection process, the interview days and time will be Email to the students at the email address provided in the SOAR application.
8. Applicants will not be informed until after all interviews have taken place and the final list is reviewed.
9. Applicants can expect a final decision 6/8 weeks later (mid April).
There is NO early admission
What to expect if you are admitted
• Notification of acceptance via SOAR
• Acceptance letter and packet sent via email from CON Admissions
• Formal letter of acceptance via mail from the Graduate School
• Holds on Account – Health Form
• No additional documentation is necessary.
• Must be signed by doctor or ARNP indicating that you have the required immunizations
• Requires proof of health insurance
• Requires current American Heart Association BLS Certification for Healthcare Providers
– Online Orientation (100% needed)
– Live Orientation require for Adult and Family admits
• Program plan received after admission
• Evaluation of possible transfer courses after admission
What to expect if you are denied
Even though the majority of students in the applicant pool will meet the minimum application requirements, only about 1/4 are accepted into the nursing
program.
• Notification of denial via SOAR
• We will keep your transcripts for up to 1 year if you plan to re-apply.
• Supplemental documents may need to be resubmitted for future terms.
• You will need to re-apply at the CON for every term you would like to be considered for.
• Your Graduate School application is good for one year. You will need to update your term of entry with them for each term you would like to be considered for.
Tutorial of CON Web Site:
– The Steps to apply
– Links to both applications – Documentation templates – Application Checklist
• Visit our website:
www.health.usf.edu/nursing
Any Admission Questions?
Program Review
• Master of Science in Nursing
• 1 master’s degree with 7 active concentrations to choose from
• Post-Masters Certificate
• Certificates are available in any of our concentrations
• Nurse Practitioners returning for certification in another
concentration must provide a copy of current licensure in their original master’s degree concentration.
• Concentrations currently available:
• Clinical Nurse Leader
• Nursing Education
• Oncology
• Adult
• Family
• Adult / Occupational Health Dual Degree
Concentration Availability
CONCENTRATION TOTAL
CREDITS CLINICAL
HOURS Admit Terms Cer6ficate Admit Terms
Clinical Nurse Leader 41 400 Spring Summer/Spring
Oncology 45 540 All All
Nursing Educa6on 42 180 All All
Adult 46 540 Fall/Spring Fall/Spring
Family 49 720 Fall/Spring Fall/Spring
Adult/Occ. Health 76 600 Fall/Spring Fall/Spring
Adult Occ. Health Fall/Spring Fall/Spring
Nursing Education and Adult/Occupational Health concentrations offer a stipend
Primary Care concentrations are highly competitive. Limited seating available.
Admission terms and concentration availability is subject to change.
Choosing a Concentration
1. www.nonpf.com
2. NP Education Resources 3. Competencies for NP’s
Our primary care concentrations do not prepare students to work in an Acute Care environment. Nor will our Director’s release education verifications or clinical competence information if you apply for a job
outside your scope of practice/competency area after graduation.
Be sure to research the differences between our concentrations and find the best fit for you.
The most common reason for applicants being denied after invited for an interview is concentration misalignment.
Primary Care Information
(Adult, Family, Pediatrics)
We are not a distance learning
program!
All clinicals will be within 1 hour
driving radius of the Tampa
Campus.
Once you begin clinicals, it is
expected that you will continue
straight through to graduation,
so please take that into
consideration.
If you have a Bachelor’s in another field…
In addition to the master’s curriculum students will also need to complete the courses below with a ‘B’ or better:
1. NUR 4807C: Leadership and Educational Transitions
2. NUR 3066/3066L: Physical Examination and Assessment with clinical 3. NUR 4636/4636L: Community & Public Health with clinical
4. NUR 4165:Nursing Inquiry (Research) 5. NUR 2023: Introductory Statistics I
These courses must be complete prior to starting your master’s degree courses.
If you took these courses at another institution, your transcript will be reviewed only after you have been accepted.
FAQS
1. How much will this program cost? Tuition and fees can change often. You can get the most up-to-date tuition and fee information by going to the University Controller’s Office – Cash Accounting website.
2. Are scholarships available? If you are accepted, information on scholarships, graduate assistantships, stipends, etc. will be made available to you through the Graduate School and College of Nursing.
3. Are any of your concentrations completely online? No. We are not a distance-learning program.
4. Do you offer any courses online? Yes, but we can’t guarantee you a seat. Many of our core courses are offered online and on-campus. These currently include: Theory, Fam/Pop, Ethical/Legal, Research, Patho, and Pharm.
5. I live more than an hour away, can my clinical hours be done at a site in my home town? In general, No. Your placement must be within an hour of Tampa.
6. How long does it take to complete the program? It depends on how many classes you take each
semester, when the courses you need are offered, and if any changes to your concentration occur while you are enrolled. Go to our website and map out your concentration to see, ideally, how soon you could
complete.
7. What are the pass rates for certification? Depending on the concentration and year it varies from 80-100%. We are consistently above the national average.
8. What are the enrollment expectations? You are expected to enroll in two courses per semester (including summer). You must get permission from your advisor or director to deviate from your program plan or take time off. Once you start your clinical courses you must continue straight through.
For the 2009-2010 school year we awarded $114,000 in scholarships to 85 students.
82% of our Faculty have a doctorate degree.
About 50% of our Faculty are full-time.
Thank you!
We offer a number of ways for you to find out more
information!
• Visit our website: www.health.usf.edu/nursing
• Online Answer Center: Ask a question, get an answer.
• Contact us via email or phone with further questions at:
[email protected] or 813-974-2191.
• Recruitment Events: Meet with a Graduate Recruiter at your hospital education fair or conference!
