Enter Nursing with a Master’s Degree
Commit to a Career that Saves Lives
with Our Direct Entry MSN
20-Month Program
Graduate with your master’s degree in nursing in as few as 20 months.
Quality Education
The Direct Entry MSN (DEMSN) program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Nursing Leader
Gwynedd Mercy University has been a local leader in nursing education for more than 60 years.
Advanced Qualifications
The DEMSN program prepares you for both the NCLEX-RN licensure exam and to enter the nursing profession with a master's degree.
Enter Nursing with Advanced Skills
Go beyond bachelor’s level with our DEMSN program. Designed for graduates of a non-nursing bachelor’s program, the DEMSN teaches advanced assessment and research skills that can set you up for lifelong success.
Exceptional Clinical Preparation
Build clinical competence through hands-on learning experiences in our advanced simulation facilities. Gain real-world experience through clinical rotations with GMercyU’s wide network of regional healthcare affiliates. Graduate confident in your ability to care for patients.
A Foundation for Leadership and Advocacy
Equip yourself for lifelong learning and leadership in nursing with master’s-level courses that examine nursing management, research, and policy topics.
Program Features
The Direct Entry MSN is a 20-month master’s degree program that leads to initial RN licensure. This hybrid program is available at our campus in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania.
Key facts:
- 72-credit prelicensure master’s degree program in nursing; students must hold a bachelor’s degree in another field of study.
- Courses cover essential health science knowledge, patient care across the lifespan, nursing research, health policy, and leadership preparation.
- Preparation for the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).
Exceptional Clinical Experiences
With more than 100 regional clinical partners, GMercyU ensures you benefit from real-world clinical preparation in diverse care settings. Nursing students often tell us this is their favorite part of the program because they enjoy caring for patients and interacting with healthcare professionals in a wide range of settings. Each day is different, and students are exposed to many different specialties, including medical-surgical, behavioral health, maternal-child, pediatrics, community health, and critical care.
Not only are clinical hours required for the program, but they are critical to helping students understand what type of care setting they would like to work in after graduation. GMercyU students will complete clinical rotations in hospitals and community sites recognized for nursing excellence, including Mercy Philadelphia Medical Center, Trinity Health, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Mercy Medical Center, to name just a few.
Additionally, students in the DEMSN program will have an opportunity in their final semester to participate in our Dedicated Educational Unit (DEU) program. This exclusive opportunity allows students to complete a one-on-one intensive clinical experience with a nurse mentor, helping them prepare for the transition to practice. Helping students make a smooth transition from nursing school to a new working nurse is a primary objective at GMercyU.
Program Details
The Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing program is a hybrid program based at our Gwynedd Valley campus. It consists of 72 credits taken over six consecutive semesters.
Core Curriculum – 72 credits
- Advanced Assessment and Lab for Advanced Nursing Roles
- Advanced Pathophysiology for Advanced Nursing Roles
- Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Nursing Roles
- Clinical Practice and Role Development l: Nursing Care of Persons with Mental and Behavioral Health Issues
- Clinical Practice and Role Development ll: Nursing Care of Adults with Common Health Problems
- Clinical Practice and Role Development lll: Nursing Care of Women, Children, and Families
- Clinical Practice and Role Development IV: Nursing Care of Adults with Complex Health Problems
- Clinical Practice and Role Development V: Community Health Nursing
- Clinical Practice and Role Development VI: Synthesis of Learning Practicum
- Concepts in Gerontological Nursing
- Foundations to Professional Nursing Leadership and the Healthcare System
- Fundamentals of Nursing
- Health Assessment
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan and Across the Globe
- Introduction to Pathophysiology and Pharmacology Concepts for Advanced Nursing Roles
- Leadership and Health Policy
- Nursing Ethics and the Larger Healthcare Arena
- Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Roles
- Nursing Research Methodology and Evidence-Based Practice
The Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing program enrolls new students two times a year, each spring and fall.
Upcoming Start Dates:
- Spring 2025: January 13, 2025
- Fall 2025: August 25, 2025
Applicants to the Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing and Health Professions DEMSN program must meet the following requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
- GPA requirements: Effective Fall 2025, a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher.
- A grade of “B-” or better is required in all prerequisite courses (see below for details about prerequisites).
- Two satisfactory letters of recommendation that can be from the following sources:
- An academic professional
- A healthcare provider with whom the student has worked or volunteered
- A current supervisor
- Resume or CV
- Essay (750 words or fewer) that addresses your motivation to pursue the profession of nursing and why you have chosen the MSN.
- You can also describe prior work or volunteer experience in healthcare or a time in your current career when you demonstrated team leadership.
- In-person or virtual interview
Once you are admitted to the program, you will need to:
- Pass a criminal background and child abuse record check
- Undergo a drug screening and FBI fingerprinting
- Provide a certificate of health from a family physician or nurse practitioner that includes immunization information
- Obtain a yearly flu vaccination, COVID vaccination, and PPD screening
- Provide proof of CPR certification, liability insurance, and personal health insurance
These requirements must be met before beginning your DEMSN program.
Estimated 2024-2025 costs: $810 per credit hour
($830 effective August 15, 2025)
Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing ($58,320 for the complete 72-credit program)
($59,760 effective August 15, 2025)
Fees: The administrative costs of your education are covered through fees. Fees are not refundable. To learn more about tuition and fees, contact an enrollment representative today.
Financial Aid: To learn how to determine your Financial Aid eligibility, please contact Bailey Steidle-Kildea, Senior Financial Aid Specialist, at ABSNFinancialAid@GMercyU.edu.
Phone: 877-499-6333, x21080
Fax: 215-542-5790
To apply to the Direct Entry MSN, you’ll need to have taken essential science and math courses during your bachelor’s degree program within a certain time period. You can take any courses you’re missing (or that you took many years ago) online with us.
Learn more about completing nursing prerequisites online at GMercyU.
Nursing Partnerships
Thanks to GMercyU partnerships, you could launch your career at one of multiple health systems and receive up to $40,000 in loan repayment funds! Learn more
Take a Virtual Tour of
Our Simulation Center
Accreditation and Approval
The Direct Entry MSN (DEMSN) program at Gwynedd Mercy University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).
The Direct Entry MSN has remained approved and in good standing with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing since its launch.
Compare Our
Accelerated Nursing Programs
Interested in a Bachelor’s
Program Instead?
Earn Your
Accelerated BSN
Graduates of a non-nursing bachelors can prepare for initial RN licensure in as few as 16 months with our on-campus ABSN program.
Learn MoreEarn Your
BSN on the Weekends
Prepare for initial RN licensure in as few as three years while you work in this part-time, on-campus program for non-nursing bachelor’s degree graduates.
Learn MorePrefer a Traditional BSN Program?
Don’t have a bachelor’s degree? We also offer a traditional four-year BSN degree for recent high school graduates and transfer students.
Learn more about other ways to earn your BSN degree with GMercyU.
Embrace a New Career
in Nursing
with GMercyU
Make your entrance into nursing with advanced knowledge, skills, and leadership preparation that equips you to stand out. Speak to an enrollment representative about our DEMSN program today!