Graduate MSN FAQ and Application Instructions

Admission Timelines:

• Cal State Apply will open October 1, 2021 - January 15, 2022. (We accept applications during the fall only)
• International applicants are recommended to apply by the end of October. If international applicants apply later, it is possible that the GPA evaluation will not be completed in time to be considered.

All requirements contained on these pages are superseded by the official information published in the University Catalog of the current academic year: CSULB Catalog - Nursing

Admission Requirements:

1. Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (BSN) is required
2. Current, unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of California
3. Eligible for Admission to the Graduate Nursing Program at CSULB (see University Admission Requirements)
4. A college-level course in statistics (Upper Division 300 and 400 level courses)
5. A Physical/Health Assessment course which includes clinical practice or lab  (Upper Division 300 and 400 level courses)
6. A Pathophysiology course  (Upper Division 300 and 400 level courses)
7. An overall GPA of 3.0 or better in the undergraduate program;
8. All prerequisites must have a grade of B or better.

Prerequisite Course Equivalency:

• All prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to the application deadline (January 15th) 
• Approved prerequisite courses list at various colleges/university Information regarding prerequisite options (Microsoft Word)
• If you completed a course with the title of Statistics, Physical/Health Assessment with  Lab, and Pathophysiology, then the prerequisite course is automatically approved.
• If you have completed a prerequisite with a different title, please provide your transcript of records, course description, and syllabi of courses taken and email Pamila Ford for determination. The Director of the Graduate Nursing Program will decide on the approval of these courses within 2-3 weeks.  

Applicants will need to complete an application through Cal State Apply: 

• Applicants can only select ONE desired nurse practitioner specialty when applying to the graduate nursing program.  
• Complete the CSULB application through Cal State Apply
• Submitone set of all official transcripts from each institution attended (community college, undergraduate and graduate) to this mailing address: Graduate Admissions Office CSULB 1250 Bellflower Boulevard, Long Beach CA 90840. You may also request transcripts from a U.S. college or university emailed or be sent electronically to ES-IDPTrans@csulb.edu. 
• If you are a graduate of CSULB, do not submit CSULB transcripts. Only submit official transcripts of schools that you have attended after your CSULB graduation.
• If you are a foreign graduate, it is highly recommended that your official transcript be received by the end of October. 

Provide the following supplemental documentation listed below to Cal State Apply:

• Curriculum Vitae or resume
• Registered Nursing license – Unrestricted California license (provide license number)
• Personal Statement: Be prepared to write a short paragraph and describe your conceptualization of the expanded role in the specialty area for which you have applied. Make sure to include a statement of your plans for practice following completion of your education program.  
• Prerequisite Information (including course #, term taken, and school)
• Names and email addresses of three people who can attest to your ability to be successful in the graduate program.  Recommenders will be notified via email to upload a letter of recommendation on the applicant’s behalf.

If you are applying for a Certificate program and creating your Cal State Apply, select Certificate as the Degree Goal. This is where you will find all three graduate certificate options: 

• Graduate Certificate for Practicing Nurse Practitioners
• Graduate Certificate Nurse Practitioner
• Graduate Certificate in Nurse Education

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the correct specialty is chosen. The School of Nursing cannot change the specialty indicated by the applicant on the application, nor reconsider applicants who apply incorrectly.

Status of Application & Admission Timelines:

• If you wish to check the status of your application, please go to Applicant Self Service to review your application status.  
• It is the responsibility of the applicant to verify that their application is complete and letters of recommendation are submitted - check with your recommenders and University Admissions to be sure the recommendations are submitted prior to the deadline; otherwise, your application will be incomplete and will not be considered. All documents are to be sent to Enrollment Services only. If you have any problems or questions with your application, please contact Enrollment Services at (562) 985-5471 or at CSULB Admissions or Cal State Apply Customer Support Services at 857-304-8403.
• Selected applicants will be notified via email to come on-campus for an interview and timed writing assessment to complete the application process.
• After an on-campus interview and writing assessment, scores are evaluated and admission decisions are made in late April.

Transferring in graduate level coursework:

Applicants who anticipate in transferring completed graduate level coursework for evaluation and approval from another university will need to wait until you are officially admitted into the CSULB Master of Science in Nursing program. Applicants can only transfer a maximum of 9 units of approved graduate coursework into MSN program. You CANNOT transfer Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, and Advanced Physical Assessment with a Lab (these courses need to be taken at CSULB to prepare you for the Comprehensive Examination and the National Certification).