The Direct Entry MSN program at the Alverno College JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing and Health Professions offers you an accelerated path into the nursing profession in less than two years of study.
Based in Mesa, AZ and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Alverno’s DEMSN offers you:
A curriculum that measures what you can do as well as what you know.
Alverno’s CCE features high-fidelity clinical practice environments that simulate settings from home care to trauma centers.
Alverno College was recently ranked the #2 most innovative school in the Midwest by U.S. News and World Report.
As an Alverno DEMSN student, you’ll receive personal attention and mentorship from faculty with advanced clinical experience and expertise — mentorship that can help you define your professional identity as a nurse.
The DEMSN at Alverno College is an 18-month accelerated program in which you take both BSN and MSN-level courses. It includes:
Covering courses in health science foundations, patient care, nursing research, policy and leadership.
Develop hands-on skills at Alverno’s CCE under the guidance and mentorship of faculty members.
Complete clinical rotations with one of Alverno’s many regional healthcare partners and complete an MSN capstone.
To apply to the Alverno College DEMSN, you must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university in any academic major other than nursing. Contact Alverno College to learn more about their additional admissions requirements.
You must have all prerequisite courses completed before starting your DEMSN, although you may apply while you are still completing prerequisites.
Alverno requires completion of the following courses with a grade of C or better within seven years of starting the DEMSN (except where noted):
For students who have not completed prerequisites, Alverno offers affordable online courses you can complete in as few as eight weeks. Financial aid for these courses is available for students who qualify.
The Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing program at Alverno College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
The JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing and Health Professions at Alverno College is approved by the Wisconsin Board of Nursing and the Arizona Board of Nursing.
Alverno College’s DEMSN program takes as few as 18 months to complete.
As of Summer 2024 term and forward, tuition for Alverno College’s DEMSN is $825 per credit hour. The tuition cost for the 77-credit program is $63,525.
Additional fees may apply, and you will also need to purchase books and materials. Financial aid is available to those who qualify. Tuition costs are subject to change.
Yes. Earning your DEMSN with Alverno College means you have the opportunity to study at a trusted nursing school, as well as the second most innovative college in the Midwest region, according to U.S. News and World Report (2022). Find out more about what an MSN can offer you here.
At the beginning of your career as a nurse, you can expect to earn a salary in line with that of registered nurses. In Wisconsin, nursing salaries were as follows in May 2021*:
Salaries vary by employer and by region. As a nurse with an MSN, it is possible you may be able to enter the profession with a higher starting salary than the median indicated here.
*The most recent year for which data is available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).