Graduate Admissions
Step by Step Application Process
The application is a two-step process. Applicants must submit both the UMKC application and the program application through NursingCAS.
Step 1: Submit the Online UMKC Application
Submit official transcripts from each institution attended to the UMKC Office of Admissions ONLY. Please DO NOT submit official transcripts via NursingCAS.
Step 2: Submit Program Application and Materials via NursingCAS
- Submit program application and materials through NursingCAS to UMKC’s School of Nursing and Health Studies by deadline for your chosen program.
- Please review the NursingCAS website for the list of programs offered at UMKC’s School of Nursing and Health Studies.
Submit Your NursingCAS Application Materials
Required Supplemental Application Materials
- Current resume reflecting all experiences as an RN
- NE and PMHNP applicants: two years of RN experience is preferred.
- NNP applicants: experience required must be the equivalent of two years of recent full-time clinical practice experience as an RN in the care of critically ill newborns or infants in intensive care inpatient settings for MSN NNP applicants, and 1 year for Post-MSN NNP Certificate applicants; experience must be obtained before a student begins the clinical courses. The majority of the clinical experience should be in a Level III and/or IV NICU. Students may enroll in preclinical courses while obtaining the necessary practice experience.
- PNP applicants: a minimum of one-year, full-time equivalent clinical pediatric RN experience within the past three years is required for admission.
- ACPNP applicants: a minimum of two years, full-time equivalent clinical pediatric RN experience within the past three years is required for admission.
- WHNP applicants: A minimum of two years full-time equivalent clinical experience within the past three years is strongly recommended for admission.
- Three evaluation forms (only one for NNP) are required from:
- Immediate supervisor
- Faculty professor from the last year of your BSN program or if post-masters applicant, faculty professor from MSN program.
- Professional reference able to assess your professional characteristics (charge nurse, medical doctor, nurse practitioner, unit director)
- No reference from co-workers, patients, friends or family members will be accepted.
- NNP Applicants: the Neonatal Medical Director or NNP Directors at the NICU where you work is required. The reference must indicate in their letter that they are willing to serve as the student’s preceptor.
- Ph.D. Applicants: two of your references must have a Ph.D. degree
- Personal Statement of your professional goals
- It should be specific to the role/track to which you are applying) and how this program will help you achieve them (required length: one page maximum).
- RN Licensure
- A hard copy of the nursing license AND/OR a copy of NURSYS confirmation of current RN licensure. Copy must be clear and readable. Your nursing license must remain unencumbered throughout the program.
- PhD Applicants only
- Research Goal Statement: the Goal Statement is required and should describe your research focus area identifying the problem and why it is significant (required length: one page maximum).
- GRE Exam results are recommended but not required.
Important Information
Distance education students who live, work and practice away from the Kansas City area must have an unencumbered license in the state where they complete their clinical rotations. See which states we are authorized to deliver university-level distance and online education.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Online Tracks
Adult Gerontology (47 credit hours)^*
Family Practitioner (47 credit hours)^*
Women's Health (47 credit hours)^*
Pediatric/Acute Pediatric (47/52 credit hours)*
Psychiatric Mental Health (47 credit hours)^*
Nurse Educator (41 credit hours)^~
^ - Spring start * - Summer start ~ - Fall start
Post-MSN Certificates
Online Tracks
Adult Gerontology (19 credit hours)
Family Practitioner (19 credit hours)
Women's Health (19 credit hours)
Pediatric/Acute Pediatric (19/21 credit hours)
Psychiatric Mental Health (19 credit hours)
Nurse Educator (12 credit hours)
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Online Tracks
Family Practitioner (75 credit hours)
Women's Health (75 credit hours)
Pediatric (Primary Care/Acute Care (75 credit hours)
Psychiatric Mental Health (75 credit hours)
Onsite Track
Ph.D. in Nursing
Online Track
Ph.D. in Nursing (49-61 credit hours)
All Graduate Admissions Requirements
*Applications for the BSN-DNP tracks (excluding the CRNA specialty track) are currently paused for the 2026 academic year and will begin accepting applications for the 2027 academic year in August 2026. If seeking an NP role and/or wishing to start sooner, please view our options for the MSN degree.
- A BSN or MSN from a college or university nationally recognized by a nursing accrediting agency (CCNE or ACEN).
- A GPA of a 3.2 on a 4.0 scale (calculated on the last 60 hours of their BSN degree) or a minimum of 3.2 for their MSN.
- A current unencumbered licensure in the state in which the student completes clinical requirements.
- The following two courses are pre-requisites to progression in the MSN and BSN-DNP programs; students are permitted to complete the pre-requisite courses once admitted to the program as degree-seeking;
- Graduate level statistics course with a minimum grade of B.
- MSN NNP applicants: the Graduate level statistics is NOT a pre-requisite for the MSN Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program; Graduate level statistics is a course requirement that is a part of the plan of study.
- MSN PMHNP applicants: for applicants interested in the Standard Plan of Study, Graduate Statistics will need to be completed prior to the start of the program to be approved for the Standard Plan of Study. If not completed, only the Extended Plan of Study will be an option.
- A free-standing undergraduate health assessment course which needs to be completed by the first summer or fall semester with a minimum grade of B.
- Graduate level statistics course with a minimum grade of B.
- Personal interviews are required
The following three courses are pre-requisites to progression in the Post-MSN DNP program;
- MSN Nursing Theory course with a minimum grade of B
- MSN Nursing Research course with a minimum grade of B
- Graduate level statistics course with a minimum grade of B.
- MSN or DNP from a college or university nationally recognized by a nursing accrediting agency (CCNE or ACEN)
- A GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale is required for admission
- A current unencumbered licensure in the state in which the student completes clinical requirements
- Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan
- Advanced Pharmacology/Applied Pharmacology Across the Lifespan
- Pharmacology is taken as part of the program of study for Post-MSN Primary Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate students.
- Advanced Health Assessment Skills
- Health Promotion
- Not required for Primary or Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner students.
- NP Certificates Only (not required for Nurse Educator students)
- Diagnostic Reasoning for the APRN
The following is the only prerequisite for the Post-MSN Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Certificate program:
- Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan
There are no prerequisites for the Post-MSN Nurse Educator Certificate program.
- A personal interview is required
- BSN, MSN or RN-MSN from a regionally accredited college or university accredited by a nationally recognized nursing accrediting agency (CCNE or AACN)
- A GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale is required for admission (calculated on the last 60 hours of the BSN degree) or a minimum of 3.2 for the MSN
- A current unencumbered licensure in the state in which the student completes clinical requirements
- GRE results are recommended but not required
- For BSN-PhD applicants only: these courses are pre-requisite requirements and must be completed with a grade of a B/3.0 GPA equivalent or better. Students are permitted to complete the pre-requisite courses once admitted to the program as degree seeking.
- N5550 or MSN theory equivalent course
- N5555 or MSN research equivalent course
- N5527 or MSN cultural diversity equivalent course
- N5528 or MSN policy, politics & ethics equivalent course