Nursing Student Guide and Policies

MSN students admitted to the MSN-Administration, MSN-Education, or MSN-Informatics, Quality & Safety are not allowed to transfer to the MSN-FNP or MSN-PMHNP degree programs.

Students admitted to the MSN Administration, MSN-Education, or MSN-Informatics, Quality & Safety who want to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner may complete the FNP or PMNHNP post-master’s certificate pending application and admission to the APRN program upon completion of the MSN degree. 

(Revised 6/12/2022)

Students wishing to transfer credit or substitute a course for one listed in the degree plan are subject to the policies of The Graduate School. To determine graduate required course equivalency, the following procedure must be followed:

1. The student will submit a request to the Graduate Nursing Advisor. The student is to include a transcript showing satisfactory completion of the course along with supporting documentation, i.e., course syllabus.
2. The Graduate Nursing Advisor will forward the documentation to the faculty teaching the designated course.
3. The faculty teaching the designated course will review the documentation and submit their recommendation to the Graduate Nursing Advisor.
4. If documentation is considered sufficient, the Graduate Nursing Advisor will complete a transfer credit approval form, submit it to the registrar’s office, and place approval
   documentation in the student’s file.
5. If the documentation is considered insufficient, the Graduate Nursing Advisor will inform the student requesting the equivalency that the required course must be taken.

(Revised 6/12/2022)

Nursing students will conduct themselves professionally when interacting with patients, peers, the general community, faculty, and staff of The University of Texas at Tyler. In addition to conventional academic tests and measurement criteria for assessment, nursing students will be evaluated on issues relating to their professional conduct/judgment according to the standards of the School of Nursing (SON) program and the nursing profession.

To pass a clinical course, the student must pass both the didactic and the clinical component of each course. Unsafe and unsatisfactory clinical performance is defined in each course syllabus. A student may be dismissed from the program if clinical performance is deemed incompetent and/or threatens patient safety and well-being. Each course in the nursing program has a required syllabus that contains pertinent information for that course.

(Revised 6/12/2022)

MSN requirements for progression include the following:

1. A minimum grade of "B" (80 or above) is necessary for all required courses for the MSN degree. Students are responsible for monitoring grades in the course learning management system throughout the semester and communicating with course instructors regarding grade status. Two course failures will result in dismissal from the program.
2. Core courses must be taken in sequence, as indicated in the UT Tyler catalog.
3. Students on conditional admissions status will be granted full acceptance status after the successful completion of designated coursework prior to petitioning the Graduate Advisor for a change in admission status.
4. Nursing courses within the MSN curriculum may only be repeated once. A course withdrawal is counted as one course attempt. Exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances.
5. If a student has two or more semesters of at least one withdrawal per semester, the student must submit an appeal form within ten business days after the official withdrawal (drop) date to the graduate nursing advisor if they wish to progress in the program.
6. Electives must be graduate-level courses.
7. Elective hours may be chosen at the student's discretion; however, it is recommended that electives relate to the role function.

Medical Withdrawals

A medical withdrawal is sometimes granted when a medical condition (e.g., surgery, accident, exacerbation of a chronic condition) interferes with a student's ability to successfully complete the semester. Medical withdrawals are considered and granted by a university committee. If a student is granted a medical withdrawal, the following policies apply to School of Nursing students:

1. Students receiving a medical withdrawal will not be permitted to enroll for one semester following the medical withdrawal. 
2. To return to the program, the student must submit a healthcare provider's release, indicating the student is recovered and able to withstand the demands of nursing school.
3. Upon return, admission to clinical courses is contingent upon space available. 
4. The medical withdrawal does not count as a failure or withdrawal from courses (i.e., it does not impact the total number of failures or withdrawals).
5. If the student had a clinical failure due to unsafe practice during the semester the medical withdrawal was granted, the medical withdrawal does not guarantee continuation in the program. Nor does it guarantee re-admission to the School of Nursing if the failure  resulted in dismissal from the program. 
6. Effective Spring 2022, a medical withdrawal may only be received for one semester. Students who have had a medical withdrawal prior to Spring 2022 are not eligible to receive a second withdrawal.
7. Exceptions to this policy will be considered on an individual basis.

(Revised 9/6/2022)

The MSN student is expected to adhere to the School of Nursing (SON) Graduation Requirements policies outlined in the UT Tyler catalog. If a student is dismissed from the MSN program but is determined to be in good standing at the university, a student has the option to continue in another graduate program. To be considered for continuation in the MSN program, please refer to the Graduate School’s Graduate Restart policy located on the Graduate School website. 

(Reviewed 6/12/2022) 

Student assignments will not be re-graded. At the instructor’s discretion, a draft may be written for review.

(Reviewed 6/12/2022) 

No extra credit will be awarded in graduate courses.

(Reviewed 6/12/2022)