Graduate Entry Pre-Specialty in Nursing (GEPN)

The GEPN Program is the first of a three-year, full-time course of study that combines preparation in basic nursing with advanced preparation in a clinical specialty.

Students are offered experiences in acute-care hospital units and community settings to achieve YSN’s overall mission of better health for all people. Upon completion of the pre-specialty year, students continue their graduate studies in theory, practice, and research within their chosen nursing specialty areas and concentrations.

To apply please visit NursingCAS

GEPN Application Requirements:

  • Online Application through NursingCAS
  • Current Resume/Curriculum Vitae
  •  Three References (2 academic, 1 professional or clinical)
  • Official transcripts at the time of application 
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores (required of all non-native English speakers who did not attend an institution where English was the medium of instruction for their undergraduate degree)
  • Integrated and comprehensive essay (600 words)
  • Two to four short answer essays (150-300 words), depending on the specialty chosen
 Prompts to essay questions and short answer essays are available in the NursingCAS application portal.
 

Submit completed online application  and pay a non-refundable application fee of $80.

Prerequisites for the GEPN Program

Four prerequisites will be required for admission for all GEPN applicants. These courses must be completed before June 1st prior to matriculation into the school. The candidate does not need to complete any of the prerequisites by the application deadline (November 1st). A grade of B- (80) or better is required. Prerequisites must be taken at an accredited college or university including community college either in person or online within the last 8 years prior to application submission. AP credits are NOT acceptable to fulfill the following required courses. The four courses required are:

Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab (4 credits/semester). May complete one semester of anatomy and one semester of physiology both with labs as separate courses.

General Chemistry with lab (4 credits)

Microbiology with lab (4 credits)

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation should be submitted electronically through the online application system on or before the application deadline. Please see the recommendation section of the application for more program specific information.

GRE & Minimum GPA

YSN’s NursingCAS GRE code is 1115.

Applicants for admission to the master’s level programs are no longer required to take the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) IF the cumulative GPA from their conferred primary bachelor’s degree is 3.0 or higher. Weighted average will be used if the applicant has course work from more than one institution supporting their primary bachelor’s degree. 

Those with a cumulative/weighted GPA lower than 3.0 will be required to take the GRE and score above 50th percentile on all sections to be eligible to apply. Applicants that do not have a GPA listed on final transcript will be required to take the GRE as well.

PMC and DNP applicants have been, and continue to be, exempt from GRE testing.

Those who have already taken the test must submit transcripts of their scores with their applications. Scores that are more than five years old are not acceptable. Those who have not taken the test, and are required to do so as a result of their GPA, should arrange to do so before October 1, to ensure official scores are received by the November 1 deadline.

Computer-based testing has replaced paper-based examinations in most countries and can be scheduled year-round. It typically takes two weeks from the date of administration for the official transcript of GRE scores to reach YSN. Paper-based examination score reports typically take two months to reach YSN. Prompt arrangements for taking this examination should be made in order to meet the application deadlines.

English Language Proficiency

Scores from either TOEFL or IELTS are required of all non-native English speakers who have not received either a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution of higher learning or the international equivalent where instruction is provided in English. As a result, applicants with degrees from Australia, Canada (with the exception of Quebec), New Zealand, Singapore, Ireland and the United Kingdom are exempt from taking the English proficiency exam. To meet the needs of students who are unable to take the TOEFL at a test center due to public health concerns, ETS is temporarily offering a Special Home Edition test