College of Science and Health > Academics > School of Nursing > Graduate Programs > MENP for Non-Nurses (MSN) > MENP FAQs

MENP Frequently Asked Questions

​​​​​​​Questions about the application and admission process

We begin reviewing applications for a given term after the priority dates listed below and continue until the cohort at each location is filled. After the priority dates, prospective students should check with the Office of Graduate Admission about whether we are still accepting applications.

  • Fall: January 15 (Classes start Sept)
  • Winter: June 15 (Classes start Jan)
  • Spring: October 1 (Classes start March) -- Lincoln Park only
  • Summer: January 15 (Classes start June) -- Lincoln Park only

No, you can apply to the program at one location only for any single application term.

Beginning in August 2021, the GRE is not required for admission. However, it can be submitted to strengthen an application.

Please see the MENP prerequisite page.

Prerequisites must have been completed within seven years of your first enrollment term in the MENP program. 

You can be considered for conditional admission if you have completed two out of the four prerequisites with grades of C or better. Your admission will be conditional until you provide transcripts showing that the remaining pre-reqs have been completed successfully. Priority consideration is given to students who have completed all four prerequisites. If your GPA is below 3.2, we recommend that you complete all four pre-reqs before applying for admission.

Please see the link General Admission Requirements for the MENP program.

  • Official transcripts -- must be sent directly from the institutions that you have attended. If your institution sends official transcripts electronically, they can be emailed to us at graddepaul@depaul.edu. Paper transcripts should be mailed to:

    Office of Graduate Admission
    College of Science and Health
    2400 N Sheffield Avenue
    Chicago, IL 60614
     
  • Resume -- applicants should upload their resume to their application through the application portal. If you are experiencing difficulty you can email it to graddepaul@depaul.edu.
  • Letters of Recommendation -- Letters of recommendation can be submitted through the online application. They also can be given to the applicant in a sealed envelope that has been signed over the seal or sent directly to the graduate admission office. Letters of recommendation sent via email must be a PDF attachment with an official letterhead and sent directly from the recommender to graddepaul@depaul.edu.

The admission review committee completes a holistic review of each application. Most students have over a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

No one application is preferred, but please keep in mind that NursingCas can take between 4- 6 weeks to verify credentials. If you have not received a confirmation email from DePaul University stating your application is incomplete then most likely NursingCas has not verified your application and we encourage you to contact them directly for more information. Please note that we are unable to waive the application fee if you apply through NursingCAS.

The Lincoln Park Campus (LPC) is located on the near north side of Chicago in close proximity to public transportation and is one of DePaul’s two main campuses. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS) in North Chicago, 35 miles north of Chicago.

  • The program curriculum is the same at each location and all students are awarded a DePaul degree.
  • Faculty teaching in both cohorts of the program are DePaul faculty.
  • Lincoln Park enrolls between 48 new students every quarter (fall, winter, spring and summer).
  • RFUMS enrolls about 20 new students in fall and winter terms only.
  • Rosalind Franklin offers graduate housing, free parking, free gym access and 24/7 access to the medical library.

Schedule an in-person appointment here. Next, please email graddepaul@depaul.edu requesting a Nursing specific tour for your appointment. We cannot guarantee a tour with short notice scheduling.

No, the MENP program is a lockstep accelerated program designed to be taken fulltime. Students are not allowed to go off sequence unless a significant life event occurs.

Graduate coursework that has been credited toward a previous master’s degree cannot be transferred into the MENP Program. Once admitted, students with advanced coursework in relevant areas can inquire with the School of Nursing directly (with appropriate documentation) to determine whether any coursework can be waived.

At this time the MENP admission process does not include an interview.


Questions about post-decision

Generally, students can expect an electronic decision within six to eight weeks after the deadline.

Students have three weeks from the decision date to submit their intent to enroll and tuition deposit which secures their place in the cohort. After the three-week timeframe, students are still able to submit their intent to enroll and deposit if space in the cohort is available. If the cohort has been filled, students can secure a spot in the next available cohort and be placed on a waiting list for the original term.

Students can apply to the MENP program a total of two times. If a student decides to reapply, it must be for a new term and we require new materials and/or new information (additional grades, GRE scores, etc.) to be submitted as part of the new application.

If we have more qualified applicants than we can admit for a given term, students will be admitted for the next available entry term and waitlisted for the term they applied for. We will notify waitlisted students if space opens up in the original term.

A student can defer their admission one time for up to one full year; however, we do not allow students who apply for the spring and summer cohorts to defer their admission to the fall cohort at the Lincoln Park Campus until fall applications have been reviewed.

You may pay the deposit at the time of deferral to secure your place in the cohort, but you aren’t required to. If you do not pay the deposit your spot is not guaranteed.

Preview Day is an opportunity for you to visit campus, tour the simulation lab, connect with your cohort, and engage in a Q&A session with current students and faculty from the program. Orientation is mandatory and is hosted by the School of Nursing typically a week before classes start. Orientation provides you with information for all of the necessary tools to succeed in the program i.e., books, scrubs, etc.

Please notify the School of Nursing (773-325-7280) or at nursing@depaul.edu as soon as possible to set up an individual appointment.

DePaul Central is the primary contact for the university’s immunization requirement. Visit their website or call (312) 362-8610. Please note that the university’s immunization requirement is mandated by the State of Illinois and is separate from, and in addition to, the School of Nursing’s requirements.

They are separate requirements. Any Castlebranch or compliance questions related to immunizations, CPR, or malpractice (liability) insurance should be directed to the compliance officer at the School of Nursing at nursing@depaul.edu. Other resources include:

  • The main students resource page can be found here.
  • The new pre-entrance health screening form can be found here.
  • A compliance overview document can be found here.
  • The Health Requirements page can be found here.
  • The Health Requirements guide can be found here.

This is an automatically generated setting in Campus Connect that populates for all students. Please disregard this as it does not affect your student account. Placement tests are not required.


Program specific questions

The first clinical placement is scheduled during the second quarter of the program.

 795 clinical hours.

The MENP is a full-time program. Some students are able to work part-time, but the job will need to be very flexible. Courses and clinical meet during the morning, afternoon, including several evening class options. Your course schedule will change every ten weeks.

MENP courses are not offered during the December intersession. Summer quarter courses span across both the Summer I and II sessions. There is an optional study abroad option available to MENP students during the December intersession.

Master of Science (MSN) in Generalist Nursing.

Students are eligible to sit for the NCLEX exam once they have completed the entire program and grades are conferred.

  • The Lincoln Park Cohort enrolls 48 students while the Rosalind Franklin Cohort enrolls about 20 students.
  • Clinical groups are between 4-8 students for both cohorts.

We have over 150 clinical affiliates across the Chicagoland area. Clinical sites correspond to the nursing specialty per term. You will be given 2-3 options at the time of course registration.

For Lincoln Park cohort students, a CTA pass providing access to trains and buses across the city is included in the quarterly fees. Parking for the Lincoln Park campus is available for an additional cost. We strongly recommend that students at the Rosalind Franklin location have access to a car. Parking is free at RFUMS. Public transportation does not necessarily reach every clinical site thus students can carpool or utilize other rideshare options to get to various clinical sites.

  • After completing at least 2,000 hours of clinical work experience, students are eligible to enroll in our post master's certificate program certifying them in advanced practice for Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner specialties. Admission requirements are available at the link provided here.
  • After completing at least 2,000 hours of clinical work experience, students are also eligible to enroll in our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program which offers specialties in Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Anesthesia. The nurse anesthesia specialty is offered in conjunction with NorthShore Health Systems. Admission requirements are available at the link provided here.

All students in the School of Nursing are required to complete a ten-panel drug screening prior to the first day of classes. Although Illinois state law permits the limited possession and use of cannabis, using or possessing cannabis remains a crime under federal law. Therefore, this screening includes cannabis. A confirmed positive drug test will result in a student being unable to enroll and/or dismissed from the program (in accordance with local, state, and federal law). Please see the Program Handbook for details.

Financial questions

Tuition for 2022-2023 is $765 per credit hour. The program comprises 107 quarter hours so tuition for the entire program comes to $81,855. This is an estimate and subject to change each academic year.  Current information on tuition and fees are available on the Student Accounts website.

Limited internal funding is available through the School Of Nursing. Please review our website for more detailed information regarding financial aid and scholarship opportunities.

There are four Graduate Assistantship positions available. You must have completed the first quarter of the program to be eligible to apply. The Graduate Assistantship positions include a quarterly stipend coupled with one course per term tuition waiver. GA positions are not guaranteed and become available as the current student holding the position transitions out.