Any Vanderbilt undergraduate student interested in nursing at Vanderbilt and meeting admission requirements may apply for admission. Beginning with the Fall 2027 cohort, anyone with a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher is guaranteed admissions into the Master of Nursing program.
Pre-Nursing Studies at Peabody College
Peabody students interested in nursing typically choose one of these undergraduate majors:
- Child Development—The Department of Psychology and Human Development. This major is recommended for students interested in pediatric primary care, family or psychiatric mental health.
- Human and Organizational Development/Health and Human Services Track—The Department of Human and Organizational Development, HOD. This major is strongly recommended for students interested in nursing from a community (including counseling and working in health/human service organizations), organizational, administrative, or public health perspective or students who are unsure of their specialty area.
- Child Studies—For information, contact Dr. Vicki Harris at vicki.s.harris@vanderbilt.edu.
Pre-Nursing Studies in the College of Arts and Science
Students enrolled in the College of A&S and interested in a career in nursing can select any undergraduate major. However, the undergraduate program of studies must include satisfactory completion of human anatomy and physiology I and II, microbiology, nutrition, statistics and lifespan development. See section of prerequisite courses for details.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pre-Nursing
- What should be my major? There is not a preferred major for applicants applying to the MN program. All students need to complete a BA/BS degree and prerequisite courses prior to enrolling. There are a variety of undergraduate majors that naturally complement the nursing profession. Examples include psychology, women’s studies, medicine, health and society, child development or child studies. Students interested in the Pre-Nursing program at Peabody College usually major in Human and Organizational Development, Child Development or Child Studies. Students in Arts and Science often consider Medicine, Health and Society.
The Master of Nursing program will prepare you as a well-qualified, master’s prepared RN. It will also provide you with advanced skills in interprofessional teamwork, health equity, clinical judgment, informatics, and prepare you with the foundational knowledge and experience needed to function as a clinical teacher or preceptor for new nurses once you are in practice or as an instructor for nursing students at a school of nursing.
If I choose to continue my education by getting a Post-Master’s Certificate after I receive my MN degree, which specialty area should I apply to? You are eligible to apply to one of these nursing specialties: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Nurse-Midwifery (NM), Seamless Nurse-Midwifery-FNP (dual specialty), Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care (PNP-PC), Women’s Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner (WHGRNP) or WHGRNP/AGPCNP (dual specialty). There are additional specialties available after obtaining RN clinical experience (e.g., Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care (PNP-AC), and Nurse Anesthesia DNP. More detailed information is available on the website at https://nursing.vanderbilt.edu.
If you are not sure what you would like to specialize in, it is important to investigate the diverse options to make your specialty choice. It is recommended that you talk with faculty in the School of Nursing including Program Directors in the specialty you are interested in, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who is currently working in the area of interest as well as spend time volunteering in hospital and clinic settings to learn more about health care delivery and your areas of interest.
For information on the specialties, visit the Vanderbilt School of Nursing webpage at https://nursing.vanderbilt.edu and schedule a visit with an admissions officer. You can find links to schedule your visit by visiting the VUSN Admissions webpage:
- When should I apply? Undergraduate students should complete their application by October 15 of their final year. Students admitted to the MN degree program at VUSN can complete all course requirements to be eligible for the registered nurse licensing exam in four semesters.
- How do I learn more about the Pre-Nursing options at Vanderbilt? There are several ways to learn more about the Pre-Nursing options at Vanderbilt:
- Visit the Pre-Nursing Studies webpage.
- Join the Vanderbilt Pre-Nursing Society. Contact the PNS Co-presidents, Briana Washington (briana.m.washington@vanderbilt.edu) & Olivia Seong (olivia.j.seong@vanderbilt.edu), for more information.
- Attend information sessions. Programs host different information sessions both virtually and in person throughout each term. Please visit the Nursing Admissions webpage for a list of all upcoming events and whether they will be held virtually or in-person.
- Set up a meeting with the Pre-Nursing Advisor, Brandee Madden, brandee.j.madden@vanderbilt.edu.
- Make an appointment to meet with your admissions officer. You can meet virtually, in person, or over the phone. Based on your preferences, you can register to attend on the Nursing Admissions website.
International Applicants
Are you an international applicant who needs an I-20 or DS-2019 issued to study in the United States? The Master of Nursing (MN) does satisfy the requirements for F-1 or J-1 study. However, due to federal guidelines, the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs do not satisfy the requirements for F-1 or J-1 study. The federal regulations restrict the number of courses that can be delivered via an online format within a program of study for F-1 and J-1 students. As these programs have a significant online component, the educational format is not compatible with the structure required by the federal government for F-1 and J-1 students. Please contact Vanderbilt International Student & Scholar Services for more information.