Apr 19, 2025  
DRAFT 2025-2026 Academic Catalog 
    
DRAFT 2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Nursing Video

Nursing, MS



A graduate of this program is prepared for advanced nursing practice with a focus as a Nurse Educator (NE). Please see an advisor at The Valley Foundation School of Nursing  for more details.

Requirements for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy

The University requires that all graduate students complete the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) as a condition for advancement to candidacy and for conversion from conditional to classified standing. The MS - Nursing degree also requires that the applicant has been granted classified standing and has removed any deficiencies involved. In addition, the candidate must have:

  1. Earned at least a “B” (3.0) average in a minimum of nine graded semester units of 100- and/or 200-level work completed in graduate standing at San José State University and in any coursework completed in graduate standing at other institutions before enrollment here.
  2. Classified standing.
  3. MSN Project Plan approved by the Nursing School Graduate Coordinator.

Requirements for Graduation

University Graduation Requirements

Students must complete all residency, curriculum, unit, GPA, and culminating experience requirements as outlined in the Graduation Requirements  section of the Graduate Policies and Procedures .

MS Nursing Graduation Requirements

Culminating Experience: Project

Candidates for the degree complete a written capstone project as part of their 40-unit regular degree requirement. This project is an investigation of an evidenced-based nursing topic.  It shall identify a clinical problem and question(s), state the major theoretical perspectives, explain the significance of the undertaking, relate it to relevant, scholarly and professional literature, set forth the appropriate sources for and methods of gathering and analyzing the data, and offer a conclusion or recommendation.

Completion of Clinical Hours: Practice

All students shall complete direct patient care supervised clinical hours.

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

At SJSU, students must pass the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) .

Master’s Requirements (36 units)


Total Units Required (36 units)


Elective courses, if applicable, are to be taken outside The Valley Foundation School of Nursing. The content of these units is to support the chosen functional option. At least one of the courses must be at the 200-level of course work. FNP students do not have elective course requirements.