Discover your limitless potential with a Master of Nursing.
Embrace a culture of excellence, innovation, and commitment to equitable and inclusive care with Duke’s Master’s Entry to the Practice of Nursing program (MEPN), which awards a Master of Nursing (MN) degree. Our direct-entry nursing program prepares you for a thriving nursing career and is designed for individuals who hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree.
Our MEPN program builds upon your previous academic and professional experiences while preparing you to transition into the nursing profession. Upon earning your Master of Nursing degree, you will be eligible to take the RN licensing exam (NCLEX-RN©) and begin your nursing practice.
With Duke’s prelicensure nursing program, you’ll be part of our mission-driven community that advances health equity and social justice through innovative, practice-ready education. Over the course of four full-time semesters on campus, you’ll collaborate with expert faculty, utilize high-fidelity simulation labs, and gain hands-on experience through diverse local and global clinical placements.
Whether you’re starting a new career in healthcare or seeking a fresh, professional challenge, our MN degree equips you to confidently enter the nursing profession and to serve as a leader and change agent.
Launch Your Nursing Career
Duke University School of Nursing has launched a new Master’s Entry to the Practice of Nursing Program designed to provide a pathway for people without an undergraduate degree in nursing to become registered nurses (RNs).
An MN degree is designed to enable students to seamlessly transition into clinical practice. Some graduates may elect to continue their education to become advanced practice nurses, nurse educators, and nurse informaticists.
Master’s Entry to the Practice of Nursing Highlights
Duke School of Nursing is committed to your success. From application to enrollment in our MEPN program, you’ll benefit from world-class resources and experts always willing to go the extra mile.
Our direct-entry nursing master’s degree program provides you with unmatched opportunities to become practice-ready and provide high-quality, inclusive care in diverse settings. With our prelicensure nursing program, you will benefit from outstanding support services, such as:
NCLEX-RN© and academic success coaching:
Access an experienced NCLEX-RN© success expert who can assist in coaching you for both class and licensure success.
Student Success Center:
The Student Success Center provides consultations for stress management, emotional support, organizational skills, study strategies, access to community and Duke resources, networking opportunities and more.
Cutting-edge technology:
Access our state-of-the-art Center for Nursing Discovery, accredited by two international simulation organizations. You’ll engage in low- and high-fidelity simulations through immersive experiences integrating nursing science with practical skills.
Coursework to advance your career:
Electives and other courses in the MEPN curriculum provide learners the opportunity to begin coursework toward an advanced nursing degree.
A career-focused curriculum:
Our direct-entry nursing program features a well-rounded curriculum designed to prepare you for the complexities of modern healthcare, ensuring you are ready to meet the challenges of nursing with confidence and competence.
Opportunity for community and global engagement and learning:
Our Office of Global and Community Health offers immersive learning opportunities in local and international settings, providing a rich and diverse learning opportunity for students.
What Can You Do With Your Master of Nursing Degree?
Discover boundless learning opportunities and unique experiences with our MEPN program. Whether you’re starting a new career in healthcare, seeking a fresh, professional challenge, or leveraging your diverse experiences to make a meaningful impact as a nursing professional, our four-semester nursing master’s degree prepares you to enter the profession and lead lasting change in nursing. An MN degree from Duke empowers you for a variety of diverse opportunities. Through our direct-entry nursing program program, you’ll be prepared to:
- Promote the health of diverse patients, families and communities.
- Advance nursing science by identifying questions, evaluating evidence and proposing innovative solutions to clinical practice problems.
- Provide high-quality care, healthcare team coordination and oversight, and accountability for care delivery in various settings.
- Address health disparities in vulnerable populations locally and globally through service, advocacy and leadership.
Assistant Dean
Stephanie Gedzyk-Nieman
DNP, MSN, NC-MNN
As assistant dean of the MEPN Program, Dr. Gedzyk-Nieman is committed to continuing the program’s high standards while also building new, innovative opportunities for the practice-ready nurses of the future. Dr. Gedzyk-Nieman has been developing rewarding educational experiences for nursing students in the Childbearing Families course through a flipped classroom model and innovative, active learning strategies to enhance clinical judgment and address health equity and social justice.
Learn more about Stephanie Gedzyk-Nieman: Scholars@Duke
Meet Our MN Faculty
Learn from best-in-class faculty. Our nursing program faculty are leaders in their field with first-hand clinical experience, ensuring your education prepares you for a successful career.
The Duke Difference
Earn your Duke nursing degree or certificate while you continue to work.
Discover our unwavering focus on creating innovative, nurse-led models of care.
Learn from experts in distance-based and hybrid education for over 20 years.
Learn & practice at one of the most advanced health systems in the world.
Our faculty are leaders in their field, with real world clinical experience.
We have exceptional students, learning alongside talented & dedicated classmates.
Masters Entry to the Practice of Nursing Admissions
Our MEPN employs a holistic admissions strategy. We consider each candidate’s unique life experiences alongside their academic performance, grades, and test scores. This ensures that our MN graduates reflect the diversity of the patients they will care for in their careers.
If you need additional assistance, contact our admissions team by email or phone: 877-415-3853.
We offer DROP-iN Chat for virtual Q+A Sessions along with PROGRAM INFORMATION SESSIONS for application help.
Student Testimonials
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Duke University School of Nursing was my first option when I decided to pursue my PhD in Nursing, mostly because of the prestige of the school. I was initially skeptical about applying because I felt I wasn’t good enough to gain admission into such a prestigious school, but my initial conversations with some of the professors in the school changed my mind. The availability of the funding also provided an added incentive especially for an international student.
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As a former veterans’ affairs spinal cord and traumatic brain injury rehab nurse and the niece, granddaughter, and great- granddaughter of decorated war veterans, I know they are proud I chose Duke University School of Nursing to receive my advanced nursing education.
Financial Aid for MEPN Students
As part of our mission to meet the needs of nurses nationwide, Duke University School of Nursing offers a variety of financial aid options for students in our MEPN program. These include merit- and need-based scholarships up to full tuition for select MEPN students. Federal student loan options are also available to fully fund your MN degree.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, Post-Graduate APRN Certificate and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Duke University School of Nursing are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The Nurse Anesthesia DNP program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.