Employment Data

	Registered Nurse	Practical Nurse
Median Wage (MT)*	$67,920 yearly - $32.65 per hour	$45,330 yearly - $21.79 per hour
Median Wage (US)*	$73,300 yearly - $35.24 per hour	$22.83 yearly - $35.24 per hour
Annual Job Openings (MT)*	749	211
Annual Job Openings (US)*	210,400	66,300
Expected Growth (MT)*	15.3%	7.5%
Expected Growth (US)*	12.1%	10.7%
*Montana Career Information System

Career Opportunities

Nurses have the opportunity to work in an incredibly rewarding career where they help others with their health care needs. Nurses are critical to the delivery of quality healthcare in hospitals, clinics and private practice settings, to name a few options.

Demand continues to grow across Montana and the United States for educated and highly skilled nursing professionals. Students graduating from Great Falls College MSU nursing programs have the opportunity to help others, make a difference in healthcare delivery, earn competitive wages, grow and advance professionally. The Nursing programs at Great Falls College MSU give students the opportunity to choose a nursing pathways that is right for them. Both the Practical Nurse and the Registered Nurse programs educate, train and prepare students to take and pass the national licensure exams (NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN) and enter the workforce ready to work and make a difference. Once the NCLEX exam is successfully passed, a graduate may be eligible to apply for licensure by endorsement in any of the 50 states.

Montana is one of 34 states who belong, via state legislative ruling, to the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). "The NLC increases access to care while maintaining public protection at the state level. Under the NLC, nurses can practice in other NLC states, without having to obtain additional licenses." Information about the NLC and the participating states can be found at: www.ncsbn.org/compacts.htm. When a student nurse graduates from Great Falls College and passes the National Council Licensure Exam (RN or PN-NCLEX) in Montana, the Registered Nurse can legally work in Montana as a Registered Nurse as well as 33 other states, so long as they applied and met criteria for a multi-state license. The licensee must continually hold an unencumbered license in order to meet the requirements of the NLC.

Great Falls College MSU has not yet made a determination regarding whether its curriculum meets requirements for licensure by examination in states outside of Montana.

Why Great Falls College MSU

What Our Graduates Say

"Clinical practice and variety of clinical settings with small student/instructor ratios in clinicals that makes getting to practice skills easier"

"It is a 2-year program that provides students with alot of hands-on learning and experience and preparing student nurses to be successful as RNs. The program really helps students to prepare to take the NCLEX and become a very well rounded nurse."

"Faculty are constantly trying to improve the program, which gradually makes things better for the students. Program provides many opportunities to work in different areas of nursing during clinicals."

"This program is very patient focused and I feel that is important criteria to continue. It also does well to teach each disease process and how to plan care accordingly."

"They strive to help us in any way they can. They never talk down to you or make you feel dumb, they lift you up and really build confidence in the students. They make it very easy to go and talk to them about any issue that you may be having, and work with you to overcome the issue. The wide variety of clinicals is another strength. It's really helpful to be able to have so many different experiences. The adjuncts are amazing and advocate for us as students. They really want to help us grow and learn."

"I think it has taught me a lot about nursing. I like how it feels like a family because of the small size and having only a few instructors."

"I believe that this program has highly trained professionals as the course instructors and because of their level of expertise they are able to teach each subject using different learning techniques for each individual student."

"Going to GFC-MSU nursing program symbolizes a great commitment of investing into our community and becoming a part of something far greater than yourself."

"The nursing program at GFCMSU equips a student with a solid foundation of nursing education, but also gives students the courage to be the start of conversations to change the world of healthcare."

Figure Out Your Finances
>> Jump to Registered Nursing Program Estimated Costs
>> Jump to Practical Nursing Program Estimated Costs

Registered Nursing Program Estimated Costs

Estimated Resident Program Cost*

Estimated Resident Program Cost
Item	Cost
Tuition and Fees	$8,625
Application Fee	$30
Uniforms	$225
Lab/Course Fees	$564
Program Fee	$400
Books/Supplies	$3,881
Total	$13,724

Fall 2020 MUS Student Health Insurance Premiums will be changing. Please check the Health Insurance website and/or Student Central for confirmed premium rates. Students will be charged an additional fee of $21 per credit for online/hybrid courses.

Practical Nursing Program Estimated Costs

Estimated Resident Program Cost*

Estimated Resident Program Cost
Item	Cost
Tuition and Fees	$5,175
Application Fee	$30
Uniforms	$225
Lab/Course Fees	$115
Program Fee	$200
Books/Supplies	$2,183
Total	$7,848

Part-time students may not qualify for financial aid for every semester due to limited program courses required. Please check with the financial aid department for further assistance.

Figure Out Your Finances

Students seeking federal financial aid (which includes grants and loans) must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which online at fafsa.ed.gov. As a result of completing a FAFSA, an applicant will receive a federal Student Aid Report (SAR) in the mail or online. An electronic version of the SAR is automatically sent to the schools listed on the FAFSA. To list Great Falls College MSU, use our school code: 009314.

Students applying for financial aid may also be required to provide proper federal income tax information, completed verification materials, and any other information requested by the Financial Aid Office. Students must apply for financial aid annually.

Assistance is available to prospective students applying for financial aid. In addition, financial aid counseling for new students is an integral part of the admissions and orientation process. Once enrolled, students may receive counseling and assistance as needed. For assistance, please call 406-771-4334, or write to the Financial Aid Office, Great Falls College MSU, 2100 16th Ave S, Great Falls, MT 59405, or email finaid@gfcmsu.edu.

Great Falls College MSU also offers a wide variety of different scholarships to assist you in paying for your college. To view a list of current scholarship offerings, please see our scholarship page.

Explore Course Lists>> Jump to Registered Nursing Program Course Lists
>> Jump to Practical Nursing Program Course Lists

Registered Nursing Program Course Lists

Prerequisites

Many students need preliminary math, science, and writing courses before enrolling in the program requirements. These courses may increase the total number of program credits. Students should review their math and writing placement before planning out their full program schedules.

Prerequisite Coursework

The following courses must be completed prior to admission into the Registered Nurse Program. All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a minimum grade of C (not a C-) in each course and a minimum cumulative GPA in prerequisite coursework of 2.5. Grades in prerequisite courses are a major factor in ranking applications for program acceptance.

Science courses must be completed within five (5) years of application to the program, and other courses must be completed within 15 years of applying to the program.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
FIRST SEMESTER
BIOH 201	Human Anat Phys I/Lab (= 301) ^**,+	4
NOTE: UM Western students may substitute BIOB 160, BIOH 365 & BIOH 379 for GFC MSU BIOH 201 & BIOH 211. All 3 classes are required and must have a grade of C or higher (not C-) within the last 5 years of application.
CHMY 121	Intro to General Chem w/Lab ^**,+	4
WRIT 101	College Writing I ^**,+	3
Select one of the following:
M 121	College Algebra ^**,+	3
M 140	College Math for Healthcare ^**,+	3
M 151	Precalculus ^**,+	4
M 171	Calculus I ^**,+	4
NOTE: STAT 216 Intro to Statistics will no longer be accepted as a math substitution effective Fall 2014. For transfer students, M 115 Probability and Linear Math will be accepted.
Subtotal		14-15

Program Course Requirements After Formal Acceptance

Once enrolled in Registered Nurse program, a minimum of a grade of C in all courses is required to continue in the program. In the clinical setting, students must achieve a grade of 75% in all rotations of each clinical experience.

Students are encouraged to take BIOH 211, PSYX 100, SOCI 101, and BIOM 250 with Lab prior to program acceptance due to workload requirements of the RN program.

The courses listed below are required in the program of study for the Associate of Science in Registered Nursing. The courses are offered at Great Falls College MSU in the following sequence:

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall		Credits
BIOH 211	Human Anat Phys II & Lab(=311) ^*,+	4
NRSG 230	Nursing Pharmacology ^*,+	3
NRSG 231	Nursing Pharmacology Lab ^*,+	2
NRSG 232	Foundations of Nursing ^*,+	3
NRSG 233	Foundations of Nursing Lab ^*,+	3
	Credits	15
Spring
NRSG 234	Adult Nursing I ^*,+	3
NRSG 235	Adult Nursing I Clinical ^*,+	2
NRSG 236	Health and Illness of Maternal Nursing ^*,+	2
NRSG 237	Health and Illness of Maternal Nursing Clinical ^*,+	1
NRSG 256	Pathophysiology ^*,+	3
PSYX 100	Introduction to Psychology ⁺	3
	Credits	14
Second Year
Fall
NRSG 244	Adult Nursing II ^*,+	3
NRSG 245	Adult Nursing II Clinical ^*,+	2
NRSG 246	Health and Illness of Child and Family Nursing ^*,+	2
NRSG 247	Health and Illness of Child and Family Nursing Clinical ^*,+	1
NRSG 254	Mental Health Concepts ^*,+	3
NRSG 255	Mental Health Concepts Clinical ^*,+	1
SOCI 101	Introduction to Sociology ⁺	3
	Credits	15
Spring
BIOM 250	Microbiology for Hlth Sci wLab ^*,+	4
NRSG 259	Adult Nursing III ^*,+	3
NRSG 260	Adult Nursing III Lab ^*,+	1
NRSG 261	Adult Nursing III Clinical ^*,+	2
NRSG 266	Managing Client Care for the RN ^*,+	2
NRSG 267	Managing Client Care for the RN Clinical ^*,+	2
	Credits	14
	Total Credits	58

Total Program Credits: 72-73

Suggested Electives

These courses are highly recommended in addition to the standard nursing curriculum.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
AHMS 144	Medical Terminology	3
Any NASX prefix course		3
NUTR 221	Basic Human Nutrition	3
Select one of the following:
PSYX 230	Developmental Psychology	3
PSYX 240	Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology	3

Indicates prerequisites needed.

Placement in course(s) is determined by placement assessment.

A grade of C or above is required for graduation.

Practical Nursing Program Course Lists

Full-Time Requirements

Prerequisite Coursework

The following courses must be completed prior to admission into the Practical Nurse Program. All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a minimum grade of C (not a C-) in each course and a minimum cumulative GPA in prerequisite coursework of 2.5. Grades in prerequisite courses are a major factor in ranking applications for program acceptance.

Science courses must be completed within five (5) years of application to the program, and other courses must be completed within 15 years of applying to the program.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
FIRST SEMESTER
PSYX 100	Introduction to Psychology ⁺	3
WRIT 101	College Writing I ^**.+	3
Select one of the following
BIOH 104	Basic Human Biology & Lab ^**,+	4
OR BOTH
BIOH 201	Human Anat Phys I/Lab (= 301) ^**,+	4
AND
BIOH 211	Human Anat Phys II & Lab(=311) ^*,+	4
NOTE: UM Western students may substitute BIOB 160, BIOH 365 & BIOH 379 for GFC MSU BIOH 201 & BIOH 211. All 3 classes are required and must have a grade of C or higher (not C-) within the last 5 years of application.
Select one of the following
M 120	Mathematics with Health Care Applications ^**,+	3
M 121	College Algebra ^**,+	3
M 140	College Math for Healthcare ^**,+	3
M 151	Precalculus ^**,+	4
M 171	Calculus I ^**,+	4
NOTE: STAT 216 Intro to Statistics will no longer be accepted as a math substitution effective Fall 2014. For transfer students, M 115 Probability and Linear Math will be accepted.
Subtotal		13-18

Program Course Requirements After Formal Acceptance

Once enrolled in nursing courses, a minimum of a grade of C in all courses is required to continue in the program. In the clinical setting, students must achieve a grade of 75% in all rotations of each clinical experience.

The courses listed below are required in the program of study for the Associate of Applied Science degree in Practical Nursing. The courses are offered at GFC MSU in the following sequence:

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall		Credits
NRSG 130	Fundamentals of Nursing ^*,+	3
NRSG 131	Fundamentals of Nursing Lab ^*,+	3
NRSG 135	Pharmacology for Practical Nurses ^*,+	3
NRSG 136	Pharmacology for Practical Nurses Lab ^*,+	1
NRSG 152	Gerontology and Community Nursing ^*,+	2
NRSG 153	Gerontology and Community Nursing Clinical ^*,+	2
	Credits	14
Spring
NRSG 140	Adult Health Nursing ^*,+	4
NRSG 141	Adult Health Nursing Clinical ^*,+	2
NRSG 142	Nursing Care of Women and Children ^*,+	3
NRSG 143	Nursing Care of Women and Children Clinical ^*,+	1
NRSG 148	Leadership Issues for Practical Nurse ^*,+	2
NRSG 149	Leadership Issues for Practical Nurse Clinical ^*,+	1
	Credits	13
	Total Credits	27

TOTAL PROGRAM CREDITS: 40-45

Suggested Electives

These courses are highly recommended in addition to standard nursing curriculum.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
AHMS 144	Medical Terminology	3
Any NASX prefix course		3
NUTR 221	Basic Human Nutrition	3
Any PSYX prefix course		3

Indicates prerequisites needed.

Placement in course(s) is determined by placement assessment.

A grade of C or above is required for graduation.

Application Deadlines

Students must be admitted to Great Falls College prior to submission of either the Associate of Science Nursing, Registered Nurse program application or the Certificate of Applied Science, Practical Nursing program application. Students must be in good academic standing with the institution. Therefore, no applications will be reviewed unless the applicant applies first to the Great Falls College and the official transcripts are reviewed by the Registrar.

Acceptance to Great Falls College requires a completed admissions application file. For more information on applying to Great Falls College please visit the Admissions page.

Associate of Science Nursing, Registered Nurse program

The Registered Nurse program is a limited enrollment program with an intake of 30 students once per year. Interested students must apply for entry into the program. An application packet with the criteria for admission is available on the Registered Nurse program website. Applications become available the second Friday of February and are due the second Friday of May every year. Students are notified of acceptance or denial late June to early July for an anticipated program start in the Fall.

Certificate of Applied Science, Practical Nursing program

The Practical Nurse program is a limited enrollment program with a total intake of 30 students once per year. There are a small number of these spots reserved for distance/hybrid students. An application packet is available on the Practical Nursing program website. Applications become available the second Friday of February and are due the second Friday of May every year. Students are notified of acceptance or denial late June to early July for an anticipated program start in the Fall.

For students that live more than 30 miles from Great Falls, Great Falls College MSU offers Practical Nursing as a distance/hybrid program with distance learning options. Great Falls College MSU also offers a part-time option for the Practical Nursing program, available to both traditional face-to-face and distance/hybrid students. For more specific information about these options, please refer to the Practical Nursing program website.

Certification/Accreditation

MT-Board of Nursing Approval

In order for a nursing graduate to be eligible to take the NCLEX exam, the nursing program needs to be regionally approved by the presiding Board of Nursing and needs to meet the curriculum requirements for that particular state. Both Associate of Science Registered Nursing (ASN-RN) and Certificate of Applied Science Practical Nursing (CAS-PN) programs are based on statewide curriculums and but are fully-approved by the Montana Board of Nursing, meeting all the requirements to make students eligible to take the appropriate licensing exam (the NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN).

National Accreditation

Great Falls College MSU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education. GFC-MSU has both Associate of Science Registered Nursing (ASN-RN) and Certificate of Applied Science Practical Nursing (CAS-PN) programs. The ASN program began in the Fall of 2016 and the CAS PN program began in the Spring of 2017. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the goal of accreditation is to assess and ensure the quality of academic programs at institutions of higher education is acceptable. This accreditation process is completed by an accrediting agency, a private educational association of regional or national scope. The Great Falls College – MSU, Associate of Science in Nursing, Registered Nursing program is currently pursuing pre-accreditation candidacy status from the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA).

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a Great Falls College MSU nursing graduate have difficulty being employed in Montana because the program is not yet nationally accredited?

Great Falls College MSU nursing program graduates do NOT have any state limitations on employment, once the graduate has successfully passed his/her NCLEX exam. Both the Practical Nurse and the Registered Nurse programs educate, train and prepare students to take and pass the national licensure exams (NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN) and enter the workforce ready to work and make a difference. Once the NCLEX exam is successfully passed, a graduate may be eligible to apply for licensure by endorsement in any of the 50 states.

There are select employers that require nurses to have graduated from a nationally accredited program recognized by the Department of Education in order to be eligible for hire. These employers have historically been limited to very specific military installations around the United States. Outside of this rare situation, graduates of Great Falls College MSU nursing programs that have passed their NCLEX examinations have not encountered any employers that include this as a requirement of hire.

Has Great Falls College lost their accreditation?

Both programs are based on statewide curriculums and, as fairly new programs have not yet been nationally accredited but are regionally approved by the Montana Board of Nursing. Accreditation has NEVER been revoked for either program.

Can Great Falls College MSU nursing graduates continue their education? Do all BSN completion programs require that the previous degree be achieved through a nationally accredited program?

While SOME BSN-completion programs indicate that ASN/PN graduates need to have graduated from an accredited program, not all programs require this. Additionally, Great Falls College’s nursing programs have an Articulation Agreement established with Montana Tech to waive this requirement. Part of the mission of the GFC MSU Nursing Programs is that our “Nurses will value team work, Evidenced-Based Practice, continuous quality improvement, patient safety and a pattern of lifelong learning.” We encourage our students to continue to pursue further education if they desire and help to facilitate their endeavors. For more information on continuing your education, please check out the information located in the “Continuing Your Education” tab on this page.

Continuing Your Education

Part of the mission of the GFC MSU Nursing Programs is that our “Nurses will value team work, Evidenced-Based Practice, continuous quality improvement, patient safety and a pattern of lifelong learning.” We encourage our students to continue to pursue further education if they desire and help to facilitate their endeavors.

Already an LPN looking to pursue an RN?

Current LPNs looking to become RNs are required to complete and meet all competitive entry requirements for consideration of their application into the ASN-RN program. Pre-requisite coursework needs to have been completed within the appropriate guidelines, without exception. If an LPN is selected for one of the 30 competitive entry spots within the ASN intake, specific courses are waived in lieu of previous coursework or experience. The courses an LPN-to-RN student would not be required to take include:

First Year - Fall semester
NRSG232 Foundations of Nursing
NRSG233 Foundations of Nursing lab
First Year - Second semester
NRSG234 Adult Nursing I
NRSG235 Adult Nursing I Clinical

For more information about the ASN-RN program, please visit the Registered Nursing Program website and the Nursing Pathways website.

Interested in pursuing a BSN or beyond after completing the ASN-RN program?

After graduation from a nursing program, the entry level wages and locations of employment are often very similar for RNs with either an ASN (Associate of Science in Nursing) or a BSN (Bachelor's of Science in Nursing). Some facilities may have precedents that require employees to obtain their BSN within a set number of years. After completing our ASN-RN program, students looking to pursue a BSN should anticipate taking additional courses in leadership and management, research, community/global health, and ethics. Great Falls College has an Articulation Agreement in place with Montana Tech, establishing a partnership to help facilitate this transition beyond Great Falls College. While this streamlines continuing a student’s education beyond Great Falls College, it does not limit a student’s ability to attend other universities.

Information about Montana Tech’s ASN-BSN program can be found here: https://www.mtech.edu/nursing/BS_Nursing.html

Additional Information

Nursing Program Handbook

For policies regarding the Nursing Programs please view the Nursing Program Handbook.

Montana Board of Nursing Website

Boards of nursing are state governmental agencies that protect the public's health by overseeing and ensuring safe nursing practice. They establish standards for safe nursing care and issue licenses to practice nursing, monitor licensees' compliance to state laws, and take action against the licenses of nurses who have exhibited unsafe nursing practice. Most boards also review and approve nursing education programs to ensure that graduates are eligible to take the national licensure examinations (NCLEX) and are prepared for safe, effective practice. Montana Board of Nursing Website

Interested in transferring from another nursing program?

To be considered for placement in one of the nursing programs at Great Falls College MSU, a prospective student that is currently enrolled in, who has withdrawn from, or failed out of another nursing program will be required to provide a written, detailed explanation of the circumstances of their withdrawal or failure and a letter of recommendation by at least one current faculty member or the program director from the previous nursing program. The student is required to take part in the competitive entry process and will be considered for placement in the appropriate semester based on available space in the class and/or clinical in which they would enter. Visit the Pathways page for more information on the steps to take if you are interested in transferring into a Great Falls College nursing program.