Ball State University (BSU) was founded during 1899 as a private institution of higher learning within Muncie, Indiana. Formerly identified as the Eastern Indiana Normal School, the school initially offered education to teachers and operated until 1901 when the school was shut down due to lack of funding. One year later, the school was renamed, as Palmer University, and operated on a $100,000 endowment created by retired banker Francis Palmer. The school was again renamed as the Indiana Normal College and reorganized to offer instruction through the College of Applied Sciences and the Normal School. The school was again shut down due to lack of enrollment and funding during 1907 and reopened five years later as the Indiana Normal College but again suffered financially. The college remained vacant until 1918 when Frank C. Ball and his industrialist brothers purchased the original campus grounds and established the Indiana State Normal School Eastern Division. Despite its initial financial difficulties, the college grew to meet the educational needs of present and future students due to the Ball family.
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During 1922, the Indiana General Assembly renamed the school Ball Teachers College and quickly expanded enrollment. During 1929, the college was again renamed, became a state research facility, and assumed the name Ball State Teachers College. During 1965, the college assumed its present name to commemorate growth and expansion. In the days since, the college has offered a number of innovative on campus and online programs.
Application Requirements
Applying to Ball State’s Master degree in Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner or Nursing Leadership programs requires:
– Completion of an online application
– A baccalaureate degree from a college accredited by the National League for Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
– A minimum of a 2.8 grade point average on a 4.0 scale during undergraduate studies
– Completion of an undergraduate research course with a grade C or higher (3.0 quarter/2.0 semester hours)
– Completion of a physical assessment course
– Licensure from State boards as a registered nurse – Proof of CPR Training and standard universal precautions certifications
– Health clearance including Hepatitis B and TB immunizations
– Master’s degree candidates must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average to remain in the graduate program
– Payment of a $50 nonrefundable application fee
– Completion of a one year clinical experience
– Possess a clear criminal background
– Submission of one professional reference
– Official Transcripts from all attended colleges and universities
Tuition Tuition for Ball State University’s online master’s in nursing degree programs is:
Residents: $284 per credit hour
Non Residents: $481 per credit hour
Technology Fee for residents and non residents:
$55 for 1-3 credit hours
$105 for 4-6 credit hours
$160 for 6 credit hours or more
Additional Fees for nursing students:
$125 fee for fall and spring semester nursing programs
$75 fee for summer nursing programs
$400 per graduate clinical nursing courses
$3.50 for clinical nursing courses with labs to cover liability insurance
Credit card fees: Payments made with a credit or debit card incur an addition 2.7 percent interest fee.
Total cost for master’s programs range from $9,800 to $14,950 for residents and $12,000-$18,200 for non residents depending on area of speciality and other educational factors. Tuition does not include textbooks and other materials.
Financial Aid
Ball State has a number of financial aid options for students who qualify and demonstrate need. Options include:
Federal Loans
– Subsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans
– Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans
– Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans
State or Federal Grants
– TEACH grants
– Federal Work Study Programs
Alternative or Private Loans
Scholarships, Assistantships, and Awards
-Alumni scholarships
– School of Nursing Scholarships
Military and Veterans Education Benefits
-Veterans and Dependants Educational Benefits
-ROTC programs
Student employment
Vocational Rehabilitation
Curriculum
Ball State offers a number of online programs to students seeking to expand education necessary to advance within a nursing career. The program features two tracks, the Master’s program for Adult Nurse Practitioner, the Master’s degree program in Family Nurse Practitioner, or the Master’s in Nursing Leadership program. Both programs offer students the ability to strengthen skills and increase knowledge necessary to advance to positions as nurse educators or administrators. Both programs allow students to learn through at a flexible, self paced speed through full or part time studies. Both programs provide students with the ability to complete their degree in up to six years and offer the combination of classroom instruction and clinical experiences led by a team of professional, highly qualified educators. Courses within Ball State’s Adult Nurse Practitioner program include: statistics or data analysis, nursing research, nursing theory, nursing information technology, concept analysis 1, concept analysis 2, concept analysis 3, clinical role, pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, advanced clinical pharmacology, role expectations, and advanced care of adults. Courses within Ball State’s Family Nurse Practioner program include: statistics or data analysis, nursing research, nursing theory, nursing and information technology, concept analysis 1, concept analysis 2, concept analysis 3, clinical role, pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, advanced clinical pharmacology, role expectations, advanced care of adults, primary care of children, and primary care of women. Courses within the Master’s in Nursing Leadership program include: data analysis, nursing research, research paper, nursing theory, nursing and information technology, concept analysis: health promotion, and concept analysis: clinical decision making. Students within nursing leadership programs allow students to concentrate studies within education or administration fields. Courses within an education specialization include: curriculum, teaching in nursing, and program evaluation. Courses within an administration specialization include: nursing administration theories, administrative management for nurses, and financial management. All master’s degree students must also complete a practicum with 225 hours of clinical experience.
Graduates from Ball State’s online master’s degree programs in nursing gain the skills and knowledge required to advance as professionals within the quickly changing health care industry.