Loyola Nursing launches new master’s degree for career changers
Nursing students in the simulation lab at Loyola's Health Sciences Campus, home to Loyola Nursing's new Master of Science in Nursing program. The degree is for career changers who want to enter nursing and hold a degree in another field.
By Ashley Rowland
July 14, 2026
The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing is launching a new Master of Nursing (MN) program that provides a pathway for students with a degree in another field to enter the nursing profession in 16 months.
The degree, which launches this fall, is the first and only MN program in Illinois. It maintains Loyola Nursing’s rigorous academic standards while providing a streamlined curriculum for prelicensure students, many of whom bring previous professional experience to the program.
“We’re meeting an important need with this program,” said Dean Lorna Finnegan. “At a time when the demand for registered nurses has never been greater, we’re helping address the national nursing shortage and providing a viable pathway for more people to enter the profession.”
Loyola’s MN curriculum prepares students for direct entry to nursing practice. The program is full-time and in-person; students are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam after graduation.
The MN program includes clinical rotations across the continuum of care, including prevention, primary and acute care. Loyola Nursing’s program is unique in that it integrates community-based and hospital-based care in clinical learning experiences, further strengthening students’ preparation to practice in real-world settings.
The MN will replace Loyola Nursing’s 16-month Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, in which students with a bachelor’s degree in another field earn an undergraduate nursing degree. Incoming ABSN students will have the option to transition immediately into the MN program.
Patti Pratt, MN program director, said the MN program provides an innovative pathway for individuals seeking to enter the nursing profession.
“The MN combines rigorous preparation for professional nursing practice with the advantages of a master's degree,” she said. “Graduates enter the workforce as registered nurses with a strong foundation for future leadership and career advancement.”
Loyola’s MN is one of only a handful of prelicensure MN programs nationwide.
“Our MN degree further strengthens us as a national leader in nursing education,” Finnegan added. “We are creating new pathways into the profession while preparing the next generation of nurses to excel, lead, and make a meaningful impact in the communities they serve.”