Graduate & Professional Studies, Nursing

Direct entry nursing program helps Marquette undergraduates shift careers 

The roots of Benjamin Klein’s passion for nursing go back to a conversation he had with a charge nurse while working as a nurse technician during his undergraduate years at Marquette. 

“I felt like I was stuck between a couple of different potential paths and that nurse said, ‘Well, if you feel stuck, do you like this job?’ And I knew I did,” Klein says. 

That exchange started a path that ultimately led to Klein enrolling in the Direct Entry Master of Nursing program, a decision he made after graduating in 2024 with a degree in biological sciences. The DE MSN program is made for students like Klein: people who want to make a career switch into nursing. While these students usually come from a scientific background, the DE MSN is open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree who have completed prerequisite courses

“Every institution in the health care space has an obligation to do whatever they can to address the nursing shortage,” says Dr. Karen Robinson, assistant dean of graduate programs. “For us, part of that responsibility is creating a pathway for people from other professions to become nurses. The DE MSN program does that while maintaining the high academic and clinical standards for which Marquette is known.” 

Many in the health care space find nursing appealing because of the time spent with each patient. Klein originally meant to attend physician assistant school but started to observe the nurses at his local hospital more closely after expressing interest in learning more about the profession. He saw exactly what he wanted to see: people who cared for the whole patient. 

“All the nurses were telling patients about their conditions, what they could expect going forward and what could change in their lives,” Klein says. “When the nurse walked in the room, the patient knew his name and I could see the smile on their faces. The interpersonal connection is something you see often at the bedside, and I love that.” 

Biological sciences graduate Kaile Paris agrees. Paris transferred to Marquette as a junior and quickly found a home, noting the university’s sense of community as a major factor in her decision to attend. She thought about attending PA or medical school after graduation but wanted to spend more time with each individual patient than those careers often allow. 

I am a huge fan of Marquette’s core values — the students and staff all represent them so well.

Kaile Paris, DE MSN program member and Marquette undergraduate alumna

She then thought back to her own mother, a lifelong nurse, and decided to follow the example she’d set. 

“My mom does everything for her patients; she treats them as if they’re her own family and she thinks outside the box to help them. It has saved lives. When I see her patients sharing their appreciation for what she does, that inspires me,” Paris says. 

Students in the DE MSN program can earn a degree in as few as five semesters, or they can choose an eight semester option Classes are offered in two sites — Milwaukee and Pleasant Prairie — and there are options for both in-person learners and those who prefer hybrid offerings. All options come with guaranteed clinical placements. 

U.S. News and World Report ranked the DE MSN program as No. 36 in its annual list of best online graduate programs. In 2023, the program achieved an NCLEX nursing licensure exam pass rate of 94.8 percent to go along with strong job placement metrics. New facilities in both Milwaukee and Pleasant Prairie come with expanded skills and simulation labs, technology-enabled classrooms, and student amenities designed to enhance the college’s sense of community. 

The investments have paid off, according to both Paris and Klein. 

“I am a huge fan of Marquette’s core values — the students and staff all represent them so well,” Paris says. “It has been a huge part of why I’m able to feel so at home at Marquette.” 

“I know the campus, the culture and the faculty really well,” Klein says. “When I was looking for graduate schools, I knew I could adjust to another environment, but I already knew Marquette. I’d been here for four years and loved all four of those years. Why not keep doing what’s already worked?” 
 
For more information about the DE MSN program, go to our website and fill out the information form to speak to a recruiter.