WKU Master Entry Professional Nursing (MEPN)

As MEPN students earn both a BSN (undergraduate) and an MSN (graduate degree), all applicants must be admitted to WKU prior to the applicable MEPN cohort application deadline (Sept 1 for spring cohorts or Feb 1 for summer cohorts) by following the undergraduate application directions below and fulfilling all WKU Office of Admissions requirements.* Applicants will not apply to the Graduate School until their second semester of study and will be advised to do so once enrolled in the MEPN program.

• On the Apply Now for Admission at WKU website, access the Undergraduate Applications section on the left side of the page.
• Click Application for Admission to WKU to begin your WKU application within TopNet.
• On the WKU Admissions Application web page, follow the prompts as requested (logging in with your WKUID and PIN or creating an application account).
• On the Pre-Application Questions web page, use the drop-down list to select the appropriate term/semester you want to begin your course work. Note: Our cohorts start in the spring or summer semester.
• Follow the application checklist prompts through each section. On the Planned Course of Study web page, from the dropdown lists select the following:
• Category of Study: Bachelor’s Degree
• Planned Course of Study: Nursing: Baccalaureate – Seeking Admission
• Please indicate your primary location of enrollment: Main Campus
• After paying the application fee and submitting your application, you will receive an email confirmation within 48 hours. If you have any questions or issues, please contact WKU Office of Admissions at 270-745-2551.

Additionally, all transcripts pertaining to your prior bachelor's degree must be received by WKU before an admission decision can be made. WKU graduates do not need to request transcript be sent. The preferred method for transcript submission is directly from the National Student clearing house for electronic delivery to WKU. Transcripts can also be mailed to 1906 College Heights Blvd. #11020, Bowling Green, KY 42101-1020. Questions about this process should be directed to the WKU Transfer Center.

Once you have submitted your undergraduate application to WKU Admissions, please email graduatenursing-mepn@wku.edu with your name and WKU ID indicating your interest in and application to the MEPN program. 

*If your WKU bachelor’s degree is in progress, please contact graduatenursing-mepn@wku.edu for additional information about the WKU application process; DO NOT submit a new WKU undergraduate application.

All MEPN applicants must be officially admitted to WKU prior to the MEPN application deadline - February 1 (for summer admission consideration) or September 1 (for spring admission consideration) - and before submitting any MEPN program application materials to the School of Nursing and Allied Health.*

*If your WKU bachelor’s degree is in progress, please contact graduatenursing-mepn@wku.edu for additional information about the WKU application process; DO NOT submit a new WKU undergraduate application.

Prerequisite coursework

At the time of MEPN application, individuals must have either successfully completed all prerequisite courses or be enrolled in the final prerequisite courses. 

For any prerequisite course completed at an institution other than WKU, the official transcript reflecting course completion must be submitted to and processed by WKU's Transfer Center prior to the MEPN application deadline. The applicant may also be required to provide a course syllabus or catalog description of degree coursework for evaluation by MEPN program personnel.

If a prerequisite course is currently in-progress at an institution other than WKU, the applicant must submit a copy of current class schedule (including course number, course name, dates of enrollment) as a part of the application materials. The applicant may also be required to provide a course syllabus or catalog description of degree coursework for evaluation by MEPN program personnel. Following course completion, the official transcript reflecting course completion must be submitted to and processed by WKU's Transfer Center on or before the date communicated by MEPN program personnel.

NOTE: An applicant with coursework that does not directly transfer to WKU as one of the prerequisites has the opportunity to use other courses by emailing the relevant syllabus to MEPN coordinator, Dr. Tonya Bragg-Underwood, for prerequisite course evaluation prior to the application deadline.

HESI Nursing Entrance Exam

All applicants are required to complete the HESI Nursing Entrance Exam prior to the MEPN application deadline and provide a copy of the applicant's scores as a part of the MEPN application materials. WKU's HESI exam evaluates general knowledge in three areas - Reading Comprehension, Anatomy & Physiology and Math. The recommended Elsevier study guide is HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review, Edition 5.

WKU's Distance Learning Testing Center (wku.edu/testing) facilitates the HESI test. HESI testing windows are based on our programs's admission cycles - March through August and October through January.Limited testing spots are  available the week prior to an application deadline. No testing is available in February, June, or September. To register for the HESI, visit  registerblast.com/wku and search for "MEPN" within your browser's search functionality to easily find the MEPN program's HESI information (in-person or Proctor-U HESI testing format). If testing dates are not yet available, please email dltc@wku.edu for additional information.

Applicants may take the HESI exam one time during an application cycle (i.e., once March through August and/or once October through January) and HESI scores are valid for one calendar year. [NOTE: Individuals may not retake the SAME exam version and can only take the HESI a maximum of 3 times.]

MEPN Application Materials

All MEPN application materials are listed in the bulleted list below and must be submitted to graduatenursing-mepn@wku.edu  by the relevant MEPN application deadline - February 1 or September 1 - including at minimum your name, cohort (i.e., summer or spring YEAR) and MEPN Application in the subject line of each email.

• completed MEPN PDF application, Master Entry Professional Nurse (MEPN) Application (click link to download)
• written goal statement, see Items to include in Goal Statement (click link to download)
• current resume
• three completed reference forms, see Reference Form (click link to download)
• copy of HESI entrance exam scores
• if applicable, current class schedule
• if applicable, course syllabus for all prerequisite coursework not completed at WKU 

You will receive an admission decision communication by email approximately 6-8 weeks after the application deadline.

All students will be required to submit documentation of meeting the SONAH Health and Safety Policies, (including relevant vaccinations) prior to enrolling in clinical nursing courses. See BSN Student Handbook Appendix D for more information. Nursing students are required to meet basic health requirements including routine childhood immunizations; annual flu vaccinations; testing for communicable diseases, including COVID; and random drug screening. Clinical agency contracts do not permit students to waiver these requirements. 

For more information on tuition costs at WKU, please visit wku.edu/billing/coa.php

MEPN students will be classified as an undergraduate NURS 586 major for one semester; in addition to tuition, there is a $575 program fee that will be billed to student's University Account each semester enrolled as a Nursing 586 Major. MEPN students will then be classified as a graduate NURS 149 major for the remainder of program enrollment.

To learn more about the MEPN program at WKU, contact our MEPN coordinator, Dr. Tonya Bragg-Underwood.

• 270-745-4377

• tonya.bragg-underwood@wku.edu

• graduatenursing-mepn@wku.edu

To schedule a tour of our Medical Health Sciences Complex (MCHC), please contact the School of Nursing and Allied Health by phone at 270-745-3391.