Master’s Exam
Orientation
By Debra Gayer, PhD, RN
Exam Coordinator
What is the Master’s Exam?
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A qualifying exam required for graduation from
the Master of Science program in nursing.
To fulfill this requirement the Sinclair School of
Nursing requires each student to write a paper.
All students enrolled after Summer 2002 are
required to take and pass the exam in order to
graduate.
All students graduating Fall 2010 will only have
the literature review exam option.
Who is required to take the exam?
All Master’s students are required to take
the exam unless they completed their M1,
program of study form prior to Summer of
2002.
 You may be in any of the specialty areas
such as CNS, Public Health, NP, Educator,
Administrator.
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Where can you get information
about the Master’s Exam?
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The Master of Science Handbook has
information about the Master’s Exam and is
located at
http://www.nursing.missouri.edu/academics/msn.php
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Examples of papers are on the network in PDF
files.
What are the different formats for
this exam?
Currently you may write your exam as:
1) a research proposal;
2) a critical review of the literature;
3) a problem-solving paper or
4) a clinical guideline paper.
 However students graduating Fall 2010 will only have
the literature review option.
 As you do your coursework, think about the type of
paper that most appeals to you.
 Remember that this paper is the culmination of your
studies.
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Where do I start?
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Throughout your Master’s program you will write
papers that may be used as the basis for your
exam.
For example, you will be writing a research
proposal for your research methods class.
You may want to use this as the basis for your
paper – use the comments you receive to help
you in revising the paper.
The standards for this paper are set to evaluate
your overall knowledge from the program.
What are the guidelines for review
for this exam?
The faculty has developed specific
guidelines for each type of Master’s Exam.
 These guidelines are very specific;
however, the goal is for you to integrate
your previous learning and to synthesize
this information and form a conclusion.
 One guiding principle is that students are
expected to explore the literature in depth.
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What do you mean by “exploring
the literature” in depth?
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One key element of all of the Master’s exam
papers is the need to review the literature with
regard to the chosen topic.
This means more than a one-time trip to the
library or library website.
Planning for this review will be critical.
HINT: Whenever you are doing the coursework
for your various classes, keep in mind that any
references form the basis for your exam.
How can I know what type of exam
I should take?
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All exams include a review of the literature – so
all potential test-takers may begin here.
In your coursework you will be required to
review nursing literature and write papers, these
can be used as the basis for your Master’s
Exam.
HINT: you will need to revise and add to your
previous work before you submit it for a Master’s
Exam.
When is the Master’s Exam offered
and how do I become eligible?
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The Master’s Exam is offered during the fall and winter
semester; however, it is not offered during the summer
semester.
To be eligible for the exam, you must have completed
your core courses, Theory, Research, Evidence-based
Practice and/or N8900 Research Practicum with a “B”.
You may be taking a clinical practicum course and the
Role Transition course the same semester as you submit
the exam.
We would encourage you to submit your exam during
your 2nd to last or last semester of coursework.
Do I need to apply for the exam?
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Yes – there is a short application form to be completed.
This will help to assure your readiness for the exam.
The Application for the Master’s Exam is obtained from
Thom Bowling. All you need to do is complete the
application and send it back to Thom Bowling
bowlingt@missouri.edu and “cc” to me
gayerd@missouri.edu as a rtf attachment.
We will then send you your number and information
about returning the exam.
Do I need to register for the exam?
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If you are taking courses the semester you take your exam then you
just need to complete the application for the Master’s Exam.
If you are NOT taking courses the semester you take your exam
then you must register through MU Direct for the - Graduate Master
Exam. You can do this through myZou – under course catalog –
Miscellaneous – master exam (8999). You pay for an equivalent of
a one hour course. However you will not have access to the student
resources or library. If you need this you will need to register for a
one hour problem course.
If you need assistance, please contact Thom Bowling at
bowlingt@missouri.edu and cc Deb Gayer gayerd@missouri.edu
for assistance.
When do you need to start
preparing for the exam?
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You should be preparing for the exam
throughout your master’s program.
We encourage you to select a topic of interest
and build on this topic throughout your courses.
For example, if you are interested in working
with people who have osteoarthritis, use this
topic in your research course and in evidencebased practice.
What if I want to change my topic?
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You can decide on your topic at any time. The
sooner you focus on a topic the better.
Changing your topic means that you will have to
become familiar with the literature in this new
area of interest.
Consult your adviser for help in this area.
You may write this exam on a topic that you
choose – so the decision is yours.
What style of writing and
bibliographic style should I use?
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This paper is a formal nursing paper that is not
to exceed 30 pages not counting the References
and Appendices.
It should be a minimum of 20 pages of content
not including the references
It should be typed and double-spaced in 12 point
font with margins of 1 -1 ½ inches. We suggest
that you use Arial font.
We require APA (5th ed.) published format.
How long will it take for me to write
the Master’s Exam?
Hopefully you will begin to think about the
Master’s Exam topic from the beginning of
your Master’s program.
 Accumulate references along the way.
 Stop and smell the roses – everyone
needs to take a break now and then – then
get back into writing this paper.
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Are there other options?
There is an oral examination option;
however, the guidelines for content are the
same as for the paper.
 This option is primarily designed for those
who have English as a second language.
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What is the submission schedule?
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Orientation is generally the 1st – 3rd week of the
semester depending on student availability.
You must apply for the exam by Friday of the 4th week of
the semester.
You will be given a number and instructions for the exam
submission.
The exam is due on Friday of the 6th week of the
semester.
The exam is offered in the Fall and Winter only.
See schedule on the Master of Nursing web site.
Who will grade my exam?
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There will be two faculty readers for each exam.
Faculty will not know whose exam they are
reading – only the exam number.
Readers are assigned on the basis of their
knowledge of your topic and on their expertise in
the style of your paper.
You may request readers; however, due to the
variable number of exams we cannot assure you
that these will be your readers.
How will I know that I passed?
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Readers are given time to carefully read and review your
writing.
If there is any question about your paper, a third reader
is assigned.
The Exam Coordinator will notify all students of their
pass/fail status on Tuesday of Week 11 of the semester.
You will receive a letter in the mail.
You may receive your results in person if you come to
my office (S429) on Friday of Week 11 by appointment. I
will ask you for a form of identification with your picture
on it.
What happens after the exam
results are in?
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The graduate school will be notified that you
have passed the exam and are now eligible for
graduation.
If you do not pass the exam, you will be given
instructions on how to resubmit the exam –
usually during the following testing period.
We want all students to succeed – so we will
work with you throughout your program of study.
Guidelines for the Master’s Exam
All guidelines are available in the MS
Handbook- can be download from the
Master of Science in Nursing web page.
 Research Paper
 Review of the Literature
 Problem-Solving Paper
 Clinical Guideline Paper
Who can help with the exam
preparation?
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If you have questions regarding the exam
process, please contact the Exam Coordinator.
If you have questions related to your topic or the
style of paper that you will choose, work with
your course faculty and your faculty adviser.
Potential readers are not allowed to review your
paper and make suggestions for improvement
prior to submission unless this paper is part of
your regular course requirements.
Resources
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The Health Sciences Library – the
librarians are great people to work with
either in person or online. Go to
http://www.muhealth.org/%7Elibrary/
Your advisor
 A colleague – to read over your paper and
critique.
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Approval of the question/purpose of
the paper
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We request that you talk with your advisor regarding the
research question or purpose of your paper prior to
submission.
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The advisor can certainly help you to finalize the purpose
of your paper.
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IT IS VITAL THAT YOU HAVE A CLEARLY STATED
PURPOSE OR RESEARCH QUESTION.
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Have your advisor approve of this purpose prior to
proceeding with the paper for the best possible outcome.
Other resources
Galvan, J.L. (2006). Writing Literature
Reviews A Guide for Students of the
Social and Behavioral Sciences(3rd ed.).
Glendale,CA: Pyrczak.
 Pan, M.L. (2004). Preparing Literature
Reviews (2nd ed.). Glendale, CA: Pyrczak.
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Helpful Hints for Success
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Choose your topic early in the program and use
your coursework to help you in collecting
literature related to your topic.
As you write course papers, keep in mind that
you will need to write this final paper.
If you write a paper for a class, talk to the faculty
about using it as the basis for your exam. Poor
papers lead to poor exams, but good papers will
provide the framework for a passing exam.
Questions ???????
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You are welcome to call me
Debra Gayer, PhD, RN, CPNP
Master’s Exam Coordinator
at (573) 882-0295 or e-mail me
at gayerd@missouri.edu for other
questions that may arise.