Master of science in nursing (MSN) degrees give practicing nurses an opportunity to advance their skills and pursue an even better career. People that pursue such a degree right now will get lucrative options to establish their reputation in an incredibly competitive field. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, the demand for nurses will increase by 26 percent in the period until 2020. The percentage is much higher than the national average for other professions.
People that want to obtain an MSN degree are usually already working as nurses. Thus, an online educational opportunity will make a lot of sense. It offers a lot of flexibility and enables busy professionals to complete their education at a comfortable pace.
University of South Carolina
According to US News and World Report,
The MSN in organizational leadership is the program that’s 100 percent delivered online.
This program consists of 30 credit hours and it can be completed in 12 to 18 months, depending on the amount of workload that students are capable of taking on. Some of the courses included in the curriculum include theoretical and conceptual foundations for nursing, introduction to biostatistics, family and community health nursing, facilitative processes in nursing administration and research methods for nursing.
A seminar in clinical research and a thesis will have to be completed prior to obtaining a degree.
Studying at
University of Massachusetts Amherst
UMass Amherst has a master of science in clinical nurse leadership. Most of the coursework takes place online but there are a few additional requirements for graduation. The university was founded in 1863 and as a result, it has well-established academic traditions.
Students have to complete 37 credit hours in order to graduate. Some of the courses included in the curriculum are research methodology in nursing, principles of epidemiology, leadership in public health systems, advanced health assessment and clinical reasoning, healthcare quality and advanced pharmacology.
The program is entirely based on the academic requirements drafted by the American Association of Colleges in Nursing for master education. The MSN degree is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
The cost of studying at UMass Amherst is 750 dollars per credit hour. Financial assistance is available in the form of graduate loans. Students can also apply for grants and fellowships. Traineeships and assistanceships are also available, giving students practical experience and a chance to earn some money to use towards their tuition.
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Founded in 1891, University of Texas Medical Department has one of the oldest medical schools in the state. The decades of traditions and modern technologies come together to produce an excellent educational opportunity for nursing student.
The online MSN program has several fields of specialization that students can choose among. These include gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, clinical nurse leader, executive nurse leader, family nurse practitioner, neonatal nurse practitioner and nurse educator.
Apart from the courses, the program consists of clinical research and practice.
Courses and curricula depend entirely on the field of specialization being chosen. The clinical nurse leader MSN, for example, features courses like advanced pathophysiology, pharmacological principles and clinical therapeutics, informatics and quality improvement, advanced health assessment, innovations in community health practices and a practicum.
Depending on the program being chosen, having a bachelor’s degree in nursing may be a requirement for getting accepted. A complete list of the requirements is available on each of the specialization pages.
The cost of earning your MSN degree at
