Master of Science in Nursing

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Master of Science with Major in Nursing

Description
The Master of Science with a major in Nursing is designed to prepare registered nurses holding a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing for an advanced nursing role. The degree builds upon the general baccalaureate nursing competencies, is based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Master’s Essentials, and provides curricula necessary to meet the education needs relative to the student’s specific emphasis choice. Graduates will be better able to contribute to the advancement of nursing practice.
Nurse Educator Emphasis-Specific Program Description: The Nurse Educator (NED) emphasis prepares baccalaureate degree nurses at the Master of Science level in nursing education within academic and clinical arenas. The emphasis is built upon the art and science of nursing education within the changing contexts of health care, nursing, higher education, and evidence-based practice. Within the broader Graduate Nursing program outcomes, the NED emphasis adapts to provide students with understanding and evidence-based application of the faculty role; teaching-learning processes; curriculum development, management and evaluation; program and student evaluation; and modalities to accomplish education within the various settings. Students receive experiential practica in nursing education for the practical, associate degree, and/or baccalaureate nursing level(s) in the academic and healthcare settings. Didactic work is delivered in an online format. The curriculum is based upon the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Master’s Essentials and the National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) comptetencies.
Nursing Administration and Organizational Systems Leadership Emphasis-Specific Program Description: The Nursing Administration and Organizational Systems Leadership (NAOSL) program prepares early career and current nurse leaders for graduate level nursing and healthcare leadership. Advanced education in nursing administration and organizational systems leadership addresses the growing need for system-wide leadership within the healthcare industry. The program emphasizes increased depth of understanding of the complex systems and issues involved. Graduate outcomes are based upon the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Master’s Essentials and incorporates the competencies and essentials put forth by the American Organization of Nurse Executives, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and Essentials of Nurse Manager Orientation.

Admission Requirements

In order to be admitted to the Graduate Nursing Program, the applicant must meet the following minimal requirements:

• Hold a BS or BA in nursing from an ACEN (formerly NLNAC), NLN, or CCNE accredited nursing program.
• Document current unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license in the US (does not need to be MN).
• Have a total cumulative local GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate courses at the institution where the baccalaureate nursing degree was awarded.

Additional Admission Notes for Non-Minnesota Applicants

Non-Minnesota applicants are not fully admitted until the Department of Higher Education in the applicant's state of residence has approved distance education/online programs from the state of Minnesota. Other state approvals, including, but not limited to, the state's Board of Nursing, must also be in place. Student must check with Graduate Program Coordinator prior to accepting admission. Should the student move after s/he applies to the program, it is his/her responsibility to check with the Graduate Program Coordinator whether continuation in the program is possible in the student’s new location.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Master of Science (MS) nursing curriculum, all graduates will be able to:

1. Incorporate current and emerging evidence from nursing and related sciences into the delivery of nursing care to continuously improve healthcare outcomes (Essential I-Background for Practice from Sciences and Humanities).
2. Utilize a systems approach as an organizational leader to effectively plan resource use, guide ethical decision-making, role-model critical reasoning, build relationships, promote evidence–based practice to improve systems, and assure safe, high quality nursing care outcomes (Essential II: Organizational and Systems Leadership).
3. Apply safety and quality principles, methods, performance measures, and standards to transparently and continually improve health outcomes across the continuum of care (Essential III: Quality Improvement and Safety).
4. Integrate research, evidence, theory, clinical reasoning, and patient values to positively impact patient and population health outcomes (Essential IV: Translating and Integrating Scholarship into Practice).
5. Analyze, incorporate, promote, and evaluate current/emerging patient care, informatics, and communication technologies to deliver and enhance healthcare outcomes (Essential V: Informatics and Healthcare Technologies).
6. Evaluate, advocate for, and support organizational/governmental policy to improve nursing, health care delivery, and population health outcomes (Essential VI: Health Policy and Advocacy).
7. Collaborate as a leader/member of interprofessional teams to optimize care management and coordination(Essential VII: Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes).
8. Plan, implement, and evaluate evidence-based clinical prevention, health promotion, and population-based care appropriate for diverse individuals, families, communities, and aggregates (Essential VIII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving Health). 
9. Integrate the advanced art and science of nursing in role-specific competencies to influence outcomes at the individual, family, population, and systems levels (Essential IX: Master’s-Level Nursing Practice).

Program Delivery Mode
Online Exclusive: must be completed entirely online; no face-to-face options available

Core Requirements ( 20 credits )

NURS 600 Nursing Science, Ethical, and Transcultural Theories (3)
NURS 605 Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Regulatory Management (3)
NURS 610 Health Promotion & Disease Prevention (3)
NURS 615 Research and Evidence-Based Practice (4)
NURS 628 Healthcare Delivery Systems, Policy, and Reimbursement (3)
NURS 638 Health Information Systems (3)
NURS 695 Portfolio (Plan B) (1)

Program Requirements

The following are the degree requirements for a Master’s of Science with a Major in Nursing:

• All students must complete the program within seven (7) years.
• Students progress at a rate they are comfortable with. Most students are also working in nursing practice; therefore, the program is intentionally flexible to adapt to part-time progression.
• A maximum of nine (9) graduate semester credits from nursing, all of which must be related to the program, may be transferred from other appropriately accredited colleges or universities with the approval of the Graduate Nursing Program Coordinator. The transfer credits must be no older than seven (7) years by the time of MSUM graduate nursing program/certificate completion and carry a grade of B or better.
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required to continue and graduate from the program.  If the GPA falls below 3.0, the student is placed on probation for the next semester in which courses are taken. If the GPA remains below 3.0 at the end of the next semester, the student is suspended from the graduate school.
• No more than two courses with a grade of C (including C+ and C-) may be applied to the program of study.
• A successful oral examination of the student as evaluated by the student’s committee following completion of the portfolio and the majority of coursework is required.

Further information on degree requirements may be found in “General Degree Requirements” near the beginning of the MSUM Graduate Bulletin.

Emphasis in Nurse Educator

Program Requirements

20 Core Nursing + 20 NED emphasis (BELOW-10 NED Theory/Seminar, 6 NED Direct Care Core, 4 NED Practicum/Capstone)

NURS 629 Educational Foundations and Teaching Strategies (4)
NURS 639 Curriculum/Course Development and Evaluation (3)
NURS 649 Nursing Education Assessment, Testing, and Evaluation Strategies (3)
NURS 635 Pathophysiology, pharmacology, & Physical Assessment for Nurse Educators I (3)
NURS 636 Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, and physical Assessment for Nurse Educators II (3)
NURS 642P Advanced Nurse Educator Practicum Capstone I (2)
NURS 643P Advanced Nursing Educator Practicum Capstone II (2)

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Emphasis in Nurse Administration and Organizational Systems Leadership (NAOSL)

Program Requirements

20 Core Nursing +16 NAOSL emphasis (BELOW--12 NAOSL theory/seminar, 4 NAOSL Practicum/Capstone)

MHA 618 Healthcare Law and Ethical Decision-Making (3)
ECON 610 Healthcare Economics (3)
MBA 641 Human Resources Management (3)
NURS 644P Nursing Adm. & Org Systems Leadership Practicum Capstone I (2)
NURS 645P Nursing Adm. & Org Systems Leadership Practicum Capstone II (2)
NURS 650 Organizational Strategy and Systems Leadership (3)