Master Degrees
In healthcare there is an ever increasing body of knowledge that clinical staff, managers, and educators are expected to comprehend. As technology has rapidly advanced, so has medicine. In general, when nursing staff are more highly educated the patients benefit with increased safety and decreased mortality. These trends have led to a push within the nursing profession for nurses to have an educational background at the master's degree level.
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Coursework for a master's degree in nursing usually takes 18 to 24 months to complete. Many students that enter the program will be registered nurses (RNs) with a bachelor's degree in nursing. Some universities offer an accelerated RN-MSN bridge program for diploma or associate’s degree-prepared RNs. Other universities offer master's level nursing programs that are geared towards graduates from non-nursing fields. The programs for non-nurses typically have an additional year of study that prepares students to obtain licensure as a RN.
Flexible scheduling options are common at the master's level to allow professionals to keep working while they are in school. Some schools have satellite campuses that offer classes at sites that are off the main campus. Online classes are also a popular way to complete coursework. Many programs utilize a mix of these strategies to best meet their students' needs.
Master Degrees offered by Top Nursing Schools
Benedictine University
Online School.
Nursing.
Bethel University
Minnesota.
Nursing.
Herzing University Online
Online School.
Nursinga Concentration Nursing Management; Nursinga Concentration Nursing Education.
Loyola University New Orleans Online
Online School.
Bridge Program; Nursing - HCSM.
Norwich University
Online School.
Nursing.
St. Xavier University
Online School.
Clinical Leadership.
Vanderbilt University
Online School.
Nursing Health Systems Management.
American Sentinel University
Online School.
RN To; Nursing - Case Management; Nursing - Infection Prevention & Control; Nursing - Management & Organizational Leadership; Nursing - Informatics.
California College San Diego
California.
Nursing Administration.
Capella University
Online School.
Nurse Educator Bridge; Nurse Educator.
Chamberlain College of Nursing
Online School.
Nursing.
CollegeAmerica
Arizona; Colorado; Wyoming.
Nursing Administration.
Grand Canyon University
Online School.
Bridge To Nursing Nursing Education; Bridge To Nursing Leadership Health Care Systems; MBA & Nursing Leadership Health Care Systems; Nursing Leadership Health Care Systems; Nursing Nursing Education.
Independence University
Online School.
Nursing Wellness; Nursing; Nursing Administration; Nursing Community Health.
Kaplan University
Online School.
RN To Nursing; Nursing/Nurse Administrator; Nursing/Nurse Educator.
Liberty University
Online School.
Nursing - Acute Care Track.
Norwich University - Online
Online School.
Nursing.
South University
Online School.
Accelerated RN; Nursing.
Stevens-Henager College
Idaho; Utah.
Nursing Administration.
Stevens-Henager Online
Online School.
Nursing Administration.
University of Cincinnati
Online School.
Nursing - Nurse Midwifery; Nursing - Women Health Nurse Practitioner.
University of Phoenix
Online School; Arizona; California; Colorado; Florida; Hawaii; Michigan; Minnesota; New Mexico; Ohio; Utah.
Nursing/ Health Administration; Nursing/MBA/Health Care Management; Nursing; Nursing/Health Care Education; Nursing/Nurse Practitioner; Nursing/Informatics; Nursing/MBA/ Health Care Management; Nursing RN Required; Nursing - Nursing/Health Care Education; Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner; NursingNurse Practitioners.
Vanderbilt University - Online
Online School.
Nursing Health Systems Management.
Walden University
Online School.
Nursing - RN Track; Nursing - BSN Track.
Universities offer a variety of degrees for students seeking master's level nursing education. Some schools may offer a Master’s in Science (MS) while others may offer a Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN). Students can also earn dual degrees. For example, a master's in nursing combined with a master's in business administration (MSN/MBA) or a master's in nursing combined with a master’s in public health (MSN/MPH).
Master's level degree-prepared nurses are found throughout the profession of nursing. They often work as educators, administrators, or clinical specialists. A student should consider which area of nursing they desire to work in when they select their master's degree program. Master's level education programs often offer the option of selecting a tract of specialty focus when entering the program. Once required core courses are completed the remainder of the program will focus on this selected tract or specialty area. Some examples of degree specialization at the master's level include: maternal-child, pediatrics, medical-surgical, case management, midwifery, nurse anesthetist, education, psychiatric-mental health, community health, administration, and informatics.
Nurses at all levels are needed, but nurses with master's degrees are in high demand. The aging of the baby boomer population and technology advances in healthcare have put an increased demand on the healthcare system. The healthcare system is also faced with the trend of fewer doctors working as primary care providers, choosing instead to work in specialty areas. Nurses, working as nurse practitioners, can fill the role of a patient’s primary care provider. Nurse practitioners are regulated by individual states, but generally they can diagnose and manage a patient’s illness, promote wellness, and prescribe medication. Master's level nursing education is an excellent way for nurses to prepare for this and many other rewarding jobs in healthcare.
