Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Master's Degree
Online Program
- Next Start Dates
- July 01, 2024
- September 30, 2024
Step Out as a Leader with Your MSN for Under $16K
Our online CCNE-accredited3 Master’s degree in Nursing supports working nurses like you with flexible schedules and valuable support. If you’re a registered nurse with a BSN, this is a powerful next step to build your identity as a nurse leader without taking a break from your career.
Our online Empowered Learning® courses offer the kind of time flexibility that really helps as you’re managing work shifts along with your education. Many nurses also appreciate the focus on doing real-world projects in each class. Empowered Learning also allows you to:
- Go faster when you can, and slower when you need to
- Join the live online lectures or listen to recorded lectures when it's convenient, with no weekly deadlines
- Learn at your pace while staying connected with faculty and peers
- Showcase your competencies and skills to employers with your digital Comprehensive Learner Record
With an affordable cost under $16,000 (excluding the MSN Nurse Practitioner specializations),2 four start dates a year and no GRE®4 requirement, qualified applicants can start the MSN program without delay.
On this page:
Nursing Specializations
Your nursing talents are unique. That’s why Rasmussen University gives you the choice of three specializations to help define your career course. Prepare for the current and future of healthcare as a nursing leader, regardless of the specialization you choose. Each specialization includes a common foundation of seven core MSN courses, but allows you to pursue your passion with five specialization-specific courses. You'll also have the opportunity to apply newly-acquired advanced skills through practicum experiences in your own community.
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Nursing Leadership and Administration
You Bring
- An interest in leadership and the business side of nursing
- A passion for clinical excellence and affecting change in nursing practices and patient care
- Readiness to impact management and policy discussions
You'll Study
- Nursing leadership
- Administration and interdisciplinary collaboration
- Human resources/performance management
- Finances
Career Paths
- Chief nursing officer
- Director of nursing
- Nurse manager
- Nurse administrator
- Nurse executive
- Nurse compliance inspector
- Case manager
Specialization Courses
- Advanced Nursing Leadership // NGR 6801
- Focuses on the knowledge, abilities and skills that guide advanced nursing leadership.
- Meaningful Communication and Collaboration // NGR 6250
- Emphasizes the importance of effective communication and building relationships to help facilitate leadership.
- The Business Side of Nursing // NGR 6100
- Provides the tools to evaluate healthcare economics as an essential part of nursing leadership development.
- Leadership and Management in Advanced Nursing Practice // NGR 6117
- An indirect-care practicum that allows you to utilize newly-developed leadership knowledge and skills at an advanced nursing practice level.
- Advanced Nursing Practice // NGR 6703
- Frames the opportunity to engage in a graduate level, direct-care practicum integrating newly-acquired advanced nursing knowledge into practice.
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Nursing Education
You Bring
- A passion to train and educate current and future nurses for a role in hospital or academic settings
- A desire to assist in the career growth of current and future nurses, and help address nursing shortages
You'll Study
- Nursing leadership within an educational setting
- How to build pathways to create transformational learning
- Effective curriculum design
- A variety of teaching strategies
Career Paths
- Director of education
- Nursing faculty
- Academic leadership
- Staff development leader in healthcare organizations
Specialization Courses
- Role of the Nurse Educator // NGR 6701
- Teaches the essential foundations of the nurse educator role.
- Curriculum Design and Program Evaluation // NGR 6300
- Analyzes the ingredients in building a successful curriculum. Learn how to evaluate programs and how to align with evidence-based nursing education strategies and national guidelines.
- Nursing Education in the Classroom // NGR 6050
- Implements working strategies to improve levels of achievement. Practicum focuses on the role of the nurse-educator and the application of creative teaching strategies.
- Nursing Education in the Clinical Setting // NGR 6150
- Centers on the role of a clinical nurse educator, with a practicum experience focusing on creative teaching strategies in a clinical environment.
- Advanced Nursing Practice // NGR 6703
- Frames the opportunity to engage in a graduate level, direct-care practicum integrating newly-acquired advanced nursing knowledge into practice.
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Healthcare Technology, Simulation and Informatics
You Bring
- A passion to pursue transformative healthcare through informatics, emerging technology and simulation
- Readiness to champion innovation through the lens of technology and data
- A passion to serve as a translator and health technology innovator to amplify the voices of clinicians and patients
You'll Study
- The use of simulation in healthcare and nursing education
- Evolving opportunities in nursing informatics, where data and technology are leveraged to drive desired outcomes
- The latest and emerging healthcare-advancing technologies
Career Paths
- Chief nursing informatics officer
- Director of clinical Informatics
- Clinical analyst
- Nursing/clinical informatics specialist
- Clinical educator
- Simulation education specialist
- Simulation coordinator or technologist
- Director of innovation
- Innovation specialist
Specialization Courses
- Healthcare Technology // NGR 6820
- Examines the use of current health technology and considers the direction of future innovation.
- Simulation in Healthcare // NGR 6716
- Focuses on best practices for simulation-based education (SBE), with an opportunity to design components of simulation experiences and operations.
- Informatics in Advanced Nursing Practice // NGR 6870
- Introduces the foundations of nursing informatics. Includes standards of professional practice and use of evidence and theories specific to informatics.
- Integrating Technology // NGR 6840
- A chance to show your skills in an indirect-care practicum experience. Take part in analysis of internal and external evidence; devise theories and solutions to real problems.
- Advanced Nursing Practice // NGR 6703
- Frames the opportunity to engage in a graduate level, direct-care practicum integrating newly-acquired advanced nursing knowledge into practice.
Built for Working Nurses
Our program is designed for busy nurses, so you can continue to work while you earn your degree. We offer 100% online curriculum complemented by local practicum experiences and four start dates per year.
MSN on Your Schedule
Online Empowered Learning courses allow you to learn by doing and manage your pace. Go faster when you can, and slower when you need to with no weekly deadlines.
Support at Every Turn
From 24/7 tech support, experienced faculty, graduate services advisors and career services to library and learning services with over 400,000 ebooks and electronic reference materials, we’re dedicated to a robust learning community.
Take the Next Step—Talk to Us!
Your Nursing Career Path
With the many Nursing programs at Rasmussen University, you can easily transfer credits from one level to the next, saving you time and money. In order to enroll for your MSN, you’ll need your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). At the MSN level, you can start to specialize your practice and see exactly where you want to lead other nurses. If you have goals of continuing to your DNP, your MSN sets you up perfectly to pursue your DNP with us.
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Bachelor’s Degree: Nursing (RN to BSN or BSN)
Next step if:
You’re ready to earn your BSN, want to become a Bachelor-prepared registered nurse and are looking for opportunities to advance your career.
Or start here if:
You want to begin your nursing career as a BSN-prepared registered nurse. Choose from two pre-licensure entry tracks—standard and second degree.
Finish in as few as:
12 to 18 months (RN to BSN)1
33 months (BSN Standard Degree)*
18 months (BSN Second Degree)*Already an LPN? Our LPN to RN Bridge helps LPNs become RNs faster, further decreasing your time to program completion.
Career Opportunities:
- Hospitals
- Clinical Practice
- Administration
- Nursing Education
- Nursing Leadership
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Master’s Degree: Nursing (MSN)
Next step if:
You want to influence present and future healthcare as a nursing leader. You have the choice of three specializations that allow you to define your career course.
- Nursing Leadership and Administration
- Nursing Education
- Healthcare Technology, Simulation and Informatics
We also offer an online MSN Nurse Practitioner (NP) program if you're interested in making a positive impact as a nurse practitioner with the choice of four specializations:
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
- Family NP
- Pediatric Primary Care NP
- Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
Finish in as few as:
18 months1
Career Opportunities:
- Director of Nursing
- Director of Education
- Clinical Nursing Informatics Officer
- Chief Nursing Officer
-
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Next step if:
You’re called to lead at the highest levels in healthcare, public health and policy—the definitive terminal degree for nurse leaders.
Choose the specialization that best aligns with your interests and career goals:
- Executive Leadership
- Public Health and Policy
Finish in as few as:
21 months1
Career Opportunities:
- Chief Nursing Officer
- Nursing Administrator
- Director of Public Health and Policy
- Government or Policy Activist
Tuition & Savings
We are committed to providing affordable tuition and breaking down the numbers so that you can see how achievable your goals are. With four start dates a year, 11-week terms and a total of 12 courses, full-time students can finish in as few as 18 months1 and starting under $16,000.2
Do the Math
Start planning your future with a Nursing Leadership or Healthcare Technology, Simulation and Informatics specialization.
$265 cost per credit
x 48 total credits
_______________________
$12,720 total tuition
+ $2,950 total fees
_______________________
$15,670 estimated total program cost
Learn more about the financial aid cost of attendance (COA).
Explore our Tuition Estimator Tool
Do the Math
See how manageable your Nursing Education specialization can be.
$265 cost per credit
x 48 total credits
_______________________
$12,720 total tuition
+ $3,135 total fees
_______________________
$15,855 estimated total program cost
Learn more about the financial aid cost of attendance (COA).
Explore our Tuition Estimator Tool
Earn Your MSN Starting Under $16K
Complete your MSN degree starting under $16,000 (excluding the MSN Nurse Practitioner specializations).2
No GRE®4 requirements and four start dates a year—you’ll start classes and be on your way to your MSN degree.
Request More Information
Entrance Requirements
Applicants to this program must hold a conferred Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher, possess a current unencumbered RN license that is valid in the United States and provide two professional letters of reference. This program is not available to residents of all states. Please speak with an admissions advisor to determine your eligibility for enrollment. A cleared background check will be required for participation at practicum sites.
What Should I Know Before I Enroll?
Help Paying for College
You’re not alone figuring out how to pay for college. Our admissions advisors can help you find ways to save through loans, scholarships and more.Support at Every Turn
You’ll find the support you need to grow as a nurse from mentors and faculty in this program. Our library services, academic support and career planning teams are ready to help.Dedicated Career Services
Job-search strategies, resume building, interview practice and employer networking—online and available anytime.Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Rasmussen University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The master‘s degree program in nursing at Rasmussen University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
655 K Street, NW
Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001
202-887-6791