Master of Science in Nursing - Nurse Educator (MSN)

Making a meaningful impact through nurse education

In your nursing experience, you've seen first-hand the lasting impact you can make by providing exceptional care to your patients. Continue making an impact in a new way by becoming a nurse educator. Each of the nurses you mentor will go out into the field and provide the same quality care that you've learned to administer in your experience, exponentially expanding the reach of your passion for nursing. Nurse educators can teach in both academic and clinical settings.

Credits40

Cost Per Credit^$806

Sample Careers

Nurse Educator/Instructor
Nursing Professor
Clinical Instructor

Scholarship

$1000s in new scholarships exclusively for adult and post-traditional learners.

Learn how you can qualify...

Program Overview

Advance your nursing career in a new direction

You have come a long way in your nursing career. You earned your bachelor's degree, and gained valuable experience working as a nurse. You are good at what you do. Now you're thinking about what to accomplish next. Do you want to help others feel the same fulfillment that you have in caring for patients? Do you want to share what you've learned to make a meaningful impact in the profession and beyond? If so, our MSN - nurse educator program is the perfect next step in your career. Our knowledgeable faculty with years of academic and practical experience help you advance your nursing career to the next level.

Ranked nationally by U.S. News & World Report

Listed in the best online master's in nursing programs nationally
Listed in the best master's in nursing programs nationally

The world needs you

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), more than 80,000 qualified applicants were not accepted to nursing schools across the U.S. in 2020 due to a lack of resources, primarily insufficient nursing faculty. The AACN also predicted in 2015 that about one third of nursing faculty are within 10 years of retirement. In order to keep up with the rising demand for healthcare providers, America needs nurse educators to train them.

Program Highlights

Part-time and full-time options available
Faculty members bring years of experience and current practice to the classroom
Courses built on a Christian foundation
Flexible online options
Spring and fall clinical rotations

Ed.D. Pathway

Beginning in fall 2022, nine credits will count toward both the Master of Science in Nurse - Nurse Educator program and the Doctor of Education in Leadership in Innovation and Continuous Improvement program. This allows you to earn both a master's and a doctorate in a shorter amount of time.

Accreditation

The master’s degree program in nursing at Concordia University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Please Note
We are not accepting new students from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Tennessee or Wyoming. Additionally, Washington D.C. students are required to do clinicals in Virginia.

Concordia University of Wisconsin is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality
Assurance Commission to conduct practice experiences in the state of Washington for the RN-BSN, MSN/FNP and MSN/AGPCNP program tracks. For more information, please go to Nursing
Commission’s website at:
https://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/NursingCommission/NursingPrograms.aspx

International students wishing to come to campus are currently not eligible for this program due to the ratio of online learning components required by the program.

What to Expect

This program is designed to thoroughly prepare you to teach in a nursing school or in a healthcare setting. The rigorous curriculum explores advanced nursing theory, science, and practice. You will learn effective methods for instructing, demonstrating, and evaluating nursing competencies and knowledge. Nurse educator students learn to implement teaching/learning strategies that are learner-centered and to create environments conducive to developing higher-level critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills in students and staff members.

When you finish your master’s in nursing at Concordia, you’ll be able to help others in ways you never considered. This program is about more than just advancing professional values—it’s about collaborating, communicating, and articulating your knowledge and experience to others. Your knowledge of healthcare and education will allow you to inspire and instruct those around you to help them reach their full potential, and work toward the end goal of continually improving patient care.

Where can you go after your MSN? Consider our doctoral programs, including a Doctorate of Education. One of the best, unique aspects of the EdD in Leadership in Innovation and Continuous Improvement (LICI) is its interprofessional approach. This cohort program welcomes students with diverse professional backgrounds in business, health professions, pharmacy, nursing, and education. The curriculum is collaboratively designed across these interprofessional areas and incorporates best practices from all these fields of study. Uncommon nurse leaders should consider earning a doctorate in leadership, innovation, and continuous improvement (LICI) as an alternative to a PhD in nursing. Today’s nurse leaders and educators need to be well versed in evidence-based teaching and practice.

Consider adding a bachelor's degree in public health which will give you the skills and understanding to help protect and promote the health of the general population through prevention and health equity. Knowledge in public health will enhance your abilities to serve as a Nurse Educator.

You may also be interested in our other grad nursing programs

Uncommon Scholarships

Concordia offers various scholarships for qualifying adult and post-traditional students. Learn more here.

Requirements

Entrance requirements

All students applying for admission to the program must have:

Successful completion of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited nursing school
A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (science and undergraduate nursing GPA are appraised as part of the admissions process, a 3.0 GPA in those areas is strongly encouraged for review)
Current unencumbered licensure as a registered nurse in the USA, current CPR certification, and actively working in practice
Successful completion of a three credit undergraduate statistics course within five years prior to admission to the MSN program. If you are accepted to the program, you must complete the statistics prerequisite before you register for NURS 540 Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
Certified Background Check with Castle Branch required upon acceptance
GRE exams are not required
Application deadline for fall term is July 1st
Application deadline for spring term is December 1st

Application requirements

All students applying for admission to the program must submit:

Current resume of your education and professional experience
A formal essay addressing the following areas:
- Your rationale for choosing a career as a nurse educator
- Your personal compatibility with the CUW mission
- Your plan for success in the program, including time management, stress management, and professional communication
- Upon completion of your degree, where you envision yourself practicing and with what populations
Three letters of reference: two must be professional and/or academic and one must be from an individual who has worked with the applicant in a professional capacity and has a minimum of a master's degree
All official transcripts leading to your undergraduate degree (and any applicable graduate courses)
Unencumbered RN License

Contact Us

For additional information, please contact the Graduate Admission Office at graduate.admission@cuw.edu or 262.243.4300.

Please note: in clinical experiences, students are required to work in healthcare systems or clinics, and must comply with any vaccination requirements of the clinical sites.

Process

Application / admission process

Students must apply online through NursingCAS. When applying, students will submit:

All official college transcripts leading to the bachelor's degree
An essay that addresses the following topics:
- Rationale for choosing a career in healthcare informatics
- Career goals
- Personal compatibility with the CUW mission
- Plans for academic success, including time management, stress management, and professional communication
- Any previous academic issues
Professional resume
Three letters of reference; two must be professional and/or academic and one must be from an individual who has worked with the applicant in a professional capacity and has a minimum of a master's degree.
Applicants who have completed graduate level classes and wish to have them evaluated for transfer must submit these transcripts and the transfer credit form. GRE exams are not required.

The application deadline for fall admission is July 1st. The application deadline for spring admission is October 1st.

In addition to the Graduate Admission Requirements, there may be a pre-admission telephone interview.

The admission committee will review applications and forward recommendations to the Dean of the School of Nursing. After the recommendation for admission is approved, a formal letter of acceptance or denial is sent to the student.

Please note: in clinical experiences, students are required to work in healthcare systems or clinics, and must comply with any vaccination requirements of the clinical sites.

Regarding State Certification

States have established standards of practice for the nursing profession. While at the present time, we cannot provide a particular state’s educational requirements for licensing, we can assure you that we will provide you with the contact information for the Board of Nursing for the state in which you are doing your study. We are currently not accepting new students from Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Tennessee or Wyoming. Additionally, Washington D.C. students are required to do clinicals in Virginia.

Progression Plans

CUW’s flexible MSN - nurse educator program offers individualized online learning options and progression plans. These plans may be completed over 3 to 3.5 years.

Progression Plan Options

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