Online MSN in Nursing Administration Programs - No-GRE

Sacred Heart University offers an online master of science in nursing (MSN) with three specializations:

• Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) – This specialization trains students to lead healthcare teams across various departments. They learn how to exceed the quality of healthcare provided, manage costs, and ensure complete safety for patients.
• Nursing Education – In this specialization, students learn how to train other nurses. The curriculum provides a comprehensive overview of nursing education, and how to design and evaluate a curriculum.
• Nursing Management and Executive Leadership – This track prepares nurses to take up advanced leadership roles. As a nurse executive leader, they will be responsible for improving the quality of healthcare and efficiency across an organization.

All the specializations are offered fully online and help students to customize their MSN as per their professional needs. The program faculty includes award winning professors with extensive real-world experience.

In order to get accepted into the program, applicants must have a current, unencumbered RN license, a bachelor’s degree in nursing (or another area) with at least a 3.0 grade point average, a current resume, a statement of professional goals, and two letters of recommendation. GRE scores are not required for admission.

The program consists of 12 credit-hours of core courses, as well as an additional 27 credit-hours for the clinical nurse leader track, 27 credit-hours for the nursing education track, or 24 credit-hours for the nursing management and executive leadership track.

Core courses of all tracks include healthcare policy and ethics for contemporary nursing practice, theory and professional roles for contemporary nursing practice, principles of healthcare research for contemporary nursing practice, and evidence-based practice for quality care.

CNL courses include family and community context for healthcare, advanced pathophysiology, healthcare information systems, and pharmacology for the nurse leader. Nursing education courses include advanced pathophysiology, nursing education role practicum, and the principles of patient and staff education. Nursing management and executive leadership classes include healthcare delivery systems, healthcare information systems, the management of financial resources, and quality and safety in practice.

On successful completion of the program, graduates can take up roles such as director of patient care services, nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, nursing informaticist, and clinical research nurse, among others. Apart from an MSN, Sacred Heart University also offers an online RN–BSN–MSN program that combines the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

• Location: Fairfield, Connecticut
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
• Estimated Tuition: $695 per credit-hour

Benedictine University offers an online master of science in nursing (MSN) degree program. This online MSN program prepares RNs (registered nurses) to become ethical and effective leaders in an ever-evolving healthcare landscape. The program faculty includes nurse leaders from around the nation, with varying levels of experience.

The program offers two major concentrations, in keeping with the current trends and demands of nursing as a profession. Students can tailor their education as per their individual career goals. The specializations on offer are:

• Nurse Educator: Students opting for this concentration will find themselves in the roles of teachers, to prospective nurses as well as patients in academic and clinical settings. They will delve into curriculum development, evaluation methods, and instructional strategies. Nurse educators are a crucial link to nurturing the nursing leaders of tomorrow.
• Nurse Executive Leader: This concentration is designed for those nurses who display an inclination and ability for leadership. Nurse executive leaders are trained to manage and plan high-quality care processes and initiatives at executive and administrative levels.

Admission requirements for the program include a bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN) from a regionally accredited college or university, a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 (or higher), proof of RN licensure, computer skills (with proficiency in word processing, email, and library online searches), TOEFL scores for students where English is not their primary language, transcripts from all colleges or universities previously attended, a current resume, a goal statement, one letter of professional recommendation, and a graduate degree program application. GRE or GMAT scores are not required for admission.

The program comprises 15 credit-hours of core courses, and an additional 24 credit-hours for the nurse educator concentration. The nurse executive leader concentration has 21 credit-hours.

Foundational courses include health promotion and interprofessional collaboration, ethical and culturally competent healthcare professional, and evidence-based nursing practice: research and process improvement. Nurse educator courses include advanced health assessment, advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and instructional strategies. Finally, nurse executive leadership courses include building effective communication and relationships, professionalism and executive career development, and advanced knowledge of healthcare systems.

Students who choose the nurse educator option can work in a wide range of settings, including community services, outreach programs, and healthcare facilities.

• Location: Lisle, Illinois
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
• Estimated Tuition: $670 per credit-hour

The University of Saint Mary offers a 100 percent online master of science in nursing (MSN) degree program, with no residency requirements. The program faculty includes an expert team of professors with decades of combined real-world nursing experience. The program includes all the essentials prescribed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

Students in this program have the option to choose from two specializations to match their professional goals:

• Nurse Educator – This specialization prepares students to teach undergraduate nursing programs, as well pursue a doctorate degree in the future. They learn how to devise lesson plans; come up with novel ways of assessing students; get a better understanding of the ethical, legal, gender, cultural, and generational issues surrounding nursing education; and collaborate with teams across departments.
• Nurse Administrator – Students in this specialization develop skills to take up administrative positions in a healthcare setting. They learn about different leadership styles, which style is best suited to them, the management of an organization, and finance. They also explore the latest advancements in information technology and health informatics.

Applicants to the program must hold a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from a baccalaureate nursing degree from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning, must be a licensed registered nurse, and have an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0. They also must submit a completed application, a statement of purpose, three letters of reference, official transcripts from all colleges and nursing programs attended, and a current resume. GRE scores are not required for admission.

The program comprises 35 credit-hours in all: 12 credit-hours of core courses and 23 credit-hours of specialized coursework.

Core courses include informatics in nursing, the foundations of advanced nursing practice, and analysis and utilization of research. Nurse educator classes include advanced health assessment and health promotion, advanced patho-pharm for the nurse educator, and the foundations of learning and teaching. Finally, nurse administrator classes include leadership and business operations in healthcare, organizational management, and leadership.

• Location: Leavenworth, Kansas
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
• Estimated Tuition: $615 per credit-hour

MidAmerica Nazarene University offers an online master of science in nursing program, specifically tailored to meet the needs of licensed registered nurses.

Students in this program have the option to choose from three tracks:

• Healthcare Administration – This track can be completed fully online. The objective of the program is to nurture nurse leaders, so they can effectively lead healthcare organizations. Students delve deep into the financial aspects of healthcare, learn how to handle human resources, become updates on regulatory and quality policies, and take a strategic approach to planning. This track consists of 39 credit-hours. The curriculum consists of courses such as theoretical foundations of leadership, human resources and workforce development, and strategic planning, and financial management.
• Nursing Education – This online specialization prepares nurse leaders to work as faculty in nursing schools or take up educator positions in healthcare organizations. Students learn how to develop a curriculum, simulate clinical experiences, and assess skills in an innovative manner. This specialization comprises 40 credit-hours and includes courses such as the theoretical foundations of learning and teaching, curriculum design and teaching strategies, assessment of student learning, and clinical education, simulation and technology.
• Healthcare Quality Management – This track can also be completed online, training nurse leaders to implement tried-and-tested initiatives to improve quality and to evaluate existing quality systems. This track is made up of 39 credit-hours. Classes include healthcare informatics, database management, financial reimbursement, quality and regulation management, and healthcare law.

Admission requirements for the program include a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (or higher), an active unencumbered RN license in the U.S., and undergraduate statistics course.

• Location: Olathe, Kansas
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Expected Time to Completion: 26 months
• Estimated Tuition: $499 per credit-hour