Purdue Global Online MSN - Executive Leader, Nurse Educator

The School of Nursing at Purdue Global offers an online master of science in nursing (MSN) with executive leader and nurse educator concentrations. Students complete coursework 100 percent online with 200 clinical hours to be completed locally. No campus visits are required.

Purdue Global offers two learning pathways. The first is the traditional online format with one to two courses per ten-week term. This pathway includes five-credit courses and full-time students complete the degree in approximately 15 months, with 15 to 18 hours per week, per course.

Second, Purdue Global offers an ExcelTrack® online MSN option in which students are allowed to take as many one-credit courses as they can handle in a ten-week period for a flat fee. Each course covers a single concept or skill. ExcelTrack® is available for select programs. Degree pace and time and cost savings will vary by individual.

ExcelTrack® is designed for highly motivated learners who work well on their own and bring learned knowledge and skills to the degree. Due to the nature of this learning pathway, students can move more quickly through the topics they already know and more slowly on new topics. ExcelTrack® student progress is monitored by a faculty member to ensure that the student is ready for the final assessment of each course.

The executive leader concentration prepares students to sit for the nurse executive or nurse executive advanced certification exams offered through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

The nurse educator concentration prepares students to take the certified nurse educator (CNE) exam through the National League for Nursing and the nursing professional development exam through the ANCC.

Students are responsible for understanding the requirements of optional certification exams. The University cannot guarantee students will be eligible to sit for or pass exams. In some cases, work experience, additional coursework beyond the Purdue Global program, fieldwork, and/or background checks may be necessary to be eligible to take or to successfully pass the exams.

Purdue Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The master’s degree in nursing at Purdue Global is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Purdue Global is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and offers several other graduate healthcare-related degrees.

What to Expect from the Purdue Global Online MSN Program

Admission Requirements: Applicants to the School of Nursing at Purdue Global must hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Online applications must include an application fee, proof of RN licensure, official transcripts, a criminal background check, health examinations, immunization records, and required tests. Proof of English language proficiency may be required as necessary. Note that residents of Tenessee may not participate at this time.

Study Plan: Courses for the online MSN program run in ten-week terms. Students should expect to spend 15 hours per week on each five-credit course. Through the traditional learning pathway students are allowed to take a maximum of two courses per term. The nurse educator and executive leader MSN programs can be completed in 15 months by taking two courses per term or two years taking one course per term. ExcelTrack® students may complete the degree more quickly depending on prior knowledge and speed of module completion. Online nursing program coursework is delivered 100 percent online and clinicals are completed locally.

ExcelTrack® students may complete the degree more quickly depending on prior knowledge and speed of module completion. Online nursing program coursework is delivered 100 percent online and clinicals are completed locally.

MSN Curriculum: The MSN degree includes the following core courses: advanced nursing roles; theoretical foundations of advanced nursing practice; scientific and analytic approaches to advanced evidence-based practice; epidemiology and health promotion; health policy, ethical, and legal perspectives of the healthcare system; and promoting optimal models and systems for healthcare delivery.

Executive leader concentration courses include leadership, organizational theory, and behavior; healthcare finance, strategic planning, and budgeting; human resource management; innovation and healthcare information technology – administrative and advanced practice priorities; applying principles of advanced nursing practice – clinical; and evaluating and disseminating principles of advanced nursing practice – clinical.

Nurse educator concentration courses include teaching and learning theories and strategies; curriculum design, assessment, and evaluation; advanced health assessment and diagnostic reasoning; the essentials of advanced pathophysiology and pharmacology; applying principles of advanced nursing practice – clinical; and evaluating and disseminating principles of advanced nursing practice – clinical.

Online Experience: Purdue Global divides courses into one-week units which include course discussions, quizzes, and papers. Some courses include synchronous learning seminars. Faculty keep online office hours, and students interact with each other and faculty through email and message boards.

Student services include access to the Purdue Global Library, Sigma Theta Tau honor society, Student Life and Alumni Engagement, dedicated advisors, around-the-clock technical support, and career services.

On-Site Requirements: The coursework for the online MSN with executive leader and nurse educator concentrations is 100 percent online with no campus visitation requirements. Students complete 200 hours of clinicals locally.

Paying for the Purdue Global Executive Leader and Nurse Educator MSN Programs

The Purdue Global Online MSN programs charge tuition either on a per-credit basis or, in the case of ExcelTrack®, on a per-term basis where students pay a flat rate per ten-week term, taking as many courses as they can handle each term. Interested students are encouraged to contact the School of Nursing through Purdue Global for up-to-date tuition costs and fees.

Graduate students may be eligible for unsubsidized federal Stafford Loans and Graduate PLUS loans and may apply through the FAFSA. Purdue Global also has a partner program in which employees of partner organizations may receive tuition reductions and may earn college credit through corporate training programs. In addition, tuition is reduced for military members, veterans, and military spouses. Please note that tuition reductions may not be combined with other Purdue Global tuition reductions or ExcelTrack® pricing. Tuition rates are subject to change at Purdue Global’s discretion at any time and, as a result, the tuition price may change.

Finally, graduate nursing students are encouraged to inquire with their employers as to the option of a tuition reimbursement program or check into outside funding through community and other organizations.

Purdue Global Online MSN - Executive Leader

  • Prepare to take on executive leadership roles in healthcare settings and systems
  • Sit for the Nurse Executive or Nurse Executive, Advanced certification exams offered through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
  • Complete your degree in about 18 months with 10-week courses and 200 clinical hours
Program Essentials
Degree Level Master's Degree
Program Start Dates Frequently - About once per month
Credits Needed to Graduate 60
Time to Complete? Graduate in about 1.5 years.
100% Online? Yes, plus 200 clinical hours
Program Accreditation CCNE
Program Admissions
Level of Education Required? Bachelors degree or higher
GRE or GMAT Required? No
Work Experience Required? None
Program Tuition
Credit Hours 60
Average Cost Per Credit $420.00
Estimated Program Tuition * $25,200.00

Purdue Global Online MSN - Nurse Educator

  • Choose from a traditional learning pathway, or the ExcelTrack® module pathway in which students pay a flat fee and complete as many modules as possible in a 10-week time frame
  • Prepare to sit for the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) exam through the National League for Nursing (NLN) as well as the Nursing Professional Development exam through the ANCC
  • Serve patients, families, and undergraduate nurses through education and training
Program Essentials
Degree Level Master's Degree
Program Start Dates Frequently - About once per month
Credits Needed to Graduate 60
Time to Complete? Graduate in about 1.5 years.
100% Online? Yes, plus 200 clinical hours
Program Accreditation CCNE
Program Admissions
Level of Education Required? Bachelors degree or higher
GRE or GMAT Required? No
Work Experience Required? None
Program Tuition
Credit Hours 60
Average Cost Per Credit $420.00
Estimated Program Tuition * $25,200.00

Tuition is calculated based on credits, at the published tuition rate. For programs with variable tuition rates, we use the rates for part-time students. Tuition number represents the cost of tuition for the entire program, not per semester or year. Estimated total tuition does not include additional fees, unless otherwise specified. Please check here for any tuition updates.

Sara Navratil
Sara Navratil
Writer

Sara Navratil is a freelance writer and a Certified Canfield Success Principles Trainer. She's the owner of Sara Liza Life, a company dedicated to helping people rewrite their lives. She enjoys researching and writing about healthcare-related topics, including information on online MHA programs. When not working she likes to read, bake, and spend time with her family.