Master of Science in Nursing – Nursing Education Online
Use your clinical knowledge and experience to guide the next generation of nurses.
Apply by:
10/4/23
Start class:
10/23/23
Program Overview
Get to Know Our MS in Nursing – Nursing Education Online Program
$15,948
Total Tuition
As few as 12 months
Program Duration
36
Credit Hours
The future-oriented Master of Science in Nursing – Nursing Education online program at University of Southern Maine (USM) prepares you to teach in entry-level nursing programs in both didactic and clinical courses. The program is based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education and the National League for Nursing (NLN) nurse educator competencies and meets the educational criteria for the National League for Nursing’s (NLN) Nurse Educator Certificate. This program also provides the foundation for continued professional development and for doctoral study.
In addition to the 100% online coursework, gain hands-on experience through 220 hours of practicum experience guided by a preceptor of your choosing and under the direction of an engaged faculty member. Apply your knowledge in practice settings as well as teaching in a variety of situations.
Learning Outcomes:
- Integrate, translate, and apply advanced nursing knowledge and theory to ensure the provision and coordination of person-centered, ethical, high-quality, cost-effective health care.
- Critique, analyze, and disseminate research knowledge, utilizing scientific evidence, and other forms of knowing, as a basis for advanced nursing practice
- Employ advanced nursing leadership skills, systems-based interventions, and effective intra- and interprofessional collaborations to improve health outcomes for individuals, communities, and complex patient populations across the continuum of care
- Utilize advanced nursing competence in technology and information systems to inform and manage the delivery of safe, high-quality, and efficient healthcare services
- Engage in activities and self-reflection to develop advanced nursing professional identity and competence in personal, professional, and leadership practice
- Demonstrate competence in the advanced nursing specialty/practice role
- Utilize advanced nursing competencies to ensure all individuals receive person-centered care
- Integrate, translate, and apply advanced nursing knowledge and theory to ensure the provision and coordination of person-centered, ethical, high-quality, cost-effective health care.
- Critique, analyze, and disseminate research knowledge, utilizing scientific evidence, and other forms of knowing, as a basis for advanced nursing practice
- Employ advanced nursing leadership skills, systems-based interventions, and effective intra- and interprofessional collaborations to improve health outcomes for individuals, communities, and complex patient populations across the continuum of care
- Utilize advanced nursing competence in technology and information systems to inform and manage the delivery of safe, high-quality, and efficient healthcare services
- Engage in activities and self-reflection to develop advanced nursing professional identity and competence in personal, professional, and leadership practice
- Demonstrate competence in the advanced nursing specialty/practice role
- Utilize advanced nursing competencies to ensure all individuals receive person-centered care
As a graduate of this MS in Nursing online program, you will be prepared to make an impact in educational roles such as:
- Nursing Instructor
- Clinical Nurse Educator
- Nurse Educator
- Clinical Educator
- Nursing Faculty
- Adjunct Instructor
- Nursing Instructor
- Clinical Nurse Educator
- Nurse Educator
- Clinical Educator
- Nursing Faculty
- Adjunct Instructor
$15,948
Total Tuition
As few as 12 months
Program Duration
36
Credit Hours
Accreditation
The nursing programs at the University of Southern Maine are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 665 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington DC, 20001, 202-887-6791.
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Tuition
Discover the Value of Our Low-Cost Tuition
Our goal is for you to earn a high-quality degree that will help improve your career and income without taking on considerable financial debt.
Tuition breakdown:
$15,948
Total Tuition
$443
Per Credit Hour
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Program |
|---|---|---|
| MS in Nursing – Nursing Education | $443 | $15,948 |
Tuition breakdown:
$15,948
Total Tuition
$443
Per Credit Hour
Calendar
When to Apply, When Classes Start, When Tuition Is Due
The MS in Nursing – Nursing Education online program offers convenient multiple start dates each year to accommodate your professional and personal schedules.
Now enrolling:
10/4/23
Apply Date
10/23/23
Class Starts
| Session | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline* | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 | 8/28/23 | 8/9/23 | 8/9/23 | 8/28/23 | 8/15/23 | 10/13/23 |
| Fall 2 | 10/23/23 | 10/4/23 | 10/4/23 | 10/23/23 | 8/15/23 | 12/15/23 |
| Spring 1 | 1/16/24 | 12/27/23 | 12/27/23 | 1/16/24 | 1/15/24 | 3/1/24 |
| Spring 2 | 3/18/24 | 2/28/24 | 2/28/24 | 3/18/24 | 1/15/24 | 5/3/24 |
| Summer 1 | 5/13/24 | 4/24/24 | 4/24/24 | 5/13/24 | 5/15/24 | 6/28/24 |
| Summer 2 | 7/1/24 | 6/12/24 | 6/12/24 | 7/1/24 | 5/15/24 | 8/16/24 |
* The payment deadline for the second session of each term is the same as the first session deadline or ten days from the date of registration.
Now enrolling:
10/4/23
Apply Date
10/23/23
Class Starts
Have questions or need more information about our online programs?
Ready to take the rewarding path toward earning your degree online?
Admissions
See How to Apply to the MS in Nursing - Nursing Education Program
The MS in Nursing – Nursing Education online program has specific requirements that applicants must meet to enroll. Please read the admission guidelines to ensure you qualify.
Admission Requirements:
- 3.0 Minimum GPA
- Statement of Purpose
- Unencumbered Nursing License
This USM online program is currently offered to students located in AK, AZ, AR, CA, CT, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MS, MO, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, VT, VA, and WV.
- Online application
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) from a regionally accredited college or university
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Students with a GPA of 2.75-2.99 may also be considered with:
- Two professional references
- Requisite GRE/MAT scores (GRE: 153 Verbal Reasoning, 147 Quantitative Reasoning, 4.0 Writing; MAT score must rank in the 45th percentile or higher)
- Professional nursing experience may be considered in lieu of the GRE/MAT on a case-by-case basis. Submit a resume or CV that demonstrates your professional nursing experience.
- An undergraduate course in introductory statistics that includes descriptive and inferential statistics completed with a grade of C or higher
- Official transcripts (submitted directly from the granting institution) from all colleges/universities attended
- Current, unencumbered nursing license
- One statement of purpose/essay (in the online application)
Upload your essay in PDF format in the online application or email your essay to [email protected]
Your response must:
- Demonstrate your understanding of the nurse administrator/educator role and reasons for becoming a nurse leader
- Explain your professional goals that will be supported by the Master of Science degree
- Outline the experiences, capacity, and abilities brought to a master’s program
- Document your reasons for choosing USM for this program
Official transcripts (submitted directly from the granting institution) and other supporting documents may be mailed or emailed.
Application Processing Center
University of Maine System
P.O. Box 412
Bangor, ME 04402-0412
Email Address:
[email protected]
Courses
Take A Look at the MS in Nursing – Nursing Education Online Curriculum
For the MS in Nursing – Nursing Education online program, you will complete a total of 12 courses equaling 36 credit hours.
NUR 606: Leadership, Health Policy, and Role
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the complexity of the U.S. Health Care System, international systems, and current efforts directed at health care reform. Past, current, and potential roles of graduate prepared nurses, related to access, equity, and the goals of healthy people are examined. Socio-political, economic, and ethical issues embedded in public policy decisions are explored. Attention is given to the role of graduate-prepared nurses in influencing, creating, and implementing policy for diverse populations across the lifespan. FIXED FIRST COURSE.
NUR 603: Nursing Theory and Knowledge Development
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Contemporary issues in theory development and the social production of knowledge for nursing are explored in this course. The social and historical context of knowledge development in nursing are examined with an emphasis on the relationship between theory, research, interprofessional collaboration, and nursing practice.
NUR 604: Nursing Research
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The appraisal and use of research and other evidence to provide high quality health care, to initiate change, and to improve nursing practice are the foci for this course. Emphasis is on developing relevant clinical questions, searching for evidence, systematic appraisal of evidence, and determining whether and how to apply the findings. Commonly used research designs and ethical principles to ensure human subject protection are examined. Strategies for organizing evidence and implementing evidenced-based practice changes are explored.
NUR 624: Community and Population Based Health
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An interprofessional approach to caring for communities and populations across the lifespan. Major components include concepts of health, levels of prevention, epidemiology, culturally responsive care, global health issues, emergency preparedness, and control of health problems. Community assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation applied to complex health issues.
NUR 611: Advanced Pathophysiology Integrated Health Assessment and Pharmacology I
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is the first in a series of two courses that explores an integrated study of pathophysiology (including the genetic, biochemical, and environmental bases of diseases), health assessment, and pharmacology. The emphasis is on an understanding of the interconnectedness of these three areas of science. The foci are diseases and disorders involving: genetics, cellular biology, mental health disorders, cardiovascular system, hematologic disorders, inflammation disorders, respiratory system, infectious diseases, and cancer.
NUR 612: Advanced Pathophysiology Integrated Health Assessment and Pharmacology II
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This is the second in a series of two courses that explores an integrated study of pathophysiology (including the genetic, biochemical, and environmental bases of diseases), health assessment, and pharmacology. The emphasis is on gaining an understanding of the interconnectedness of these three areas of science. The foci are diseases and disorders involving the: renal, endocrine, gastrointestinal, neurological, musculoskeletal, and reproductive systems. Prerequisite: NUR 611.
NUR 663: Clinical Project and Clinical Practicum
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an opportunity to synthesize advanced nursing knowledge, skills, and behaviors, which serve as the foundation for the role of the nurse educator. The emphasis is on applying research and other evidence within a given practice setting. Under the direction of a faculty member and guidance from a preceptor, students complete a clinical project aimed at improving healthcare outcomes for individuals, populations, or systems. The project is completed in a clinical practice setting and requires a minimum of 35 supervised hours and 75 hours of preparation. Prerequisite(s): NUR 603 (or concurrent), NUR 604, and OLME NUR 612.
NUR 635: Evaluation and Measurement in Nursing Education
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the role of the nurse educator in the assessment and evaluation of learning. Application of key strategies to effectively measure achievement of learning outcomes in a variety of settings will be surveyed. Experiential exercises in the development, use, and critique of measurement and evaluation methods to classroom and clinical learning situations will be explored. Course topics include the role of evaluation in classroom instruction, test construction, reliability, validity, test evaluation and interpretation. Legal, ethical, and regulatory issues, and the importance of evaluating personal teaching effectiveness are also explored.
NUR 636: Foundations of Nursing Education
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This is the first in a sequence of three courses designed to prepare the professional nurse for a role in formal teaching. Various philosophical perspectives and frameworks for understanding the concepts of teaching and learning are examined. Exploration and critical analysis of historical, recurring, and current issues in nursing education will be addressed. The call for radical transformation within nursing education will be explored—and specific issues concerning these changes when put into practice will be discussed. It is expected that learners in this course will develop sensitivity, knowledge, and skill in exploring the role of educator in both clinical and classroom learning environments. Students will develop a teaching philosophy statement. Prerequisites: NUR 603, NUR 604, NUR 611, and NUR 612.
NUR 637: Methods of Education in Nursing
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This is the second in a sequence of three courses designed to prepare the professional nurse for teaching roles. Components of course and curriculum development including: assessment of learners’ needs, course outcomes, content selection and development, assignment development, evaluation methods, and common legal issues within nursing education are examined. An emphasis on how a paradigm shift to learning is impacted by technology and the changing relationships between education and work will be discussed. The scholarship of teaching; assessment and quality assurance; as well as the politics and process of curriculum reform will be explored. Using different methods, students will design, implement, and evaluate two learning activities. Prerequisite: NUR 636.
NUR 638: Education Practicum and Seminar
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This is the final nurse educator course designed to prepare the professional nurse for teaching roles. In this course, the concept of “praxis” is fully realized. With guidance from a faculty member and preceptor, students will select educational experiences to develop, implement, and evaluate their teaching in different settings. Experiences can include and are not limited to, in-service programs, classroom teaching, clinical teaching, simulation, or community education programs. Minimum of 35 supervised hours and a minimum of 75 hours of preparation. Prerequisite(s): OLME NUR 637.
Choose one elective.
NUR 659: Information Management and Health Care Technology
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an overview of the role of information systems and technology in health care. The emphasis is on how information system/technology can improve the quality and delivery of patient care in a variety of health care settings. Factors that contribute to the adoption of health care information technologies and the challenges regarding their successful utilization are examined.
NUR 692: Quality Improvement
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The purpose of this course is to introduce the principles and practice of quality improvement as practiced in health care settings. The course integrates theory, evidence-based practice, and systems thinking. The content focuses on describing, measuring, improving, and evaluating the quality and safety of health care services. Students develop competencies in identifying opportunities for quality improvement, selecting and using quality improvement tools and measurement methods, and presenting their work in a professional context. Learning occurs through assigned readings, discussions, exercises, and applied practice through an individual quality improvement project.
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