Become a nurse educator, leader or practitioner.
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The Master of Science in Nursing program is designed for current BSN holders who are ready to take their career to the next level. We offer three unique tracks to meet your professional goals.
The adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner track qualifies you to sit for the certification exam to become an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP). Nurse Practitioners are in high demand, and in Maryland, NPs are able to practice independently in their own practices.
The nursing education track prepares you to sit for the National League for Nursing’s Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) exam. Nurse educators are responsible for training the next generation of healthcare workers in higher education settings. This track also makes an excellent pathway if you wish to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.
The healthcare leadership track provides an advanced framework for those seeking high-level positions in healthcare administration, such as nursing manager, nursing director or chief nursing officer.
The MSN program is available on a full- or part-time basis and can typically be completed within four to six semesters. Courses are delivered online for added flexibility and convenience. Students will also complete a practicum with a preceptor.
Applicant must be a practicing registered nurse with 1 to 2 years of work experience in Nursing. At the discretion of the program advisor, an interview may be required to clarify professional background and training.
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Master of Nursing Science graduates will be able to:
MSN – Healthcare Leadership (HCL) Track
In addition to the overall MSN program outcomes, upon completion of the healthcare leadership track, the graduate will be able to:
MSN – Nursing Education (NE) Track
In addition to the overall MSN program outcomes, upon completion of the nursing education track, the graduate will be able to:
MSN – Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (NP) Track
In addition to the overall MSN program outcomes, upon completion of the nurse practitioner track, the graduate will be able to:
The MSN requires completion of 15 core course credits as well as the concentration course requirements, either full or part time. The healthcare leadership track is a total of 31 credits, including 500 practicum hours across three courses. The nursing education track is a total of 31 credits, including 500 practicum hours across three courses. The adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner track is a total of 48 credits, including a total of 750 practicum hours across three courses as required for post-graduation certification in this specialty. To see the official course sequence by semester, click here.
| Course | Credits | Description |
| NUR 500 Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Practice and Role Development | 3 | Theoretical foundations of advanced nursing practice are examined, including the evolution of nursing knowledge and theoretical structures from other disciplines. The role advanced practice nurses play in the healthcare system will be explored. |
| NUR 501 Healthcare Systems, Policy and Advocacy | 3 | Explore the development of healthcare systems and health policy as well as the influence of ethics and policy in population health, nursing practice, advocacy and social justice in healthcare. |
| NUR 502 Evidence-Based Practice and Research Methods | 3 | Develop expanded knowledge of research methods and evidence-based practice to analyze and translate evidence for practice improvement and innovation to improve health and nursing outcomes. Pre-req: Undergraduate Statistics. |
| NUR 503 Leadership in Nursing Practice | 3 | Study of organizations, systems and the advanced practice role, including leadership, quality, safety, finance and healthcare technology. |
| NUR 504 Healthcare Informatics and Technology | 3 | Examine the use of technology and information in healthcare alongside the influence on policy, regulation, collaboration, interprofessional practice and outcomes management. |
| Course | Credits | Description |
| NUR 510 Healthcare Finance | 3 | Examination of healthcare financing concepts to prepare the nurse leader to function in a variety of settings. Emphasizes the leader’s role in understanding, analyzing and using relevant financial data for management decision-making. |
| NUR 511 Leading in Complex Healthcare Environments | 3 | Explore the nature and behavior of complex healthcare systems in dynamic states to develop effective strategies and skills to embrace highly effective, ethically driven and data-focused leadership. Develop skills with managing change and innovation. Includes 100 practicum hours. |
| NUR 512 Quality Improvement Science in Healthcare | 3 | Examine the science of improving quality, patient safety and associated theories, methods and tools. Apply principles of measurement, data management, evaluation and analysis in the healthcare environment. Includes 100 practicum hours. |
| NUR 513 Leadership Seminar and Practicum | 4 | Integration and application of management and leadership concepts and skills in a healthcare setting. Includes 300 practicum hours. |
| MGMT 560 Leadership and Organizational Behavior | 3 | Study of the behavior of individuals, groups and their leaders in organizations. Among the topics addressed are motivation, learning, perception, job satisfaction, communication, and individual and group change. |
| Course | Credits | Description |
| NUR 520 Principles and Foundations of Adult Learning | 3 | Develop knowledge of adult learning theories to apply in the practice of nursing education. |
| NUR 521 Curriculum Design and Evaluation | 3 | Examine the foundations and principles of nursing curriculum design, development, implementation and evaluation. |
| NUR 522 Teaching in a Practice Discipline | 3 | Explore the issues, theories and strategies for teaching in disciplines that require clinical learning for the development of needed critical thinking, clinical judgment and performance abilities. Includes 100 practicum hours. |
| NUR 523 Teaching Strategies and Technology | 3 | Develop foundational knowledge of various teaching strategies, including classroom, skills labs and the use of simulation in nursing education. Includes 100 practicum hours. |
| NUR 524 Nurse Educator Seminar and Practicum | 4 | Integration and application of nursing education concepts and strategies. Observe, participate and practice teaching in an undergraduate nursing program. Includes 300 practicum hours. |
| Course | Credits | Description |
| NUR 530 Advanced Health Assessment | 3 | Develop advanced understanding of a client’s health incorporating data and information from multiple sources in order to evaluate patient health. Students learn how to integrate all the data to reason toward a diagnosis, better health and disease prevention. |
| NUR 531 Advanced Concepts in Physiology and Pathophysiology | 3 | Develop an expanded knowledge base in physiology and pathophysiology required for advanced practice, health promotion and disease prevention. |
| NUR 532 Advanced Concepts in Pharmacology | 3 | Develop advanced knowledge related to the use of pharmacotherapeutics in management of common health problems and nursing prescriptive authority as well as the development and use of clinical practice guidelines. |
| NUR 533 Adult-Gerontology Common Health Problems I | 3 | Focus on developing critical thinking and evidence-based practice to achieve AGPCNP core competencies and standards of clinical primary care. Emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention, risk reduction and assessment, diagnosis and management of common health problems among individuals, families and communities specific to the AGPCNP role. |
| NUR 534 Adult-Gerontology Common Health Problems II | 3 | Additional focus on developing critical thinking and evidence-based practice to achieve AGPCNP core competencies and standards of clinical primary care. Emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention, risk reduction and assessment, diagnosis and management of common health problems among individuals, families and communities specific to the AGPCNP role. |
| NUR 535 Adult-Gerontology Common and Comorbid Health Problems III | 3 | Expanding into comorbid health problems, the course focuses on developing critical thinking and evidence-based practice to achieve AGPCNP core competencies and standards of clinical primary care. Emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention, risk reduction and assessment, diagnosis and management of common health problems among individuals, families and communities specific to the AGPCNP role. |
| NUR 536 Adult-Gerontology Common and Comorbid Health Problems IV | 3 | Grounded in theory and evidence, the course focuses on synthesis of knowledge to achieve AGPCNP core competencies and standards of clinical primary care. Emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention, risk reduction and assessment, diagnosis and management of more complex and comorbid health problems among individuals, families and communities specific to the AGPCNP role. |
| NUR 537 Population-Based Health Advocacy and Policy | 3 | Focus on the advanced practice role in interprofessional, collaborative teams, health policy, promotion, risk reduction, disease prevention and health equity for population health. The APRN advocate role is explored. |
| NUR 596A APN Clinical Practicum I | 3 | Initial clinical practicum and seminar to develop advanced practice core competencies in a primary care clinical setting. APRN role is examined. Includes online seminar and 240 hours of clinical. |
| NUR 596B APN Clinical Practicum II | 3 | Second clinical practicum and seminar to further develop advanced practice core competencies in a primary care clinical setting. Integrates content and clinical experiences from all previous courses. Includes online seminar and 240 hours of clinical. |
| NUR 596C APN Clinical Practicum III | 3 | Synthesizes content and clinical experiences from all previous primary care didactic and practicum courses with an emphasis on considering context while providing evidence-based health promotion and maintenance as well as clinical assessment, diagnosis and management of more complex and comorbid health problems among populations, including individuals, families and communities, specific to adult-gerontology primary care practitioners. Credits include online seminar and 270 hours of clinical. |
Nursing Department Chair and Program Director
Assistant Director of Graduate Admission & Data Management
Part seven of the feature story in Hood Magazine fall 2023.
“My bachelor’s program for nursing was in a small liberal arts college. I enjoyed the small, communal environment and wanted to continue experiencing that as an educator. I also appreciated the College’s history with the Frederick community and reputation for mentoring students.”