Program Description
Bryan College of Health Sciences offers a 36-credit Master of Science for registered nurses. Two tracks are offered: Nursing Education and Nursing Leadership. The Nurse Educator track prepares graduates for teaching positions in academia, staff development, patient education, and continuing education. The Nursing Leadership track prepares graduates for multiple roles in management, administration, and leadership. The program is offered in distance format which combines synchronous video class sessions with online and independent learning. The program can be completed in 2 years of study, including summers. Students may apply and enter the program in summer and fall semesters as program capacity allows.
Two entry options are offered: one for RNs holding a bachelors in nursing and one for practicing RNs who hold a non- nursing bachelor’s degree.
RN-MSN: Applicants applying via the RN-MSN option select a specialty track at the time of application. Students must complete the RN-MSN bridge courses and a minimum of one year of RN practice prior to beginning MSN coursework. A BSN is not awarded.
MSN bridge courses:
- NURS480 RN-MSN Transition 3 credit hours
- NURS405RN Community-Based Nursing 5 credit hours
MSN Program Philosophy
Nursing is an art and a science: the embodiment of caring. Nursing consists of a unique and integrated body of knowledge and requires multiple ways of thinking and reasoning. Nursing addresses holistic human responses to promote optimal health. Nurses function as part of the interprofessional team to provide high quality, safe, holistic care to their clients. Nursing requires commitment and responsibility to a diverse society and to the profession.
Learning is a lifelong endeavor that results in perpetual evolution of thinking, insight, attitude, and behavior. Education is a shared venture between students and faculty in which both embrace learning as change. Students are responsible to uphold the highest level of integrity and practice standards and demonstrate commitment to self- direction, independence of thought and creativity. Faculty craft an intellectually challenging environment in which they facilitate learning, support student learning goals, and role model excellence in education and nursing practice.
Graduate nursing education emphasizes inquiry as a constant that is integral to advancement of nursing practice. Engagement in systematic inquiry using traditional research methods, available evidence, contemporary technology, and information systems is an essential component of nursing education scholarship and leadership. Graduate nursing education provides the foundation to assume a variety of specialized roles in teaching and leadership in nursing.
Nursing education is a specialty area of nursing practice that requires a unique blend of clinical and educational excellence. Nurse educators use their expertise to facilitate learning in classroom environments as well as practice settings. Nurse educators assist students to correlate theoretical concepts to real time events to solve client issues.
Nursing leadership is a specialty area of nursing practice that requires a unique blend of expertise in nursing and the business of healthcare. As members of interprofessional teams, nurse leaders facilitate innovative solutions in the provision of care within healthcare systems. Nursing leaders shape safe, healthy, and fiscally sound systems through creative application of theoretical principles.
Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the Master of Science in Nursing program, graduates will be able to:
- Initiate evidence based solutions focused on addressing needs in professional practice.
- Engage interprofessional teams to promote innovative solutions within healthcare.
- Integrate principles of diversity into professional nursing practice.
- Employ change theory in planning, implementing, evaluating, and revising systems that meet contemporary and emerging needs.
- Integrate legal and ethical considerations into the practice of nursing.
- Demonstrate proficiency at analyzing and using evidence in nursing practice.
- Assimilate the multiple roles of advanced nursing practice within the context of the practice setting.