Nursing Education, Master of Science
Program Requirements
The M.S. in Nursing Education program requires a total of 36 credits, including six core courses, three graduate-level courses, four courses within the nursing education specialty, and one graduate-level elective course. All courses are 3 credits each.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| NURS 6005 | Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 6010 | Professional Role Development & Ethics | 3 |
| NURS 6015 | Nursing Research & Evidence Based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 6020 | Contemporary Issues in Health Care | 3 |
| NURS 6025 | Informatics & Healthcare Technology | 3 |
| NURS 6030 | Population Health, Human Diversity, & Social Issues | 3 |
| Additional Graduate-Level Courses | ||
| NURS 6080 | Advanced Pathophysiology, Health and Physical Assessment, and Pharmacology | 3 |
| Nursing Education Specialty Courses | ||
| NURS 6050 | Curriculum & Program Development | 3 |
| NURS 6055 | Instructional Design & Teaching with Technology | 3 |
| NURS 6060 | Measurement Assessment & Evaluation of Learners & Programs | 3 |
| Graduate-level Elective Requirement | 3 | |
| NURS 7005 | Nursing Education Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
M.S. IN NURSING EDUCATION AND M.S. IN NURSING ADMINISTRATION CAPSTONE PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES
The capstone practicum experience requirements are embedded into the Nursing Education Capstone (NURS 7005) and Nursing Administration Capstone (NURS 7010) courses. These practicum experiences are designed to meet both predetermined and personal course learning objectives. Students arrange the practicum experience with a chosen preceptor within their own community, in consultation with the clinical coordinator and the capstone lead faculty.
The capstone practicum experiences require advance planning in order to integrate the experience and coursework into current employment and family schedules. It is recommended that students begin the planning process at least six months before course registration. Students initiate the planning process by contacting the clinical coordinator to receive instructions on how to upload their clinical paperwork into an online secure database for lead faculty review and approval.
These courses are completed at the end of the program and are offered during the 15-week fall and spring terms. Capstone practicum requests are due by June 1 for a fall practicum experience and October 1 for a spring practicum experience.
Guidelines for Capstone Practicum Experiences
The capstone practicum component is fulfilled by completing 45 hours working with a preceptor. The preceptor must be an experienced RN who holds at least an MS degree in nursing or a related field. Preceptors facilitate learning experiences within the primary area of concentration (Education or Administration), and they also provide feedback that faculty use for evaluation of student achievement of learning outcomes.
For the Nursing Education Capstone course, participation in a direct care component is a requirement within the capstone practicum. Direct care refers to a professional encounter between a nurse and a patient (individual, family, groups, community, or aggregate), either face to face or virtual, that is intended to achieve specific health goals or achieve selected health outcomes. Direct care may be provided in a wide range of settings, including acute and critical care, long term care, home health, community-based settings, and telehealth (AACN, 2021; Suby, 2009; Upenieks, et al., 2007). Education Track students must explain how they will meet the direct care requirement within their practicum.
By the end of the program, graduates will be able to:
- Integrate advanced principles and theories from nursing and related sciences to effect changes in health care practices and policies;
- Assume a leadership role on interprofessional teams and facilitate collaboration by using advanced communication skills;
- Critique strategies for ethical decision making in nursing research, education, and clinical practice management;
- Engage in lifelong learning activities that further professional role development (as a nurse educator or a nurse administrator);
- Synthesize evidence to inform decision making and evaluate outcomes in a variety of practice settings;
- Design person-centered and culturally responsive approaches to promote optimal health outcomes;
- Use informatics and health care technologies to enhance practice.