College of Nursing
Online master's nursing degrees
Make a greater impact as a nurse leader
Position yourself for clinical nurse leadership positions with an online master’s nursing degree. Choose your path with concentration options like nurse education, informatics, or nurse administration, or advanced practice nursing options such as Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. No matter which path you pick, the master’s nursing degree (MSN) helps you apply advanced practice strategies to many healthcare environments.
Is your bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline? Our Nurse Bridge program can help you pursue your master’s degree in nursing. If you have an active RN license and a bachelor’s degree in any other field, ourNursing Bridge Programhelps experienced nurses earn a MSN degree while saving time and money. You’ll start with three Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) courses, then move into the master’s nursing program specialty that fits your career goals.
Busy life? There’s good news. Most of our master’s nursing classes are online and only 6-8 weeks long. Plus you’ll have up to 8 opportunities throughout the year to begin your classes, depending on the program you choose This gives you the flexibility to start school when it fits into your schedule, while adding to skills and expanding career opportunities as you progress.
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Find the nursing master's degree for you
*The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)/Nurse Education, MSN/Informatics, MSN/Nurse Administration degrees require 36 credits to complete. The MSN/Family Nurse Practitioner degree requires 48 credits to complete; the MSN/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner requires 52 credits to complete.
^The published program length for The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)/Nurse Education, MSN/Informatics, MSN/Nurse Administration degrees are 21 months. The MSN/Family Nurse Practitioner degree program is 28 months and Master of Science in Nursing/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degrees’ program length is 30 months.
Watch our Master's Q&A Webinar
۴ý understands that life happens and that schedules are fluid. But no worries, because we recorded the Master’s Q&A Webinar so you can watch it when it fits your busy life. We encourage you to check it out and learn about important topics and commonly asked questions that many potential master’s students have.
Skills you’ll develop with core master’s nursing degree courses
MASTER OF Science in nursing with a concentration in nurse education
- Leadership
- Information systems
-
- Advocacy
- Advanced nursing practice
MASTER OF Science in nursing with a concentration in informatics
- Leadership
- Information systems
-
- Advocacy
- Advanced nursing practice
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING WITH A CONCENTRATION IN NURSE ADMINISTRATION
- Leadership
- Information systems
- Research
- Advocacy
- Advanced nursing practice
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING/FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER
- Advocacy
- Nursing practice
- Planning
- Problem solving
- Research application
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING/PSYCHIATRIC HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER
- Problem solving
- Research application
- Planning
- Advocacy
- Nursing practice
- Quality and safety
Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years
Get value from your education before you even graduate. Update yourresumé and LinkedIn profile with learned skills when you complete every 5- or 6-week course in our associate, bachelor's and master's programs.
Outlook for workers with a master's degree in nursing
The BLS Projected Growth for 2023-2033 is published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects the BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to ۴ý students or graduates.
Master’s nursing degree course requirements
Master of Science in Nursing/Concentration in Nurse Education
There are 12 core, program-specific courses that can help sharpen your advanced practice, leadership and teaching skills. Graduates may be eligible to sit for the Nurse Educator Certification Exam and should contact the National League for Nursing for eligibility requirements. Core courses include topics like: innovative curriculum design, educational assessment and evaluation, contemporary nursing practice and more.
Master of Nursing/Concentration in Informatics
There are 12 core, program-specific courses to help you build the confidence and skills to analyze data that supports effective decision-making and patient outcomes. Core courses include topics like: nursing research, data analysis and management, information workflow and more.
Master of Science in Nursing/Nurse Administration
There are 12 core, program-specific courses to help you build the knowledge, confidence and skills to pursue a future as a hospital, health system and clinical nurse leader. Core courses include topics like: interprofessional leadership and management, health law, policy, ethics, and global trends, organizational dynamics and systems thinking and more.
Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner
ճ 11 core, program-specific courses to help you build the knowledge, confidence and skills to prepare to take charge as a nurse practitioner. Most of the coursework is online, but an intense 5-day in-person residency is required as part of your degree program. Graduates are eligible to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Family Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (FNP-BC) credential or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Family Nurse Practitioner-Certified (FNP-C) credential. Core courses include topics like: clinical applications of theory and research, Health policy and role of the advanced practice nurse, advanced pathophysiology and more.
Master of Science in Nursing/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
There are 12 core, program-specific courses to help you prepare as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) specializing in neuropsychiatric care and treatment. Most of the coursework is online, but an intense 5-day in-person residency is required as part of your degree program. Graduates of the MSN/PMH program are eligible to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) PMHNP national certification examination. Core courses include topics like: health policy and role of the advanced practice nurse, advanced health assessment, neuropsychiatric disorders and more.
Tuition and financial aid
Affordable, locked-in tuition
Ways to pay — and save. Explore your options.
From scholarships to transfer credits and federal financial aid for those who qualify, there are a variety of ways to pay for school and save on tuition.
Student experience
Over 1 million alumni have earned their degrees while balancing work, school and life. So can you.
How to apply for your master’s nursing degree program
Once you’ve selected your degree program, choose your start date from our calendar, apply for free and register before the deadline (usually one week before the program starts). Then you'll speak to an enrollment representative to begin class.
- No application fee — no obligation!
- No SAT, GMAT or essay required
Meet your college deans
Our college deans focus on developing a career-relevant curriculum. They bring industry experience to the classroom and lead a faculty of academic professionals with one goal in mind—to help you earn the skills you need to pursue your career.
Raelene Brooks, PhD, RN
Dean, College of Nursing
Linnea Axman, DNP, DrPH, RN
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, College of Nursing
Programmatic accreditation
Thebaccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, andDoctor of Nursing Practice PROGRAM at ۴ý are accreditedby the , 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
Nursing master's degree FAQs
This depends on the program you choose to pursue. Other factors include the number of eligible credits you can transfer toward your program and whether you take breaks from your program. Here are the program lengths:
- Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Nurse Education –21 months
- Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Informatics –21 months
- Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Nurse Administration –21 months
- Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner – 29 months
- Master of Science in Nursing/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – 30 months
Advanced degrees like a master’s degree, are an important way to gain the knowledge and critical skills necessary to stay competitive in a field like nursing. If you’re looking to build knowledge, leadership acumen and career-relevant skills, an online master’s degree can help.
Most of the courses in our MSN programs are taught online. The Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN/FNP) and Master of Science in Nursing/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (MSN/PMH) have a 5-day, in-person residency that’s required to complete the program. Our courses last 6-8 weeks and are in a learning environment that allows you and your peers to engage in discussions, assignments and learning activities.
Regardless of which specialty or concentration you select, you’ll learn from faculty who are leaders in their field. They bring their experience and practice to the classroom. This exposes you to industry-leading strategies necessary to promote your career growth.
Throughout your learning experience you are never alone. Our specialized nursing advisors and finance advisors support and help guide you to make solid decisions from your first day to your last.
You may be able totransfer eligible creditsto our online master’s degree program if the university or college you attended is accredited. An enrollment representative can help you understand if your prior college credits can apply to your chosen program.
