Online Master's Degree MS in Nursing (MSN)

Advance your Nursing Career with a Master’s in Nursing Online Degree

The nursing field faces so many challenges while touching so many lives. New therapies, technologies and complex medical treatments are introduced on a daily basis. Healthcare legislation and regulation are more stringent than ever before. To keep quality of care aligned with the industry's expectations and demands, hospitals and doctors need highly educated nurses to fill leadership roles.

Southern New Hampshire University's online Master of Science in Nursing can prepare you for these advanced positions with critical-thinking and leadership skills centered on patient care. This affordable master's in nursing online degree can also start you on the road to becoming an advanced practice nurse.

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See Yourself Succeed in Nursing

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) online program at SNHU prepares today’s nurses with the key competencies necessary for continuous improvement of the safety and quality of healthcare systems. You may choose to customize your degree and with specialty knowledge electives within the MSN or choose the Clinical Nurse Leader or patient quality and safety programs for specialized education needs that align to your desired career path.

As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission – to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your MSN online at SNHU include:

  • Accredited. The Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Nursing programs at Southern New Hampshire University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Affordability. Take advantage of some of the most affordable tuition rates in the nation
  • Convenience. Attend class when it’s convenient for you – online education means 24/7 access
  • Efficiency and flexibility. With five terms per year, you can complete your MSN degree in 20 months
  • Expert instruction. Learn from instructors with relevant, real-world experience
  • Minimal requirements. No GMAT or GRE required for admission
  • Networking. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni for tips and career opportunities
  • Student support. Count on the ongoing support of dedicated academic and career advisors specialized in your area of study

Admission Requirements


Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms. You can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials. To apply, simply contact an admission counselor, who can help you explore financial options. Your counselor can also walk you through the application process, which involves completing a graduate application ($40 fee) and providing undergraduate transcripts.

MSN Admission Requirements:

  • Must maintain an active unencumbered Registered Nurse license. Licensure exam must be equivalent to NCLEX-RN examination. (If a student holds active licenses in more than one state/jurisdiction all licenses must be unencumbered.)
  • Must have an earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited nursing program (ACEN, CCNE, and CNEA) with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
  • Provisional acceptance may be extended to applicants with an undergraduate GPA between 2.67 and 2.99

SNHU nursing programs are not authorized in the state of Washington and we are not accepting students residing in Washington state at this time. Currently enrolled students who move into the state of Washington will not be able to continue in nursing courses until they move out of the state of Washington. Prospective students are encouraged to contact Admission and current students should contact their Advisor for more information.

Career Outlook

A report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) titled ''The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health'' identifies a growing demand for qualified nurses who are prepared to meet the complex and changing needs of the 21st-century healthcare workforce. The National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice has recommended that at least two-thirds of the workforce hold baccalaureate or higher degrees in nursing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of nurses with advanced skills and other medical and health services managers is projected to grow 20% through 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.*

Top treatment centers - including ANCC Magnet hospitals - are actively looking for nurses with advanced degrees to take their patient care to the next level. A master's in nursing online degree can expand your nursing career employment and leadership opportunities and prepare you to serve as a clinical nurse leader, clinical nursing faculty member and a nursing administrator.

Upon completion of the master's in nursing program, you'll be able to:

  • Propose informatics systems initiatives and technologies that facilitate effective decision-making in delivering upon and enhancing patient care
  • Employ research practices, methodologies and a spirit of scholarly inquiry to motivate change and drive real-world improvement in healthcare
  • Create client-centered, culturally appropriate health prevention and promotion initiatives that improve the health, safety, and quality of life for people and their communities
  • Generate data-driven solutions for operational challenges that navigate the intersection of quality and cost in ensuring excellence in healthcare across diverse settings
  • Advocate for ethically responsible policies and effective systems that empower practitioners and meet the needs of healthcare consumers
  • Model leadership and professional practices in healthcare by building effective working relationships and facilitating ethical and strategic decision-making across organizations

Curriculum

The master's in nursing online degree provides you with the opportunity to acquire key competencies necessary for advanced nursing practice.  The MSN electives allow you to customize your degree with specialty knowledge in the areas of continuous improvement, quality, and safety of healthcare systems, patient-centered care, inter-professional collaboration, and evidence-based practice.

View Full Curriculum in the Catalog
MS in Nursing

Courses May Include
IHP 501 Global Health and Diversity

This course provides students with broad foundation in the structure of healthcare delivery systems; the political, financial and social constructs affecting the healthcare systems; and how policy and social determinants of health influence access, equity and outcomes in health. Utilizing this foundation and authentic real world scenarios, students will evaluate the efficacy of existing policy and interventions as well as lead interdisciplinary teams in the design of culturally relevant strategies to prepare students to advance the health for a specific population.
IHP 525 Biostatistics

This course provides students with a basic foundation of biostatistics and its role in public health and health sciences. The course covers the statistical principles that govern the analysis of data in public health and health sciences. Included in this course are exploratory data analysis, probability theory, confidence interval testing, hypotheses testing, power and sample size determination, and multivariable methods.
IHP 604 Healthcare Quality and Improvement

Gain a broad view of US healthcare quality including its evolution and trajectory given the dynamic US healthcare landscape and changing demographics. Explore key concepts including the integration of health information and technologies to promote healthcare quality at the organizational level.
NUR 506 Evidence-Based Practice

Graduate nursing students build upon previous learning of nursing research and evidence-based practice in order to become proficient in critiquing, generating, translating research evidence into practice, and disseminating results to advance nursing knowledge. Emphasis is placed on identifying a researchable practice question, analysis of research findings for evidence-based practice, and ethical issues in nursing research. Students demonstrate proficiency in selection of methodologies which may be used to generate research evidence for practice.
NUR 507 Transition to Graduate Nursing Practice

This course is designed to assist the registered nurse with a BSN degree to transition to graduate study in order to maximize their performance and opportunities for success. The course will cover such topics as the standards for scholarly writing, using evidence, study habits, and managing a graduate-level workload. The role of the Master's-prepared nurse as a clinical scholar, clinical expert and as leader in evidence-based practice and transformation of health care will be emphasized. The course will introduce the final capstone course and the development of a professional portfolio.
NUR 515 Advanced Nursing Concepts

In this course, students will analyze the history and evolution of nursing conceptual models and theories. Students examine the linkages between empirical, aesthetic, ethical, personal, and sociopolitical patterns of knowing with the conceptual models and paradigms of nursing. Students will explore the components of conceptual-theoretical-empirical structures for theory-generating, theory-testing research, and application to practice. Students who successfully complete the course (B- or better, course work & projects) will receive 45 indirect practice hours.
NUR 602 Advanced Pharmacology Across the Life Span

Content focuses on current concepts in the pharmacologic therapies of common health care problems seen in primary and acute care health care. Basic pathophysiology, clinical pharmacology, modes of therapy, and monitoring parametrics are explored. Diagnosis and management of health care problems and their treatment regimens are discussed. Case studies are utilized to clarify, reinforce, and correlate therapeutics with specific health care problems.
NUR 682 Generalist Nursing Capstone

Explore the MSN/Generalist role with an authentic demonstration of program outcomes and competencies. Students synthesize prior learning to implement a scholarly project to facilitate change in a healthcare setting of their choice. Analysis of the project's results and dissemination of findings in a comprehensive written summary and presentation complete the successful achievement of program outcomes.
NUR 601 Advanced Pathophysiology

Students build upon prior knowledge of physiology and pathophysiological processes to acquire advanced knowledge of the relationships between normal physiology and specific system alterations produced by injury and disease to foster clinical reasoning skills. Focus is placed on etiology, pathogenesis, developmental, genetic, environmental influences, and clinical manifestations of major health problems across the lifespan.
NUR 607 Advanced Health Assessment

In this course, students will build on previous clinical experience, as well as undergraduate course work to master health assessment skills and communication strategies. Students conduct comprehensive, evidence-based health assessments encompassing environmental, genetic, multicultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors. Students also explore ways of adapting their communication style to meet the specific needs of their audience. The course also focuses on mastering the physical and mental health exam and formulating plans to ensure effective patient-centered care. Periodic hands on simulation assignments will be utilized formatively to practice knowledge and skill acquisition. *This course may incur additional costs for practice simulation software.

Total Credits: 39

Program Outcomes

Students enrolled in the MSN Generalist and MSN Patient Safety and Quality programs must comply with requirements of the healthcare organizations where their practicum experiences will be completed at least one term in advance of the capstone course. These requirements may include (but are not limited to) criminal background checks and verification of licensure, immunization records, health insurance, and liability insurance. Students may incur additional costs to meet the healthcare organization requirements.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer a 25% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Online Graduate Programs Per Course* Per Credit Hour*
Degree/Certificates $1,881 $627
Degree/Certificates
(U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty) 		$1,410 $470

*Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed Annually.

Additional Costs:
$40 Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)

Students enrolled in MSN programs may be subject to ongoing licensure checks through a third party vendor, additional fees will apply and may vary by state.

University Accreditation

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education as well as several other accrediting bodies. More...

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the Internet, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Management/Medical-and-health-services-managers.htm (viewed online December 14, 2017). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.