Program Contact: Carolyn Bradley, 203-582-7975
Nurse educators play an essential role in shaping future nurses in both academic and clinical settings. As academic educators, they equip students with the knowledge and skills needed for nursing careers, while in clinical settings, they support practicing nurses through experiential learning and development. Across both roles, they mentor by providing guidance and constructive feedback.
Our program builds on evidence-based practices and nursing expertise to develop well-rounded educators. In addition to advanced nursing practice courses, you will take courses focused on educational theory and principles, curriculum and program design, evaluation methods and teaching methods in academia and practice.
The 34-credit curriculum is delivered online, offering a 15-month full-time or 24-month part-time pathway. It includes an advanced nurse practice clinical experience requirement along with a practicum focusing on teaching and learning within an academic or practice setting for a total of 225 clinical hours. The practicum can be completed in Connecticut or in your home state.
MSN in Nursing Education (online)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
NUR 501 | Nursing Scholarship and Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
NUR 502 | Principles of Epidemiology and Biostatistics | 3 |
NUR 522 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
NUR 520 | Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan | 3 |
NUR 503 | Advanced Practice Nursing Leadership | 3 |
NUR 530 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
NUR 504 | Healthcare Technology and Innovation | 3 |
NUR 505 | Advanced Nursing Practice (105 clinical hours included) | 1 |
NUR 510 | Educational Theory and Principles | 3 |
NUR 512 | Teaching Methods in Academia and Practice (120 clinical hours included) | 3 |
NUR 513 | Evaluation Methods | 3 |
NUR 511 | Curriculum and Program Design | 3 |
Total Credits | 34 |
Curriculum Note
The semester-by-semester Learning Pathway for this program is available in the School of Nursing.
The curriculum for this program is subject to modification as deemed necessary by the nursing faculty to provide students with the most meaningful educational experience and to remain current with professional standards and guidelines.
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the MSN program are prepared for higher level professional practice and leadership roles in a variety of healthcare settings, as well as advanced study at the doctoral level.
Specifically, graduates will be able to:
- Synthesize information, evidence, and the decisions of individuals and teams to inform critical thinking to enhance decision-making.
- Analyze adaptive thinking and apply when faced with challenges by exhibiting flexibility, creativity and critical analysis.
- Incorporate ethical principles into evidence-based decision making in advanced nursing practice.
- Design equitable, holistic, person-centered, and evidence-informed care coordinated to improve the health of diverse communities and populations.
- Implement evidence-based and emerging principles of safety and improvement science to enhance care delivery at the individual, organizational, and systems level.
- Demonstrate advanced use of informatics and healthcare technologies in data-informed decision-making and the enhancement of secure, efficient, effective, and regulated healthcare delivery.
- Integrate holistic self-care practices that promote well-being, resilience, and lifelong learning to sustain clinical practice and promote well-being in care environments.
- Exhibit advanced leadership and advocacy by influencing care delivery and advancing the nursing profession through role modeling, collaboration, and policy engagement.
Admission Requirements
- At least one year of full-time RN or APRN experience (approximately 2000 hours).
- Earned BSN with 3.0 GPA.
- Undergraduate statistics with grade C or better (or conditional acceptance & take at Quinnipiac).
Applicants should submit the following to the Office of Graduate Admissions:
- Official transcripts from all schools previously attended.
- Official recent results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for international applicants.
- CV or resume.
- Copy of unencumbered and unrestricted RN license.
- Competitive applicants will provide a minimum of one reference from professional supervisors or faculty who can speak specifically to the applicant’s professionalism, strengths and opportunities, and clinical experience in selected specialty.
- Personal Statement (see application).
Applications for full-time and part-time study are accepted on a rolling basis. Final deadlines are generally two weeks prior to the start of classes. Applications are evaluated once all materials are received by Quinnipiac. Students are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible for their desired semester. Class sizes are limited.
All accepted students are required to complete a background check and urine drug screen following acceptance and before the start of classes. Acceptances are conditional until satisfactory completion of both.
Clinical Requirements for Online Students
This online program is available to students from within and outside of the State of Connecticut. The School of Nursing will identify clinical placements for all in-state students; those living in other states will be required to identify potential practicum sites well in advance so that the School of Nursing can establish necessary clinical affiliation agreements.
Students from states outside of Connecticut that do not allow students to complete clinical rotations (e.g., New York) will be notified that they will not be able to complete the program’s clinical requirements in their home state.
Progression Requirements
Students are expected to take courses in the order they are presented on the curriculum pathways.
According to Quinnipiac University policy all graduate students are expected to maintain a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale. Full-time graduate students are required to achieve a 3.00 GPA each semester. Part-time graduate students must have an overall GPA of 3.00 upon completion of nine credit hours and must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 thereafter. The grading scale of the Graduate Nursing Program is consistent with that of the university.
A student who earns less than a 3.00 in a semester (after nine credits for part-time students) will be automatically placed on probation and must achieve both a semester and cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater in the following semester in order to progress in the program. Failure to achieve and maintain a semester and cumulative GPA of 3.00 in all following semesters results in dismissal from the program.
The minimum passing grade in nursing courses is a B minus (B-). A student who earns less than the minimum passing grade in one nursing course, but who has a semester GPA of at least 3.00, will be required to retake the course when it is offered again at Quinnipiac University. The student may not proceed into courses for which the deficient course is a prerequisite. Thus, the student will be placed in another student cohort and the student’s program completion date will be delayed. The student must achieve the minimum passing grade or better and must also achieve the minimal passing grade in all subsequent nursing courses. Failure to meet this requirement results in dismissal from the program.
A student who earns unsatisfactory grades in two or more nursing courses in any semester is not eligible to repeat the courses and will be dismissed from the program. At the end of each semester, the directors of the graduate nursing programs reviews the cumulative GPA and academic record of all graduate nursing students. The directors of the graduate nursing programs notifies both the senior associate dean and the student in writing, of the student’s failure to meet academic requirements. Students who are performing at an unsatisfactory level will be: a) placed on probation, b) suspended, or c) dismissed in accordance with the terms of the Academic Progression Policy. Students placed on academic probation remain in their program but must also complete a learning plan to help them achieve the academic standards of the School of Nursing. A copy of this learning plan, signed by the director of the graduate nursing program and the student, will be placed in the student’s file and should be reviewed periodically with the advisor. Students should meet with their advisors to identify learning strategies to help them accomplish the goals in the learning plan. In order to promote student success, students may be asked to audit courses if there has been an interruption to the continuity of their curriculum plan.
Clinical progression policy
In addition to course grade requirements, unsafe clinical practice and/or unprofessional conduct are grounds for failure in any clinical course and may result in immediate removal from the clinical site. Students who demonstrate unsafe or unprofessional conduct in a clinical practice site will undergo academic review and may be dismissed from the program.
Appeal Process
- A student wishing to appeal a progression decision must write a letter via email to the appropriate program director within 5 business days of receiving notice of their inability to progress.
- Appeals will be considered by a Progression Appeals Committee and chaired by the senior associate dean. Results will be communicated in writing to the student via email.
- A student wishing to appeal a course grade should follow the grade appeal process.
NUR 501. Nursing Scholarship and Evidence-Based Practice.3 Credits.
This course focuses on the principles and processes of evidence-based practice and relationships between theory, research, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice. Research topics such as ethical and cultural issues, methodological procedures associated with scientific investigation and potential barriers to evidence-based practice will be explored.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall and Summer
NUR 502. Principles of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.3 Credits.
This course introduces epidemiologic principles, methods and data used to advance nursing practice. Students learn how to examine data and evidence regarding population health including interventions leading to positive health outcomes. Key types of data analysis including descriptive and inferential statistics are covered.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall and Spring
NUR 503. Advanced Practice Nursing Leadership.3 Credits.
This course explores the concepts of leadership within the advanced practice nursing role. Leadership behaviors related to health policy, interprofessional and systems-based practice, and ethics are explored.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, All
NUR 504. Healthcare Technology and Innovation.3 Credits.
This course will explore how nurses apply technology and innovation to clinical practice allowing nurses to streamline efficiencies, better manage workloads, and increase team communication resulting in more quality time to interact with their patients and involve them in their care and treatment.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Spring and Summer
NUR 505. Advanced Nursing Practice.1 Credit.
This course includes a mentored clinical practicum with an advanced practice nurse and a clinical seminar and provides students with the opportunity to provide direct patient care to individuals, families, groups, and/or communities. This course is designed to advance the knowledge and expertise of students in a clinical area of practice in an advanced practice setting. The course includes 105 hours of clinical practicum.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall and Summer
NUR 510. Educational Theory and Principles.3 Credits.
This course examines educational theory and principles essential to the nurse educator role in the academic and clinical practice environments. Teaching/learning theories, models and principles are examined as related to the development, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall and Summer
NUR 511. Curriculum and Program Design.3 Credits.
This course introduces the components, sequencing and structure of course, curriculum, and program design. Relevant regulatory, accreditation, and professional nursing standards are explored and integrated into the course as related to course, curriculum, and program design.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall
NUR 512. Teaching Methods in Academia and Practice.3 Credits.
This course builds upon educational theory and principles and expands to apply curriculum/program design, methods of teaching in the academic and practice settings, and integrating evaluation methods. This may include variations of delivery in the didactic, laboratory, simulation, and clinical practice settings. On-ground and online deliveries and the use of technology are explored. This course includes 120 hours of clinical practicum.
Prerequisites: Take NUR 510.
Offered: Every year, Fall and Spring
NUR 513. Evaluation Methods.3 Credits.
This course explores the role of the nurse educator in the design, interpretation, and analysis of evaluation of student learning in the academic and clinical settings. Strategies to develop test items and item analysis, valid and reliable tools and rubrics, the evaluation of course outcomes and faculty effectiveness are explored. Evaluation of patient education.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall and Spring
NUR 520. Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan.3 Credits.
This course presents the principles of performing a comprehensive health assessment and reporting the findings in a professional format. Attention is given to assessment and physical examination across the lifespan within diverse communities. The processes underlying diagnostic decision making are introduced. A laboratory component enables the student to master the techniques of performing a holistic health assessment.
Corequisites: Take NUR 520L.
Offered: Every year, Spring Online
NUR 522. Advanced Pathophysiology.3 Credits.
Essential concepts of pathophysiology are emphasized. Selected disorders are studied especially as they relate to homeostatic and defense/repair mechanisms. Where appropriate the course includes clinical correlations of disease states with symptoms and physical findings.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall Online
NUR 530. Advanced Pharmacology.3 Credits.
Students are introduced to pharmacological management across the lifespan and provided with advanced knowledge of pharmacokinetics. Selected categories of drugs commonly prescribed for management of healthcare problems and health promotion within diverse communities are presented. Controlled substances and the potential for abuse are discussed. The responsibilities and legalities of prescriptive authority in advanced practice are defined.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall Online