MSN Curriculum

MSN Course List and Course Numbers

Total MSN Nurse Educator Program (39-40 credits)

Take a look at our Program of Study or see the course list below,

Core Courses (21 credits)

NURS 600: Transitions to Graduate Nursing Practice, 3 theory credits
NURS 620: Holistic Nursing Approaches to Self-Care, and Health Promotion in a Contemporary Society, 3 theory credits
NURS 624: Advanced Health Assessment and Pathophysiology, 3 theory credits
NURS 628: Advanced Principles of Pharmacology, 3 theory credits
NURS 630: Advanced Global & Societal Health Nursing, 3 theory credits
NURS 638 Advanced EBP and Applied Analysis in Nursing, 3 theory credits
NURS 640 Advanced Leadership, and Continuous Quality Improvement Through Interprofessional Collaboration, 3 theory credits

Nurse Educator Specialization (15 credits)

NURS 650: Education Theory and Practice/Methods for Nurse Educators, 3 credits theory
NURS 654 Instructional Technologies in the Nurse Educator Role, 2 credits theory, 1 credit practicum
NURS 658: Culturally Responsive Teaching in Nursing Education, 2 credits theory, 1 credit practicum
NURS 660 Curriculum Development, Assessment/Quality Improvement, and Evaluation for Nurse Educators, 2 credits theory, 1 credit practicum
NURS 664: Nurse Educator Capstone Course, 1 credits theory, 2 credits practicum

Elective (3-4 credits)

ELECTIVE: 3-4 graduate credits: Must be graduate level at 600 or higher level, specific to the role of the nurse educator or nursing and approved by academic advisor/graduate director.

TOTAL CORE, NURSE EDUCATOR, & ELECTIVE = 39 required credits

• Program Pre-req or Co-req by the end of the first term: Biostatistics (stats with health/bio focus)
• MSN Orientation course: A pre-start MSN orientation course is held asynchronously to help students with a good start to the program. This orientation is asynchronous and helps orient students to navigation of the SMSU website, library, and resources. The first course in the MSN program is NURS 600: Transitions to Graduate Nursing Practice and includes more MSN program orientation. Students must take NURS 600 first or together in the same term with other courses.

MSN Nurse Educator End of Program Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Analyze nursing theories and standards of nursing practice in the role of the advanced nurse.
2. Analyze ethical and scientific nursing processes to advocate for improved health promotion and health outcomes in diverse individuals, families, and populations in society and globally.
3. Apply the scientific method and ethical principles to an evidence-based nursing project to improve health outcomes.
4. Evaluate the use of healthcare informatics within healthcare to promote safety and quality outcomes.
5. Appraise theory, research findings, and evidence to promote teamwork and interprofessional collaboration related to organizational and systems leadership.

Nurse Educator Role Option Competencies:

The MSN Nurse Educator program has detailed competencies termed the “New Age Nurse Educator Competencies” because these competencies are future focused, modern preparation for Nurses as Nurse Educators.

• Educational Philosophies, Theories, Frameworks, Ethics, and Teaching/Learning Methods/Strategies
• Instructional Technology and Informatics
• Culturally Responsive Teaching
• Curriculum
• Educational Assessment and Evaluation
• Scholarship and Service

• Professional Nursing Development  

Admission Criteria to the SMSU MSN Nurse Educator Program:

The SMSU Department of Nursing values the applicant’s unique experiences along with their academic achievements. Considering the broad range of factors which reflect the applicant’s academic readiness, the following are the requirements needed for acceptance into SMSU’s MSN Nurse Educator Program. Space may be limited with all qualified applicants not guaranteed acceptance. Requirements include:

• Acceptance to SMSU prior to application to nursing program, (excluding CA residents as CA does not participate in the U.S. state reciprocity agreement)
• Active, unencumbered RN license in the U.S.
• Bachelor’s degree in the science or arts of nursing from an accredited nursing program (ACEN (formerly NLNAC), NLN/CNEA or CCNE)
• Total cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate courses from the baccalaureate nursing degree
• Paragraph summary of professional goals