Heike Doody
Norwich Graduate, Class of 2016

Master of Science in Nursing: Leadership, Education & Informatics

Make a Difference as a Nurse Leader

The healthcare industry needs nurses with leadership, passion, and expertise. That’s why the Norwich online Master of Science in Nursing program was created and has evolved to meet these critical demands. Our program is designed to help you build the essential skills needed to pursue advanced roles in healthcare systems leadership, nursing education, or the growing field of nursing informatics.

With changing health care legislation and an aging workforce, expert nursing professionals are needed now more than ever. Whether your goal is nursing informatics, nursing leadership, or nursing education, our online Master of Science in Nursing program can help you prepare for critical leadership positions aligned with your career goals and interests.

Download a free brochure for more information about this program.

Degree

Master of Science

Concentrations

Healthcare Systems Leadership
Nursing Education
Nursing Informatics

Quick Info

Week Residency

Visit campus for culminating experience

Students

Maximum number of students per class

Months

Average time to program completion

June

Next Start Date

May

Application Deadline

Why Norwich

The master's degree program in nursing at Norwich University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Learn from doctoral-level faculty.

Apply newly acquired skills in real-time and drive positive change within your organization well before you graduate.

Qualify to sit for the National League for Nursing (NLN) Nurse Educator Certification Exam through our Nursing Education track.

Qualify to sit for the ANCC Informatics Nursing Certification Exam through our Nursing Informatics track.

Enroll with no GRE or GMAT requirements.

Apply to one of four start dates per year.

Benefit from a university recognized as offering Best Value with respect to high academic quality and low net cost of attendance, according to U.S. News & World Report.*

*Rankings are based on undergraduate programs and on students who received the average level of need-based financial aid.

Accreditation & Recognition

Norwich University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.).

The master's degree program in nursing at Norwich University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Recognized for academic excellence, U.S. News & World Report ranks Norwich University in the top 100 for Regional Universities in the North. Rankings are based on undergraduate programs.

Scholarship Opportunities

Norwich University offers a range of opportunities to help you lower your overall tuition costs. Contact our admissions team today to learn more about the below options. Please note that scholarships are not additive. In addition to the below scholarships, students may also be eligible for discounts if their organization partners with Norwich University.

Achievement Scholarship

Recognizing your past academic and professional achievements, the Achievement Scholarship is for newly enrolled students. You could receive a $4,200 scholarship, which will be distributed equally over the courses of the program. To be considered for this scholarship opportunity, submit your application package (application form, resume, letter of intent, and essay (if applicable)) for your program of interest at least one week prior to the upcoming application deadline. The Scholarship Selection Committee will review all application materials and select the recipient.

Norwich Alumni Scholarship

Norwich University alumni and their spouses, parents, and children are eligible to receive our Alumni Scholarship. The scholarship is award for each term of enrollment at $425 per term.

Active Duty Military Scholarship

Active duty, National Guard, and Reserve personnel are eligible to receive a $250 award for each term of enrollment in an online master’s degree program.

Help us learn more about your experience and see if you qualify for the Master of Science in Nursing program.

Pre-Qualify

Curriculum

Core Curriculum

Norwich’s online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program begins with 6 three-credit core courses that focus on the roles of the advanced nurse, health care systems, practice and policy, theoretical foundations of practice, research for evidence based practice and quality improvement practice, informatics and technology. Each core course is 11 weeks in length. The remaining courses are focused on the specialty of your choice: nursing education, nursing informatics, or healthcare systems leadership.

Note: If you enrolled in the MSN program on or prior to September 2020, please refer to this curriculum map.

Our nursing graduates can:

Pursue a range of leadership roles in nursing education, nursing informatics, or healthcare systems leadership.
Demonstrate a broad-based knowledge of health systems and essential skills in communication, data analysis and policy implementation, problem solving, critical thinking, research, evidence-based practice, and management.

Nursing Education

The Nursing Education concentration prepares students to fulfill the Advanced Practice Role of the Nurse Educator for developing, delivering and evaluating curriculum, as well as providing direct care patient education across a variety of healthcare settings. During their program, students will engage in both a direct care practicum and a precepted teaching practicum in a classroom, clinical, skills laboratory or an education department in a patient care setting. Coursework in teaching and learning theory, engaging educational approaches, learning assessment, curriculum development, and contemporary teaching techniques ready students for implementing education in both academic and direct care settings.Completion of the education track also enables students to be eligible to take the National League for Nursing (NLN) Nurse Educator Certification Exam.

Note: If you entered in the nursing education concentration on or prior to June 2017, please refer to this curriculum map.

Nursing Informatics (18 credits)

The Nursing Informatics concentration prepares students to integrate nursing science with multiple information management and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information and knowledge in nursing practice. Nursing Informatics supports nurses, consumers, patients and the interprofessional healthcare team in making decisions to achieve desired outcomes and improve the quality and safety of patient care. They also play a crucial role in the development, implementation, and optimization of clinical applications, including nursing clinical documentation, computerized practitioner order entry and electronic medical/health records.

Coursework allows students to analyze nursing information requirements, design system alternatives, manage information technology, identify and implement user training strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of clinical and/or management information systems in health care. The program can help prepare students for leadership roles in their organizations to conceptualize, design, and research of computer-based information systems. Completion of this concentration affords eligibility qualification to sit for the ANCC Informatics Nursing Certification Exam.

Healthcare Systems Leadership (18 credits)

The Healthcare Systems Leadership concentration incorporates coursework and clinical experiences to help prepare nurses for career advancement into a range of administrative/leadership positions at various levels of management, from acute care settings to community-based healthcare organizations. Courses focus on the concepts of system science and integration, change theory and social change theories, and healthcare, and will include topics such as leadership, health policy, research, quality improvement, epidemiology and informatics. During their studies, students will analyze the principles of leadership and leadership science including theory, styles, contemporary approaches and strategies, as well as resource management in the healthcare environment.

Note: If you entered the nursing administration track on or prior to June 2017, please refer to this curriculum map.

Residency

Our online Master of Science in Nursing program ends in a residency at the historic Norwich University campus in Vermont. During this time you will have the opportunity to meet with fellow students, faculty, and program staff in both formal classroom and informal settings. Academic recognition ceremonies and commencement cap off the week, and family and friends are encouraged to attend.

Norwich covers the cost of all meals and accommodation on campus.

Admissions

At a Glance

No GRE/GMAT required
Undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher

Admissions Requirements »

Eligibility Requirements

A bachelor's degree from a nationally accredited (either by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)) undergraduate nursing program, or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution, as evaluated by WES, IERF, SpanTran, or CED
An active license as a registered nurse in your state of practice that is unencumbered.
If English is not your first language, proof of English language proficiency is required. This can be demonstrated in one of three ways:
- TOEFL - a minimum score of 550 (paper-based test) or 80 (Internet-based test) is required.*
- IELTS – a minimum composite score of 6.5 is required.*
- The applicant holds a baccalaureate or master’s degree from a college/university/institution in which the primary language of instruction was English.
International applicants who are not licensed as registered nurses in the U.S. must achieve a passing score on both the English and nursing sections of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) examination.
A cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater on a 4.00 scale. (Applicants with a GPA below 3.00 must demonstrate a GPA of 3.00 or higher for the last 60 undergraduate hours of his/her nursing program.)
Undergraduate courses in statistics and research.
Graduate testing is not required.

Please Note: All eligibility requirements are expected to be met unless noted in specific articulation agreements or memoranda of understand (MOUs).

Application Process

We encourage you to contact an admissions advisor (see below) if you need help at any stage of the application process. You will be required to submit the following items:

Application form
RN license
Resume
Official transcript of your conferred undergraduate degree from a regionally or nationally accredited university
Letter of intent
One letter of recommendation from a nurse leader/manager or supervisor that can attest to your readiness for all graduate-level work
- The letter of recommendation should be submitted on professional letterhead
- An additional letter of recommendation may be requested by the Program Director during the application review process

To contact an admissions advisor:

Call: 1-877-348-8153
Email: info@online.norwich.edu

Contact Admissions

Mon - Fri: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST

Call: 1-877-348-8153
Email: info@online.norwich.edu

Transfer Credits
You may receive the equivalent of up to 12 semester credits for study conducted elsewhere. Norwich complies with VA regulations and guidelines as it pertains to transfer credits.

Learn more »
International Admissions
Norwich University welcomes students from all countries who want to study through our online programs. You must complete all steps in the admissions process.

International Admissions »
Norwich Alumni Benefits
Reconnect with Norwich to complete your master's degree. As apart of our alumni community, you are eligible for a $2,500 scholarship and other benefits.

Connect with our advisors »

Non-Discrimination Statement

Norwich University, in compliance with Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, or physical handicap in any of its policies, practices, or procedures.

Tuition & Fees

About

Norwich provides a top-notch educational experience; we also work hard to help make it affordable. There are many ways to get financial aid and several strategies to help you finance your education. Norwich is committed to making this often-difficult process easier for you.

Tuition at a Glance

Credit Hours: 36
Cost Per Credit Hour: $800

Financial Aid Resources

Ways to Pay
Do You Qualify for a Tuition Discount?
We Accept Military Benefits

2020-21 Tuition and Fee Schedule - Master's Programs

Rate Per Credit	Term Tuition	Additional Expenses	Total
$800	$4,800	Technology - $300/term Library - $75/term Graduation - $150/one-time	$31,200

Careers & Outcomes

Career Opportunities for MSN Graduates

Health care is a $1.6 trillion industry, and it’s only growing (U.S. Census Bureau). Professionals who are able to keep up with health care’s rapid changes and increased requirements are not just in demand, but well-compensated. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median wage for health care occupations and technical roles within health care was $63,420 in May 2016.

Our online Master of Science in Nursing can help you pursue roles as a health policy expert, nurse administrator, or clinical nurse leader. You could even take a role in shaping health policy, leading change through information analysis, educating other nurses and health care professionals, and providing advanced care to patients in a health care setting.

Our graduates include work in a variety of roles, including*:

Career Roles

Associate Professor of Nursing
Chief Nursing Officer
Chief Quality Officer
Clinical Educator
Clinical Research Specialist
Director of Clinical Services
Director of Student Health Clinic Wellness Center
Nurse Consultant
Nurse Director
Nurse Educator
Nursing Supervisor
Risk Manager/ Corporate Compliance Officer
Surgical Nurse Manager

Our alumni have gone on to positions in top organizations, including*:

Places of Work

Mount Eagle College and University
Catskill Regional Medical Center
ECPI University
MDT College of Health Sciences
Einstein Medical Center
Koinonia Homes, Inc.

What our graduates have to say:

of responding MSN graduates earn a salary of more than $70,000, while nearly 25% earn more than $90,000 per year.*
of responding MSN alumni agreed that their degree gave them a competitive edge in the job market.*
of responding MSN alumni were offered leadership opportunities at their place of employment since graduation.*

Read more about our MSN student outcomes.

*Source: Norwich University Master of Science in Nursing Graduate Survey, fielded March 2016

Faculty & Staff

Our Master of Science in Nursing is led by dedicated faculty and staff members. Our faculty members are experts in their fields and each hold doctoral degrees. Their interests cover a variety of nursing topics, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the nursing field. Our staff members offer additional support from day one to graduation. Each are eager to help you pursue your academic, professional, and personal goals.

We have an in-house instructional design team that work hand-in-hand with program faculty and staff to ensure an efficient and interactive online learning experience in each course.

Alumni

Get to know the graduates of Norwich's online Master of Science in Nursing program.

Featured Alumni

The faculty provided a learning experience that was student-centered and rich with support. I believe that I am well prepared to take on the new challenges ahead in my career as a nurse educator because of the education that I gained at Norwich University.

Benitha Garrett
Class of 2015

I have been promoted to the job that I wanted but didn’t think I could have the opportunity to get previously.

Michelle Tavares
Class of 2018

Faculty members incorporated academics with real-world clinical practice. Each faculty member mentored me to acquire the knowledge and develop skills to take on the complexities of a dynamic healthcare industry.

Emmanuel Pigon
Class of 2015

Frequently Asked Questions

What courses can I take in the nursing program?

Students gain fundamental knowledge of health systems analysis, leadership theory, and evidence-based practices in their first three course of the nursing program. Depending upon the concentration chosen, topics covered in the remaining courses include resource management, strategic planning, and health care organization; or health assessment and pharmacology, theory and methods of curriculum and instruction, and measurement, assessment, and evaluation.

What concentrations are available?

Choose one of three tracks: nursing education, nursing informatics, or healthcare systems leadership.

Are there any grants available for students in the nursing program to help pay tuition?

Grants to help pay program tuition may be available to qualified students in the nursing education track through the Nurse Faculty Loan Forgiveness Program.

How have graduates of the nursing program applied their degrees?

Our nursing alumni have found employment with a variety of organizations including Brigham and Women’s Hospital, County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, DC Department of Health, Madigan Army Medical Center, GlaxoSmithKline, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Mary Immaculate Hospital, and Sun Healthcare Group.

How are the nursing program faculty members selected?

Nursing program instructors hold terminal degrees from established universities. They must demonstrate a wide range of university/college-level teaching experience and solid, practical experience in nursing leadership and education.

What are the eligibility requirements for applying to the program?

A bachelor's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited (National League for Nursing Accreditation Center (NLNAC) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)) undergraduate nursing program.
An active license as a registered nurse in state of practice that is unencumbered.
Proof of English language proficiency if English is not your first language. This can be demonstrated in one of three ways:
- TOEFL — a minimum score of 550 (paper-based test) or 80 (internet-based test) is required.
- IELTS — a minimum composite score of 6.5 is required.
- Presentation of a baccalaureate or master’s degree from an institution in which the primary language of instruction was English.
International applicants who are not licensed as registered nurses in the U.S. must achieve a passing score on both English and Nursing sections of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) examination.
A cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater on 4.00 scale. Applicants with a GPA below 3.00 should demonstrate a GPA of 3.00 for the last 60 undergraduate hours of his/her nursing program.
Undergraduate courses in statistics and research.
The GRE is not required to apply, but may be requested based upon your undergraduate GPA.

How long is the nursing program?

Depending on when you start the program, and which concentration you choose, you can expect your degree to be conferred in 18 to 24 months.

Is the Master of Science in Nursing program accredited?

Yes. In addition to the university’s regional accreditation, the nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

How much is the online Master of Science in Nursing program?

Nursing Education Track:

Credit Hours: 40
Price Per Credit: $676
Technology Fee: $300/term
Library Fee: $75/term
Graduation Fee: $150/one-time
Total Program Cost: $29,440

Nursing Informatics and Health System Leadership Tracks

Credit Hours: 36
Price Per Credit: $676
Technology Fee: $300/term
Library Fee: $75/term
Graduation Fee: $150/one-time
Total Program Cost: $26,736

Does Norwich accept transfer credits?

When you apply for admission to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program, you can submit transcripts and course outlines from previously attended institutions of higher education to be considered for transfer credits. Transfer credits will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be accepted for up to 12 credits. Norwich complies with VA regulations and guidelines as they pertain to transfer credits.

Learn more about Norwich University’s transfer credit policy.