M.S. in Nursing (MSN)

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Advance your practice with an MSN degree

Whether your professional goal is to take on a specialization, assume an advanced leadership role or pursue a doctoral degree, the M.S. in Nursing will provide you with the knowledge and skills to excel in a variety of healthcare organizations or educational settings. You’ll hone your critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills to deepen your nursing knowledge in order to coordinate healthcare programs within complex systems in an era of healthcare reform.

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Accredited

The master's degree program in nursing at Franklin University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Online Coursework

Balance earning your degree with other work-life commitments.

Contemporary Curriculum

Evaluate and study trending nursing topics throughout the program.

Learn from the Best

Benefit from the experience of your instructors – seasoned, in-field practitioners.

MSN Degree Overview

Grow your nursing knowledge to improve the healthcare experience

Evolving legislation, rising costs and the meeting the demands of an aging population are just a few of the challenges that contribute to increasing complexity within the healthcare industry. As a registered nurse equipped with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Franklin University, you will be better prepared to meet the demand for quality patient care and advanced leadership in healthcare.

As a graduate-level nursing student, you’ll build on the knowledge and competencies you gained at the bachelor’s level. Throughout the MSN degree program you will strengthen your critical thinking and problem-solving skills in order to coordinate healthcare programs in a time of ongoing reform. The program features online courses along with a 12-week practicum onsite in a healthcare setting. Finish the program in as few as 18 months or transfer in up to 12 hours of previously earned MSN degree credit and complete your degree sooner.

Elevate your patient care skills with a relevant online MSN degree

As part of Franklin’s commitment to providing a relevant education, you’ll be exposed to current and emerging technologies. In addition, you’ll consistently merge coursework with your existing knowledge in order to develop a theoretical basis to guide your practice to promote high quality, effective, patient-centered care. Blending clinical prevention and population health concepts, you will learn to provide comprehensive care for individuals and families in diverse settings. You’ll also grow as a responsive leader who is able to collaborate, manage and ultimately influence the role of nurses in healthcare.

You will build upon your existing health assessment knowledge to build a foundation for advanced nursing roles. You will concentrate on specific elements of assessment including physical, psychosocial, spiritual health, risk and functional assessments in diverse populations in order to promote health and prevent disease.

Leverage your master's in Nursing to expand your research capabilities

You will critically evaluate nursing research studies, understand the importance of research in evidence-based practice and develop ideas for research proposals that are relevant in the workplace. You’ll also get hands-on experience creating your own research. With faculty guidance, you will have the opportunity to choose a topic, outline a manuscript and explore submitting your work to a professional journal.

Tailor your BSN-MSN degree to your professional goals

In addition to a 12-week practicum under the direction of a master’s-prepared nurse, you will also have the opportunity to choose two elective courses that best suit your career aspirations – including education, leadership and analytics.

Earn an accredited master's in nursing degree

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

MSN Courses & Curriculum

38 Semester Hours

Major Area (30 hours)

NURS 612 - Role of the Master's Prepared Nurse (3)

This course assesses the various roles of the master's prepared nurse. The influence of the health care delivery systems, health care policy, diversity, ethics, quality, safety, theory, evidence based practice, and information systems on the role of the master's prepared nurse will be explored.

NURS 650 - Population Focused Care (3)

Theories, principles, and strategies of population-based health care are used to design, implement, and evaluate services and plans of care to promote, maintain, and restore health in a defined population. Students focus on population aggregates in structured or unstructured settings across service environments. Strategies to evaluate outcomes and costs are emphasized. Prerequisite NURS 612 or 613.

NURS 648 - Advanced Pharmacology (3)

This course focuses on the concepts, principles, and application of pharmacotherapeutics used in the management of health problems encountered in primary care. Emphasis is placed on theories and principles of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenetics, which provide a foundation for critical thinking, and the application of research finding. The focus on pharmacology is aimed at the treatment of acute and chronic health problems in populations over the life span. Prerequisite NURS 612 or 613.

HCM 735 - Healthcare Delivery Systems (4)

The course provides an extensive overview of leadership in the U.S. health services system. The focus of the course will be on the role health services leadership plays in the delivery of healthcare services, to include managing with professionals, financial management, services utilization, and other aspects of the U.S. healthcare system. The student will explore the key theoretical and practical elements of leadership as well as current issues clarifying how the U.S. health services system is organized, managed, and financed.

HCM 752 - Health Policy (4)

This course will explore the essential conceptual and analytical understanding of health policymaking and politics, including their impact on health administration and leadership. Selected policy issues will be explored through the application of political concepts and behavioral models, including a system model of policymaking. The emphasis will be on understanding the health leaders approach to the policymaking system, become involved in it, and work through it to attain their objectives and those of their organization.

NURS 644 - Advanced Pathophysiology (3)

This course provides an in-depth study of the physiological changes and responses to altered health states and their impact on the functional status of patients. Students will focus on the essential knowledge of human health and disease across the lifespan. Pathophysiological theories and evidence-based research serve as a basis for applying content to population groups. Prerequisite NURS 612 or 613.

NURS 646 - Advanced Physical Assessment (3)

This course builds upon the student's previous health assessment knowledge offering more advanced health assessment content to provide the foundation for advanced professional nursing roles. This course emphasizes knowledge of health assessment, including physical, psychosocial, spiritual health assessment, risk assessment, and functional assessment in diverse populations in the promotion of health and prevention of disease. To maintain a nursing focus on patient responses to health, illness, or the threat of illness, the nurse must exhibit effective communication and client teaching, which is incorporated throughout the course. The importance of effective documentation and health record keeping is included. Prerequisite NURS 612 or 613.

NURS 693 - Evidence Based Practice & Quality Improv (3)

This course is designed to expand on the nursing research process. Emphasis is placed on critically evaluating nursing research studies, understanding the importance of utilizing research for evidence-based practice, and developing ideas for a research proposal to be used in the workplace. A review of quantitative and qualitative statistics appropriate to a graduate level research proposal is included. Students will be given the opportunity to utilize relevant resources in the process of development of individual proposals for the capstone thesis/project experience. With the assistance of the faculty, students will choose topics, write an outline for a manuscript, and then explore the process for submitting this manuscript to an appropriate professional journal. Prerequisite NURS 612 or 613.

NURS 795 - Practicum (4)

The purpose of this capstone course is to provide the student with the opportunity to examine the role of the master's prepared nurse in a health care or education setting. Using a combination approach of seminar and precepted clinical experience, the student focuses on the integration and application of major concepts covered throughout the graduate nursing program and assists in preparation for comprehensive evaluation. The student is assigned to a health care or educational setting under the direction of an experienced master's prepared nurse executive/educator/practitioner for the practicum portion of the course. Eighty (80) precepted clinical hours are required.

Major Electives (8 hours)

Choose two courses from:

NURS 772 - Curric Design, Devel, & Eval (4)

This course examines professional standards as a foundation for curriculum design in nursing education in all settings, explores the nature of traditional academic education and nontraditional academic education, as well as continuing nursing education. This course explores the praxis, philosophies, principles, theories, and strategies in planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum. Students will define, analyze and design a mock curriculum model for an institution or for an organization that requires staff development. The model curriculum will be reviewed and critiqued to provide the student with an opportunity to appreciate curriculum development, evaluation, and revision. Strategies to enhance critical thinking are included. This course also examines program review, course and class objectives, and professional regulatory and accreditation standards as an evaluation framework for curriculum design in nursing education in all settings. Prerequisite NURS 612.

NURS 777 - Strat & Tech in Nurs Edu (4)

The roles of both the educator and student in designing a learning environment provide the framework for analyzing pedagogical philosophies, theories, ethical/legal issues, trends, technology, and research related to teaching strategies and education. The focus is on best practices and research-based strategies to promote various learning styles and create an active learning environment that increases student retention and learning success for diverse multicultural student populations. Attention is given to the relationship between the setting, methodologies of clinical teaching, and the assessment of competencies. Learning variables, the environmental context, financial/political issues and the influence of those variables on technologies are examined. Prerequisite NURS 612.

HIM 702 - Health Information Governance (4)

This course covers the broad spectrum of strategic issues in healthcare including policies, guidelines, standards, processes, and controls required to manage and implement enterprise-level information. Treating information as a strategic asset to healthcare organizations, processes to manage various risks to the quality of information and ensure its appropriate use are covered.

HIM 710 - Clinical Workflow & Applications (4)

This course explores requirements for clinical workflows in a variety of inpatient, outpatient, and emergency healthcare environments. It covers the documentation, review, mapping, and diagramming of clinical workflow information and processes. The course also covers the linkages between the improvement of patient care to workflow mapping and change management, as part of evidence based decision making in healthcare.

HIM 761 - Healthcare Analytics (4)

This course addresses the process of retrieving, analyzing, and reporting intelligence to make healthcare decisions. It covers the techniques of extracting, transforming and loading data from a myriad of operational databases into corporate data warehouses, as well means to ensure that decision making is based on clean and reliable information. The course also includes ways to report the healthcare intelligence gathered.

HCM 733 - Finance and Managerial Accounting in Healthcare Organizations (4)

The purpose of this course is to provide students with the fundamental concepts and calculations associated with financial accounting and managerial accounting within a healthcare organization. Students will study the foundational aspects of financial accounting with a primary focus on financial statements and the uses of the information in these statements. Students will also study the functional aspects of managerial accounting to include cost behavior, cost allocation, pricing, planning, budgeting, profit analysis, and performance evaluation. Application of these concepts will include analysis of case studies.

HCM 742 - Healthcare Laws and Ethics (4)

In this course the student will develop a strong foundation of health law, enabling them to deal with common legal and practical moral and ethical issues facing the healthcare organization on a daily basis. Topics will include statutory laws, rules and regulations, review of tort laws, criminal law, contract law, civil procedures and trial practice. The student will examine numerous legal, moral, and ethical issues.

HCM 762 - Global Health (4)

The student will examine demographic measurements, epidemiological methods, outcomes assessment, health promotion, and disease prevention from a global perspective.

HRM 701 - Human Resource Management (4)

This course provides a framework for an in-depth understanding of day-to-day, practical approaches/aspects of problems/challenges that impact the human resource management field. Topics include recruiting, hiring, training, retaining, rewarding, and promoting employees; compensation and benefits; employment planning, performance management systems, and succession planning; labor relations; and managing organizational relationships.

HRM 706 - Organizational Development/Intervention Intervention (4)

This course addresses the need for planned change focused on an organization's ability to compete strategically. The framework of consultation as helping organizations reach a level of optimum performance will be applied. Topics addressed include individual, team, and organization-wide interventions that can raise productivity/quality, improve competitiveness, increase skills, morale, and commitment.

HRM 707 - Organizational Leadership (4)

This course explores the elements of leadership and delineates the principles necessary for success in a global environment. Discussion of the role and function of leadership will include an in-depth analysis and study of needs impacting individuals, organizations, and society. This course provides students with leadership skills and competencies on which to build an individual model for effective leadership.

IDPT 600 - Principles of Learning Theory (4)

In this gateway course, students will begin the process of understanding what it means to be a graduate student at Franklin University. This includes tangibles such as scholarly research and academic writing, as well as intangibles such as critical thinking and attitude. Students will employ various strategies as they develop a thorough understanding of selected learning theories and philosophies. They will then apply these theories and strategies to create a learning event.

IDPT 645 - Learning Management Systems (4)

In this course, students will study the practices employed to manage and deliver instructional content in an online environment. Students will interact with a functional Learning Management System (LMS) to manage the design, development, delivery, and evaluation of reusable learning content.

IDPT 650 - Evaluation (4)

This course presents fundamental principles and practices for evaluating courses and programs, with a focus on formative and summative evaluation and criterion-referenced testing. Students will explore evaluation models and theories, create a learner satisfaction survey, create criterion-referenced tests, create grading rubrics, and work with a data set to interpret data and make recommendations to improve a course or unit of instruction. Projects completed in the course will become part of the student's portfolio.

Program Specific Requirements

Please note: Due to the unique requirements of the MSN practicum experience, students should consult the Nursing MSN Program Handbook for important information on the program’s required practicum component before selecting this major. Applicants must complete and return the Acknowledgement of Receipt of the Handbook form prior to enrolling in the MSN program. For questions regarding the handbook or form, please contact the MSN Program Chair. The handbook and form may be accessed via the links below:

MSN Program Handbook - Updated 2019-2020

Acknowledgement of Receipt of the Handbook

Clinical Practicum Documentation Checklist

MSN Degree Details

Tuition Costs

2019 - 2020 Tuition	Cost Per Credit
Standard tuition per credit hour	$670
Current service members	$536

Program Learning Outcomes

A learning outcome map functions as a roadmap to help guide students' progress through their program of study. It shows where each outcome is Introduced (I), Reinforced (R), and Assessed (A) within the program's curriculum.
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
NURS 612	I	I	I	I	I	I	I	I	I
NURS 650				R	R	R	R	R	R
NURS 644	R								R
NURS 646	R							R	R
NURS 648	R							R	R
NURS 693			R	R	R		R
HCM 735		R	R		R		R
HCM 752		R	R		R		R
NURS 795	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A

Synthesize theories and knowledge from nursing and related disciplines to develop a theoretical basis to guide practice in an advanced nursing role.
Apply leadership skills and decision making in the provision of high quality nursing care in diverse settings.
Provide leadership across the care continuum in diverse settings to promote high quality, safe, effective patient centered care.
Appraise, use, and participate in the extension of nursing knowledge through scientific inquiry.
Integrate current and emerging technologies into professional practice.
Demonstrate responsive leadership, collaboration, and management to influence the advancement of nursing practice and the profession of nursing and to influence health policy.
Employ collaborative strategies and effective communication to advocate for the role of the professional nurse as a member and leader of interprofessional teams.
Integrate clinical prevention and population health concepts to provide holistic, comprehensive nursing care for individual, families, and aggregates.
Demonstrate an advanced level of understanding of nursing and relevant sciences and integrate this knowledge into practice.

Degree Requirements

To be awarded a graduate degree, students must:

Successfully complete all required curriculum courses.
Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00.
Complete the residency requirement:
1. M.S. in Nursing students must earn in residence at Franklin University at least 26 of the 38 required credits.
Complete the payment of all requisite tuition and fees;
Not to be under disciplinary dismissal due to academic dishonesty or violation of Student Code of Conduct.

Transfer credit awarded based on experiential learning shall not count toward the residence requirement at Franklin University.

Admission Requirements

The admission process reflects Franklin University’s efforts to clearly identify the performance standards that can help predict student success in graduate level study. The selection criterion for Franklin’s graduate programs, as determined by faculty, emphasizes academic ability, contributory work experience, and personal qualities and characteristics.

Requirements for admission include having earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. The bachelor's degree final cumulative GPA must be at least a 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, otherwise a graduate entrance exam may be required. The candidate’s work history, references, and other personal qualities and characteristics will be considered as well if the GPA requirement is not met. Click here to view the Admissions Checklist: Graduate Nursing Programs.

Recommended Application Deadlines

Fall 2019
July 15, 2019

Spring 2020
November 18, 2019

No Summer Start

Program Prerequisites

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution.

Evidence of Active Nursing License

Applicants must have a valid, active and clear/unencumbered RN license in the U.S. or in a jurisdiction that is an associate member of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCBSN).

Applicants holding the equivalent of an RN licensure or certification outside the U.S. must submit a Credential Evaluation Services (CES) Academic Report from the Council of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).
All students must maintain licensure throughout the program of study.
License information should be submitted here.

English Language Testing & TOEFL IELTS

Prospective students must demonstrate English Language Proficiency. The requirement is met through any of the following:

The applicant is a citizen of a country where English is the official language.*
The applicant has received a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an institution located in an English-speaking country in which the courses were taught in English.*
The applicant has earned appropriate scores on language proficiency exams taken within the last two years, as listed in the Academic Catalog.

*For more information about English proficiency, including a list of English-speaking nations, please visit our International Students section.

MSN Career Opportunities

Nurse Consultant

Nurse consultants are independent contractors who identify problems and develop solutions for healthcare clients.

Research Nurse

Research nurses can use their clinical and data-collection skills to manage protocols in a clinical trial, while also making sure that patients understand their options.

Nurse Educator

Nurse educators work at community colleges, at hospitals or at four-year institutions to teach aspiring nurses by developing curriculum, teaching courses or observing students in clinical environments.

Nurse Administrator

Nurse administrators lead teams of nurses, as well as oversee operational aspects for a department including budgeting, staffing and ensuring that regulatory requirements are met.

MSN Employment Outlook

MSN Knowledge & Skillsets

Gain in-demand skills sought by employers with curriculum that teaches you:

Nursing Leadership

Advance excellence in professional nursing practice within an integrated patient-centered team care model, support population health and clinical quality initiatives
Plan, organize, develop and direct nursing operations in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations
Provide professional nursing expertise in the assessment of patient needs, development of action plans, aiding in goal accomplishment and monitoring progress
Collaborate with health professionals and providers in planning, evaluating and implementing programs and services to address the health needs of persons served
Provide information, instruction and direction to nursing staff to assure the best possible level of care to patients
Assess the knowledge, skills, techniques, procedures and performance of the nursing staff and personnel
Work collaboratively with physician leadership to maintain values and goals in daily operations and create an environment that supports the nursing professional practice

Nursing Research & Education

Use current research to improve nursing practice and to guide the development of standards for nursing care
Provide education, training and in-service opportunities to nursing staff regarding patient care, clinical findings, survey preparedness and areas of concern
Develop, assess and maintain nursing education that supports and promotes quality improvement
Identify and research opportunities to improve care and implement programs to do so
Review and analyze quality initiative data monthly and assist in development and implementation of corrective action plans

Health Policy & Procedures

Review policies, handbooks, strategic plans, operating plans and contracts
Provide accurate consultation and interpretations of governmental regulations applicable to nursing services and activities
Identify and evaluate areas of concern pursuant to quality nursing care as it relates to state and federal regulations
Provide education and in-service training on topics to include but not limited to techniques, procedures, regulations, company policies and other information
Collaborate with nursing leadership to coordinate and implement nursing guidelines, clinical program initiatives and processes and monitor outcomes

Nursing Care & Practice

Provide compassionate, evidenced based and efficient care to individuals, families, communities and patient populations
Display knowledge of medical terminology, clinical prevention, disease process and current clinical diagnostic procedures and treatments
Order, interpret and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patients’ clinical problems and health care needs
Monitor delivery, coordination of care and outcomes of services that have been delivered
Ensure aggressive management of individual health needs when indicated by adverse change in medical or health status
Administer and oversee medication and physical treatments as ordered by the physician
Report possible communicable diseases or infections and works closely with nursing staff to address the situation

About the MSN Program

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a M.S. in Nursing degree?

An M.S. in Nursing is a professional degree that prepares registered nurses for greater levels of responsibility, leadership opportunities and specialization.

What can you do with an M.S. in Nursing degree?

An M.S. in Nursing enables you to specialize within the nursing field, become a nurse educator or work toward a doctorate.

Why get an M.S. in Nursing degree?

An M.S. in Nursing prepares you for advancement, specialization or teaching. The MSN is also a pre-requisite for a doctorate in nursing.

What makes Franklin’s M.S. in Nursing degree unique?

Coursework for Franklin’s accelerated MSN program can be completed online and instructors introduce a wealth of in-field experience to the curriculum, which is informed by industry leaders.

How long does it take to get an M.S. in Nursing degree?

Franklin's M.S. in Nursing is designed specifically in-career professionals -- that means you could finish your MSN degree in as few as 24 months.

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Franklin University is committed to being an inclusive community free from all forms of discrimination and harassment.

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Advance your practice with an MSN degree

Take the next step toward your degree!

Finish in 18 Months

Accredited

Online Coursework

Contemporary Curriculum

Learn from the Best

MSN Degree Overview

Grow your nursing knowledge to improve the healthcare experience

Elevate your patient care skills with a relevant online MSN degree

Leverage your master's in Nursing to expand your research capabilities

Tailor your BSN-MSN degree to your professional goals

Earn an accredited master's in nursing degree

MSN Courses & Curriculum

MSN Degree Details

Recommended Application Deadlines

Program Prerequisites

Entrance Exam

English Language Testing & TOEFL IELTS

Request Free Information!

Request Information

MSN Career Opportunities

Nurse Consultant

Research Nurse

Nurse Educator

Nurse Administrator

MSN Employment Outlook

From 2017-2027 jobs in Nursing are expected to increase by 15%

Source information provided by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI).

MSN Knowledge & Skillsets

About the MSN Program

Frequently Asked Questions

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Advance your practice with an MSN degree

Take the next step toward your degree!

Finish in 18 Months

Accredited

Online Coursework

Contemporary Curriculum

Learn from the Best

Grow your nursing knowledge to improve the healthcare experience

Elevate your patient care skills with a relevant online MSN degree

Leverage your master's in Nursing to expand your research capabilities

Tailor your BSN-MSN degree to your professional goals

Earn an accredited master's in nursing degree

Recommended Application Deadlines

Program Prerequisites

Entrance Exam

English Language Testing & TOEFL IELTS

Request Free Information!

Request Information

We're Sorry

Nurse Consultant

Research Nurse

Nurse Educator

Nurse Administrator

From 2017-2027 jobs in Nursing are expected to increase by 15%

Source information provided by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI).

I AM A:

SHORTCUTS:

Associated Sites