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Course Catalog Resources

Master of Science in Nursing Education (MSNEd) Core Course Descriptions

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MSN 506 : Professional Transitions: Clinician to Educator
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 3 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 45 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: This course focuses on the theoretical foundations and practical strategies essential for successful educational practice. Learners will explore core concepts of teaching and learning in nursing education, including curriculum development, instructional design, and assessment methods. They will deepen their understanding of the principles of adult learning and how to apply them effectively in an educational setting. Learners will examine the role of the nurse educator in facilitating the professional development of nursing learners and practicing nurses. They will learn strategies for creating a positive learning environment, promoting critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills, and fostering interprofessional collaboration. Additionally, this course will cover the ethical and legal considerations specific to nursing education. Learners will examine professional standards and guidelines for nurse educators and explore strategies for ensuring learner and patient safety in the educational setting.

 

MSN 560 : Teaching Advanced Assessment Across the Lifespan
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 3 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 45 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour None
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: This course emphasizes the transfer of knowledge to clinical practice as graduate learners apply teaching-learning theory and assessment techniques to the healthcare of clients of all ages and the education of professional caregivers. Analysis and synthesis of assessment findings are related to relevant client history, cultural and psychosocial client characteristics, normal anatomy and physiology, and normal growth and development.

 

MSN 575 : Advanced Pathopharmacological Foundations
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 4 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 60 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour.
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: This course is an in-depth exploration of the connection between pathophysiology and pharmacology in nursing practice. It is designed to equip nurse educators with advanced knowledge and skills in understanding the underlying mechanisms of diseases and the pharmacological interventions used in their treatment. Additionally, this course covers teaching strategies for effective pathopharmacology education, including the design of learning experiences, instructional methods, and technologies that facilitate learner mastery and engagement.

 

MSN 586 : Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 2 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 30 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour.
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: This course is a study of program planning processes for health promotion, disease prevention, screening, and anticipatory guidance to all populations, including special populations, across the lifespan. Graduate learners will explore methods of population-focused health assessment in the community, individuals, and families.

 

MSN 590 : Health Policy, Legislation, Economics and Ethics
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 3 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 45 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour.
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: Social, political, and economic factors influence policies that impact health outcomes in communities, nationally and globally. Nurse leaders need to understand the determinants of health as well as how legal and regulatory processes, healthcare finances, research, the role of professional organizations, and special interest groups/lobbyists impact health outcomes. This course provides a framework for understanding the organization of healthcare delivery and financing systems in the U.S. and other nations. It addresses how policies are made and the factors that influence policies at local, national, and global levels, impacting health/wellness and the nursing profession. The roles of values, ethical theories, stakeholder interests, research, and recent legislation related to health policy and health outcomes will be explored. The graduate learner will gain expertise in effecting change through active participation in influencing or developing policies that impact health.

 

MSN 592 : Evidence-Based Practice
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 3 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 45 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour.
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: This course explores the methodology and application of nursing research and its relevance to advanced practice nursing, nursing education, nursing practice, and the learner’s specialty focus area. Emphasis is on research design, implementation, and application of research. The graduate learner will also explore evidence-based practice models, quality improvement models, and grading levels of evidence.

 

MSN 598 : Health Informatics for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 3 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 45 (Didactic Contact)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour.
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: This course examines a variety of informatic theories, models, and issues within complex healthcare systems. Graduate learners will examine complementary roles of master’s level-prepared nursing information technology professionals, informaticists and quality officers. Content is directed toward assisting the student to understand system planning, analysis, implementation, and evaluation. Learners will analyze current and emerging technologies; data management; ethical legal and regulatory best-practice evidence; and bio-health informatics using decision-making support systems at the point of care. This course will emphasize the role of the Advanced Practice Nurse in clinical area such as telehealth and mobile health.

 

MSN 620 : Advanced Family Health in Primary Care Settings Practicum 11
Delivery Modality: Distance education and practicum experiences
Semester Credits: 1
Contact Hours: 45 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: The learner will complete a total of 45 practicum hours in this course.
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: MSN 580, MSN 582, MSN 584, MSN 586, MSN 588, MSN 590
Corequisites: None
Requisites: MSN 594, MSN 600, MSN 604, MSN 608
Description: This one (1) credit hour supervised practicum experience will provide the learner with an opportunity to synthesize and apply advanced practice nursing skills and knowledge regarding the assessment, diagnosis, and management of care among children, adolescents, pregnant women, adults, and older adults in primary care settings. Learners will function under the mentorship of course faculty and work in collaboration with qualified preceptors. In addition, the learner will build academic and clinical advanced practice nursing capacity within the APRN overarching competency areas and role domains including, but not limited to, 1) scientific foundation, 2) leadership, 3) quality, 4) practice inquiry, 5) technology and information literacy, 6) policy, 7) health delivery systems, 8) ethics, and 9) independent practice. NOTE: Learners are responsible for a total accumulation of 18 credits/810 contact hours of practicum experience throughout the entire program. The practicum courses are typically developed in one (1) credit hour/45 contact hour increments to allow for learner flexibility in scheduling and completing the required program practicum hours.

 

MSN 640 : Curriculum & Instruction in Nursing
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 3 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 45 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: This course is an examination of the philosophical and historical influences in nursing education within a contemporary context for curriculum development. Graduate learners will explore curriculum development, educational philosophy, theories and models, instruction and evaluation, as well as e-learning, simulations, and current technology in nursing education. The course will use pedagogical frameworks for designing and implementing instructional experiences to develop curricular objectives, select and organize content, and plan program evaluation strategies.
MSN 645 : Assessment and Evaluation in Nursing Education
Delivery Modality: Distance education and practicum experiences
Semester Credits: 3
Contact Hours: 45 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: The learner will complete a total of 45 practicum hours in this course.
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: This course is designed to provide advanced nursing education learners with a comprehensive understanding of assessment and evaluation strategies specific to nursing education. The course focuses on equipping learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively assess the learning outcomes of nursing learners and evaluate the overall effectiveness of nursing education programs. The course emphasizes both theoretical concepts and practical applications in the field of nursing education assessment.
MSN 660 : Teaching Methodology in Nursing
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 3 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 45 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: This course is an examination of role development and practical methods for effective teaching. The course will examine the selection, application, and evaluation of teaching tools and strategies in the context of health education, continuing education, staff development, and classroom and clinical instruction.

 

MSN 665 : Facilitating Learning in the Online Environment
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 1 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 15 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: None
Description: This course focuses on developing the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively facilitate learning in an online educational setting. Learners will explore various aspects of online learning and gain an understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities it presents. They will delve into the principles of instructional design, andragogical strategies, and technology integration that are specific to online education in nursing.

 

MSN 670 : Nursing Education and Integrative Practicum Experience
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 4 (Integrative Practicum)
Contact Hours: 180 (Integrative Practicum)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: MSN 620, MSN 640, and MSN 660
Corequisites: MSN 680
Requisites: None
Description: This course is one (1) of the final two (2) courses in the MSNEd Program. Learners work in this course concurrently with MSN 680: Nursing Education Capstone course to complete a program summative project to demonstrate achievement of course and program outcomes. The Nursing Education Field Experience provides the graduate learner with an opportunity to work collaboratively within the employing organization to address an identified nursing problem, need, or gap in current practices. Learners then work to promote a practice change, quality improvement, or innovation that is based on the existing evidence and best practices.

 

MSN 680 : Nursing Education Capstone
Delivery Modality: Distance (Online Didactic Instruction)
Semester Credits: 2 (Didactic Only)
Contact Hours: 30 (Online Didactic)
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: MSN 620, MSN 640, and MSN 660
Corequisites: MSN 670
Requisites: None
Description: This course is one (1) of the final two (2) courses in the MSNEd Program. Learners work in this course concurrently with MSN 670: Nursing Education Field Experience course to complete a program summative project to demonstrate achievement of course and program outcomes. The capstone course is a scholarly project that addresses an issue, need, gap, or opportunity resulting from an identified need in nursing education or healthcare. The capstone project provides the opportunity for the graduate learner to demonstrate competency through design, application, and evaluation of advanced nursing knowledge and higher-level leadership skills to ultimately improve health outcomes.

 

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