Influence the Next Generation of Nurses with an MSN in Nursing Education

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With increasing numbers of nursing faculty retiring in the next few years, a growing need exists for nurse educators to help develop the next generation of skilled, compassionate nurses. Azusa Pacific University’s Master of Science in Nursing in Nursing Education program offers comprehensive preparation for teaching nursing in academic and clinical settings.

You’ll study alongside experienced nurse educators and benefit from specialized coursework built on a strong foundation of ethics and compassion taught from a Christian worldview. Graduates of the master’s in nursing education program will be prepared as transformational nurse educators ready to impact 21st-century health care and nursing education.

Choose a Program Format That Meets Your Needs

Choose from three program format options designed to support working professionals:

• Fully Online: Complete the program entirely online.
• Mostly Online: Complete most courses online and take some core courses face-to-face at our Azusa, Inland Empire, or San Diego locations.
• Hybrid High Desert Option: Complete 40 percent of the program online and 60 percent face-to-face at APU’s High Desert Regional Campus.

MSN Program Highlights

• Develop conceptual and analytic skills, and the competencies required to teach nursing in academic, vocational, and health care organizations.
• Fulfill the educational and practical requirements to sit for the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) exam.
• Learn from experienced faculty-practitioners who provide opportunities for students to put course material into practice.
• Focus on topics such as health care policy, nursing theory, advanced practice nursing, educational technology in nursing, and more from a nurse educator perspective. (View Nursing Education courses.)
• No post-RN experience is required for admission, so students can start immediately after completing their undergraduate education. Only a BSN and RN license are required.
• This program also qualifies for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program to help pay for your master’s degree. Learn about the benefits and requirements of the NFLP.

For those who already have an MSN, APU also offers a post-master’s certificate in nursing education.

Become a Nurse Educator

Nursing educators are current and former nurses desiring to teach, train, and mentor nurse professionals to positively impact health care. Becoming a nurse educator requires nursing experience combined with preparation to teach in a variety of settings, including traditional and non-traditional academic settings, online/distance settings, and clinical and community settings. Nursing faculty teach at all levels of the field based on their experience, areas of speciality, and clinical skills.

APU’s MSN in Nursing Education degree prepares nurses with the knowledge and skills to fulfill these essential teaching roles using cutting-edge technology and teaching-learning methods. The program is aligned with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing and the National League for Nursing’s (NLN) Core Competencies for Nurse Educators.

Philosophy

Consistent with the mission and purpose of the university, the School of Nursing is a Christian community of disciples, scholars, and practitioners. Its purpose is to advance the work of God in the world through nursing education, research, professional practice, community, and church service.

Health is defined and understood by the faculty as totality or completeness, whether for an individual, family, or community. That totality or completeness, within this conceptual definition, cannot be seen apart from the constitutive element of spirituality. Our conceptual approach to health highlights our distinctive role as a Christian university and provides the discipline of nursing with a distinctive domain for research, education, and advanced nursing practice.

School of Nursing Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice at Azusa Pacific University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The traditional baccalaureate nursing program, upper-division transfer (2+2/LVN to BSN) programs, entry-level master’s program, and the nurse practitioner program are approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. Azusa Pacific University (APU) is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).