Benedictine University – Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs

The Department of Nursing and Health at Benedictine University offers an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with two concentration paths: Nurse Executive Leader or Nurse Educator. There is also a dual MSN/MBA degree available that is profiled in the MBA section of our site. Applicants must have earned a BSN from an accredited institution and be a licensed RN. The Nurse Executive Leader concentration is designed for nurses seeking management and upper-level management roles. The degree focuses on effective communication, collaboration and conflict resolution, strategic and critical thinking skills, organization, human resources, and budgeting.

The Nurse Educator concentration is designed for nurses seeking to educate patients about medication use, continuing care and preventive care, as well as to prepare other nurses in improving patient quality of care. The program focuses on curriculum development, teaching skills, and evaluation. The curriculum covers physiology, pathophysiology, physical health assessment, and pharmacology.

The online MSN degree is 100% online with no campus visits required. Students are required to complete 140 hours of practicum experience. The Nurse Executive Leader concentration consists of 36 credits, while the Nurse Educator concentration comprises 39 credits. The program is offered part-time and can be completed in 2 years by taking one course per 8-week session. Start dates are offered three times per year, and courses run six times per year in January, March, May, June, August, and October.

Benedictine University delivers courses asynchronously through the Engage Learning Management System (LMS). Benedictine follows the best practices of the Community of Inquiry (Col) framework to maintain an interactive, collaborative learning environment for online students. Therefore the online learning environment offers many opportunities for collaboration and interaction through virtual webinars, live chats, including coffee chats, online discussion boards, and online student groups. Faculty makes themselves readily available through weekly office hours, participation in the online activities, and through student feedback.

Foundation courses for the MSN include Ethical and Culturally Competent Healthcare Professional; Health Promotion and Interprofessional Collaboration; Evidence-Based Nursing Practice: Research and Process Improvement; Quality Improvement and Safety in Healthcare; and Healthcare Policy and Advocacy. Students in both concentration paths also complete two practicums totaling 140 clock hours in the courses Advanced Nursing Practice: Clinical Immersion and Advanced Nursing Practice: Capstone Project Implementation.

Nurse Executive Leader concentration courses include Building Effective Communication and Relationships; Professionalism and Executive Career Development; Nursing Leadership and Systems Thinking; Financial Management and Resource Allocation; and Advanced Knowledge of Healthcare Systems.

Nurse Educator concentration courses include Advanced Health Assessment; Advanced Pathophysiology; Curriculum Development; Evaluation Strategies and Methods; Instructional Strategies; and Advanced Pharmacology.

Benedictine University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The MSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).