Nursing (MSN)
Dedicate Yourself to Excellence in Nursing
Step into a nursing leadership or educator role in just a year when you earn your MSN online at Illinois College. The program is pending CCNE accreditation and offers concentrations in Leadership/Administration or Education and allows you to learn when it’s best for you. Class sizes are kept small, so you get the personalized attention you need to learn advanced nursing concepts and the support you need to move forward in your career.
Throughout your program, you’ll learn from expert faculty with more than 30 years of experience who are dedicated to promoting excellence in nursing and teaching you to do the same.
You’ll learn how to direct patient-centered care, including how to communicate, build teams, implement evidence- and research-based practice, reach quality outcomes, and perform advanced assessments.
On the business side of nursing, you’ll learn how to practice fiscal responsibility, have win/win negotiations, plan strategically, become a true leader and see improvements.
Designed so you can move forward with your education and career goals alongside demanding schedules, you’ll learn online when and where it’s best for you. And, if a long-term challenge comes up, IC has a Step Out policy that won’t penalize you for having to take a break in your program.
Pursue Your MSN Online So You Can:
- Integrate scientific findings from nursing, biopsychosocial sciences, genetics, public health, quality improvement and organizational sciences to continually improve nursing care across diverse settings.
- Promote safe, quality client/patient-centered care; role model ethical and critical decision-making; and sustain a healthy work environment using organizational and systems leadership knowledge and skills.
- Articulate the methods, tools, performance measures and standards related to delivering safe, quality care, and apply quality principles within an organization/system.
- Act as a change agent as you apply research outcomes within the practice setting, resolve practice issues and problems, and disseminate results.
- Deliver and enhance safe, quality care and use communication technologies to integrate and coordinate transitions in care using patient-care technology.
- Intervene at a systems’ level through the policy development process and employ advocacy strategies to influence health and health care.
- Manage and coordinate safe, quality care using delegation, communication, collaboration and consultation strategies as a leader of interprofessional teams.
- Integrate broad, organizational, patient/client-centered and culturally appropriate concepts in planning, delivering, managing and evaluating evidence-based clinical prevention and population care and services to individuals, families and aggregates/identified populations.
- Influence healthcare outcomes for individuals, families, groups, communities, populations and/or systems.
The Online MSN Program Is Designed for Working Nurses Who Want To:
- Understand and promote advanced nursing practices that result in stronger outcomes
- Expand their reach in healthcare and advance to leadership positions
- Promote excellence in teaching and learning for the next generation of nursing students
Faculty
Pamela Brown | MSN
Education Background
- BSN Nursing | Quincy University
- M.S. Nursing | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- Ph.D. Nursing | Wayne State University
Field Experience
I am a strong and longtime supporter of professional nurses, the profession of nursing, ethical nursing practice and nursing education.
I have served at varying levels of leadership at the state and national level.
I am currently the Treasurer for ANA-Illinois and serve on the ANA-Illinois Expert Panel on Workplace Safety. Past positions include Chair of the Illinois Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the Illinois Coalition for Nursing Resources.
In my career, I have held positions of staff and charge nurse, middle manager, Director, and most recently as President/CEO for Blessing-Reiman College of Nursing.
I have served as a longtime member of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She has volunteered for Sexual Assault Prevention and Intervention Services (SAPIS) in Adams County as well as for the Quincy Area Network Against Domestic Abuse (QUANADA).
What Else?
- I earned a certificate for teaching the Gentle Art of Verbal Self Defense (GAVSD) and present programs on the GAVSD, professional communications and assertive communications.
- I have expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Courses and Admissions
Learn to Promote Excellence in Nursing
At Illinois College, our online MSN program prepares you for excellence in nursing at all levels. You’ll learn advanced nursing concepts and choose a concentration in Leadership/Administration or Education. Whether you remain in clinical care, choose to educate nurses, or lead healthcare changes that promote positive outcomes, you’ll meet your career goals and promote best practices in nursing. To earn the degree, you’ll complete 36 semester hours and two practicums in your concentration.
Courses
Course Description Credits NU 510 Analysis of philosophy and theoretical models in nursing. Students conduct concept analysis and develop a mid-range theory relevant to directly or indirectly improving health promotion and patient care.4 NU 512 Students examine pathophysiological processes and pharmacological therapies related to common health conditions encountered in nursing practice settings. Students focus on analyzing health histories, physical assessment findings, test results, and medical treatments to design nursing care for a variety of patient populations.4 NU 514 Major assignment: Identify a healthcare problem or issue related to patient/client care, situate the issue within a mid-range nursing theory, conduct a literature review, evaluate researched based evidence, and write a research proposal. Students are required to complete or provide a current human research protection certificate from the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) on the HHS.gov website.4 NU 516 This course explores health policy development and implementation and its impact on healthcare regulation, delivery, and finance. There is a focus on wellness and promotion of health for local, national, and worldwide health initiatives. Students will define healthcare provider roles in health promotion, healthcare delivery, and quality improvement through activities related to health policy reform and finance.4 Course Description Credits NU 5/600 Level Examples of Possible Interdisciplinary Courses:- History of Higher Education
- Philosophy of Teaching
- Counseling
- Theory/Philosophy of Leadership
- Motivational Theories
- Communication/Negotiation
4 PS 543 A graduate level course for nursing that is offered asynchronously online. Topics include correlational designs, analyzing data in SPSS software, including correlations, regressions, and ANOVAs, and communication of research findings.4 Course Description Credits NU 610 This course focuses on theories, concepts, and principles from nursing and related disciplines to form a foundation for nursing leadership and administration. Theories of change, role, adaptation, need and leadership are investigated in relationship to advanced nursing practice. Students focus on healthcare finances, budgets, and providing efficient quality care. Students complete a 60-hour practicum, related to their change project, within a faculty approved health care agency or system.4 NU 612 This course explores human behavior at the individual, interpersonal and group levels, examines the effects of organizational structure on behavior in multi-cultural organizations, and studies practices and methods within the organization that promote or hinder a healthy work environment. Key concepts include ethical management and leadership, and the history and evolution of management and leadership in the United States.4 NU 614 This course focuses on leadership theory and the role of advanced practice nurses in leadership/ management, and as a colleague and/or consultant in health care systems. An emphasis is placed on transformational leadership and the leaders’ responsibility to create a healthy work environment, develop staff, and ensure safe. quality patient-centered care while complying with regulatory, legal and ethical standards.4 Course Description Credits NU 630 This course provides an introduction to curriculum development in nursing education. Core processes of curriculum development, scholarship in curriculum work, organization of curriculum, and ongoing evaluation for continuous improvement are emphasized. Examples of nursing curricula are available to students.4 NU 632 This course focuses on theories of teaching/learning and various approaches to classroom, clinical, and virtual learning. Key concepts include culture and diversity in the classroom, learning styles, socializing professional behaviors; strategies for innovation in teaching, action-focused thinking, use of technology and other media.4 NU 634 This course focuses on evaluation of student performance, evaluation of aggregates and evaluation of the nursing program. Key concepts include significance of giving and receiving feedback, formative and summative assessments, grading policies, perspectives on program evaluation, frameworks for program evaluation, and standards and processes of program evaluation.4
Admission Requirements
To qualify for admission to the online MSN applicants must have:
- A Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).
- Preference of one to two years of work experience as a minimum.
- Minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate course work.
- Official transcripts of all prior collegiate academic work.
- Evidence of satisfactory completion of introductory courses in statistics, nursing research and health assessment, or their equivalent, with a grade of "C" or better at the baccalaureate level.
- Evidence of licensure as a registered professional nurse in any state or territory of the United States.
- Evidence of liability and healthcare insurance.
- Current CPR certification.
- Evidence of the following immunization: Hepatitis, MMR, tetanus and diphtheria and an annual TB skin test.
- Criminal background check within 90 days prior to the first practicum experience – see MSN Handbook for details about the consequences of a failed background check. Based on the results of the criminal background check, students may be denied a practicum experience (which results in the inability to successfully complete the course), and may be dismissed from the program.
How to Apply
Candidates must submit:
- An online application
Apply for free at admission.ic.edu/apply - Official transcripts of all high school and/or college work completed
Tuition
At Illinois College, we feature a valuable education at a price you can afford.
| Curriculum Component | Cost | Total* |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition (36 credit hours) | $750 per credit hour | $27,000 |
| Fees (4 terms) | $50 per term | $200 |
| Total with Transfer Credits | $27,200 | |
Note: Tuition and fees are subject to change.
Career Outcomes
The need for MSN prepared nurses in leadership and educator positions is high, and we expect our MSN graduates to follow the history of excellence of our BSN graduates, 98% of whom were employed or in graduate school within a year of graduating.
Employment information from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
Why Illinois College?
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Advance Quickly
You can earn an online MSN and advance your career in just a year and start making a difference. Nursing program graduates have 100% placement rate before graduation.
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Be Career Ready
Learn advanced nursing concepts, complete a practicum and choose from two career-focused concentrations that prepare you for excellence for an in-demand role.
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Get Personalized Attention
On average, classes typically do not exceed 20 students, so you get the attention you need to help you learn advanced nursing concepts and focus on your career goals.
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Learn Excellence from Experts
Faculty have more than 30 years of experience in leadership/administration or education and hold terminal degrees in nursing or a related field.
Benefits of
Learning Online
Whether it’s increasing your paycheck or advancing your career, an online degree can help you go further.
View BenefitsFrequently Asked Questions
By pursuing an MSN degree, registered nurses can learn advanced nursing concepts and prepare to promote excellence in this field. After earning your MSN, you'll have qualifications for nurse leader, administrator and educator positions. You'll need a BSN to join Illinois College's online MSN program — review the Admission Requirements for more details.
Illinois College's online MSN program enables you to promote better patient care in your nursing practice. If you're interested in nurse leadership, our program can prepare you to sustain a healthy work environment, apply quality principles and act as a change agent within practice settings. You can also graduate ready to educate other nurses in practices for elevating patient-care standards.
Our MSN program prepares you to promote improved outcomes in your nursing practice or as a nurse educator. Select the Nursing Leadership/Administration concentration to gain expertise for leadership and management roles where you could improve nursing care in diverse settings. With the Nurse Education concentration, you can learn to apply innovative teaching strategies for equipping the next generation of nurses with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed.
At Illinois College, you can earn a Master of Science in Nursing degree online in 12 to 18 months. We accept up to four transfer credits, which can help you finish in less time.