Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Program Options

50 best online master of science in nursing degrees Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing offers a wide range of MSN programs.

All programs are designed for online delivery to meet the needs of the busy professional nurse desiring to advance knowledge and skills. The College of Nursing is recognized as one of the 50 best Master of Science in Nursing online degree programs in the nation.

The College also ranks among the nation’s Most Affordable Online Colleges for its nurse practitioner program.

2020 most affordable online courses

Program Outcomes

The graduate of the master’s degree program is able to:

1. Integrate theory, research and practice using critical thinking to promote safe and high quality patient care for individuals and populations in a variety of settings.  

2. Practice autonomously in a variety of professional roles to respond to the social, economic, ethical, political and legal issues impacting the needs of patients and the nursing profession.

3. Express caring in professional interactions which supports the values and promotes the growth and self-actualization of individuals, groups and communities.

4. Provide interprofessional collaborative leadership within the dynamic health care system in a culturally diverse society.

5. Synthesize the principles of education and practice to advocate for  interventions that promote, maintain, and restore health for individuals and populations.
 

6. Analyze factors for delivering high quality patient care through utilization of informatics and technology.

Plan of Study

Upon admission, each student will be assigned an academic advisor.

The student is required to communicate with the advisor to develop a plan of study to assure that professional and educational goals and needs are met.

The plan of study will be reviewed each semester and revised as needed.

Online Classes

African-American woman with laptop studying online The Master of Nursing programs are offered via online education using a learning management system. This allows students to view course materials, check course calendars and participate in discussions.

Online education courses may use synchronous or asynchronous modalities to deliver course content.

The learning management system allows you to interact and collaborate with course faculty and classmates and do coursework from the convenience of your own setting.

Some clinical courses for FNP, AGACNP, and PMHNP require short campus visits. FNP and AGACNP programs meet on campus one time for each practicum course.

Admission Criteria

  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Please include all names associated with the transcipt for filing purposes.
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a program accredited regionally and accredited by ACEN, CNEA or CCNE.
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8/4.0
  • Evidence of completion of undergraduate health assessment and nursing research with a minimum grade of “C” in both courses.
  • Proof of current, unencumbered licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse.
  • NNP: Must have the equivalent of at least two years of full-time clinical experience as an RN in a Level III or IV NICU within the past five years before starting clinical courses. May start theory courses without the required clinical experience and must hold and maintain a current Neonatal Resuscitation Program certificate.
  • Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner students must have one year of experience (or the equivalent) in psych-mental health within the last five years prior to starting the psych-mental health specific theory or practicum courses.
  • Evidence of one year professional nursing experience preferred.
  • College may request to interview applicant.

Application Checklist

  1. Application
  2. $50 Application Fee
  3. Official College Transcripts
  4. Copy of current license to practice as a Registered Nurse.

Distance Education Student Eligibility by State:

All applicants are welcome to apply. However, due to restrictions on distance education imposed by individual states, the College cannot accept students that are residents of the following states (11-25-20).

Alabama

Alaska

Arkansas- curriculum may not prepare you for licensure in AK

Arizona

California-curriculum may not prepare you for licensure in CA

Colorado

District of Columbia

Georgia

Idaho

Kansas- curriculum may not prepare you for licensure in KS

Louisiana

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

New Mexico

North Dakota

New York

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Dakota

Tennessee

Utah

Washington

Wyoming

 

 

 

 

The College has met state specific distance education requirements and has been given permission by the Board of Higher Education to provide this Post-Master's DNP education to students in all states except the ones in the table above. Students can contact the State Board of Nursing for further information. See below for addresses.

Your state not listed or other questions? If you are a potential out of state applicant and you do not see your state listed above or if you have other questions, please contact the Graduate Dean at (309) 655-2230 to determine the College’s authorization to offer distance education in your home state.

State

State Board of Nursing Web Address

Alabama

www.abn.alabama.gov

Alaska

https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/professionallicensing/boardofnursing.aspx

Arizona

https://www.azbn.gov/

Arkansas

https://portal.arkansas.gov/service/ar-nursing-license-verification-and-status-portal/

California

www.rn.ca.gov/

Colorado

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dora/Nursing

Connecticut

http://www.ct.gov/dph/site/default.asp

Delaware

https://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/nursing/

Florida

http://floridasnursing.gov/

Georgia

https://www.ncsbn.org/Georgia.htm

Hawaii

https://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/nursing/

Idaho

http://ibn.idaho.gov/IBNPortal/

Illinois

http://nursing.illinois.gov/ - Meets APN licensure requirements.

Indiana

https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/nursing-home/

Iowa

https://nursing.iowa.gov/

Kansas

http://www.ksbn.org/

Kentucky

https://kbn.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx

Louisiana

http://www.lsbn.state.la.us/

Maine

http://www.maine.gov/boardofnursing

Maryland

http://mbon.maryland.gov

Massachusetts

https://www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-registration-in-nursing

Michigan

http://www.msbn.ms.gov/Pages/Home.aspx

Minnesota

https://mn.gov/boards/nursing/  - Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist students only

Mississippi

https://www.msbn.ms.gov/

Missouri

http://www.pr.mo.gov/nursing.asp

Montana

https://www.ncsbn.org/Montana.htm

Nebraska

https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/pages/nurse-licensing.aspx

Nevada

https://nevadanursingboard.org/.org/

New Hampshire

https://www.oplc.nh.gov/new-hampshire-board-nursing

New Jersey

https://www.ncsbn.org/New%20Jersey.htm

New Mexico

https://nmbon.sks.com/

New York

http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/

North Carolina

https://www.ncbon.com/

North Dakota

https://www.ndbon.org/

Ohio

http://www.nursing.ohio.gov/

Oklahoma

https://oklahoma.gov/nursing.html - Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students only

Oregon

https://www.oregon.gov/osbn/Pages/index.aspx

Pennsylvania

https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/Nursing/Pages/default.aspx

Rhode Island

http://www.health.ri.gov/for/nurses

South Carolina

http://www.llr.state.sc.us/pol/nursing

South Dakota

https://doh.sd.gov/boards/Nursing/

Tennessee

https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/health-professional-boards/nursing-board.html

Texas

https://www.bon.texas.gov/

Utah

https://dopl.utah.gov/nurse/index.html

Vermont

https://sos.vermont.gov/nursing/

Virginia

https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/nursing

Washington

http://www.doh.wa.gov/

West Virginia

http://www.wvrnboard.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Wisconsin

https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/RulesStatutes/Nursing.aspx

Wyoming

https://nursing-online.state.wy.us/