As a registered nurse in the “Big Sky Country,” you can set yourself apart in the professional field by pursuing one of the Master’s in Nursing degree programs in Montana that have been fully accredited through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Despite being situated in the western region of the United States as the fourth largest state packed full of natural treasures like Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, Montana is home to just one accredited master’s degree program that offers three specialty area tracks for advanced practice nursing. Since there are not many options when it comes to master’s level nursing graduate degrees in nursing for Montana, enrolling in one of the following tracks will place you at the forefront of the field for practicing in the “Land of the Shining Mountains.”
Montana State University
College of Nursing
First established in 1893 as the state’s comprehensive four-year public land-grant institution with a legacy of excellence in education, creativity, research, and civic responsibility, Montana State University is based on a remarkable 1,780-acre urban campus at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in the city of Bozeman with satellite locations in Billings, Havre, and Great Falls. As one of just 108 institutions designated for having very high research activity nationwide by the prestigious Carnegie Foundation, MSU is currently ranked as the 201st best college, 117th top public school, and 52nd best university for military veterans in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report. With full accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the College of Nursing is also nationally acclaimed for having the 166th best graduating nursing degree programs in the United States.
Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs
MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) – As a five-semester program that requires the completion of at least 34 credits, the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) track aims to prepare graduates with the advanced leadership skills needed for application in today’s evolving healthcare delivery system across a broad range of medical settings. Since leaders must effectively function as team managers, information managers, client advocates, systems analysts, risk anticipators, educators, and active outcomes professionals, the program is focused on utilizing nursing team resources to serve as a vital partner in the interdisciplinary healthcare team. In order to apply, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited upper-division program with supervised clinical experience and a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher.
MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) – Designed to prepare advanced practice nurses who demonstrate clinical expertise, scholarship, judgment, advocacy, and leadership for providing the highest level of nursing practice in primary healthcare settings, the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track follows a holistic approach that emphasizes both care and cure. For working with patients across the age spectrum from infancy through late adulthood, the program provides academic knowledge with the practical clinical skills needed for disease prevention, health promotion, assessment, and illness management. In the three-year program, students will take courses in family nursing theory, primary healthcare practice, socio-cultural issues, leadership preparation, family nursing intervention, and diagnosis/assessment.
MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) – Within an innovative flexible online format to meet the diverse learning needs of working registered nurses, the MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program track is strongly based on preparing nurses for providing individual, group, and family counseling as well as psycho-pharmaceutical management in various mental health settings. After completion of the three-year program and its 620 supervised clinical hours within an approved setting performing holistic assessments to treat common psychiatric disorders, all graduates are qualified to sit for the licensure examination from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Accreditations
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Contact Information
Sherrick Hall Room 126
1500 University Drive
P.O. Box 173560
Bozeman, MT 59717
(406) 994-3500
nursing@montana.edu
While there are currently abundant opportunities in today’s booming healthcare marketplace for registered nurses at the baccalaureate level, earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree can go a long ways towards enjoying higher salary potentials, greater employability, stronger job stability, and more qualifications for leadership roles. If you are interested in advancing your nursing expertise in a unique niche of advanced practice nursing in the “Treasure State,” be sure to check out these Master’s in Nursing degree programs in Montana.