For Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs in Pennsylvania (A-H), click here.
Pursuing one of the Master’s in Nursing Programs in Pennsylvania can open the doors to a wider variety of options and opportunities than what is often available to nurses with associate or bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree in nursing is often required for leadership or nurse practitioner positions in Pennsylvania, in addition to many speciality positions, such as psychiatric mental health, teaching, community health, midwifery, nurse anesthesia, nurse anesthesia or gerontological nursing. Earning a master’s degree is essential for nurses with specific specialization interests as many entry-level nurses are generalists. The following institutions offer accredited master’s in nursing programs in Pennsylvania.
Immaculata University
Division of Nursing
The Division of Nursing at Immaculata University offers RN to BSN programs, a traditional BSN program, a MSN program and school nursing certification. The department strives to develop educated, values-oriented and holistic practitioners that are committed to justice, service, truth and peace. All programs focus on scientific inquiry, research development and expanding knowledge. Students are encouraged to be innovators and leaders within a global health care system, while also fully embracing a holistic Christian worldview.
Master in Nursing Programs
At Immaculata University, there are two specialization options available for nurses seeking a MSN: Nursing Administration and Nursing Education. Both options are 39 credit hour programs, with general core requirements, nursing concentration requirements, specialization core courses and cross-disciplinary electives. The goals for both programs include passing certification examinations, developing a commitment to lifelong learning, building a foundation for doctoral studies, enhancing collaboration skills, and strengthening the ability to critically analyze research findings.
The Nursing Administration program is for practicing nurses who would like to take on entry-level, middle-level or advanced administration or management roles. The nursing education program is for those that would like to pursue academic appointments or provide healthcare counseling.
Accreditations
The nursing program at Immaculata University is accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education.
Contact
Immaculata University
1145 King Road
Immaculata, PA. 19345
610-647-4400 ext. 3215
[email protected]
https://www.immaculata.edu/academics/degrees-programs/nursing-m-s-n-graduate-studies/
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions
The Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania offers a full range of nursing programs designed to suit the needs of most nursing students. The bachelor’s programs include the following: BSN in Clinical Laboratory Science, BSN in Nuclear Medicine Technology, traditional BSN, BSN in Licensed Practical Nursing, a BSN in Respiratory Care and a certificate in gerontology. There are also two MSN tracks: administration and education. Finally, there is also a PhD in nursing. IUP houses several research centers and institutes in order to combine research and public service. Students can receive research assistance, archaeological surveys for emergency responder training an psychological assents, in addition to education and training opportunities, health and wellness screenings and community partnerships.
Master in Nursing Programs
Indiana University of Pennsylvania offers two options for master’s degrees in the field of nursing: a MSN–Administration Track and a MSN–Education Track. Both programs have full access to cutting-edge simulation labs, as well as flexible programs that incorporate part-time study, online courses or multiple campuses. The MSN programs also incorporate COR, which is a Simulation and Technology Certificate of Recognition program, which provides opportunities for leadership, curriculum design, pedagogical teaching strategies, simulation evaluation, informatics and technology use in the classrooms.
Accreditations
The nursing program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania is accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education.
Contact
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Nursing and Allied Health Professions Department
Johnson Hall, Room 210
1010 Oakland Avenue
Indiana, PA 15705
724-357-7647
[email protected]
https://www.iup.edu/rn-alliedhealth/grad/nursing-online-ms/
La Roche College
Department of Graduate Studies and Adult Education
The Department of Graduate Studies and Adult Education at La Roche College houses all of the institution’s graduate-level programs, including a MS in Accounting, a MS in Human Resources Management, a Master’s in Special Education, a Master of Science in Health Science–Nurse Anesthesia, a Master in Education and a Master of Science in Nursing. The MS in Special Education is a new program, first accepting applications in 2014. The focus of the department, and of the college of the hall, is career-oriented education built on a liberal arts and sciences background. All graduate prams encourage initiative, expertise and a commitment to using knowledge to make contributions to society and the field of nursing.
Master in Nursing Programs
At La Roche College, MSN students can pursue either an administration or an education specialization. Both programs focus on developing scholarly leaders with a strong critical thinking ability. Both programs have 18 hours of core courses. The administration track has an additional 18 credit hours of concentration courses, while the education track has 16 credit hours of specialization courses. Both programs require program applicants to have at least one to two years of clinical experience in a United States healthcare agency. International students must also complete work experience in a US healthcare agency, but may be able to meet those requirements at the same time as taking the program.
Accreditations
The nursing program at La Roche College is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia (COA).
Contact
La Roche College
900 Babcock Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA, 15237
(412) 367-9300
La Salle University
School of Nursing and Health Sciences
At the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at La Salle University, programs emphasize meeting the health needs of underserved, vulnerable and diverse populations. Students focus on scholarship, leadership, practice and research, while also serving the community. In fact, the School of NHS logged in nearly 80,000 hours of community-based experiences among 300 students. The school offers programs in health studies, public health, nursing, nutrition and speech-language-hearing science. The school also houses three centers and clinics: the Nursing Learning Resource Center, the Neighborhood Nursing Center and the Speech-Language-Hearing Community Clinic in order to connect the university to the community, offer students opportunities for hands-on learning and provide a base for clinical research.
Master in Nursing Programs
The School of Nursing and Health Sciences offers a wide variety of options for those considering a MSN: Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Clinical Nurse Leader, Nursing Administration/MBA, Nursing Service Administration, Nurse Anesthetist, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Public Health Nursing, Public Health Nursing/Master of Public Health and a RN to MSN Bridge Program. Courses for these programs are held at the main campus and at each of the three satellite campuses. Most of the programs require a BSN prior to acceptance into the program, except for the Nursing Service Administration, which has a prerequisite of a prior MBA, and the RN-MSN bridge program, which is for RNs that have a bachelors degree in a non-nursing field.
Students in the programs have access to the Neighborhood Nursing Center and the Nursing Learning Resource Center. The Neighborhood Nursing Center provides care for at-risk families in the community, and students provide immunizations, health screenings and disease-prevention services. The Nursling Learning Resource Center is the school’s simulation laboratory with both tutoring and simulation space available to students in the program.
Accreditations
The nursing program at La Salle University is accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education.
Contact
Graduate Nursing, and RN-BSN and RN-MSN Programs
La Salle University
1900 West Olney Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19141
215.951.1322
[email protected]
http://www.lasalle.edu/grad/index.php?section=msn&page=index
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
Health Sciences Department
Mansfield University’s Health Sciences Department offers several areas of study, from associate to master’s degrees. At the associate level, there are AAS programs in radiologic technology and respiratory therapy. At the BSN level, students can specialize in dietetics and nutrition, community health education or sports nutrition. Finally, there is a MSN program with specializations in nurse educator or nursing administration. The nursing program offers life-sized mannequin simulators with the ability to talk, breathe, cough and have a pulse. These high-tech simulations offer nurses the opportunity to gain essential hands-on experience in a realistic, but safe, manner, helping to prepare them for a variety of circumstances before they even see their first human patient.
Master in Nursing Programs
At Mansfield University, nurses have two specialization options available: Nurse Educator and Nursing Administration. Both programs train nurses to analyze the impact of cultural, social, economic, ethical and political influences on nursing education and practice, practice in a legal and ethical manner and exhibit a commitment to nursing excellence. The Nurse Educators track follows the NLN’s Core Competencies for Nurse Educators 2005 guidelines while the Nursing Administration track is based on the 2009 Scope and Standards of Practice.
Accreditations
The nursing program at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.
Contact
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
31 South Academy St. Ste. 1
Mansfield PA 16933
1.800.577.6826
https://www.mansfield.edu/health-sciences/
Millersville University
Department of Nursing
The Department of Nursing at Millersville University offers several programs at various levels, including a RN-BSN program, a MSN program with a nurse educator or FNP option, school nurse certification and school health services supervisory certification. The department also provides several unique and beneficial options, including a nursing honor society for those that demonstrate superior achievement, professional standards, creativity, leadership qualities and a commitment to the ideals of the profession. In addition, students have access to realistic simulations and a multitude of hands-on experiences designed to train nurses to work with a variety of situations.
Master in Nursing Programs
At Millersville University, nurses in the MSN program can specialize as a nurse educator or as a family/individual across the lifespan nurse practitioner. The nurse educator program requires 35 theory hours and 112 clinical hours in order to fully prepare graduates to teach at colleges and universities in the nurse education programs, or in healthcare agencies as a health educator. The nurse practitioner program has a required 43 theory hours and 672 clinical hours. The majority of the clinical hours are split between management of the young family, management of the mature and aging family and an internship. Program graduates will be qualified to practice as a nurse practitioner with infants, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly populations. They will also be qualified to diagnose and treat many common ailments.
Accreditations
The nursing program at Millersville University is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc.
Contact
Millersville University
PO Box 1002
Millersville, PA 17551-0302
717.872.3011
http://www.millersville.edu/nursing/msn/
Misericordia University
Nursing Department
The Nursing Department at Misericordia University is well-known for its high standards and quality. For the 2012-2013 testing year, Misericordia graduates had a NCLEX pass rate of over 98%, which is well over the national average. The university as a whole is dedicated to teaching and promoting interprofessional education (IPE). In the nursing department, this means that students are exposed to a variety of disciplines, including hard sciences, social sciences and the liberal arts. It also means that nursing students collaborate in teams with professionals from other disciplines while administering patient care. Each year, there is an annual IPE summer where faculty members from 11 universities in the region come together to provide interprofessional experience to students from 17 different disciplines.
Master in Nursing Programs
At Misericordia University, master’s-level nurses can specialize as a Family Nurse Practitioner. This program includes 45 credit hours and a minimum of 630 hours of direct clinical practice supervised by nurse practitioners and physician preceptors. Students in this program will be qualified to work with patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, upon graduation. The program consists of nursing core courses, advanced practice core courses, specialization courses, a capstone or research project and clinical experience. The courses are based on the ANA Standards and Scope of Nursing Practice, the AACN’s Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced Practice Nursing 2011, Healthy People 2020, and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies 2011.
Accreditations
The nursing program at Misericordia University is accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education.
Contact
Misericordia University
201 Lake St.
Dallas, PA 18612
(570) 674-6400
http://www.misericordia.edu/misericordia_pg.cfm?page_id=309&subcat_id=108
Neumann University
Department of Nursing and Health Sciences
The Department of Nursing and Health Sciences at Neumann University offers undergraduate programs in nursing and athletic training, as well as graduate programs in athletic training, adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner and family nurse practitioner. These programs focus on training nurses to train nurses using Franciscan values and traditions in a liberal arts and professional setting. Students are given the tools needed to increase their knowledge and develop the skills and attitudes necessary to practice in a competent, ethical and professional manner. All of the programs focus on developing a desire to fulfill both professional and societal responsibilities through advanced scientific knowledge, interdisciplinary education and clinical experience. All students are encouraged to take an active role in public service and professional opportunities at the local, state and national levels.
Master in Nursing Programs
Neumann University currently offers an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGNP) track as part of its Master of Science in Nursing program. In the past, Neumann has also offered a Nurse Educator track, but as of Summer 2014, the program was not taking new applications. The AGNP program is a 43 credit hour program, with 22 credits taken in the advanced practice nursing core and 21 credits taken in the clinical specialty. Program participants will be prepared to work with adolescents, adult, older adult and vulnerable adult populations in a variety of situations, from maintaining health to end-of-life care. Nurses in the program are trained to be humanistic, ethical and culturally competent experts in the field.
Accreditations
The nursing program at Neumann University is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc.
Contact
Neumann University
1 Neumann Dr.
Aston, PA 19014
800.9.NEUMANN
[email protected]
http://www.neumann.edu/academics/grad/nursing/index.asp
Pennsylvania State University
College of Nursing
Penn State’s College of Nursing offers a full range of educational programs in the field of nursing, including associate degrees, baccalaureate degrees, master’s degrees and doctoral degrees. At the doctoral level, three options exist at Penn State: a DNP program, a PhD program and a dual title PhD in nursing and bioethics. The master’s and doctoral programs both have options that are offered entirely online. Penn State also offers a BS-PhD program that also incorporates a MSN. All of the Penn State campuses offer nursing programs, but not all campuses have every option. Master’s degree options are available at the University Park and Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center campuses. Pennsylvania State University is one of the largest universities in the state, offering a wealth of resources, including world-class teaching facilities and faculty members, access to large university hospitals, a library with more than four million volumes and international opportunities around the globe.
Master in Nursing Programs
At Penn State University, nursing students have five options for specialization in the MSN program. The Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner options are available in a traditional campus-based program. The Nurse Educator and Nurse Administrator options are available online through Penn State World Campus. The campus-based programs are offered using synchronous videoconferencing between several of the university campuses, and students from any of the campuses are provided access to all of the university’s nursing and academic resources. All of the MSN programs include nine credits from the core program, three capstone credits and 24-25 specialization credit hours.
Accreditations
The nursing program at Pennsylvania State University is accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
Contact
College of Nursing
The Pennsylvania State University
201 Health and Human Development East
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-0245
[email protected]
https://www.nursing.psu.edu/
Philadelphia University
College of Science, Health and the Liberal Arts
One of the greatest benefits of enrolling in the College of Science, Health and Liberal Arts at Philadelphia University is the strong emphasis on interdisciplinary studies. Students often receive instruction or collaborate with professionals, faculty and students from other disciplines, combining chemistry, psychology, law, philosophy, medicine and nursing. Students in the nursing program may participate in mock trials with students in the law program, whereas students in the psychology department may also work with those in the chemistry department to learn about new pharmaceuticals to treat mental illness. This interdisciplinary approach allows Philadelphia to offer two unique MSN programs: Midwifery and Disaster Medicine and Management.
Master in Nursing Programs
The Midwifery and Disaster Medicine and Management Programs are offered to nursing students in the College of Sciences, Health and the Liberal Arts. The MS in Disaster Medicine and Management program combines experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, intensive online work and research in order to prepare nurses to be community leaders during disasters, emergency response and recovery from trauma, natural disaster, manmade disasters and terrorism. The midwifery program uses an online model of distance learning in order to train nurses to care for women before, during and after pregnancy, including the processes of childbirth and breast-feeding. Each student is offered midwife tutors and faculty members that combine traditional midwifery practice with state-of-the-art technology.
Accreditations
The nursing program at Philadelphia University is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME).
Contact
Philadelphia University
4201 Henry Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19144
215.951.2700
[email protected]
http://www.philau.edu/sciencehealthandtheliberalarts/index.html
Nursing is a career that presents many challenges, as well as many rewards. Many nurses with advanced degree care able to pursue new specialist roles, giving back to the community and the nursing field by teaching and leading. The above Master’s in Nursing Programs in Pennsylvania all offer accredited, quality degree programs in several unique and specialized fields.
For Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs in Pennsylvania (R-Z), click here.