Online RN to MSN Master’s Degree Program | Nursing Education
Source: http://www.wgu.edu/online-nursing-health-degrees/nursing-education-rn-to-msn-masters-program.html
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:20
Online RN to MSN Master’s Degree Program | Nursing Education
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Master of Science
Nursing Education (RN to MSN)
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OVERVIEW
This Online Bridge from RN to MSN Helps You Influence Healthcare
Help set the future of care as a nursing leader within your community by leading nurse education that inspires other nurses. Expand your impact on patient outcomes by going from RN to MSN and become a nurse educator, ready to help shape the future of nursing and impact RNs and patients alike. Most facilities require nurse educators to have a master’s degree—so for the RN who aspires to teach, WGU’s online RN to MSN – Education program is the perfect fit. You'll earn both your BSN and MSN in this unique bridge program, designed to help you earn the credentials and skills you need to make a difference. WGU’s online, CCNE-accredited RN-to-MSN program will prepare you to teach a new generation of nurses.
This online nursing education degree program also includes clinical practice experiences that support the student in demonstrating advanced nursing practice competence and curriculum development. Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to earn the NAHQ (National Association for Healthcare Quality) HQ Principles certificate along with your RN to MSN degree, helping you to boost your resumé before you even graduate.
Already have your BSN? No problem!
Check out the BSN-to-MSN version of this program.
You can also
compare all of our MSN programs
.
60% of graduates finish within
38 Months*
WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
*WGU Internal Data
Flexible Schedule
Tuition per six-month term is
$5,325
Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their business management degree. Finish faster, pay less!
Cost & Time
Transfer credit is accepted
90 credits
Students from an accredited program will receive 80 transfer credits toward their BSN at application, and will have their transcript evaluated for up to 10 more transfer credits.
Admissions
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Bridge RN to MSN Programs
Earn Credentials on the Way to an MSN
RN to MSN programs at WGU allow you to complete your BSN and then move forward to your MSN. As you are close to finishing your BSN coursework, you will choose your MSN specialty: Nursing Education, Leadership and Management, or Nursing Informatics. Upon completion of your undergraduate coursework and the conferral of your BSN degree, you will also have taken 5 graduate-level courses, which allows you to earn a post-baccalaureate certificate. This helps you enhance your résumé and demonstrate your advanced education right away. A post-baccalaureate certificate credential is a great addition to your résumé and shows your current or potential employers the value you can bring to your position even while you are finishing your MSN degree. Or if you need to delay your MSN portion, you can still showcase the graduate-level coursework you have already completed.
Now's the time to advance your healthcare career with a master's degree. There is no RN work requirement. This means you don't need to be currently working as an RN in order to be eligible for admission into our MSN programs.
MORE ABOUT RN TO MSN PROGRAMS
Safety Notice
WGU and the Leavitt School of Health are committed to the health, safety, and well-being of all patients, community members, and key stakeholders that interact with WGU students at various clinical/host sites. Interactions might include direct patient interaction, observation experiences, laboratory experiences, project development, or conducting research. Standard compliance verification for students in applicable LSH programs is required to protect the public, meet LSH program expectations, reasonably assure compliance with state regulatory board requirements, meet WGU’s contractual and legal obligations with clinical partners, and support WGU’s mission to prepare students who will be qualified to enter their desired field. Compliance items may include, but are not limited to, background checks, immunizations, and drug screens as needed.
COURSES
Nurse Educator Courses
This program contains 32 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Program Guide
The curriculum in WGU's online, CCNE-accredited RN to MSN – Education degree programs is evidence-based.
Courses for this specialty were derived from the National League for Nursing Nurse Educator standards and the Master's Essentials for Professional Nursing practice. The RN to MSN bridge program was designed to provide registered nurses with the training and education required to earn both a BSN and an MSN specializing in nurse education.
The BSN portion of this program focuses on contemporary nursing practice. Earning a BSN adds theoretical and policy depth to the practical knowledge you have as an RN.
The MSN portion of this program addresses the complexities of healthcare, access, quality, and costs for diverse populations. The nurse educator specialization in this RN to MSN online degree program covers topics like curriculum development, learning styles, assessment, and more.
The M.S. Nursing – Education (RN to MSN) degree program is a mostly online nursing program that you will complete by studying and working independently with instruction and support from WGU faculty. You will be expected to complete at least 8 competency units (WGU's equivalent of the credit hour) each 6-month term. (Each course is typically 3 or 4 units.)
The first person you speak with at WGU will be your Enrollment Counselor, an expert in your program who can explain all the requirements and expectations in more detail. You can also read more about each course in the Program Guide.
DOWNLOAD PROGRAM DETAILS
Students who live in California have the option of choosing curriculum that prepares graduates to earn the Public Health Nursing (PHN) Certificate.
DOWNLOAD CALIFORNIA PROGRAM DETAILS
Entire RN to MSN Nursing Education Coursework
View Only BSN Courses
General Education
Applied Healthcare Statistics
Applied Healthcare Probability and Statistics is designed to help develop competence in the fundamental concepts of basic mathematics, introductory algebra, and statistics and probability. These concepts include basic arithmetic with fractions and signed numbers; introductory algebra and graphing; descriptive statistics; regression and correlation; and probability. Statistical data and probability are now commonplace in the healthcare field. This course will help candidates make informed decisions about which studies and results are valid, which are not, and how those results affect your decisions. This course will give candidates background in what constitutes sound research design and how to appropriately model phenomena using statistical data. Additionally, this course guides candidates in calculating simple probabilities based on events which occur in the healthcare profession. This course will prepare candidates for studies at WGU, as well as in the healthcare profession.
Composition: Writing with a Strategy
Welcome to Composition: Writing with a Strategy! In this course, you will focus on three main topics: understanding purpose, context, and audience, writing strategies and techniques, and editing and revising. In addition, the first section, will offer review on core elements of the writing process, cross-cultural communication, as well as working with words and common standards and practices. Each section includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, audio, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to check your learning, practice, and show how well you understand course content. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to gain proficiency in the seven competencies that will be covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge or experience, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab
This is Anatomy and Physiology I, a six-section, 4 CU course that enables students to develop an understanding of the relationships between the structures and function of the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous and endocrine systems in the human body. This course will involve laboratory activities, simulated dissections, textbook material, models, and diagrams. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to, with the goal of demonstrating proficiency in the four competencies covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge of this material, you can expect to spend 40–60 hours on the course content.
Introduction to Communication: Connecting with Others
Welcome to Introduction to Communication: Connecting with Others! It may seem like common knowledge that communication skills are important, and that communicating with others is inescapable in our everyday lives. While this may appear simplistic, the study of communication is actually complex, dynamic, and multifaceted. Strong communication skills are invaluable to strengthening a multitude of aspects of life. Specifically, this course will focus on communication in the professional setting, and present material from multiple vantage points, including communicating with others in a variety of contexts, across situations, and with diverse populations. Upon completion, you will have a deeper understanding of both your own and others’ communication behaviors, and a toolbox of effective behaviors to enhance your experience in the workplace.
Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab
This is Anatomy and Physiology II, a six section, four CEU course that enables students to develop an understanding of the relationships between the structures and functions of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, reproductive, and lymphatic systems in the human body. This course will involve laboratory activities, simulated dissections, textbook material, models, and diagrams. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to, with the goal of demonstrating proficiency in the four competencies covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge of this material, you can expect to spend 40–60 hours on the course content.
Introduction to Psychology
In this course, students will develop an understanding of psychology and how it helps them better understand others and themselves. Students will learn general theories about psychological development, the structure of the brain, and how psychologists study behavior. They will gain an understanding of both normal and disordered psychological behaviors, as well as general applications of the science of psychology in society (such as personality typing and counseling).
Global Arts and Humanities
This is a Global Arts and Humanities course that contains three modules with corresponding lessons. This course is an invitation to see the world through the humanities, examine the humanities during the Information Age, and explore the global origins of music—essentially questioning what makes us human, and how people are connected across culture and time. Each module includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, audio, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to practice and check learning. With no prior knowledge or experience, a learner can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Introduction to Sociology
This course teaches students to think like sociologists, or, in other words, to see and understand the hidden rules, or norms, by which people live, and how they free or restrain behavior. Students will learn about socializing institutions, such as schools and families, as well as workplace organizations and governments. Participants will also learn how people deviate from the rules by challenging norms and how such behavior may result in social change, either on a large scale or within small groups.
Microbiology with Lab: A Fundamental Approach
Microbiology with Lab: A Fundamental Approach explores the science that microorganisms are everywhere, and they have positive and negative effects on the community. The course examines the structure and function of microorganisms, disease transmission and progression, and immune responses and other interventions, and it identifies key global diseases. The course consists of an introduction and four major sections. Each section includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities for students to check their learning, practice, and show how well they understand course content. To assist students in developing an applied, evidence-based understanding of microbiology, this course integrates several lab experiments to help determine the specific characteristic of an unknown microbial sample and a treatment plan. Because the course is self-paced, students may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as needed to gain proficiency in the four competencies that will be covered in the final assessment. Students who have no prior knowledge of or experience with this topic can expect to spend 48–60 hours on the course content. There are no prerequisites for this course.
World History: Diverse Cultures and Global Connections
This is World History: Diverse Cultures and Global Connections. In this course, you will focus on three main topics—cultural and religious diversity; pandemics; and the relationship of empires and nation states—as well as the skills of identifying root causes, explaining causes and effects, and analyzing complex systems. This course consists of an introduction and four major sections. Each section includes learning opportunities through reading, images, videos, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to practice and check how well you understand the content. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to, with the goal of demonstrating proficiency in the four competencies covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge of this material, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Human Growth and Development
This is Human Growth and Development, a three-module course that examines the entire human lifetime, from conception to death. Presented chronologically, the course focuses on three key areas: physical, cognitive, and psychosocial growth, along with other important issues such as cultural influences, emotions, and resilience. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to, with the goal of demonstrating proficiency in the four competencies covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge of this material, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Nursing Education Specialty
Evolving Roles of Nurse Educators in Diverse Environments
Evolving Roles of Nurse Educators in Diverse Environments examines the multidimensional roles of a contemporary academic nurse educator. This course explores the roles and responsibilities of the nurse educator as a teacher, leader, change agent, and curriculum innovator. Students will also examine the importance of personal and professional development by developing strategies that promote academic integrity, cultural sensitivity, social justice, and ethical/legal values in diverse environments. The course emphasizes the responsibility of nurse educators to utilize communication, collaboration, and leadership in mitigating challenges in academic nursing education.
Facilitation of Context-Based Student-Centered Learning
Facilitation of Context-Based Student-Centered Learning explores how the nurse educator will incorporate authentic experiences into the creation of course plans that facilitate scholarly inquiry, collaboration, and knowledge acquisition in varied educational environments. Emphasis is placed on innovative, transformational, and experiential teaching and learning strategies to facilitate student development of professional, context-based nursing principles, knowledge, skills, and behavior. Evolving Roles of Nurse Educators in Diverse Environments is a prerequisite to this course.
Contemporary Curriculum Design and Development in Nursing Education
Contemporary Curriculum Design and Development in Nursing Education analyzes the concepts of creating curriculum based on national nursing accreditation standards and instructional design best practices. Nurse educator students will create course content that supports learning in diverse, real-world environments where nurse educators facilitate learning. Instructional design strategies for delivering course content will reflect the mission of academic institution programs, contemporary trends in nursing education, and the needs of key stakeholders in nursing education and practice. Facilitation of Context-Based Student-Centered Learning is a prerequisite to this course.
Assessment and Evaluation Strategies for Measuring Student Learning
Assessment and Evaluation Strategies for Measuring Student Learning addresses the academic nurse educator's role in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of student achievement outcomes in nursing education programs. This course requires students to integrate best practices from nursing theory and theories of learning to assess student learning in diverse educational settings. Topics include validity, reliability, and practicality of assessments, interpreting item difficulty and discrimination test results, and analyzing student achievement and learning outcomes data. This course has no prerequisites.
Emerging Trends and Challenges in 21st Century Nursing Education
Emerging Trends and Challenges in 21st Century Nursing Education analyzes the emerging trends, technologies, and challenges that academic nurse educators encounter when facilitating learning in diverse healthcare settings. Students will focus on the necessity of interprofessional collaboration and the barriers and facilitators to overcoming the challenges associated with teaching and learning in nursing. Topics include the impact of emerging technology, challenges in nursing practice, and the role of the academic nurse educator as a scholar and a nursing education policy advocate. This course has no prerequisites.
Nursing Education Field Experience
The Nursing Education Field Experience provides the academic nurse educator student an opportunity to work collaboratively with academic mentors and interprofessional stakeholders to analyze the need-gap for a curriculum change, innovation, or improvement. Based on the identified need-gap, the graduate student will design and develop a course that reflects evidence-based instructional design and assessment principles and practices. This course prepares students for the role of an Academic Nurse Educator, as an agent for change and quality improvement in nursing education.
Nursing Education Capstone
The Nursing Education Capstone course provides the Nurse Educator student an opportunity to apply previous course work towards the completion of an evidence-based curriculum proposal project. During this course students will build on previous work during their Nursing Education Field Experience course by planning the implementation and evaluation phases of their proposed curriculum change. The capstone project represents a synthesis of competencies across the Master of Science in Nursing—Nursing Education degree program, which prepares them to lead, manage, and transform nursing education in diverse and complex settings. This course is eligible for an in-progress grade. Please see the grading scale policy for more information.
Nursing Core
Emerging Professional Practice
Emerging Professional Practice presents a variety of professional nursing specialty areas. Students explore various practice specialties, including palliative care, genetics and genomics, and others. The course provides pathways to specialized nursing practice. All prior courses in the sequence for this program serve as prerequisites for this course.
Advanced Standing for RN License
Advanced Standing for RN License
Interprofessional Communication and Leadership in Healthcare
Interprofessional Communication and Leadership in Healthcare is designed to help students prepare for success in the online environment at Western Governors University and beyond. Student success starts with the social support and self-reflective awareness that will prepare them to handle the challenges of all academic programs. In this course, students will complete several individual assignments that are intended to give the student an opportunity to reflect on where they are and where they would like to be. The activities in the course are designed to give students several tools they can use to achieve success. This course is designed as a four-part intensive learning experience. Students will engage in activities that will help them understand their own educational journey and find support and inspiration in the journey of others. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Comprehensive Health Assessment
Comprehensive Health Assessment builds upon students’ existing knowledge of nursing assessment. The course presents current and innovative assessment techniques of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of patients. Use of assessment data and shared decision-making are discussed throughout the course. This course also outlines the concepts of a head-to-toe assessment, providing students with an understanding of how to critically think about the different aspects of the assessment and analyze patient cues to determine the implications of findings. Students will also analyze lifestyle and cultural implications of health. All prior courses in the sequence for this program serve as prerequisites for this course.
Healthcare Policy and Economics
Healthcare Policy and Economics is a foundational course that introduces the concepts of value-based care and the role of the nurse. This course includes concepts related to financial responsiveness, shared decision-making, preference-sensitive care, leveraging data. In this course, students learn about cost and fee-for-service in terms of value to the client and patient rather than value to the healthcare system. All prior courses in the sequence for this program serve as prerequisites for this course.
Global and Population Health
Global and Population Health prepares students for the role of the nurse in preserving and promoting health among diverse populations. Additionally, basic principles of epidemiology, social determinants of health (SDOH), and resource allocation through value-based care are outlined. The course introduces planning, organization, and delivery of services for diverse populations in community settings, including illness prevention, disaster preparedness, and environmental health. All prior courses in the sequence for this program serve as prerequisites for this course. This course is eligible for an In Progress grade. Please see the Grading Scale Policy for more information.
MSN Core
Professional Presence and Influence
Professional Presence and Influence is a masters-level course designed to guide students towards an enhanced state of presence, where therapeutic relationships are built between nurse and patient. Students will learn techniques for self-care practices that result in enhanced mental and physical wellbeing and that ensure ethically-generated patient care. Presence is an intrapersonal and interpersonal quality that allows the nurse to relate to others and to be aware of the world around them. The characteristics of presence, which include holism, intimacy, sensitivity and adaptability, create a heightened sense of awareness that fosters therapeutic relationships between the nurse and patient. Developing a mindful, authentic presence is central to health and spiritual practices in several cultures and a major element of leadership. Students will intentionally develop a focused mindfulness practice that will influence patient outcomes and lead to conditions that create joy in the workplace.
Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Practice
Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Practice explores essential characteristics of the advanced professional nurse in the role of leader, educator, practitioner, or informatics specialist. In this course, students will apply evidence-based strategies to facilitate interprofessional collaboration on teams. Students will explore the role of nurses in advocating for change at the bedside, as well as leading teams to advocate for health policy reform. Students will gather and analyze data to identify patients and populations at risk and recommend policy change to improve health outcomes in the community.
Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care
Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care incorporates current standards of quality and safety within the context of value-based care. In a value-based healthcare system, the benefits are derived from measuring health outcomes against the cost of delivering the outcomes. These benefits are then extended to patients, providers, payers, suppliers, and society as a whole. This course introduces new healthcare delivery models, which stress a team-oriented approach to patient care and sharing of patient data so that care is coordinated, and outcomes can be measured easily. Emphasis is placed on performance and quality improvement methods that underlie value-based nursing care. The nurse in advanced practice today must exemplify the standards of quality and safety and be prepared to lead the delivery of value-based patient-centered care.
Advanced Pathopharmacological Foundations
Advanced Pathopharmacological Foundations provides advanced practice nurses foundational knowledge in the many pathologies encountered in practice today. Advancing from the cellular to the body system level, this course examines the pathologies of common conditions seen in healthcare today. Consideration is also given to the human affective response to alterations in health. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Advanced Health Assessment for Patients and Populations
Advanced Health Assessment of Patients and Populations builds on prior physical health assessment knowledge and skills acquired during undergraduate studies by focusing on the advanced assessment of biopsychosocial and sociocultural contexts in patients and populations across the life span. This course emphasizes the use of a comprehensive health promotion, disease prevention, and health restoration model to address health concerns in patients and communities. Students will acquire advanced assessment knowledge and skills for clinical interviewing, focused history taking, critical diagnostic reasoning, and clinical decision-making using a problem-focused framework that integrates authentic experiences with practical knowledge of health patterns in patients and communities. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care
Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care integrates nursing science with multiple information and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. Students will acquire knowledge and skills to apply informatics concepts, communications, and data that are critical to facilitating interprofessional data-driven decision-making. It is designed to build competence in the use of patient- and population-based applications that inform and support the transformation of nursing care delivery toward a future of value-based quality nursing care that improves health outcomes. This course aligns theoretical concepts with practical applications of informatics and is consistent with the functional areas and responsibilities of informatics nurses as defined by the American Nurses Association Scope and Standards for nursing informatics.
Leadership and Management in Complex Healthcare Systems
Leadership and Management in Complex Healthcare Systems prepares graduate nurses to be thoughtful strategists and informed decision-makers who serve as strong leaders in high-performing healthcare systems. Students develop competencies for managing diverse teams in complex systems, monitoring and measuring organizational performance, allocating financial and human resources, and leading change towards a transformed healthcare system. Additionally, students acquire the knowledge and skills to become full partners with other healthcare professionals by demonstrating nurse contributions toward high-quality care to patients and populations, while working collaboratively with interprofessional teams. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Advancing Evidence-Based Innovation in Nursing Practice
Advancing Evidence-Based Innovation in Nursing Practice introduces students to the dynamic union of healthcare innovation and evidence. Core competencies and behaviors required to be a nurse innovator are discussed. Strategies for measuring innovation at various system levels are presented, as well as techniques for synthesizing and disseminating evidence to advance innovation in healthcare. The skills needed to appraise the quality of diverse sources of evidence are presented within the framework of evidence-based practice. This course focuses on identifying new and emerging sources of evidence that can inform, translate, and scale the complexity of leading innovation in healthcare organizations. Students will experience building communities of practice for collaboratively developing innovative practices and policies designed to improve the health of populations and enhance the patient experience of care.
32 Courses
This program contains 32 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Program Guide
Students who anticipate needing a California Public Health Certificate (CA PHN) in the future, have the option of choosing a curriculum path that satisfies the requirements for applying for this certificate after graduation.
Check if California PHN Cert Pathway is Right for You
California PHN Cert Pathway Program Guide
Field Experiences
Special requirements for this program
While most of your coursework will be completed online, your nursing program includes some requirements—including field experiences—that must be completed in a facility near you. And while most of your courses can be accelerated based on your prior knowledge and hard work, some nursing programs begin with a
cohort-based course
that must be completed via five scheduled webcam sessions with faculty and fellow students.
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Skills For Your Résumé
As part of this program, you will develop a range of valuable skills that employers are looking for.
Instructing:
Conducted thorough assessments of learners to gauge comprehension of provided instruction, ensuring effective teaching and learning outcomes.
Instructional and Curriculum Design:
Developed effective methods for assessing learning and performance.
Nurse Education:
Delivered theoretical and practical teaching to equip nurses for professional nursing duties, contributing to the development of skilled and competent healthcare professionals.
Leadership:
Inspired collaboration among healthcare professionals in pursuit of the highest quality patient care, fostering a culture of teamwork and shared commitment to excellence.
Advocacy:
Advocated for policies aimed at improving both public health and the nursing profession, contributing to positive systemic changes.
Caring and Consideration:
Delivered compassionate nursing care through actions, attitude, and language, prioritizing empathy and patient-centered approaches in healthcare practice.
“Enrollment was perfectly easy for me. I was able to submit online and somebody called me within a day to start the whole process. Within two or three weeks I was ready to go for my first term.”
—Bryon Denton
M.S. Nursing – Education
WGU vs. Traditional Universities
Compare the Difference
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options
As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year
Apply Now
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
TUITION STRUCTURE
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
SUPPORT
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
EXAMS
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
SCHEDULE
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options
TIME TO FINISH
As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year
Apply Now
Why WGU?
Affordability
WGU tuition is charged per six-month term, not per credit. That means if you want to move faster through this nursing informatics program, you'll pay less.
PAYING FOR SCHOOL
On Your Schedule
You can continue working at your full-time job or maintaining your responsibilities while pursing your RN to MSN degree. You don't have to log-in to classes and there aren't due dates. You are in charge of your degree.
A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
Alumni Network
When you enroll in the nursing informatics program at WGU, you join an impressive network of healthcare professionals.
CAREER OUTLOOK
Accredited,
Respected,
Recognized™
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at WGU are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (
http://www.ccneaccreditation.org
).
COST & TIME
An Affordable Nursing Education Degree
By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay for your degree.
Apply FREE
Costs for the
Undergraduate
Portion of This Program
$5,325
Tuition per 6-month term
At WGU, tuition is charged every six months. Other fees include a flat fee of $200 each term for e-books and learning resources.
Costs for the
Graduate
Portion of This Program
$5,035
Tuition per 6-month term
Other fees include a flat fee of $200 each term for e-books and learning resources.
Apply FREE
A Nursing Master's Degree Is Within Reach
There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:
The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2022 (among those who borrowed) was less than half* the national average.
Responsible Borrowing Initiative
Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.
Financial Aid
Many scholarship opportunities are available. Find out what you might be eligible for.
Scholarships
*
WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2022).
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
WGU's Online MSN Bridge Program Was Built to be Different—for a Busy RN’s Schedule
Our unique learning model puts working nurses in the driver’s seat of their education. As a busy nurse, you need a degree program that's more than simply online—you need a nursing program that truly reflects the realities of your work life and experience. At WGU, progress through programs is driven by your ability to prove what you’ve learned. How—and how quickly—are largely up to you. Once you’ve mastered the material, you prove what you know through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments. Demonstrating mastery is how you pass a course, and passing courses is how you complete degree programs, so learning what it takes to be outstanding in your career is at the heart of WGU’s MSN – Education curriculum.
Other universities' online M.S. programs may give you the convenience of distance learning; WGU's online programs take that flexibility further—many steps further!
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"WGU is a great option for nurses who are looking to advance their careers but need further education and flexibility to do so.”
—Kathryn Kosmides
M.S. Nursing – Education (RN to MSN)
CAREER OUTLOOK
An Online MSN Degree Program for an RN to Become a Nurse Educator
Once you have completed your M.S. in Nursing – Education degree program at WGU, you will have the knowledge and skills to be an outstanding nurse educator. You'll be in demand, because you'll be prepared to translate your extensive nursing knowledge into valuable learning opportunities for other nurses.
You know the hard work nurses put in every day to make a difference for their patients. Now you can help other caregivers get the training they need to succeed. Influence the future of healthcare with an RN to MSN degree. Master’s-prepared nurse educators educate and train nurses, nursing students, school children, community groups, workers, patients, and consumers. After you upgrade your RN to MSN – Education through our nationally recognized online bridge program, you will be ready to work in settings such as:
Hospitals.
Community agencies.
Schools.
Industry and businesses.
Nursing programs.
MORE ABOUT CAREERS
Return on Your Investment
Many WGU graduates may see an increase in income post-graduation
Average income increase in annual salary vs. pre-enrollment salary from all degrees. Source:
2024 Harris Poll
of 1,655 WGU graduates.
Survey was sent to a representative sample of WGU graduates from all colleges. Respondents received at least one WGU degree since 2017.
$84K
Nursing instructors at colleges, universities, or professional schools make over $84,000 on average, according to recent statistics.
—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Enjoy a Career That is Both Fulfilling and in High Demand
Given the growing shortage of nurse educators, earning your MSN with a focus in nursing education is both a rewarding decision and a solid career move. Once you study and master subjects like curriculum development, instruction and evaluation, and current technology in nursing education, your role in nursing can take on a whole new dimension. The more than 3,000 alumni of our M.S. Nursing – Education degree programs have great jobs and satisfying careers:
Job Titles
Nurse educator
Nursing faculty
Program director
Academic clinical nurse educator
Diverse Industries
Hospitals and healthcare clinics
Colleges and universities
Healthcare networks
Law enforcement and corrections
Hospice providers
Major Employers
Healthcare Corp. of America
Kaiser-Permanente
Purdue University
University of Utah
Hospice Care of California
WGU Grads Hold Positions With Top Employers
Hospitals and clinics around the country know the benefit of a degree from WGU, so your healthcare degree is valuable.
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ADMISSIONS & TRANSFERS
Admission Requirements Unique to This Nursing Degree
To be considered for this online RN-to-MSN bridge program, you must
Possess an associate degree or diploma in nursing, such as an ADN or ASN degree, from an accredited institution.
Possess an active, unencumbered RN license:
1. In your state of residence, or
2. In your state of employment.
Prior to your clinical placement, you must submit to a
criminal background check through DISA Healthcare Technology
and provide proof of current immunizations. Additional fees apply.
NOTE: RN licensure in your state of residence or employment is required to successfully complete clinical experiences. You must be licensed in the state in which you will complete the project or clinical experience. Compact licenses must be endorsed by your state of residence. More
information about compact licenses
.
GENERAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
VIEW CHECKLIST
Get Your Questions Answered
Talk to an WGU Enrollment Counselor.
CONTACT AN ENROLLMENT COUNSELOR
Students who anticipate needing a California Public Health Certificate (CA PHN) in the future, have the option of choosing a curriculum path that satisfies the requirements for applying for this certificate after graduation.
DOWNLOAD CALIFORNIA PROGRAM DETAILS
Transfer Credits
TRANSFER INFORMATION
More About the RN-to-MSN Nursing Education Program
General Program Questions
Financial Aid Questions
Transcripts must be received by the 1st of the month before your intended start date. WGU requires that ALL official transcripts of previous academic work completed at other colleges and universities be submitted for evaluation.
Admissions requirements vary widely from program to program and from school to school. Nurse practitioner programs—including Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and post-MSN NP certificate programs—can be among the most competitive. One factor commonly considered for enrollment in post-graduate nursing programs is grade-point average (GPA) from previous college work. The nature of WGU’s competency-based model means WGU graduates do not have a GPA when they earn their degree. WGU will work with you to help other institutions understand our model.
However, other factors beyond GPA are considered by many programs across the country. WGU provides opportunities for students to students to demonstrate excellence beyond a GPA, including participation in nationally recognized honors programs, real-world projects that you complete as part of your program that you can showcase in your post-graduate applications, and letters of recommendation from WGU faculty or leadership.
The WGU non-NP MSN courses do not satisfy the requirement for three separate courses in Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. These are often referred to as the “3 Ps” and are required for national certification and licensure as a nurse practitioner.
You will need to work closely with the nurse practitioner program, national certification organization and licensing agency to be sure you have completed all requirements before certification and licensure.
For any aspiring graduate student, it is important to maximize your own qualities as well as do the research to understand the schools that offer the programs you seek to join.
You can start your research by reviewing post-graduate programs that have admitted WGU alumni in the past. Look on LinkedIn for
WGU nursing alumni who have gone on to become nurse practitioners
, and check their profiles to see which schools they attended after graduating from WGU. Contact the school to ask whether they enroll students from competency-based programs like WGU’s. And talk to your WGU Enrollment Counselor. WGU can provide alumni with a letter they can share with graduate schools, explaining our competency-based model. This letter has helped WGU alumni be accepted into a variety of graduate programs in a number of fields and disciplines.
WGU is approved to offer
federal student aid
. You will need to apply using the FAFSA, which is used to determine your eligibility for aid. WGU’s FAFSA school code is 033394.
Scholarships are available for new WGU students and returning graduates.
This video shows more
about scholarship opportunities and how they can help you pay for school. Get information on:
How to apply
Eligibility requirements
Examples of scholarships
What happens after you apply
FAQs
Other financial aid options
WGU's tuition is a flat rate that is charged every six months. You can take as many courses as you are able in that six-month term—with no extra cost. You simply pay for the term and do as much work as you can or want to during that time. This means that finishing faster helps you save money—a major benefit you won't find at most other schools.
Ready to Start Your WGU Journey?
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Master of Science
Nursing Education (RN to MSN)
Apply Now
OVERVIEW
This Online Bridge from RN to MSN Helps You Influence Healthcare
Help set the future of care as a nursing leader within your community by leading nurse education that inspires other nurses. Expand your impact on patient outcomes by going from RN to MSN and become a nurse educator, ready to help shape the future of nursing and impact RNs and patients alike. Most facilities require nurse educators to have a master’s degree—so for the RN who aspires to teach, WGU’s online RN to MSN – Education program is the perfect fit. You'll earn both your BSN and MSN in this unique bridge program, designed to help you earn the credentials and skills you need to make a difference. WGU’s online, CCNE-accredited RN-to-MSN program will prepare you to teach a new generation of nurses.
This online nursing education degree program also includes clinical practice experiences that support the student in demonstrating advanced nursing practice competence and curriculum development. Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to earn the NAHQ (National Association for Healthcare Quality) HQ Principles certificate along with your RN to MSN degree, helping you to boost your resumé before you even graduate.
Already have your BSN? No problem!
Check out the BSN-to-MSN version of this program.
You can also
compare all of our MSN programs
.
60% of graduates finish within
38 Months*
WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
*WGU Internal Data
Flexible Schedule
Tuition per six-month term is
$5,325
Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their business management degree. Finish faster, pay less!
Cost & Time
Transfer credit is accepted
90 credits
Students from an accredited program will receive 80 transfer credits toward their BSN at application, and will have their transcript evaluated for up to 10 more transfer credits.
Admissions
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Next Start Date:
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Start Dates the 1st of Every Month
Apply Today
Bridge RN to MSN Programs
Earn Credentials on the Way to an MSN
RN to MSN programs at WGU allow you to complete your BSN and then move forward to your MSN. As you are close to finishing your BSN coursework, you will choose your MSN specialty: Nursing Education, Leadership and Management, or Nursing Informatics. Upon completion of your undergraduate coursework and the conferral of your BSN degree, you will also have taken 5 graduate-level courses, which allows you to earn a post-baccalaureate certificate. This helps you enhance your résumé and demonstrate your advanced education right away. A post-baccalaureate certificate credential is a great addition to your résumé and shows your current or potential employers the value you can bring to your position even while you are finishing your MSN degree. Or if you need to delay your MSN portion, you can still showcase the graduate-level coursework you have already completed.
Now's the time to advance your healthcare career with a master's degree. There is no RN work requirement. This means you don't need to be currently working as an RN in order to be eligible for admission into our MSN programs.
MORE ABOUT RN TO MSN PROGRAMS
Safety Notice
WGU and the Leavitt School of Health are committed to the health, safety, and well-being of all patients, community members, and key stakeholders that interact with WGU students at various clinical/host sites. Interactions might include direct patient interaction, observation experiences, laboratory experiences, project development, or conducting research. Standard compliance verification for students in applicable LSH programs is required to protect the public, meet LSH program expectations, reasonably assure compliance with state regulatory board requirements, meet WGU’s contractual and legal obligations with clinical partners, and support WGU’s mission to prepare students who will be qualified to enter their desired field. Compliance items may include, but are not limited to, background checks, immunizations, and drug screens as needed.
COURSES
Nurse Educator Courses
This program contains 32 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Program Guide
The curriculum in WGU's online, CCNE-accredited RN to MSN – Education degree programs is evidence-based.
Courses for this specialty were derived from the National League for Nursing Nurse Educator standards and the Master's Essentials for Professional Nursing practice. The RN to MSN bridge program was designed to provide registered nurses with the training and education required to earn both a BSN and an MSN specializing in nurse education.
The BSN portion of this program focuses on contemporary nursing practice. Earning a BSN adds theoretical and policy depth to the practical knowledge you have as an RN.
The MSN portion of this program addresses the complexities of healthcare, access, quality, and costs for diverse populations. The nurse educator specialization in this RN to MSN online degree program covers topics like curriculum development, learning styles, assessment, and more.
The M.S. Nursing – Education (RN to MSN) degree program is a mostly online nursing program that you will complete by studying and working independently with instruction and support from WGU faculty. You will be expected to complete at least 8 competency units (WGU's equivalent of the credit hour) each 6-month term. (Each course is typically 3 or 4 units.)
The first person you speak with at WGU will be your Enrollment Counselor, an expert in your program who can explain all the requirements and expectations in more detail. You can also read more about each course in the Program Guide.
DOWNLOAD PROGRAM DETAILS
Students who live in California have the option of choosing curriculum that prepares graduates to earn the Public Health Nursing (PHN) Certificate.
DOWNLOAD CALIFORNIA PROGRAM DETAILS
Entire RN to MSN Nursing Education Coursework
View Only BSN Courses
General Education
Applied Healthcare Statistics
Applied Healthcare Probability and Statistics is designed to help develop competence in the fundamental concepts of basic mathematics, introductory algebra, and statistics and probability. These concepts include basic arithmetic with fractions and signed numbers; introductory algebra and graphing; descriptive statistics; regression and correlation; and probability. Statistical data and probability are now commonplace in the healthcare field. This course will help candidates make informed decisions about which studies and results are valid, which are not, and how those results affect your decisions. This course will give candidates background in what constitutes sound research design and how to appropriately model phenomena using statistical data. Additionally, this course guides candidates in calculating simple probabilities based on events which occur in the healthcare profession. This course will prepare candidates for studies at WGU, as well as in the healthcare profession.
Composition: Writing with a Strategy
Welcome to Composition: Writing with a Strategy! In this course, you will focus on three main topics: understanding purpose, context, and audience, writing strategies and techniques, and editing and revising. In addition, the first section, will offer review on core elements of the writing process, cross-cultural communication, as well as working with words and common standards and practices. Each section includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, audio, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to check your learning, practice, and show how well you understand course content. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to gain proficiency in the seven competencies that will be covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge or experience, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab
This is Anatomy and Physiology I, a six-section, 4 CU course that enables students to develop an understanding of the relationships between the structures and function of the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous and endocrine systems in the human body. This course will involve laboratory activities, simulated dissections, textbook material, models, and diagrams. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to, with the goal of demonstrating proficiency in the four competencies covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge of this material, you can expect to spend 40–60 hours on the course content.
Introduction to Communication: Connecting with Others
Welcome to Introduction to Communication: Connecting with Others! It may seem like common knowledge that communication skills are important, and that communicating with others is inescapable in our everyday lives. While this may appear simplistic, the study of communication is actually complex, dynamic, and multifaceted. Strong communication skills are invaluable to strengthening a multitude of aspects of life. Specifically, this course will focus on communication in the professional setting, and present material from multiple vantage points, including communicating with others in a variety of contexts, across situations, and with diverse populations. Upon completion, you will have a deeper understanding of both your own and others’ communication behaviors, and a toolbox of effective behaviors to enhance your experience in the workplace.
Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab
This is Anatomy and Physiology II, a six section, four CEU course that enables students to develop an understanding of the relationships between the structures and functions of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, reproductive, and lymphatic systems in the human body. This course will involve laboratory activities, simulated dissections, textbook material, models, and diagrams. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to, with the goal of demonstrating proficiency in the four competencies covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge of this material, you can expect to spend 40–60 hours on the course content.
Introduction to Psychology
In this course, students will develop an understanding of psychology and how it helps them better understand others and themselves. Students will learn general theories about psychological development, the structure of the brain, and how psychologists study behavior. They will gain an understanding of both normal and disordered psychological behaviors, as well as general applications of the science of psychology in society (such as personality typing and counseling).
Global Arts and Humanities
This is a Global Arts and Humanities course that contains three modules with corresponding lessons. This course is an invitation to see the world through the humanities, examine the humanities during the Information Age, and explore the global origins of music—essentially questioning what makes us human, and how people are connected across culture and time. Each module includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, audio, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to practice and check learning. With no prior knowledge or experience, a learner can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Introduction to Sociology
This course teaches students to think like sociologists, or, in other words, to see and understand the hidden rules, or norms, by which people live, and how they free or restrain behavior. Students will learn about socializing institutions, such as schools and families, as well as workplace organizations and governments. Participants will also learn how people deviate from the rules by challenging norms and how such behavior may result in social change, either on a large scale or within small groups.
Microbiology with Lab: A Fundamental Approach
Microbiology with Lab: A Fundamental Approach explores the science that microorganisms are everywhere, and they have positive and negative effects on the community. The course examines the structure and function of microorganisms, disease transmission and progression, and immune responses and other interventions, and it identifies key global diseases. The course consists of an introduction and four major sections. Each section includes learning opportunities through readings, videos, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities for students to check their learning, practice, and show how well they understand course content. To assist students in developing an applied, evidence-based understanding of microbiology, this course integrates several lab experiments to help determine the specific characteristic of an unknown microbial sample and a treatment plan. Because the course is self-paced, students may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as needed to gain proficiency in the four competencies that will be covered in the final assessment. Students who have no prior knowledge of or experience with this topic can expect to spend 48–60 hours on the course content. There are no prerequisites for this course.
World History: Diverse Cultures and Global Connections
This is World History: Diverse Cultures and Global Connections. In this course, you will focus on three main topics—cultural and religious diversity; pandemics; and the relationship of empires and nation states—as well as the skills of identifying root causes, explaining causes and effects, and analyzing complex systems. This course consists of an introduction and four major sections. Each section includes learning opportunities through reading, images, videos, and other relevant resources. Assessment activities with feedback also provide opportunities to practice and check how well you understand the content. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to, with the goal of demonstrating proficiency in the four competencies covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge of this material, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Human Growth and Development
This is Human Growth and Development, a three-module course that examines the entire human lifetime, from conception to death. Presented chronologically, the course focuses on three key areas: physical, cognitive, and psychosocial growth, along with other important issues such as cultural influences, emotions, and resilience. Because the course is self-paced, you may move through the material as quickly or as slowly as you need to, with the goal of demonstrating proficiency in the four competencies covered in the final assessment. If you have no prior knowledge of this material, you can expect to spend 30-40 hours on the course content.
Nursing Education Specialty
Evolving Roles of Nurse Educators in Diverse Environments
Evolving Roles of Nurse Educators in Diverse Environments examines the multidimensional roles of a contemporary academic nurse educator. This course explores the roles and responsibilities of the nurse educator as a teacher, leader, change agent, and curriculum innovator. Students will also examine the importance of personal and professional development by developing strategies that promote academic integrity, cultural sensitivity, social justice, and ethical/legal values in diverse environments. The course emphasizes the responsibility of nurse educators to utilize communication, collaboration, and leadership in mitigating challenges in academic nursing education.
Facilitation of Context-Based Student-Centered Learning
Facilitation of Context-Based Student-Centered Learning explores how the nurse educator will incorporate authentic experiences into the creation of course plans that facilitate scholarly inquiry, collaboration, and knowledge acquisition in varied educational environments. Emphasis is placed on innovative, transformational, and experiential teaching and learning strategies to facilitate student development of professional, context-based nursing principles, knowledge, skills, and behavior. Evolving Roles of Nurse Educators in Diverse Environments is a prerequisite to this course.
Contemporary Curriculum Design and Development in Nursing Education
Contemporary Curriculum Design and Development in Nursing Education analyzes the concepts of creating curriculum based on national nursing accreditation standards and instructional design best practices. Nurse educator students will create course content that supports learning in diverse, real-world environments where nurse educators facilitate learning. Instructional design strategies for delivering course content will reflect the mission of academic institution programs, contemporary trends in nursing education, and the needs of key stakeholders in nursing education and practice. Facilitation of Context-Based Student-Centered Learning is a prerequisite to this course.
Assessment and Evaluation Strategies for Measuring Student Learning
Assessment and Evaluation Strategies for Measuring Student Learning addresses the academic nurse educator's role in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of student achievement outcomes in nursing education programs. This course requires students to integrate best practices from nursing theory and theories of learning to assess student learning in diverse educational settings. Topics include validity, reliability, and practicality of assessments, interpreting item difficulty and discrimination test results, and analyzing student achievement and learning outcomes data. This course has no prerequisites.
Emerging Trends and Challenges in 21st Century Nursing Education
Emerging Trends and Challenges in 21st Century Nursing Education analyzes the emerging trends, technologies, and challenges that academic nurse educators encounter when facilitating learning in diverse healthcare settings. Students will focus on the necessity of interprofessional collaboration and the barriers and facilitators to overcoming the challenges associated with teaching and learning in nursing. Topics include the impact of emerging technology, challenges in nursing practice, and the role of the academic nurse educator as a scholar and a nursing education policy advocate. This course has no prerequisites.
Nursing Education Field Experience
The Nursing Education Field Experience provides the academic nurse educator student an opportunity to work collaboratively with academic mentors and interprofessional stakeholders to analyze the need-gap for a curriculum change, innovation, or improvement. Based on the identified need-gap, the graduate student will design and develop a course that reflects evidence-based instructional design and assessment principles and practices. This course prepares students for the role of an Academic Nurse Educator, as an agent for change and quality improvement in nursing education.
Nursing Education Capstone
The Nursing Education Capstone course provides the Nurse Educator student an opportunity to apply previous course work towards the completion of an evidence-based curriculum proposal project. During this course students will build on previous work during their Nursing Education Field Experience course by planning the implementation and evaluation phases of their proposed curriculum change. The capstone project represents a synthesis of competencies across the Master of Science in Nursing—Nursing Education degree program, which prepares them to lead, manage, and transform nursing education in diverse and complex settings. This course is eligible for an in-progress grade. Please see the grading scale policy for more information.
Nursing Core
Emerging Professional Practice
Emerging Professional Practice presents a variety of professional nursing specialty areas. Students explore various practice specialties, including palliative care, genetics and genomics, and others. The course provides pathways to specialized nursing practice. All prior courses in the sequence for this program serve as prerequisites for this course.
Advanced Standing for RN License
Advanced Standing for RN License
Interprofessional Communication and Leadership in Healthcare
Interprofessional Communication and Leadership in Healthcare is designed to help students prepare for success in the online environment at Western Governors University and beyond. Student success starts with the social support and self-reflective awareness that will prepare them to handle the challenges of all academic programs. In this course, students will complete several individual assignments that are intended to give the student an opportunity to reflect on where they are and where they would like to be. The activities in the course are designed to give students several tools they can use to achieve success. This course is designed as a four-part intensive learning experience. Students will engage in activities that will help them understand their own educational journey and find support and inspiration in the journey of others. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Comprehensive Health Assessment
Comprehensive Health Assessment builds upon students’ existing knowledge of nursing assessment. The course presents current and innovative assessment techniques of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of patients. Use of assessment data and shared decision-making are discussed throughout the course. This course also outlines the concepts of a head-to-toe assessment, providing students with an understanding of how to critically think about the different aspects of the assessment and analyze patient cues to determine the implications of findings. Students will also analyze lifestyle and cultural implications of health. All prior courses in the sequence for this program serve as prerequisites for this course.
Healthcare Policy and Economics
Healthcare Policy and Economics is a foundational course that introduces the concepts of value-based care and the role of the nurse. This course includes concepts related to financial responsiveness, shared decision-making, preference-sensitive care, leveraging data. In this course, students learn about cost and fee-for-service in terms of value to the client and patient rather than value to the healthcare system. All prior courses in the sequence for this program serve as prerequisites for this course.
Global and Population Health
Global and Population Health prepares students for the role of the nurse in preserving and promoting health among diverse populations. Additionally, basic principles of epidemiology, social determinants of health (SDOH), and resource allocation through value-based care are outlined. The course introduces planning, organization, and delivery of services for diverse populations in community settings, including illness prevention, disaster preparedness, and environmental health. All prior courses in the sequence for this program serve as prerequisites for this course. This course is eligible for an In Progress grade. Please see the Grading Scale Policy for more information.
MSN Core
Professional Presence and Influence
Professional Presence and Influence is a masters-level course designed to guide students towards an enhanced state of presence, where therapeutic relationships are built between nurse and patient. Students will learn techniques for self-care practices that result in enhanced mental and physical wellbeing and that ensure ethically-generated patient care. Presence is an intrapersonal and interpersonal quality that allows the nurse to relate to others and to be aware of the world around them. The characteristics of presence, which include holism, intimacy, sensitivity and adaptability, create a heightened sense of awareness that fosters therapeutic relationships between the nurse and patient. Developing a mindful, authentic presence is central to health and spiritual practices in several cultures and a major element of leadership. Students will intentionally develop a focused mindfulness practice that will influence patient outcomes and lead to conditions that create joy in the workplace.
Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Practice
Essentials of Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Practice explores essential characteristics of the advanced professional nurse in the role of leader, educator, practitioner, or informatics specialist. In this course, students will apply evidence-based strategies to facilitate interprofessional collaboration on teams. Students will explore the role of nurses in advocating for change at the bedside, as well as leading teams to advocate for health policy reform. Students will gather and analyze data to identify patients and populations at risk and recommend policy change to improve health outcomes in the community.
Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care
Quality Outcomes in a Culture of Value-Based Nursing Care incorporates current standards of quality and safety within the context of value-based care. In a value-based healthcare system, the benefits are derived from measuring health outcomes against the cost of delivering the outcomes. These benefits are then extended to patients, providers, payers, suppliers, and society as a whole. This course introduces new healthcare delivery models, which stress a team-oriented approach to patient care and sharing of patient data so that care is coordinated, and outcomes can be measured easily. Emphasis is placed on performance and quality improvement methods that underlie value-based nursing care. The nurse in advanced practice today must exemplify the standards of quality and safety and be prepared to lead the delivery of value-based patient-centered care.
Advanced Pathopharmacological Foundations
Advanced Pathopharmacological Foundations provides advanced practice nurses foundational knowledge in the many pathologies encountered in practice today. Advancing from the cellular to the body system level, this course examines the pathologies of common conditions seen in healthcare today. Consideration is also given to the human affective response to alterations in health. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Advanced Health Assessment for Patients and Populations
Advanced Health Assessment of Patients and Populations builds on prior physical health assessment knowledge and skills acquired during undergraduate studies by focusing on the advanced assessment of biopsychosocial and sociocultural contexts in patients and populations across the life span. This course emphasizes the use of a comprehensive health promotion, disease prevention, and health restoration model to address health concerns in patients and communities. Students will acquire advanced assessment knowledge and skills for clinical interviewing, focused history taking, critical diagnostic reasoning, and clinical decision-making using a problem-focused framework that integrates authentic experiences with practical knowledge of health patterns in patients and communities. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care
Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care integrates nursing science with multiple information and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. Students will acquire knowledge and skills to apply informatics concepts, communications, and data that are critical to facilitating interprofessional data-driven decision-making. It is designed to build competence in the use of patient- and population-based applications that inform and support the transformation of nursing care delivery toward a future of value-based quality nursing care that improves health outcomes. This course aligns theoretical concepts with practical applications of informatics and is consistent with the functional areas and responsibilities of informatics nurses as defined by the American Nurses Association Scope and Standards for nursing informatics.
Leadership and Management in Complex Healthcare Systems
Leadership and Management in Complex Healthcare Systems prepares graduate nurses to be thoughtful strategists and informed decision-makers who serve as strong leaders in high-performing healthcare systems. Students develop competencies for managing diverse teams in complex systems, monitoring and measuring organizational performance, allocating financial and human resources, and leading change towards a transformed healthcare system. Additionally, students acquire the knowledge and skills to become full partners with other healthcare professionals by demonstrating nurse contributions toward high-quality care to patients and populations, while working collaboratively with interprofessional teams. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Advancing Evidence-Based Innovation in Nursing Practice
Advancing Evidence-Based Innovation in Nursing Practice introduces students to the dynamic union of healthcare innovation and evidence. Core competencies and behaviors required to be a nurse innovator are discussed. Strategies for measuring innovation at various system levels are presented, as well as techniques for synthesizing and disseminating evidence to advance innovation in healthcare. The skills needed to appraise the quality of diverse sources of evidence are presented within the framework of evidence-based practice. This course focuses on identifying new and emerging sources of evidence that can inform, translate, and scale the complexity of leading innovation in healthcare organizations. Students will experience building communities of practice for collaboratively developing innovative practices and policies designed to improve the health of populations and enhance the patient experience of care.
32 Courses
This program contains 32 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Program Guide
Students who anticipate needing a California Public Health Certificate (CA PHN) in the future, have the option of choosing a curriculum path that satisfies the requirements for applying for this certificate after graduation.
Check if California PHN Cert Pathway is Right for You
California PHN Cert Pathway Program Guide
Field Experiences
Special requirements for this program
While most of your coursework will be completed online, your nursing program includes some requirements—including field experiences—that must be completed in a facility near you. And while most of your courses can be accelerated based on your prior knowledge and hard work, some nursing programs begin with a
cohort-based course
that must be completed via five scheduled webcam sessions with faculty and fellow students.
Request Info
Skills For Your Résumé
As part of this program, you will develop a range of valuable skills that employers are looking for.
Instructing:
Conducted thorough assessments of learners to gauge comprehension of provided instruction, ensuring effective teaching and learning outcomes.
Instructional and Curriculum Design:
Developed effective methods for assessing learning and performance.
Nurse Education:
Delivered theoretical and practical teaching to equip nurses for professional nursing duties, contributing to the development of skilled and competent healthcare professionals.
Leadership:
Inspired collaboration among healthcare professionals in pursuit of the highest quality patient care, fostering a culture of teamwork and shared commitment to excellence.
Advocacy:
Advocated for policies aimed at improving both public health and the nursing profession, contributing to positive systemic changes.
Caring and Consideration:
Delivered compassionate nursing care through actions, attitude, and language, prioritizing empathy and patient-centered approaches in healthcare practice.
“Enrollment was perfectly easy for me. I was able to submit online and somebody called me within a day to start the whole process. Within two or three weeks I was ready to go for my first term.”
—Bryon Denton
M.S. Nursing – Education
WGU vs. Traditional Universities
Compare the Difference
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options
As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year
Apply Now
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
TUITION STRUCTURE
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
SUPPORT
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
EXAMS
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
SCHEDULE
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options
TIME TO FINISH
As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year
Apply Now
Why WGU?
Affordability
WGU tuition is charged per six-month term, not per credit. That means if you want to move faster through this nursing informatics program, you'll pay less.
PAYING FOR SCHOOL
On Your Schedule
You can continue working at your full-time job or maintaining your responsibilities while pursing your RN to MSN degree. You don't have to log-in to classes and there aren't due dates. You are in charge of your degree.
A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
Alumni Network
When you enroll in the nursing informatics program at WGU, you join an impressive network of healthcare professionals.
CAREER OUTLOOK
Accredited,
Respected,
Recognized™
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at WGU are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (
http://www.ccneaccreditation.org
).
COST & TIME
An Affordable Nursing Education Degree
By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay for your degree.
Apply FREE
Costs for the
Undergraduate
Portion of This Program
$5,325
Tuition per 6-month term
At WGU, tuition is charged every six months. Other fees include a flat fee of $200 each term for e-books and learning resources.
Costs for the
Graduate
Portion of This Program
$5,035
Tuition per 6-month term
Other fees include a flat fee of $200 each term for e-books and learning resources.
Apply FREE
A Nursing Master's Degree Is Within Reach
There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:
The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2022 (among those who borrowed) was less than half* the national average.
Responsible Borrowing Initiative
Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.
Financial Aid
Many scholarship opportunities are available. Find out what you might be eligible for.
Scholarships
*
WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2022).
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
WGU's Online MSN Bridge Program Was Built to be Different—for a Busy RN’s Schedule
Our unique learning model puts working nurses in the driver’s seat of their education. As a busy nurse, you need a degree program that's more than simply online—you need a nursing program that truly reflects the realities of your work life and experience. At WGU, progress through programs is driven by your ability to prove what you’ve learned. How—and how quickly—are largely up to you. Once you’ve mastered the material, you prove what you know through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments. Demonstrating mastery is how you pass a course, and passing courses is how you complete degree programs, so learning what it takes to be outstanding in your career is at the heart of WGU’s MSN – Education curriculum.
Other universities' online M.S. programs may give you the convenience of distance learning; WGU's online programs take that flexibility further—many steps further!
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"WGU is a great option for nurses who are looking to advance their careers but need further education and flexibility to do so.”
—Kathryn Kosmides
M.S. Nursing – Education (RN to MSN)
CAREER OUTLOOK
An Online MSN Degree Program for an RN to Become a Nurse Educator
Once you have completed your M.S. in Nursing – Education degree program at WGU, you will have the knowledge and skills to be an outstanding nurse educator. You'll be in demand, because you'll be prepared to translate your extensive nursing knowledge into valuable learning opportunities for other nurses.
You know the hard work nurses put in every day to make a difference for their patients. Now you can help other caregivers get the training they need to succeed. Influence the future of healthcare with an RN to MSN degree. Master’s-prepared nurse educators educate and train nurses, nursing students, school children, community groups, workers, patients, and consumers. After you upgrade your RN to MSN – Education through our nationally recognized online bridge program, you will be ready to work in settings such as:
Hospitals.
Community agencies.
Schools.
Industry and businesses.
Nursing programs.
MORE ABOUT CAREERS
Return on Your Investment
Many WGU graduates may see an increase in income post-graduation
Average income increase in annual salary vs. pre-enrollment salary from all degrees. Source:
2024 Harris Poll
of 1,655 WGU graduates.
Survey was sent to a representative sample of WGU graduates from all colleges. Respondents received at least one WGU degree since 2017.
$84K
Nursing instructors at colleges, universities, or professional schools make over $84,000 on average, according to recent statistics.
—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Enjoy a Career That is Both Fulfilling and in High Demand
Given the growing shortage of nurse educators, earning your MSN with a focus in nursing education is both a rewarding decision and a solid career move. Once you study and master subjects like curriculum development, instruction and evaluation, and current technology in nursing education, your role in nursing can take on a whole new dimension. The more than 3,000 alumni of our M.S. Nursing – Education degree programs have great jobs and satisfying careers:
Job Titles
Nurse educator
Nursing faculty
Program director
Academic clinical nurse educator
Diverse Industries
Hospitals and healthcare clinics
Colleges and universities
Healthcare networks
Law enforcement and corrections
Hospice providers
Major Employers
Healthcare Corp. of America
Kaiser-Permanente
Purdue University
University of Utah
Hospice Care of California
WGU Grads Hold Positions With Top Employers
Hospitals and clinics around the country know the benefit of a degree from WGU, so your healthcare degree is valuable.
More About Career Growth
ADMISSIONS & TRANSFERS
Admission Requirements Unique to This Nursing Degree
To be considered for this online RN-to-MSN bridge program, you must
Possess an associate degree or diploma in nursing, such as an ADN or ASN degree, from an accredited institution.
Possess an active, unencumbered RN license:
1. In your state of residence, or
2. In your state of employment.
Prior to your clinical placement, you must submit to a
criminal background check through DISA Healthcare Technology
and provide proof of current immunizations. Additional fees apply.
NOTE: RN licensure in your state of residence or employment is required to successfully complete clinical experiences. You must be licensed in the state in which you will complete the project or clinical experience. Compact licenses must be endorsed by your state of residence. More
information about compact licenses
.
GENERAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
VIEW CHECKLIST
Get Your Questions Answered
Talk to an WGU Enrollment Counselor.
CONTACT AN ENROLLMENT COUNSELOR
Students who anticipate needing a California Public Health Certificate (CA PHN) in the future, have the option of choosing a curriculum path that satisfies the requirements for applying for this certificate after graduation.
DOWNLOAD CALIFORNIA PROGRAM DETAILS
Transfer Credits
TRANSFER INFORMATION
More About the RN-to-MSN Nursing Education Program
General Program Questions
Financial Aid Questions
Transcripts must be received by the 1st of the month before your intended start date. WGU requires that ALL official transcripts of previous academic work completed at other colleges and universities be submitted for evaluation.
Admissions requirements vary widely from program to program and from school to school. Nurse practitioner programs—including Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and post-MSN NP certificate programs—can be among the most competitive. One factor commonly considered for enrollment in post-graduate nursing programs is grade-point average (GPA) from previous college work. The nature of WGU’s competency-based model means WGU graduates do not have a GPA when they earn their degree. WGU will work with you to help other institutions understand our model.
However, other factors beyond GPA are considered by many programs across the country. WGU provides opportunities for students to students to demonstrate excellence beyond a GPA, including participation in nationally recognized honors programs, real-world projects that you complete as part of your program that you can showcase in your post-graduate applications, and letters of recommendation from WGU faculty or leadership.
The WGU non-NP MSN courses do not satisfy the requirement for three separate courses in Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. These are often referred to as the “3 Ps” and are required for national certification and licensure as a nurse practitioner.
You will need to work closely with the nurse practitioner program, national certification organization and licensing agency to be sure you have completed all requirements before certification and licensure.
For any aspiring graduate student, it is important to maximize your own qualities as well as do the research to understand the schools that offer the programs you seek to join.
You can start your research by reviewing post-graduate programs that have admitted WGU alumni in the past. Look on LinkedIn for
WGU nursing alumni who have gone on to become nurse practitioners
, and check their profiles to see which schools they attended after graduating from WGU. Contact the school to ask whether they enroll students from competency-based programs like WGU’s. And talk to your WGU Enrollment Counselor. WGU can provide alumni with a letter they can share with graduate schools, explaining our competency-based model. This letter has helped WGU alumni be accepted into a variety of graduate programs in a number of fields and disciplines.
WGU is approved to offer
federal student aid
. You will need to apply using the FAFSA, which is used to determine your eligibility for aid. WGU’s FAFSA school code is 033394.
Scholarships are available for new WGU students and returning graduates.
This video shows more
about scholarship opportunities and how they can help you pay for school. Get information on:
How to apply
Eligibility requirements
Examples of scholarships
What happens after you apply
FAQs
Other financial aid options
WGU's tuition is a flat rate that is charged every six months. You can take as many courses as you are able in that six-month term—with no extra cost. You simply pay for the term and do as much work as you can or want to during that time. This means that finishing faster helps you save money—a major benefit you won't find at most other schools.
Ready to Start Your WGU Journey?
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