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Master of Science (MS) in Nursing Education

View Advanced Certificate in Nursing Education

Master of Science in Nursing Education program consists of 39 credits of coursework that includes core courses common to all graduate programs; specialty courses with competencies in nursing education; and cognate courses that support nursing education.  Nine credits of core courses focus on nursing theory, research and health policy, fifteen credits of specialty courses address foundations in teaching and learning, curriculum development, instructional design, and evaluation approaches; and fifteen credits in cognate courses include legal and regulatory issues in nursing, advances in nursing science, measurement and assessment in nursing education, and grant writing.

The Master of Science in Nursing Education program promotes the application of didactic course content to the role of the nurse educator within academia and other educational venues. The culminating internship provides 150 practicum hours of directed educational experiences as a nurse educator, with an emphasis on teaching. The practicum is intended to provide a format for the learner to integrate content from all courses within the Master of Nursing in Education program and apply the material to their teaching-learning environment.

Current trends in nursing education reflect a growing need for nursing faculty. According to American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) over 70,000 nursing school applicants were denied admission to the nation’s nursing programs. Although several factors contribute to decreased admission of students into nursing programs, insufficient number of nursing faculty is cited as a key issue. Reasons for faculty shortages are due to retirements, as well as newly developed faculty positions. Nationally, the average age of doctoral and master prepared nursing faculty is over 55 years old, with the average retirement age identified as 62. All indicators stress the present and growing need for qualified nurse educators.

The MS program accommodates both full-time and part-time students. Full time students can complete the program in two years; part-time completion typically takes three to four years.

Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the MS with a major in Nursing Education, the learner is expected to meet each of the following Program Outcomes:

1. Integrate sciences, humanities, theories and frameworks to advance nursing science, professional identity, and lifelong learning.
2. Engage in the spirit of inquiry, scholarship, and best evidence to inform practice decisions.
3. Guide policy development aligned with professional nursing values to direct improvements and quality outcomes across organizational systems.
4. Design curriculum reflective of education frameworks and nursing science aligned with program outcomes.
5. Create instructional designs grounded in evidence-based strategies and technological advances that meet diverse learning needs of adult students.
6. Examine educational assessment plans and systematic evaluation processes to assure program quality and standards of practice across learning environments.
7. Engage as a reflective practitioner through self-evaluation and peer evaluation processes to enhance practice as a nurse educator.
8. Transform educational environments through leadership and mentoring practices that advocates the scholarship of teaching and advances the future direction of nursing education.

Program Requirements
The MS in Nursing with a major in Nursing Education consists of 39 credit hours distributed as follows:

• NUR 500 Theoretical Foundations for Nursing Practice (3 credits)
• NUR 503 Advanced Leadership and Health Policy (3 credits)
• NUR 505 Foundations of Teaching and Learning in Nursing Education (3 credits)
• NUR 509 Advances in Nursing Science: Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology, and
  Pharmacological Therapeutics (6 credits)
• NUR 526 Legal and Regulatory Issues in Health Care (3 credits)
• NUR 535 Curriculum Development in Nursing Education (3 credits)
• NUR 536 Measurement and Assessment in Nursing Education (3 credits)
• NUR 545 Instructional Design in Nursing Education (3 credits)
• NUR 560 Nursing Research Methods (3 credits)
• NUR 624 Grant Proposal (3 credits)
• NUR 635 Evaluation Approaches in Nursing Education (3 credits)
• NUR 645 Culminating Internship in Nursing Education (3 credits)

Program Requirement
Upon completion of the courses, students are expected to successfully meet one of the Options for a Comprehensive Applied Learning Project. Contact your advisor for more information.

Clinical/Practicum Experiences
Students must have a clear and unencumbered nursing license in order to participate in clinical or practicum experiences. Failure to report any license sanction or condition will result in automatic course failure and probable dismissal from the nursing program.

All students are expected to perform activities in the educator role under the guidance of a mentor with the utmost professional, ethical, and caring behaviors. All students, regardless of level, will be expected to adhere to legal and ethical standards as established by regulatory agencies and nursing professional standards across educational and health care organizations. There is a zero tolerance for breaches of ethics or professionalism. Unsafe clinical performance is care that seriously jeopardizes a patient’s well-being, and/or causes potential or actual harm to self or others. No student demonstrating unsafe performance will be allowed to continue in practicum settings. Any acts of omission or commission by a student that are deemed unsafe, unethical or unprofessional are grounds for course failure, and probable program dismissal.

Degree Requirements Overview & Program Notes – Nursing Education Program

• All students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher to graduate.
• Regardless of overall GPA, students can apply only two “C” grades in courses taken towards the degree.
• Graduate students may repeat a total of three nursing courses that count towards graduation; each of these courses may only be repeated once.
• Students may transfer up to nine credit hours, if applicable, from another graduate program.
• Students must maintain continuous registration, equal to or greater than one credit while completing degree requirements. MS Nursing students can do this by registering for CMT 600 – Continuous Registration. This only applies to students who have an incomplete in their last semester and it can only be applied once.  Students must be registered at SUNY Polytechnic Institute during the term they intend to graduate.

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Advanced Certificate in Nursing Education

State University of New York (SUNY) policy prohibits SUNY admission applications from inquiring into an applicant’s prior criminal history. After acceptance, the College shall inquire if the student previously has been convicted of a felony if such individual seeks campus housing or participation in clinical or field experiences, internships or study abroad programs. The information required to be disclosed under SUNY policy regarding such felony convictions shall be reviewed by a standing campus committee consistent with the legal standards articulated in New York State Corrections Law.

Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet licensure requirements for certain professions. Students who have concerns about such matters are advised to contact the Vice President for Student Affairs Office at (315) 792-7505.