Master of Science in Nursing Leadership: Executive, Educator, Legal Nurse Consultant, or Public Health Concentration

Admission

Please refer to "The Graduate Admissions Process" section for general graduate admission information. For consideration and admission to the Master of Science in Nursing program, all applicants must satisfactorily submit or complete the following:

1. Wilmington University graduate application.  

2. Current unencumbered RN licensure (electronic verification acceptable). 

3. Official transcripts reflecting the following: 

                - Graduation from a nationally accredited baccalaureate program in nursing;

                - Completion of an undergraduate statistics course, with a grade of "C" or higher

Once the application process is complete, students will receive an email from the graduate program regarding orientation and program planning.  To schedule a program planning conference, please email dorothy.j.burritt@wilmu.edu.

All admissions documents should be sent directly to Wilmington University, Office of Graduate Admissions. 

Program Purpose

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program is designed to prepare professional nurses for advanced roles. The curriculum emphasizes relationships among advanced nursing practice, theory, and scholarly inquiry. Nurses educated at the masters level demonstrate competency as leaders, teachers, and researchers while influencing health policy.

Program Competencies 

Through completion of the Master of Science in Nursing program, graduates will:

1. Promote the art of nursing by valuing the unique relationships among people, which create meaning and preserve human dignity;

2. Synthesize theoretical, experiential, and research knowledge as the scientific basis for advanced nursing practice;

3. Use the ethical and legal standards recognized by the nursing profession to guide advanced nursing practice;

4. Implement knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research to improve nursing practice by evaluating published research, applying findings to practice, and participating in research activities;

5. Incorporate findings from teaching/learning theories and research to educate individuals and groups;

6. Implement knowledge of health policy, financial aspects of health care, and the organization of health delivery systems to influence continuous improvement in health care;

7. Fulfill a leadership role in individual and population healthcare through effective collaboration, client and peer advocacy, sensitivity to diversity, and ongoing participation in professional organizations;

8. Negotiate an appropriate role for advanced nursing practice in the context of a dynamic health care system;

9. Demonstrate advanced oral and written communication abilities;

10. Demonstrate the ability to access, use, and evaluate information and information technologies.

11. Influence healthcare outcomes for individuals, populations, and systems through advanced assessment of health promotion, prevention, and continual improvement of nursing care across diverse settings.

Pre-Requisite Course Requirements

All students are required to have prerequisite knowledge of statistics. If a student has not completed an undergraduate course in statistics with a grade of "C" or better, he or she will be required to complete statistics prior to consideration for degree candidacy (completion of 12 credits). If an undergraduate course in statistics has not been successfully completed, the following Wilmington University course is appropriate: 

MAT 308 - Inferential Statistics  

Program Design

Today’s health care environment requires competent, innovative leaders. Nurse leaders are needed for nursing education, entrepreneurial pursuits, interdisciplinary care coordination, and evidence-based practice initiatives. The Nursing Leadership concentration provides the opportunity for nurses to acquire and refine the skills needed for leadership roles in nursing.

To fulfill requirements of the M.S.N. Leadership program, students must complete all courses, consisting of 36 credit hours, while maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Students complete course work with an emphasis in one of four concentrations: executive, educator, legal nurse consultant, or public health. All concentrations are designed to advance the students’ knowledge of research to improve the practice of nursing and strengthen the awareness of contemporary influences on health care needs of individuals, families, and communities. Philosophy of nursing leadership and health care expands the foundation for ethical decision making as students develop skill in working within the context of prevailing systems of care.

Students in all concentrations will complete a final culminating course: MSN 8900 Nurse Leadership Portfolio. The program must be completed within five years.