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Online Master’s Degree in Nursing Education

Advance Into Education to Empower the Next Generation of Nurses

Online with a Practicum

2-Year Duration

39 Credit Hours

$695 per Credit

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Our Online MSN: Nursing Education Program Prepares You for a Rewarding Career

Become an inspiring mentor and educator by completing the online master’s in nursing education program with Sacred Heart University. Among the most respected online MSN: Nursing Education degrees, our CCNE-accredited program positions you for success in nursing education while helping you meet the requirements to sit for the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) exam.

While completing this online program, you’ll learn from expert faculty and work with a preceptor through three immersions to apply theory to practice. Take this opportunity to transition into a teaching role that helps address the ongoing nursing faculty shortage affecting nursing schools nationwide, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).1

Online MSN: Nursing Education Details

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Learn From Faculty Who Emphasize Excellence in Education

Sacred Heart’s online MSN: Nursing Education program includes eight specialization courses that explore curriculum development and evaluation, the principles of patient and staff learning and the theoretical foundations of nursing education. You will also complete core courses that immerse you in health care policy, practice and research to build well-rounded skills while completing the online master’s in nursing education program.

If you’re interested in expanding your worldview alongside your nursing skills, consider taking an optional two-week term at SHU’s Dingle, Ireland campus during this online program. Through this experience, you will complete part of the capstone hours while being mentored by College of Nursing faculty abroad. Choose this option to participate in an integrated nursing module with other aspiring nursing students at a local college and a clinical site visit as you learn about the local Irish culture.

To deliver a truly rigorous, up-to-date education, we’ve designed the online MSN: Nursing Education program according to the NLN Core Competencies for Academic Nursing Educators and the AACN Essentials for Master’s Education in Nursing.

MSN: Nursing Education Required Courses

This course further prepares each student to assess in-depth the pathophysiology of common disease states. Clinical pathology content addresses alterations in major body systems that are commonly found in the primary care settings, as well as common testing used in the diagnostic process. This course assists the student in the role of advanced practice nurse with the preparation to assess clients across the lifespan.

This course prepares the learner to assess in depth the biopsychosocial health status of clients across the lifespan by obtaining a complete and accurate health history and by performing a systematic physical examination. Acquired data will be used to formulate a comprehensive problem list for the client and to refine documentation skills. Content will be designed to provide correlation of assessment strategies with an understanding of the mechanisms of illness and health problems of the main body systems. Health and wellness in the context of disability will be addressed. This course assists in the socialization of the learner into the role of the clinical nurse leader or nurse educator in the current healthcare delivery system. The simulation component enables the learner to develop comprehensive assessment and patient education skills and empathy.
Prerequisite: NU 602

This course covers research-based educational theory and evidence-based teaching/learning strategies. The theories will be examined for their application in a variety of settings, level of education, and for the adult learner. This course will introduce the impact of diversity and emphasis is placed on who the learner is and how he/she learns. External issues and trends impacting nursing education in a variety of teaching settings (face-to-face, virtual, and clinical) will be explored including ethical/legal considerations in course curriculum design and implementation.

This course prepares the student to design and implement curriculum based on evidence-based teaching/learning theory. Focus is on the process of curriculum development for an individual course including course objectives, content, learning activities, delivery of the content and student evaluation. The role of the faculty in program evaluation of the curriculum is explored.

This course will focus on the pharmacotherapeutic principles of drugs most commonly used and evaluated by Master’s prepared nurse across healthcare settings. Basic pharmacological concepts, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics, as well as the principle classifications of drugs in clinical use today are discussed in relation to physiologic and psychologic concepts. The role of the Master’s prepared nurse in teaching patients safe and effective medication administration and assessment of medication management and patients with chronic disease is emphasized. A variety of interactive and experiential activities will be utilized to enable the student to apply pharmacological theory to clinical situations and patient education.

The focus of the course is to explore the master’s prepared nurse’s role in education in a hospital or clinical setting. Theory and research based knowledge in the design, coordination, and evaluation of the delivery of patient care and staff education will be reviewed. Communication skills and strategies necessary to interact and collaborate with members of the interdisciplinary health care team in addition to develop a therapeutic alliance with the patient will be discussed.

This is the first course in the nursing sequence for the role immersion experience in nursing education. Students apply and analyze the theories, competencies, and concepts of the previous courses in a designated role practicum experience using a preceptor. Through this experience, the student will develop an evidence-based improvement teaching project. Current issues and trends in health care and nursing are integrated within each topical area. A practicum experience, that may involve direct patient care, is a required part of this course.
Prerequisite: NU 619

This is the final course in the nursing sequence for the role immersion experience in nursing education. Students apply and analyze the theories, competencies, and concepts of the previous courses in a designated role practicum experience using a preceptor. Through this experience the student will develop an evidence-based improvement teaching project. Current issues and trends in health care and nursing are integrated within each topical area. A practicum experience, that may involve direct patient care, is a required part of this course.
Prerequisite NU 690

In addition to the specialization requirements, you’ll take core courses to acquire foundational knowledge for advanced nursing roles. Taught by our experienced faculty, these courses explore health care policy, the principles of health care research, evidence-based practice and beyond.

View Program Curriculum

Focus on Shaping the Future of Nursing in Your Career

Postsecondary nursing instructor employment is projected to grow 18% from 2023 to 2033 — much faster than average.2 With our online MSN: Nursing Educator program, you can prepare to meet this demand by developing skills for positions in colleges and universities, community health agencies and hospital-based schools of education. Nursing education roles are critically important, as you will offer valuable training to help reverse RN shortages expected to impact this field through 2030.3

Postsecondary Nursing Instructor $79,940 Median Annual Salary2

Nurse Educator $87,099 Average Annual Salary4

Faculty: Accomplished and Accessible

In your MSN online program, you will work directly with doctorally prepared faculty members with years of experience in their nursing specialties, extensive scholarly credentials and cutting-edge knowledge from the field. In addition to being well-versed in online teaching, our award-winning professors are available to answer your questions and offer support as you take the next step in your nursing journey.

Mary B Kaylor

Program Director – Online Graduate Nursing Programs & Associate Clinical Professor

Faculty Spotlight: Mary B Kaylor, Ph.D., RN

Dr. Mary Beth Kaylor received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Wright State University and began working in the Emergency Department at Children’s Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio while attending. She completed a Masters in Nursing and Health Systems Administration and PhD in Nursing with a cognate focus in health policy from the Ohio State University. After graduation she began teaching nursing at Wright State University. While there she completed a Masters in Public Health and a Certificate in Nursing Education. She also completed the Center for Transdisciplinary Evidence-based Practice Immersion program at the Ohio State University and the Intermediate Improvement Science Series program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Mary Beth also served as a nursing research consultant for the Kettering Health Network and worked for the Ohio Department of Medicaid. She has been the PI for many research projects including an AHRQ funded study on telemedicine, bed bugs prevalence, caring in hospital based nurses, and faculty/nursing beliefs about evidence based practice to name a few. She currently serves on the State of Ohio Department of Health Institutional Review Board.

Degrees & Certifications

  • PhD, The Ohio State University
  • MPH, Wright State University
  • MS of Nursing, The Ohio State University
  • BSN, Wright State University
  • Certified Nurse Educator
  • Advanced Public Health Nurse – Board Certified

Teaching Responsibilities

  • Nursing Role Development
  • Executive Nursing Leadership Practicum
  • Research

Awards & Fellowships

  • Nominated 2018 Excellence in Educational Research Award
  • Sigma Theta Tau

What You’ll Learn

Sacred Heart’s MSN program delivers competencies that you’ll need to excel in today’s diverse health care community. Through the core and specialization courses, you can prepare to improve patient outcomes, pursue nurse practitioner positions, lead nursing teams and teach in clinical settings.

Program Learning Outcomes

Explore More MSN Specializations

We offer additional MSN specializations to deliver the specific nursing expertise your goals demand. Explore these options to embark on your journey to becoming a nurse practitioner, educator or leader.

MSN: Family Nurse Practitioner

Learn to conduct physical examinations, diagnose and treat common illnesses, and help patients take action to improve or maintain their personal well-being.

MSN: Nursing Management & Executive Leadership

Discover how to manage a budget, create and implement administrative processes, make certain your procedures meet professional and ethical standards, and more.

MSN: Clinical Nurse Leader

Advocate for superior patient care and lead a team of integrated health care professionals, including social workers, pharmacists, physicians and fellow nurses.

MSN: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

RNs with a BSN and two years of experience who are interested in advancing as psychiatric nurses can earn an online MSN at Sacred Heart.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question we don’t cover here, request more information or call 877-791-7181.

Sacred Heart University’s online MSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The CCNE is an autonomous accrediting agency that ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing. It demonstrates to potential students and future employers that their school meets specific high standards and adequately prepares nurses for practice at a particular degree level.

For nurses who are evaluating prospective programs, the accredited status tells them that the education they receive will provide them with the knowledge to practice at the next level in their nursing career. It’s also significant for students who may want to continue to further education, as most master’s degree programs will not accept candidates whose BSN has not been conferred from an accredited university or program.

The deadline is four weeks prior to the start date unless the program has reached capacity. We encourage you to apply early and secure your spot in the program if you’re considering the upcoming term.

There is no licensure for this program. The online MSN in Clinical Nurse Education will make you eligible to sit for the Nurse Educator Certification from the National League for Nursing.

You’ll complete 36–39 credits to earn your MSN, depending on the specialization you select.

We like to keep our class sizes small. Sacred Heart’s nursing programs typically have 15-28 students per online course.

You can earn a Master of Science in Nursing with Sacred Heart University within two years.

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Sources

  1. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “Nursing Faculty Shortage Fact Sheet.” Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/nursing-faculty-shortage.
  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Postsecondary Teachers.” Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm.
  3. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet.” Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/nursing-shortage.
  4. Payscale. “Average Nurse Educator Salary.” Retrieved July 24, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Nurse_Educator/Salary.