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2025 Graduate Catalog

Master of Science in Nursing

The mission of the American Public University System’s Nursing Program is to “provide quality, affordable, and accessible higher education for professional registered nurses to foster lifelong learning through a spirit of inquiry in order to prepare students for service and leadership roles in a diverse and global society.”

The Master of Science in Nursing program helps to prepare you to be an effective leader in the nursing profession and to be an agent of change in the delivery of health care. The transformational changes occurring in healthcare today make advanced nursing practice essential to the provision of safe, patient-centered care. As a nurse educator or nurse leader, you can help lead the change to move nursing into the future.

The master's degree program in nursing at APUS is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Note: This program is currently not open for admission to residents of Washington.

This program has specific admission requirements.

Degree Program Objectives

In addition to the institutional and degree level learning objectives, graduates of this program are expected to achieve these learning outcomes:

  • Apply the principles of ethical decision making to the practice of the master’s prepared nurse.
  • Demonstrate leadership skills to support safe nursing practices and continually improve patient-centered care.
  • Advocate for healthcare policies that improve healthcare outcomes across the lifespan.
  • Translate theoretical knowledge, research and evidence-based practice to influence the delivery of high-quality, safe care to diverse populations in a variety of settings.
  • Apply data management principles in the delivery of cost-effective care to improve health outcomes.
  • Analyze how healthcare policy and health care economics affect change within the healthcare system.
  • Demonstrate effective inter-professional communication and collaboration to support safe and efficient coordination of care.
  • Reflect on personal commitment to lifelong learning to gain the competencies needed to lead the provision of care in a complex and changing healthcare environment.

Programmatic Admission Requirements

This program is currently not open for admission to residents of  Washington. 

For this program, the following documentation is required and must be provided prior to course registration:

  • Official transcripts showing a conferred Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a program accredited by: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing ( ACEN®), Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA®), or Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN). 
  • Current and active unencumbered registered nurse (RN) in a state or province where practicums will be conducted
  • Minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the baccalaureate nursing degree
  • Successful completion of an undergraduate level statistics course with a “C” or higher
  • Current resume/CV
  • Signed statement of understanding (SOU)
  • 500-600 word statement of purpose and goals for graduate education*

*Writing style should be scholarly and coherent with no grammatical errors. Provide in 500-600 words a description of relevant work experience, and clearly articulated reasons for applying to the master’s program. Long-term goals or professional career aspirations should be included.

Note: You must complete this program within 5 years of starting your first nursing (NURS) course.

ACEN® is a registered trademark of the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc.

CNEA® is a registered trademark of the National League for Nursing.

Please visit our AMU or APU graduate admission page for more information on institutional admission requirements.

Need help?

If you have questions regarding a program’s admission requirements, please contact the Admissions Team at 877-755-2787 or [email protected].

Degree at a Glance

Degree Program Requirements

Core Requirements (15 semester hours)

Students must choose a concentration for this degree program and may select from a Concentration in Community and Public Health Nursing, Concentration in Nurse Leader Track, or Concentration in Nurse Educator Track.

Concentration in Community and Public Health Nursing (17 semester hours)

The community/public health nursing concentration prepares nurses to serve, protect, and promote the health of communities locally and globally through the application of three core functions of public health: assessment, policy development, and assurance. Students are taught to serve as change agents practicing with a justice approach that is collaborative, promotes health and equity, and engages community gatekeepers and stakeholders. Graduates are equipped to analyze determinants of health using epidemiological data and other evidence. They are also prepared to apply social and behavioral science theories, models, and principles to develop or improve programs to address public health issues and to promote public health policies, programs, and resources that improve health outcomes.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Analyze social determinants of health that affect the health of a community.
  • Evaluate prevention strategies of communities to identify opportunities for improvement in health and disease prevention of vulnerable populations.
  • Enhance the health of a vulnerable population through interprofessional coordination, planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of a public health nursing intervention for a selected community.
Concentration Requirements (17 semester hours)

Concentration in Nurse Leader Track (18 semester hours)

Offers a focus in leadership, human resource management, and operational quality. Healthcare business and finance are also covered.

Objectives

Upon completion of this concentration, you will be able to:

  • Apply programmatic objectives to the role of the nurse leader.
  • Advocate for business practices that promote healthcare quality and patient safety
  • Synthesize knowledge of key business and human resources practices to lead healthcare teams.
Concentration Requirements (18 semester hours)

Concentration in Nurse Educator Track (18 semester hours)

Looks at curriculum, instruction, and assessment in nursing education with a focus on teaching and evaluations for nurse educators.

Objectives

Upon completion of this concentration, you will be able to:

  • Apply programmatic objectives to the nurse educator role in clinical or academic settings.
  • Create educational and curricular materials for a variety of audiences.
  • Evaluate effectiveness of teaching strategies and modalities.
Concentration Requirements (18 semester hours)

Final Program Requirement (3-4 Semester Hours)

  1. Taken once all other degree requirements have been met. Students who select a Concentration in Community and Public Health Nursing must take this course.

  2. Taken once all other degree requirements have been met. Students who select a Concentration in Nurse Educator Track or Concentration in Nurse Leader Track must take this course.

If you're ready to move forward, we're ready to take you there.

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