*Now Enrolling for Fall 2023
Our online Master of Science in Nursing prepares you to become a clinical nurse leader (CNL) or a certified nurse educator (CNE) with a highly in-demand skill set. If you are a working nurse, you can complete the program part-time within two years, and you can often complete the clinical requirements right where you work. Save your time. Practice where you’re familiar. And train to raise the quality of care to your standards, as a leader with a vision.
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With the increasing complexity of healthcare, you need a new skill set to keep pace and become a leader. Our MSN courses are designed to give you those skills and are taught by doctorally prepared nurses. All courses in the program are offered online, through distance-learning methods. You will complete hands-on clinical experiences under the guidance of qualified preceptors, with faculty guidance and support, near where you live. In the semester prior to graduation, you will complete a transitional course that combines online coursework with an internship to showcase your advanced practice knowledge and skills.
In the Clinical Nurse Leader concentration, your courses will focus on competency in quality improvement, interdisciplinary team care, evidence-based practice, policy, and organization. In the Nurse Educator concentration, you will learn to develop coursework curriculum, teach courses, evaluate educational programs, oversee clinical rotations, and conduct research. In either concentration, you will graduate prepared to lead the change to promote health and elevate care in every setting in which you serve.
The Castleton MSN can make you a stronger candidate for managerial positions in nursing and qualify you to teach nursing at a college or university. It can also position you for further studies, such as a doctorate, which can lead to even more advanced positions, academic jobs, or careers in research. During the program, you will make many connections with people in your industry through courses and conferences.
*According to nurse.org
*According to the The Commission on Nurse Certification CNL 2016 Job Analysis
The MSN at Castleton has an affordable per-credit tuition rate — and because our program is flexible and online, you can continue working and earning as you complete your graduate degree. You may also be eligible for graduate financial aid.
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You will have direct access to professors who are doctorally trained nurses, leading nurse educators, advanced practice nurses, and experienced clinical nurse leaders. Through in-person or virtual office hours, you will work closely with faculty who care deeply about your success.
To apply to the MSN program, you must possess an unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse in the United States. Additional admission requirements include:
Learn about graduate student admissions at Castleton →
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) at Castleton University has received provisional approval (pending graduation of the first class) from the Vermont Board of Nursing (BON). Email: SOS.OPRLicensing1@Vermont.gov
Office of Professional Regulation, 89 Main Street, 3rd Floor Montpelier, VT 05620-3402. Phone: 802-828-2396
The master's degree program in nursing at Castleton University is pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education,655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. Applying for accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted.