RN to MSN
Program Description
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 online RN to MSN degree provides Associate and diploma degree prepared Registered Nurses an accelerated pathway to obtaining a Master of Science in Nursing degree while also obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. The RN to MSN degree is designed to facilitate the immediate and lifelong professional and personal development needs of Registered Nurses in the three areas of Practitioner, Scientist and Leader. Graduates of the RN to MSN program will be prepared to be agents of change in today’s rapidly transforming healthcare industry.
Note: This program is currently not open for admission to residents of New York and Washington.
At this time, this program is not eligible for military tuition assistance; please speak with your Admissions Coach on other financial solutions.
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:
- Improve performance in the professional nursing role by developing leadership, management, sound clinical judgment, and communication skills to promote the health of individuals, families, and communities.
- Utilize evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and leadership principles to promote a culture of safety and achieve outcomes that are grounded in institutional values and professional ethics.
- Apply informatics and healthcare technologies to access critical information, to collaborate with other professionals, and to facilitate optimal patient-centered care.
- Apply scientific principles and the nursing process to evaluate responses to therapies and changes in patient health status.
- Integrate knowledge of human and organizational behavior to lead teams and to promote cultures of safety.
- Analyze the impact of financial, regulatory, and political decisions on local, national and global health outcomes.
- Synthesize knowledge of ethical, socioeconomic, and cultural factors to decrease health disparities, to advocate for vulnerable populations and to provide culturally relevant healthcare to individuals, groups and communities.
- Employ a spirit of inquiry to embrace the value of lifelong learning and to participate in professional activities that promote and shape the future of nursing.
- Apply the principles of ethical decision making to the practice of the master’s prepared nurse.
- Demonstrate leadership skills to support safe nursing practices to continually improve patient-centered care.
- Advocate for healthcare policies that improve healthcare outcomes across the lifespan.
- 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.
Programmatic Admission Requirements
This program is currently not open for admission to residents of the District of Columbia and Washington.
To apply to this program, you must hold the following:
- Associate degree or diploma from an accredited or board approved institution in nursing.
- Current, active, unencumbered U.S. registered nursing (RN) license in a state where practicums will be conducted.
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- Signed statement of understanding
- Current resume/CV
- 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, clearly articulated reasons for applying to the master’s program, and long-term goals or professional career aspirations.
Please visit our 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 877-382-1783 or [email protected].
Degree at a Glance
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General Education Requirements
30
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Registered Nurse License
30
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Major Required
30
|
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Elective Requirements
27
|
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Final Program Requirement (BSN)
3
|
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Concentration in Community and Public Health Nursing
23
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Final Program Requirement (MSN)
4
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Total Semester Hours
147
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Degree Program Requirements
Registered Nurse License (30 semester hours)
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Current active, unencumbered registered nursing license.
30 |
| Total Semester Hours 30 |
General Education (30 semester hours)
| Arts & Humanities (6 semester hours) 1 |
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Select 2 courses from the following:
6 |
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Arabic I
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Arabic II
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Art Appreciation
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Survey of Photography
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Film and Literature
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Image Enhancement using Adobe Photoshop®
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French I
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French II
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German I
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German II
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Introduction to Japanese
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Literature of American Encounters, Revolution, and Rebellion
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From Abolition to #MeToo: Literature of the American Civil Rights Movement
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Pivotal Figures in Early British Literature
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British Literature from Wordsworth through the Wasteland
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Leadership in World Literature: Antiquity to the Early Modern Period
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Literature of the Newly Globalized World: The Individual’s Struggle to Adapt
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Music Appreciation
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Jazz and Rock
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World Music and Cultures
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Introduction to Philosophy
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Critical Thinking
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Introduction to Ethics
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Philosophy of Science
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Introduction to Brazilian Portuguese
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Introduction to the Study of Religion
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Introduction to World Religions
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Russian I
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Spanish I
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Spanish II
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Thinking and Acting Ethically
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| Civics, Political & Social Sciences (6 semester hours) 2 |
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Select 2 courses from the following:
6 |
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Introduction to Anthropology
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World Archaeology
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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
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Human Sexuality
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Planning Your Future with Purpose in Health Sciences
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Social Media and Society
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Intercultural Communication
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Microeconomics
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Macroeconomics
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Humane Education: A Global Interdisciplinary Perspective
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Introduction to Geography
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Practical Food Safety and Awareness
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International Relations I
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Introduction to Political Science
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American Government I
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Introduction to Psychology
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Death and Dying
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Race & Religion
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Hope and Resilience
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Introduction to Sociology
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Social Problems
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American Popular Culture
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Exploring Society and Cultures via Science Fiction
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| Communication: Writing, Oral, and Multimedia (9 semester hours) |
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Information and Digital Literacy
3 |
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Making Writing Relevant
3 |
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Select 1 course from the following:
3 |
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Emerging Technology for College Success
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Public Speaking
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Interpersonal Communications
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Proficiency in Writing
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Argumentation and Rhetoric
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Introduction to Literature
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Technical Writing
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Scientific Writing
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Effective Business Communication
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Human Relations Communication
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Information Literacy and Global Citizenship
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Introduction to Information Technology Writing
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Human Relations
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| History (3 semester hours) |
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Select 1 course from the following:
3 |
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American History to 1877
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American History since 1877
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World Civilization before 1650
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World Civilization since 1650
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Western Civilization before The Thirty Years War
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Western Civilization since The Thirty Years War
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African-American History before 1877
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African-American History since 1877
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History of the American Indian
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History of Science
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The History and Context of STEM
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| Mathematics and Applied Reasoning (3 semester hours) |
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Introduction to Statistics
3 |
| Natural Sciences (3 semester hours) |
|
Select 1 course from the following:
3 |
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Introduction to Biology
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Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology
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Introduction to Chemistry
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Introduction to Meteorology
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Introduction to Geology
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Introduction to Environmental Science
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Introduction to Physics
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Introduction to Astronomy
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Introduction to STEM Disciplines
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| Total Semester Hours 30 |
Major Required (30 semester hours)
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Professional Transitions in Nursing
3 |
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Assessment, Evaluation and Clinical Decision-Making
3 |
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Pathophysiology and Clinical Pharmacology
3 |
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Science of Evidence-Based Practice
3 |
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Emerging Scholarship and Trends in Healthcare
3 |
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Caring for Today's Veterans
3 |
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Community Health I
3 |
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Population-Based Healthcare
3 |
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Informatics and Technology
3 |
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Leadership for the Master's Prepared Nurse
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 30 |
Elective Requirements (27 semester hours)
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Select any courses that have not been used to fulfill major requirements. Credits applied toward a minor or certificate in an unrelated field may be used to fulfill elective credit for the major.
27 |
| Total Semester Hours 27 |
Final Program Requirement (BSN) (3 semester hours)
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Senior Seminar in Nursing Studies
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 3 |
Concentration in Community and Public Health Nursing (23 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 prepared 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 (23 semester hours)
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Research and Evidence-Based Practice
3 |
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Healthcare Systems and Health Policy
3 |
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Biostatistics with Lab
4 |
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Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health
3 |
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Research Methods in Public Health
3 |
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Epidemiology
3 |
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Program Development and Evaluation in Community and Public Health Nursing
4 |
| Total Semester Hours 23 |
Final Program Requirement (MSN) (4 semester hours)
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Community and Public Health Nursing Practicum with Capstone Project 3
4 |
| Total Semester Hours 4 |
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All literature courses require successful completion of ENGL101-Proficiency in Writing or ENGL110-Making Writing Relevant.
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All literature courses require successful completion of ENGL101-Proficiency in Writing or ENGL110-Making Writing Relevant.
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Taken once all other degree requirements have been met. Students who select a Concentration in Community and Public Health Nursing must take this course.