Registered Nurse to Master of Science in Nursing in Leadership and Administration Online
Build on your nursing background to go beyond patient care and help organizations advance their mission and goals with an online program that enables you to earn your BSN and MSN.
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Program Overview
Accelerate your professional growth with our online RN to MSN program
Total Tuition:
$24,030
Program Duration:
As few as 20 Months
Credit Hours:
60
Prepare for leadership opportunities with the online Registered Nurse to Master of Science in Nursing in Leadership and Administration from SUU. Earn a bachelor's and a master's degree in this accelerated program, which streamlines your curriculum while giving you scheduling flexibility as a working nurse. Develop your ability to create innovative strategies to lead healthcare organizations with advanced knowledge in areas such as biomedical ethics and healthcare policy. Gain industry-specific expertise in business management.
No GRE is required, and you can complete 90 clinical hours at your current workplace. Plus, the MSN in Leadership and Administration helps prepare you for Nursing Leadership (AONL) certification exams. These certifications may require additional work experience.
As a graduate of this online and accredited nursing program, you will be prepared to:
- Develop leadership expertise to advance health equity and promote population health outcomes
- Establish leadership credentials to help organizations and governments improve quality and value in healthcare
- Lead teams to improve population health outcomes
- Advocate for systems change and health policy and advance efforts to achieve health equity
- Work with collaborative multisector partnerships to address population health disparities
- Effect change in organizations and communities, and promote innovation and adoption of programs and policies to improve population health outcomes and equity
- Develop leadership expertise to advance health equity and promote population health outcomes
- Establish leadership credentials to help organizations and governments improve quality and value in healthcare
- Lead teams to improve population health outcomes
- Advocate for systems change and health policy and advance efforts to achieve health equity
- Work with collaborative multisector partnerships to address population health disparities
- Effect change in organizations and communities, and promote innovation and adoption of programs and policies to improve population health outcomes and equity
This RN to MSN program prepares you for roles such as:
- Public Health Nurse (PHN)
- Certified Nurse Educator (CNE)
- Healthcare management roles
- Mid-level nursing management or administration roles
- Public Health Nurse (PHN)
- Certified Nurse Educator (CNE)
- Healthcare management roles
- Mid-level nursing management or administration roles
Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree in nursing at Southern Utah University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington DC, 20001, 202-887-6791.
Also available online:
SUU offers a variety of nursing programs online. Check out all of our online nursing programs.
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Total Tuition:
$24,030
Program Duration:
As few as 20 Months
Credit Hours:
60
Accreditation
The master of science in nursing degree in leadership and administration at Southern Utah University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington DC, 20001, 202-887-6791.
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Tuition
Benefit from budget-friendly tuition
Take advantage of our affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition, which includes all fees.
Tuition Breakdown
Total Tuition:
$24,030*
Tuition Breakdown
Total Tuition:
$24,030
Calendar
Get started—mark these dates in your calendar
Designed for working professionals, SUU online programs conveniently feature 7-week courses and 6 start dates each year.
Now Enrolling
Next Apply Date:
1/1/25
Next Class Start Date:
1/8/25
| Term | Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall II | 10/16/24 | 10/9/24 | 10/9/24 | 10/11/24 | 10/16/24 | 12/3/24 |
| Spring I | 1/8/25 | 1/1/25 | 1/1/25 | 1/3/25 | 1/8/25 | 2/23/25 |
| Spring II | 2/24/25 | 2/17/25 | 2/17/25 | 2/19/25 | 2/24/25 | 4/20/25 |
| Summer I | 5/12/25 | 5/5/25 | 5/5/25 | 5/7/25 | 5/12/25 | 6/29/25 |
| Summer II | 6/30/25 | 6/23/25 | 6/23/25 | 6/25/25 | 6/30/25 | 8/17/25 |
| Fall I | 8/27/25 | 8/20/25 | 8/20/25 | 8/22/25 | 8/27/25 | 10/14/25 |
Now Enrolling
Next Apply Date:
1/1/25
Next Class Start Date:
1/8/25
Need more information about our online programs?
Ready to take on the next steps toward earning your degree?
Admissions
What you’ll need to apply to SUU online
Our streamlined admission process enables you to start quickly and easily. Please review the requirements for the RN to MSN – Leadership and Administration online, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them.
Admission Requirements
- Online application
- 2.5 GPA minimum
- Official transcripts
You must meet the following requirements for admission to the RN to MSN online program.
- Complete an online application
- Undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or 2.5 in the last 60 hours)
- Submit all official transcripts to SUU
- A valid, unencumbered RN license
NOTE: Applicants will be required to do a drug-screen and background check through PreCheck and submit their current unencumbered RN license no later than the conclusion of the first course - NURS 3141. Students cannot progress any further until these have been completed.
SUU accepts regionally accredited institutions for transfer credit and may accept some national accreditations. National accreditations will be considered on a case-by-case basis after SUU conducts course-to-course evaluations. There are no guarantees that credits from a nationally accredited institution will be accepted.
Our streamlined admission process enables you to start quickly and easily. Please see the Program Map to determine the eligibility of this program in your state, then review the RN to MSN online requirements, including what documents you need and where you should send them.
Official transcripts, test scores and other documents should be sent to:
Email address:
[email protected]
Mailing address:
Admissions Office
Southern Utah University
PO Box 8008
Cedar City, Utah 84720
Courses
Explore the courses in your online RN to MSN program
For the RN to MSN online, you must complete 20 core courses (60 credit hours) — 30 credit hours of undergraduate credit and 30 credit hours of graduate credit. Students must have a minimum total of 120 credit hours in order to earn a bachelor’s degree, including general education requirements.
Please note that NURS 3141 (Foundations of Professional Nursing for the RN to BSN) is a fixed-first course.
NURS 3141: Foundations of Professional Nursing for the RN to BSN
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
**FIXED FIRST COURSE** This course introduces the theoretical and practice concepts upon which nursing is based. Students will explore professional writing and skills, evidence-based practice, historical development of nursing, health teaching, and principles of health promotion.
**Background check and drug screen must be completed by the end of this course.**
NURS 3261: Health Promotion and Education for the RN to BSN
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the exploration of health promotion and disease prevention across the lifespan. Emphasis is placed on health risk factors, preparation for health teaching using teaching and learning principles, and assessment of learner needs and readiness to learn. This course is designed for the student enrolled in the RN to BSN program.
NURS 4361: Essentials of Evidence Based Practice for the RN to BSN
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides experience in understanding and applying basic principles, evaluation, and implementation of research in evidence-based practice. This course is designed for the student enrolled in the RN to BSN program. Prerequisite: MATH 1040 Statistics.
NURS 4341: Nursing for Wellness in Older Adults for the RN to BSN
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the needs of older adults addressing emotional, social, physiologic, and behavioral changes. This course focuses on ageism, gender issues, chronicity, death and dying, loss, and life review in support of wellness of the aging adult. Practice-based learning is embedded in this course. Students will work with an older adult client (65 years and older) by meeting with them weekly to discuss health improvement and their health barriers, and come up with plans with the client to improve their health. This is completed weekly throughout the 7 week course/term. Must be completed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better. ***Prerequisite(s): NURS 3101 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C***
NURS 3121: Health Assessment for the RN to BSN
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course enhances health assessment across the lifespan through development of interviewing and physical assessment skills for the RN. Learning objectives focus on developing skills to conduct a comprehensive health assessment. This course is designed for the student enrolled in the RN to BSN program.
NURS 4351: Community Health Nursing for the RN to BSN
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course introduces theory, concepts, and practices of community health nursing with an emphasis on culturally sensitive care for individuals, families, and groups in a variety of community settings. This also includes identification of community resources for implementing change to provide community health. Practice-based learning is embedded in this course. Students have two options in this course - Option 1: Complete experience based learning hours by volunteering in a health department, senior center, local schools, etc. Option 2: Complete an educational project where the student will choose a group to educate and develop the education, hold the class, and provide a summary of the experience (example: teaching safe helmet use to a group of 6 teenagers). This course is designed for the student enrolled in the RN to BSN program. Must be completed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better. ***Prerequisite(s): NURS 3101 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C***
NURS 4421: Influencing Quality Within Healthcare
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course introduces theory, concepts, and practices related to influencing change in policies, systems, and environments with an emphasis on health care organizations. Course concepts include – organizational change theory, identification of resources and barriers to change at organizational and systems level, and adoption of evidence-based models of care at all levels of the ecological framework. This course is designed for the student enrolled in the RN to BSN program.
NURS 4471: Management of the Complex Patient for the RN to BSN
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the management of patients with multiple complex health problems. The course is designed to prepare healthcare professionals to manage patients with multiple co-morbidities throughout the lifespan.
NURS 4441: Contemporary Issues in Nursing for the RN to BSN
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course explores the nursing role in the context of current legal, ethical, political, and economic issues. Students develop skills to influence decisions on issues that impact health for individuals and populations.
NURS 4551: Leadership and Management for the RN to BSN
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
**FIXED LAST COURSE FOR BSN COURSEWORK**This course introduces theory, concepts, and practices of community health nursing with an emphasis on culturally sensitive care for individuals, families, and groups in a variety of community settings. This also includes identification of community resources for implementing change to provide community health. Practice-based learning is embedded in this course. This course requires 15 hours towards a personal development project and 30 hours will be spent developing a quality improvement project within your work setting or, if you are not working, you will need to develop a new or improved process as if you were working in a specific setting. This course is designed for the student enrolled in the RN to BSN program. Must be completed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better. ***Prerequisite(s): NURS 3101 and instructor permission - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C***
NURS 6110: Nursing Leadership Theory
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course sets the foundational stage for leadership in nursing. Students focus on theoretical and practical aspects of leadership in healthcare, and they discuss professional standards of practice for nursing leadership. Learners in this course explore various theories of leadership and how a nurse leader would respond in healthcare settings according to each leadership paradigm. Students will consider emotional intelligence and how it affects the ability to perform as an effective leader, as well as evaluate their own leadership style. **Fixed-first course for the MSN programs. MSN students must provide valid RN license, drug screen, and background check during this class or they cannot progress in the program - this does not include RN-MSN students.**
BA 6000: Business Foundations
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This accelerated and condensed course covers the essential concepts of Business Statistics, Microsoft Excel, Financial and Managerial Accounting and Corporate Finance that are necessary for success in subsequent graduate level business administration courses.
NURS 6210: Integrated Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, and Physical Assessment
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. and how nurse leaders can implement strategies to improve population health, enhance the care experience, and reduce costs. This course emphasizes the use of comprehensive health promotion, disease prevention, and health restoration model to address health concerns in patients and communities. Students will build upon basic assessment knowledge and skills incorporating psychological, sociocultural, developmental, spiritual, genetic, and social determinants of health. Students will review the pathophysiology processes of chronic illnesses that result in the need for ongoing care, monitoring, and engagement with healthcare providers at all levels. Students will learn about pharmaceutical agents utilized in the primary care setting, common over-the-counter agents as well some complementary therapeutics will be discussed. Emphasis is on the pharmacodynamics of medications most commonly prescribed for the management of chronic conditions.
MGMT 6100: Managing People & Organizations
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the principles of organizational behavior involved in managing people and organizations in a business environment. Topics include leadership, motivation, effective teams, conflict and negotiations, power and influence, organizational culture, and change management. This course focuses on the practical application of these principles in a meaningful and ethical manner.
**FIXED FIRST COURSE for all MBA STUDENTS unless you are required to take BA 6000. If BA 6000 is required, you will receive a course sequence from your academic advisor. This fixed-first does not apply to students in Nursing programs, MSN/MBA dual degree program, or the MS in Cybersecurity with Information Assurance - Management program.**
NURS 6310: Health Policy for Nurse Leaders
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines organizational, state, and federal policies which affect healthcare delivery. Students will examine the influence of lay, professional, and special interest groups in relation to advocacy for policy change, state and federal legislation, as well as the allocation of resources and the setting of health priorities. Students will develop skills to advocate for policies in both private and governmental agencies that are important to nursing, improve population health, enhance the care experience, reduce costs, and health equity.
NURS 6320: Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing Leadership
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to enhance proficiency in understanding research, developing clinical questions, evaluating current guidelines, implementing change, and maintaining best practices. Learners will gain an understanding of and begin to utilize resources for the implementation of principles of evidence-based practice in the healthcare setting. Students will combine clinical expertise, patient values, and the best research evidence to improve quality of care, safety, and administration in the role of the nurse leader. Scholars will advance competency skills in information literacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, and knowledge dissemination to efficiently translate evidence-based innovation in the capacity of nursing leadership. Prerequisite(s): NURS 6110 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: B-. Registration Restriction(s): Master of Science in Nursing students only
HCA 6100: Introduction to Healthcare Administration
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides a foundation in Healthcare Administration. The course introduces the student to the structure and functions of the U.S. Health Care System. Topics to be covered include an overview of the U.S. Health Care System (private and public sectors), the interface between Public Health and U.S. Health Care System, various health care delivery structures, health care workforce, health care resources, types of health services, financing of health services and health care coverage, meeting the health care needs of special populations, and critical issues in health services.
NURS 6410: Ethics in Nursing Leadership
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will focus on how nurse leaders in all practice areas can act to create safe forums for ethical discussion, reasoning, and influence. Students will develop knowledge and skills to help lead healthcare organizations to ensure a positive ethical practice environment. Biomedical ethical principles that influence population health outcomes and health equity will be examined.
NURS 6510: Innovation and Information in Nursing Leadership
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will examine the role of nurse leaders in developing and influencing the adoption of innovative strategies to improve population outcomes. Students will learn to apply systems change theories for planning, implementing, and evaluating strategically planned change. Nursing informatics is essential to facilitating interprofessional data-driven organizational change. Students will develop an understanding in the use of patient- and population-based data applications that inform and support the transformation of nursing care delivery toward a future of value-based quality nursing care that improves health outcomes, reduces costs, and ensures health equity. Prerequisite(s): NURS 6110 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: B-. Registration Restriction(s): Master of Science in Nursing students only
NURS 6520: Leadership Capstone
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides students with an opportunity to apply leadership skills and evidence-based practice in a variety of nursing settings. Students in this course apply the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) curriculum experience by translating knowledge into practice through participation in professional activities and the development of a culminating project. Students will develop, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based project. Students will evaluate the success of their capstone project by analyzing results, using the key performance indicators and metrics that were identified while planning the evaluation phase. Students will present the results of the capstone project in a final report and presentation with a focus on lessons learned throughout each of the phases: initiation, planning, implementation, and evaluation. This is the final course in the MSN Leadership program.**Prerequisite(s): BA 6000 and HCA 6100 and MGMT 6100 and NURS 6110 and NURS 6210 and NURS 6310 and NURS 6320 and NURS 6410 and NURS 6510 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: B- Prerequisite Can Be Concurrent? Yes (any course except NURS 6110)**
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