U-M School of Nursing launches 3 online master’s programs

The University of Michigan School of Nursing is now offering three of its Master of Science in Nursing degree programs online, with courses beginning in fall 2020.

In addition to traditional residential programs, students will have the opportunity to complete their MSN in the Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Leadership, Analytics and Innovation specialties through immersive online courses.

These specialty programs were identified for development in a digital framework because they cross the spectrum of nursing education, from the highly clinical PCFNP and AGPCNP programs to the data-driven Leadership, Analytics and Innovation specialty, which prepares nurses to thrive in executive leadership roles.

The new digital programs have been designed with input from students and in consultation with national experts in online learning. But, as U-M School of Nursing Dean Patricia Hurn, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, explained, their development has been driven by faculty.

“Our faculty are poised to do this, and they’ve helped push us in this direction,” she said. “They want to reach more students and make a bigger impact, and that’s a huge advantage we have in making these programs unique.”

The U-M School of Nursing is committed to replicating the residential learning experience in the digital environment, providing access to its renowned faculty practitioners and the wide array of resources students expect when attending a world-class research institution.

“The Michigan difference will continue in our digital education just as it does in our residence education,” Hurn said. “The person who earns their master’s in residence and the person who earns it digitally will have the same quality experience, with the same access to our talented faculty and the same connectivity to the larger university community.”

The new programs will employ cutting-edge digital education methodologies such as storybooking, animation, simulation and more in order to maintain the rigorous didactic and clinical instruction offered on campus. By providing innovative training in flexible learning environments, the school aims to address the growing demand for high-quality digital education among graduate nursing students across the country.

 “These programs will allow us to engage many more people to be Michigan nurses, and that is our ultimate goal,” said Hurn. “We think Michigan nurses are the best, and we want them everywhere.”

Students interested in the new online MSN programs can find more information and apply on the U-M School of Nursing website, the U-M School of Nursing online MSN in LAI site  or connect with an admissions representative at UMSN-GradAdmissions@med.umich.edu.