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SECTION VII: General Information on Master's in Nursing Education Program


Master’s in Nursing Education (MNE) Program

The interdisciplinary 37-credit  MNE program is designed to prepare experienced registered nurses for nurse educator roles in a variety of settings. Students identify a clinical practice focus area as well as an academic or clinical teaching focus upon program application. Courses and precepted experiential learning are organized to provide students with both theoretical foundations and practical experiences in classroom, clinical, and online teaching to be successful in a variety of educational settings.

This practice-based program is hybrid-online, interprofessional, and based on the NLN’s National Nurse Educator competencies, the AACN Vision for Academic Nursing, as well as AACN’s Essentials of Master’s Education. Interprofessional courses are taught in conjunction with the  Warner School of Education and the School of Medicine and Dentistry faculty to provide graduate students with authentic interprofessional collaboration opportunities.

All courses in the MNE program provide experiential learning opportunities to apply educational theory and evidence to teach effectively, work in diverse teams, lead educational programs, use technology to inspire learning and engage in scholarly inquiry. An elective is also required in the program, providing students with an opportunity to explore educational topics of interest and relevance to individual professional goals. The hybrid-online format of the MNE program is designed to meet the needs of busy professionals, while still providing time for students to engage with peers and faculty within the SON, medical center, and university to enhance learning. Students will learn by observing, practicing, reflecting, and participating within a community of nurse educators.

MNE graduates are prepared for successful completion of the CNEcl (Clinical Nurse Educator) certification exam. Courses are organized to meet the national nurse educator competencies to provide students with theoretical foundations and student teaching experiences in both academic and clinical nurse educator roles.

Course content within the MNE program includes:

  • current and emerging issues in nursing education
  • clinical and educational evidence-based practice
  • health assessment
  • pathophysiology
  • pharmacology

Specific to:

  • the nurse educator clinical specialties
  • education theories of teaching and learning
  • educational technology
  • curriculum development
  • assessment of student and program learning
  • informatics
  • population health
  • academic evaluation
  • educational leadership

All courses include curricular and/or co-curricular teaching opportunities as well as participation in school and university-wide education events and projects. The program concludes with a semester-long summative capstone immersion course working or student teaching with an experienced, master’s-prepared nurse educator in clinical or academic setting.