Earn an MSN and become a nurse educator
- CCNE-accredited1
- 100% online coursework flexible to accommodate your lifestyle
- Herzing pledges to help you secure clinical placement
- Program length: 16 months when attending full-time
- Full-time and part-time options available
- 6 start-dates per year
Share your expertise with the next generation of nurses
Whether your calling is educating tomorrow's nurses in a faculty position, educating hospital nursing staff, or branching out into industry, Herzing's online MSN in Nursing Education program offers you the tools you need to effectively train future or current nurses.
Additional program highlights
- 36-credit nursing education program in manageable 8-week sessions
- Online classes are flexible to accommodate your lifestyle
- Prepare to sit for the Certified Nurse Educator exam upon graduation
- Learn key teaching skills, including curriculum development, instructional strategy, and assessment and evaluation strategies
Being a nurse is a rewarding career, as is being a teacher. Imagine doing both.
Classes Start September 8th
Learn More Today
Your clinical placement is our pledge.
We understand securing clinical placement as part of an MSN nurse educator program is one of the biggest concerns students face. At Herzing, we offer guidance and support through our step-by-step Clinical Guidance Process to ensure you can get the clinical practice experiences you need.
As a Herzing student, we’ll encourage you to find your own preceptor and clinical sites as there are many benefits to doing so. However, we provide extensive support should you find difficulty along the way. With Herzing, you are never on your own.
Because of our strong relationships with healthcare providers across the U.S. and our comprehensive Clinical Guidance Process, we are confident in our ability to help you find clinical placement. So much so that if you are unable to find a clinical site on your own, we pledge to step in and help you secure clinical placement.*
* Subject to terms and conditions outlined in the enrollment agreement.
Questions? Speak with an advisor today
1. The master's degree program in nursing at Herzing University - Madison is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin.
Accreditation acknowledges that Herzing's nursing programs meet specific national standards including institutional resources, quality curriculum and teaching practices, and program outcomes related to completion rates, pass rates and employment.
Gain the Skills to Mentor and Lead
Through Herzing's online MSN Nursing Education specialization you will develop expertise to become a nurse educator in diverse healthcare and academic environments. Our unique program offers you:
- Curriculum development to prepare you for evaluating and developing curriculum that meets the educational demands of the 21st century
- A focus on instructional strategy, so you'll learn skills that integrate the newest technologies
- Assessment and evaluation strategies to help you understand and promote nursing program standards related to admissions, progression and graduation
- A strong focus on staff development and the role of the nurse educator in patient education
- Opportunities to engage in research applicable to your selected academic focus
MSN in Nursing Education Program Curriculum
You'll find that the nurse educator concentration includes courses on teaching strategies, curriculum development and nursing education roles. Following graduation, you'll be prepared to apply for the certified nurse educator examination.
Options for RNs with an ADN
We also offer an RN to MSN in Nursing Education program for nurses who hold associate degree or RN diploma in nursing.
Choose to go from RN to MSN or earn your BSN on the way in our RN to BSN to MSN track.
Required Core Courses
All courses, 15.00 semester credit hours, are required.
Required Courses in Direct Care Core for Education
All courses, 9.00 semester credit hours, are required.
Required Courses in Nursing Education Concentration
12.00 semester credit hours are required.
MSN in Nursing Education program prerequisites
To enroll Herzing’s MSN-NE program, prospective students must live in a state where Herzing University is authorized to offer the MSN-NE program. You must also meet the following criteria:
- Hold a current, active and unrestricted license as a registered nurse (RN) in the same state in which they practice. (Note: Holding a multi-state, compact state license and being a resident in a compact license state will be deemed to have met this requirement.)
- Hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited university or college with an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Scholarship Opportunities
You may be eligible for one of two Herzing University scholarships for MSN in Nursing Education program applicants:
1. Nurses Circle of Achievement Scholarship
MSN in Nursing Education - one degree, many options
As a graduate of Herzing University's MSN in Nursing Education program, you’ll be qualified to work in a variety of educational settings, from university classrooms to medical centers. You may find career opportunities in hospitals, private practice, and a number of nursing-related positions in a variety of workplaces.
What can you do with a master's in nursing education?
- Acute Healthcare Systems — staff development educators, clinical nurse specialists, patient education
- Community-based healthcare organizations/systems — patient education and staff development
- College & University level — faculty or assistant professor
- Public Health Nursing — area coordinator, clinic coordinators
Across the nation, nursing schools are struggling to find new educators and faculty to meet the demand of increasing numbers of students. This provides great job opportunities—and increased job security—for nurses who wish to transition into education, or maintain dual roles educating students while also continuing to provide direct patient care.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many MSN programs out there through a variety of accredited nursing schools for RNs looking to step up to the next level in their specialty.
Herzing University offers MSN programs in the following specialties:
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
- Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Nursing Education
- Nursing Leadership and Administration
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
...all delivered online! If you are interested in a career in patient care, teaching, or on the administrative/business side of nursing, you may be interested in pursuing these emphases.
Nurse educators are qualified at the master’s or doctoral level and could work in teaching roles in both clinical and academic settings.
Academic educators teach and work with nursing students, and may design, implement and revise programs for students and practicing nurses. Clinical nurse educators are uniquely positioned in the hospital system to provide education to nursing staff and other healthcare professionals, as well as providing education for patients.
Learn more about what a nurse educator is and what they do.
You can earn your MSN in nursing education in as few as 16 months. We recommend you sit for the Certified Nurse Educator exam. It’s not a requirement, but it will give you an edge on the job market. Completing the MSN in Nursing Education program from Herzing University makes you eligible to register for the exam.
Once you pass the exam and become a certified nurse educator you’ll have the credentials you need to start making an impact on the lives of nursing students in a clinical or college/university environment.
According to 2020 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual salary for a nurse educator is $84,060 per year.* Salaries can vary based on location, education, and experience. Discover the average nurse educator salary in your state and learn more about a career in nursing education.
With Herzing University you are never alone. It’s our goal to provide all students an affordable, career-driven education. Financial aid options include:
- Loan options – Federal & private
- Scholarships & grants
- VA / military benefits
- Other sources of financial aid
You can find an estimate for tuition and expenses by using the Herzing University tuition wizard.
The estimated return on your investment is very high given the average annual salary for nursing educators and the job outlook in the coming years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the need for health educators will grow 13% from 2019 to 2029, and reports the average annual salary at $62,120 ($29.86 per hour)*.
Education is extremely important in healthcare on an ongoing basis. Your credentials and ability to educate the current and future generations of nurses will keep you very competitive in the job market.
Life as a clinical nurse educator can be unpredictable—between managing a department’s educational and staffing needs and supporting students on an individual basis, it can be challenging to stick to a routine. However, helping patients and nursing students alike is extremely rewarding.
Take it from a real teacher in nursing who offers us a glimpse into a day in the life of a nurse educator.
You’ll need a great education, plenty of clinical experience, excellent communication skills, a passion for healthcare and a real desire to make a difference—and an eagerness to share your experiences with others. The best teachers are those who are truly passionate and pass that along to their students. A great teacher goes a lot further than the essentials.
Perhaps most important is a commitment to a life of learning. If you possess these crucial skills for a nurse educator, this might be the career you’re looking for.
At the very least you’ll need to become a licensed registered nurse (RN) with several years of work experience and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Most of the time you’ll need a MSN in nursing education, especially for teaching at a university or college in an academic environment.
What degree you need depends on what you want to teach and where you teach it. Generally if you earn your master’s degree and earn your certificate as a Certified Nurse Educator, you’ll be qualified for a position as a clinical nurse educator.
Accreditations & Disclosures
1. The master's degree program in nursing at Herzing University - Madison is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin.
Not all programs approved in all states. Applicants should check with their applicable state board of nursing before enrolling in any graduate nursing program.
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2020. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
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