Dean of Nursing and 

Director of Graduate Nursing
Ellen Piskac, M.S.N., R.N.
P: 800.647.5500 or 402.552.2463
E: piskac@clarksoncollege.edu  

Introduction
Clarkson College offers an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree that provides four options to meet specific professional goals of graduate students. The options include: Nursing Health Care Leadership, Nursing Education, Adult Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner.

In order to complete a MSN at Clarkson College, students must successfully complete 38 to 45 graduate semester hours. Each of the options has a different set of credit hour requirements; however, they all require coursework to be taken from nursing core, option, and capstone areas. Up to nine semester hours of current graduate-level courses may be transferred from another accredited institution with the approval of the Director of the Graduate Nursing Program.

Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the degree requirements for the Master of Science in Nursing, the graduate will be able to demonstrate the following when working with individuals, families, groups and communities whether in an advanced practice, education, or leadership role. 

1. Synthesize sophisticated knowledge of caring to advocate for holistic health care for individuals, families, and groups across the lifespan.
2. Establish a foundation for leadership based on advanced knowledge in order to assume complex roles of educator, administrator, or advanced clinician.
3. Coach individuals, families, and groups in health promoting and risk preventive behaviors by integrating concepts of holistic health and evidence-based practice.
4. Synthesize the impact of individual and group characteristics, experiences and environments on health behaviors.
5. Formulate, implement, and evaluate strategies based on concepts of advanced nursing practice.

  

Curriculum Requirements 

The Clarkson College Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program requires completion of: 

• Core Requirement Courses = 17 semester hours
• Specialty Option Courses (selecting one of the concentrations) = 18 to 24 semester hours
• Capstone Project = 3 to 4 semester hours

  

Specialty Option Courses 

Each of the four specialty options has a set of courses required for completion of the MSN. All courses identified for each of the options must be completed.   

  

Capstone Project 

To complete the Capstone Project, you may choose to: Conduct research and write a thesis, which requires students to register for NS 814 the semester prior to registering for one credit hour of NS 902. If the thesis is not completed in these two semesters, students must register for one credit hour of NS 902 per semester until the thesis is completed. A second option is to register for NS 903 which requires the completion of a scholarly project. 

  

Service-Learning and Community Service Graduation Requirements 

15 hours (11 Service-Learning)* of Clarkson College Service hours must be completed prior to graduation. Graduates who do not complete the required number of Service hours will not receive diplomas or transcripts, until the hours have been completed. *Note: Service hours accrued beyond the minimum number of required service hours can be applied toward the requirements for the Maltese Cross Certificate or Medal.  

  

Required Courses (click here)  

  

Course Descriptions (click here)  

  

Admission Requirements for Graduate Students (click here)