The Master of Science (MS) in Nursing program is a 39 credit degree program delivered in a fully asynchronous online format. Six (6) of these credits may be taken at UMass Dartmouth prior to matriculation. A total of six (6) credits may be transferred from another graduate program following the appropriate review and approval. One of these transferred courses may include a required elective.
The goal of the MS in Nursing program is to prepare the nursing graduate to be a leader in nursing education and/or in global public heath.
The nursing and healthcare education concentration prepares the individual for the nurse educator role in academic, clinical, or staff development settings. The concentration reflects the nurse educator and professional development competencies developed by national organizations. The graduate is prepared to design, implement, evaluate, and revise academic and continuing education programs for nurses.
The global public health concentration prepares the socially accountable individual to apply skills and knowledge using an ecological framework to improve health outcomes of families, groups, and populations. The graduate is prepared to work in various domestic and global settings, with diverse individuals, families, and populations, to improve healthcare outcomes through illness prevention, health promotion and health policy.
Both concentrations provide the student with the foundation knowledge of healthcare systems, healthcare policy, nursing research methods, and healthcare informatics. Advanced courses in the concentration allow the application of knowledge to be applied in various practice settings. The final capstone project prepares the student for a career using advacned nursing skills.
The MS in Nursing program prepares the nurse leader who:
- Synthesizes specialized and diverse knowledge for application in nursing practice.
- Applies principles of organization and system leadership to promote high quality and safe patient care to individuals, families, groups and populations.
- Applies quality principles within an organization.
- Uses evidence to guide nursing practice, address patient problems and disseminate results.
- Interprets information from a variety of healthcare technologies to integrate and coordinate care.
- Influences health system and health policy to shape care delivery to individuals, families, groups and populations across the lifespan.
- Engage in inter-professional collaboration to promote health, guide clients through the illness experience and improve the health system.
- Applies the principles of culturally appropriate care to plan, deliver, manage and evaluate healthcare to individuals, families, groups and populations.
- Influences healthcare outcomes through nursing practice by integrating advanced scientific, clinical and systems knowledge.
Clinical Practicum
The clinical practicum course is an essential component of the MS program. Practicum experiences offer the best opportunity to apply new knowledge and specialized skills in each concentration option. Students are required to complete a minimum of 112 hours of supervised practice in the final semester of their program of study. Clinical placements are determined by agency/ preceptor availability and student learning needs. It should be noted that the appropriate clinical preceptors are typically only available during weekdays (although some exceptions do occur).
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