Online Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse Educator
The online M.S. in Nursing – Nurse Educator program is designed for experienced nurses who want to gain advanced nursing knowledge and prepare to teach and evaluate learning in academic or clinical settings. Graduates will be able to:
- Evaluate and integrate a wide range of theories from nursing and related disciplines to provide high-quality, culturally sensitive, and ethically-based patient-centered care
- Demonstrate leadership, professional accountability, and commitment to lifelong learning in nursing
- Partner with colleagues and patients to promote health and prevent injury and illness
- Apply evidence from research and best practice models to care and evaluate outcomes
- Proficiently use technology and information systems to enhance knowledge, and healthcare team communication, reduce errors, establish differential diagnoses, and support decision-making
- Incorporate ethical principles, legal and regulatory mandates, and professional standards
- Advocate for improving healthcare and health outcomes by analyzing social, political, and economic factors
- Apply knowledge from nursing science and teaching/learning theories to design, implement, and evaluate educational programs/processes in academic and healthcare settings
Format
Although all the courses offered are online, all students are required to complete 210 hours of field experience at a healthcare facility in the student’s geographic area. At least 100 of these hours are supervised clinical experiences at a healthcare facility. In addition, at least 10 hours include participation in a simulation to develop skills in assessing and prioritizing the care of a patient. Students will work with a partner and faculty member to determine what additional activities are needed to meet the remainder of the mandatory hours.
Students will also identify a project to complete during their field experience, such as the development and implementation of a clinical teaching strategy.
More information about the field experience can be found in the Graduate Handbook.
Curriculum
Our curriculum advances your knowledge of nursing and explores curriculum development, didactic and clinical teaching methods, evaluation in nursing education, and population-focused care.
Students will be prepared to meet the didactic and clinical requirements of accreditation by taking separate courses in Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Pathophysiology, and Advanced Pharmacology and by completing a clinical-focused practicum and project.
Throughout your coursework, you’ll work closely with an academic advisor to ensure the program meets your needs.
Core Courses
The following courses are required (12 credits):
- NUR 504: Theory Development in Nursing (3 credits)
- NUR 505: Nursing Research (3 credits)
- NUR 644: Healthcare Leadership, and Management (3 credits)
OR NUR 693: Ethical Inquiry in Healthcare (3 credits) - NUR 694: Health Policy, Politics, and Practice (3 credits)
Required 3Ps Core Courses
The following 3Ps courses are required for the MSN- Nurse Educator program (10 credits):
- NUR 503: Advanced Health Appraisal and Physical Assessment (3 credits)
- NUR 507: Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credits)
- NUR 508: Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics (3 credits)
- NUR 531: Advanced Health Appraisal and Physical Assessment Lab (1 credit)
Specialty Education Courses
The following courses are required (6 credits):
- NUR 512: Curriculum and Course Development and Evaluation in Nursing Education (3 credits)
- NUR 515: Assessment, Measurement, and Evaluation in Nursing Education (3 credits)
Field Experience
Students are required to complete 4 credits (210 hours of field experience). At least 100 of these hours are supervised clinical experiences at a healthcare facility. In addition, at least 10 hours include participation in a simulation to develop skills in assessing and prioritizing the care of a patient. Students will work with a partner and faculty member to determine what additional activities to complete to meet the remainder of the mandatory hours.
Students will also identify a project they will complete during their field experience such as the development and implementation of a clinical teaching strategy. More information about the field experience can be found in the Graduate Handbook.
- NUR 516: Field Experience (4 credits)
Capstone or Thesis
Students may choose from one of 3 options for their capstone (4-6 credits):
- 3-credit elective course approved by the advisor AND 1-credit synthesis paper on an educational topic with a focus on the elective course content.
- 4-credit Scholarly Project/Capstone course. The scholarly project must be approved by the advisor (e.g. development of a course or website)
- 6-credits for a thesis, including
- INT 601: Responsible Conduct of Research (1 credit)
- NUR 699: Thesis (5 credits)
Admissions
Requirements
- A B.S. in Nursing from a CCNE or NLN accredited program
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- A Physical Assessment course with at least a B
- A college-level statistics course with at least a B
- A college-level research methods course with at least a B
- Experience as a Registered Nurse
- Licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Maine or multi-state compact license (by date of admission)
- A pre-admission meeting with nursing faculty to discuss goals and program of study
Application Materials
The admission evaluation process begins once we’ve received all your application materials. Before you apply, please review the application instructions. When you’re ready to apply, please submit the following:
- An online application
- An essay using the guidelines set by the Graduate School of Nursing
- Official academic transcripts
- Current resume
- Two letters of recommendation
*Applicants must hold licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Maine or multi-state compact license by date of admission.
Contact Us
Have questions about earning your M.S. in Nursing online with UMaine? Contact Julie Roach, UMaineOnline Advisor, at 207.581.3154 (Mon/Wed) or 207.573.0417 (Tue/Thu/Fri), or at julie.a.roach@maine.edu.
Careers
This is a career that is highly in demand. The United States is currently experiencing a serious nursing shortage and one of the reasons is that many universities must turn away applicants due to a lack of nurse educators to train these future nurses.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for nursing instructors and teachers was $82,040 in May 2021, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $41,950.
Graduates are eligible to take the National League for Nursing Nurse Educator Certification exam.
Notable Companies Employing Alumni
- Maine Community College System
- University of Maine System
- Northern Light Health
Faculty
Our diverse faculty is prepared in a variety of clinical specialties and research areas. To view the faculty and learn more about their leadership and community engagement, visit umaine.edu/nursing/faculty.
