This lovely Southern State is home to many Master’s in Nursing degree programs. As the largest state east of the Mississippi River in land area and 24th most extensive state in general, Georgia is the 8th most populous state in the nation with 14 of its counties ranked among the 100 fastest-growing and a total of more than 9.9 million residents. Located in the southeastern region of the country along the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean and bordered by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia is well-known for being the last of the original 13 colonies established in 1732 and named after King George II of Great Britain. Nicknamed as the “Peach State” and “Empire State of the South,” Georgia is famous for being home to Stone Mountain, World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Dome, Centennial Olympic Park, CNN Center, Turner Field, Fox Theatre, Callaway Gardens, and the world’s largest aquarium with more than 100,000 marine species at the Georgia Aquarium. Also the location of many of the top universities in the nation, the following are the first half (A-F) of fully accredited Master’s in Nursing degree programs for aspiring advanced practice nurses to further their education in Georgia.
Albany State University
Department of Nursing
As a historically black four-year public institution located in the heart of Albany’s downtown urban center, Albany State University is currently ranked as the 4th best producer of degrees for African Americans in the nation by the Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Featured in Ebony magazine as a “top liberal arts” school, ASU has been named the 84th best college, 42nd top public school, and 22nd best college for veterans in the South by the U.S. News and World Report. Even more importantly, the ASU Department of Nursing has been nationally recognized for having the 67th best online graduate nursing programs in the United States.
Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs
MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) – With the goal of providing registered nurses with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the primary healthcare needs of vulnerable communities across the lifespan, the FNP program track consists of 44 semester hours that can be completed in a fully online format within two years full-time or three years part-time. After completing all curriculum requirements, practicum experiences, and the Master’s thesis, graduates are eligible to sit for the certification exams through the AANP or ANCC.
MSN Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE) – Designed as a stepping stone for individuals already proficient in clinical nursing with a valid RN license to reach a higher level of professionalism, the CNE program track focuses on preparing graduates for roles as educator in either academic or clinical settings. Offered in both on-campus or online learning options, the 36 required semester units cover topics in nursing theory development, nursing research, pharmacology, instructional strategy, curriculum design, family diversity, evaluation, and teaching practicum.
Accreditations
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
ACAD Room 130
504 College Drive
Albany, GA 31705
(229) 430-4724
[email protected]
https://www.asurams.edu/academic-affairs/dchealthprof/nursing/index.php
Brenau University
School of Nursing
With a renowned liberal arts tradition tracing back 135 years to 1878 when it was founded as the Brenau Women’s College, Brenau University is now a coeducational private institution with campuses spread across Georgia in North Atlanta, South Alanta, Augusta, Gainesville, and Kings Bay. Consistently listed as one of the “Best Southeastern Colleges” by the prestigious Princeton Review, Brenau is currently ranked as the 49th best college in the South by the U.S. News and World Report. With a strong mission of preparing professional nurses to improve quality of care and life, the School of Nursing is nationally recognized as having the 411th best graduate nursing programs in the nation for 2014.
Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs
MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) – Designed to prepare registered nurses for the complexities of primary healthcare for the 21st century to create a caring environment for individuals and families of all ages, the FNP program track consists of a minimum of 54 semester credits covering a strong curriculum in advanced pathophysiology, statistics, clinical reasoning, advanced nursing principles, pharmacology, diagnosis and health assessment, population health, women’s health, nursing research, and five clinical practicum experiences.
MSN Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE) – The CNE program is offered to qualified nurses who are interested in combining their passion for teaching and clinical expertise to become part of the solution to the critical shortage of nursing faculty and facilitate education within diverse healthcare environments. Along with four semesters of coursework half online and half in-person at the Atlanta campuses, students are required to complete at least 224 practicum hours teaching in didactic, laboratory, and clinical settings.
MSN Nurse Leadership and Management – Focused on producing graduates who develop role competency, demonstrate scholarly communication, and apply evidence-based decision making for high-level leadership roles in the nursing profession, the MSN in Nurse Leadership and Management program is offered solely at the Gainesville campus. Through the program track, students are actively engaged in coursework on advanced nursing research, theoretical foundations, clinical reason, health assessment, pharmacology, project management, human resources management in healthcare, and effective leadership practices.
Accreditations
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
500 Washington St. SE
Gainesville, GA 30501
(770) 534-6283
[email protected]
https://www.brenau.edu/healthsciences/nursing/grad/msn/
Clayton State University
School of Nursing
Situated on a 163-acre campus in the suburban setting of Morrow just minutes from Atlanta, Clayton State University is a public undergraduate and graduate institution known for having one of the most diverse student bodies in the Southeast. One of just a few dozen “Notebook Universities” nationwide where all students and faculty members have laptop computers for a competitive edge, the U.S. News and World Report survey currently ranks Clayton State as being the 66th best college and 8th top public school in the South. Committed to providing comprehensive nursing education to residents from a diverse range of ethnic, socioeconomic, experiential, and geographical backgrounds, the School of Nursing is also nationally recognized for having the 390th best graduate nursing programs in the United States.
Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs
MSN Nursing Education – Designed with specializations in community education, staff development, or academia in both clinical and classroom environments, the Nursing Education program track involves at least 37 semester credits delivered in an innovative synchronous online format with virtual class meetings through WebEx with a webcam. The mission of the program is to prepare registered nurses to facilitate learning through the application of knowledge in learning theories, instructional design, technology utilization, curriculum development, and evaluation/assessment of student learning.
MSN Nursing Leadership/Management – Requiring students to complete at least 42 semester credits in four semesters full-time or six semesters part-time, the Nursing Leadership and Management track focuses on developing nursing leaders who are able to influence, design, manage, transform, and evaluate the evolution of nursing care delivery. Offered in a convenient online format, students are expected to actively engage in coursework covering topics in nursing theory, pathophysiology, evidence-based leadership practices, system performance analysis, human resource management, health promotion, and a focused project or Master’s thesis.
Accreditations
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
2000 Clayton State Blvd. Suite 220
Morrow, GA 30260
(678) 466-4900
[email protected]
http://www.clayton.edu/msn
Columbus State University
School of Nursing
Situated in the front yard of the world’s longest urban whitewater experience on the Cahttahoochee River providing its more than 8,200 with unparalleled access to kayaking, tubing, river surfing, and whitewater rafting activities, Columbus State University is a comprehensive public institution serving the Southeast and attracting students from around the globe. According to the U.S. News and World Report, CSU is currently ranked as the 92nd best college, 47th top public school, and 25th best university for veterans in the South. Boasting a high pass rate for national nursing licensure examinations over 90 percent, the School of Nursing has collaborated with Georgia Southwestern University to offer MSN programs utilizing resources from both accredited institutions.
Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs
MSN Nursing Education – Focused on preparing registered nurses to facilitating learning in various academic and clinical environments through the effective practice of knowledge in curriculum design, instructional development, nursing technology, and assessment of learning, the Nursing Education program track consists of 36 semester credits completed fully online within two academic years full-time or three academic years part-time.
MSN Nursing Informatics – With the overarching goal of producing advanced practice nurses who exemplify cultural competence and employ critical thinking in the application of nursing frameworks to foster optimal client health outcomes, the Nursing Informatics program track contains 38 semester credits focused on health information technology and essential informatics competencies needed to function within diverse healthcare environments.
MSN Nursing Leadership – Requiring graduate students to complete at least 38 semester hours of post-baccalaureate studies to effectively implement the selected advanced practice role as a nurse administrator or manager, the Nursing Leadership program track is strongly based on the knowledge and skills needed to design, manage, assess, and transform healthcare delivery systems for optimal patient care.
Accreditations
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
Illges Hall Room 307
4225 University Avenue
Columbus, GA 31907
(706) 507-8578
[email protected]
https://academics.columbusstate.edu/degrees-and-programs/ms-nursing.php
Emory University
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
Located on a 630-acre campus home to more than 8,000 students in the suburbs just outside downtown Atlanta in Druid Hills, Emory University is an elite major private research institution known for demanding academics and highly ranked professional schools. According to the U.S. News and World Report, Emory University is named the 20th best college and 19th best value school in the nation. The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is nationally recognized for being the 21st best graduate school of nursing in the United States. Furthermore, the school’s programs have been distinguished as being 21st for Family Nurse Practitioner, 11th for Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and 13th in Nurse Midwifery in the nation.
Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs
MSN Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) – Designed to prepare nurses to provide advanced practice in acute and critical care settings through a curriculum focused on the health needs of acutely ill patients and their families, the AG-ACNP program track includes 49 semester credits completed on a full-time or part-time basis to gain eligibility for the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certification examination.
MSN Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-PCNP) – Strongly based on solid preparation for advanced practice nursing roles through studies emphasizing the primary care for patients from late adolescence through older adulthood. Through the required 50 credit hours, students engage in coursework covering topics in health assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology, optimal wellness, evidence-based practice, mental health, and patient safety.
MSN Emergency Nurse Practitioner – Built on the family nurse practitioner preparation with additional coursework covering the care of patients with acute or life-threatening healthcare needs, the 54-credit Emergency Nurse Practitioner program is designed for nurses who seek to provide healthcare to patients across the lifespan in emergency settings.
MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) – As a 48-credit program that can be completed in four semesters full-time or six semesters part-time, the FNP program track aims to prepare registered nurses for the specific challenges of advanced nursing practice in diverse primary care settings with the knowledge to assume responsibility for the assessment and management of a broad range of health needs for individuals or families.
MSN Family Nurse-Midwife (FNM) – With the mission of preparing culturally competent family nurse practitioners who specialize in obstetrics to provide healthcare to underserved populations of ethnic minorities, the FNM program consists of 64 credit hours in five semester of full-time preparation for primary care services to women in ob-gyn settings.
MSN Health Systems Leadership – Designed as a 36-credit three-semester program to prepare graduates to lead complex healthcare organizations, health policy initiatives, and healthcare consultancies, the Health Systems Leadership program delivers a dynamic curriculum as a solid foundation for students to become nursing leaders and administrators in the 21st century.
MSN Nurse Midwifery – Intended to provide registered nurses with the practitioner skills in atepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, family planning, and selected aspects of women’s healthcare, the Nurse Midwifery program involves 51 credit hours covering a curriculum in healthcare quality, palliative care, human development, genetics, embryology, pharmacology, optimal wellness, and health assessment.
MSN and MPH – Offered in collaboration with the Rollins School of Public Health with opportunities for professional growth enhanced by the nearby U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the dual degree program to earn a MSN and Master of Public Health (MPH) concurrently consists of six or seven semesters for nurses who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills in both community health and clinical nursing.
MSN Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) – Giving students the freedom to specialize in the acute or primary care for children and adolescents under the age of 21 across the health continuum, the PNP program requires students to complete a minimum of 49 semester credits to prepare for direct patient care management roles performing in-depth physical assessments.
MSN Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) – Based on a thorough knowledge of nursing theory, research, clinical decision making skills, pathophysiology, and reproductive or gynecological health, the WHNP program requires a minimum of 39 credit hours in one calendar year of full-time studies for effective preparation to deliver primary care to women throughout the lifespan with their unique health needs.
Accreditations
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
1520 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30322
(404) 727-7976
[email protected]
https://www.nursing.emory.edu/program-details/mn-msn
For Master’s in Nursing degree programs in Georgia (G-Z), click here.