Curriculum
The program has two tracks for registered nurses: the B.S.N. Track is for students with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree; the R.N. Track is for students with a hospital diploma, an associate degree in nursing (A.D.N.), or a bachelor’s degree other than a B.S.N. In the R.N. Track, students complete 24 semester credits of foundational courses before starting the core courses: the foundational courses contain the essential content and learning activities to prepare students for the core courses. B.S.N. graduates enter the program at the core course level.

 

All students complete the same core and specialized curriculum and the same capstone courses. The six core courses provide students with a graduate-level knowledge in areas of theory, research, diversity, legality/ethics, and health care systems. The specialization courses build on the core courses and offer students direction and guidance for influencing nursing practice in selected areas. The capstone courses provide students the opportunity to integrate knowledge from their previous courses into a practice setting and to evaluate the achievement of professional and organizational goals.

 

 

Foundational and Core Curricula (19–43 sem. cr.)

 

Foundation Course (1 sem. cr.)

NURS 6000 Success Strategies in the Master of Science Program in Nursing Online Environment (1 sem. cr.)

 

R.N. Track: Foundational Courses (24 sem. cr.)

NURS 6005 Nursing Roles for Today and Tomorrow (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6010 Advancing Nursing Through Inquiry and Research (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6015 Information and Health Care Technologies Applied to Nursing Practice (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6020 Healing Therapies in Nursing Practice (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6025 Managing a Continuum of Care for Positive Patient Outcomes (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6030 The Practice of Population-Based Care (4 sem. cr.)

 

Core Courses (18 sem. cr.)

NURS 6100 Understanding Health Care Systems (3 sem. cr.)
NURS 6110 The Nurse Leader: New Perspectives on the Profession (3 sem. cr.)
NURS 6120 Linking Theory to Nursing Practice (3 sem. cr.)
NURS 6130 Evidence-Based Practice Through Research (3 sem. cr.)
NURS 6140 Ethical and Legal Views of the Changing Health Care System (3 sem. cr.)
NURS 6150 Promoting and Preserving Health in a Diverse Society (3 sem. cr.)

 

Specialized Curriculum (16 sem. cr.)

 

Education Specialization

The Education specialization prepares nurses for faculty positions in all types of undergraduate nursing programs, as well as for educator roles in diverse practice settings. Graduates have the knowledge to develop, plan, implement, and evaluate educational programs for nursing students and other individuals/groups needing health-related education.

 

NURS 6300 Student-Centered Learning in Nursing Education (3 sem. cr.)
NURS 6310 Teaching Strategies for Nurse Educators (3 sem. cr.)
NURS 6320 Integrating Technology Into Nursing Education (3 sem. cr.)
NURS 6330 Curriculum Development, Assessment, and Evaluation (3 sem. cr.)
NURS 6340 The Nurse Educator: Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships (4 sem. cr.)

 

Leadership and Management Specialization

The Leadership and Management specialization prepares nurses for leadership positions in complex health care systems. Collaboration and partnerships are key to managing change and meeting standards for nursing practice. Graduates are ready to make a difference in organizations by addressing pressing issues such as workforce development, resources, integration of technology, and the maintenance and improvement of quality care.

 

NURS 6200 The Nurse Administrator: Leading and Managing for Excellence (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6210 Health Care Finance and Budgeting (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6220 Human Resource Management (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6230 Case Study: Quality Nursing in a Complex Health Care Organization (4 sem. cr.)

 

Nursing Informatics Specialization

The Nursing Informatics specialization prepares nurses to more effectively utilize information technology to enhance the quality of patient care. This specialization blends nursing science with computer and information science. Coursework focuses on such key areas as information systems, database concepts, and effective project management. Graduates have the knowledge to integrate data, information, and knowledge to support decision-making processes that affect patients and providers.

 

NURS 6400 Informatics in Nursing and Health Care (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6410 Information and Knowledge Management (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6420 Supporting Workflow in Health Care Systems (4 sem. cr.)
NURS 6430 Project Management: Health Care Information Technology (4 sem. cr.)

 

Capstone Courses (6 sem. cr.)

The completion of field and practicum experiences gives students the confidence to function at an advanced level in a selected practice setting.

 

NURS 6500 Synthesis Project (3 sem. cr.)
NURS 6510 Synthesis Practicum (3 sem. cr.)

 

General Education Courses

Courses are available at Walden for those students who have not completed the minimum undergraduate credits of general education courses required for admission to the master’s program. Students who choose to complete general education courses at Walden can transition directly into the R.N. Track of the M.S. program after completion of the general education requirements. For course descriptions, students should refer to Walden’s undergraduate catalog.

 

 

Course Requirement	Walden Courses Available (5 cr. each)
Communication (15 cr.; 9 sem. cr.)
English Composition	ENGL 1001  English Composition
Communications 2   Communications 3	COMM 1001  Contemporary Communications COMM 1002  Group Presentation & Discussion COMM 4001  Intercultural Communication (available January 2009) ENGL 2001  Introduction to Literature ISYS 1001  Computer Information Fluency
Humanities (10 cr.; 6 sem. cr.)
Humanities 1   Humanities 2	ARTS 1001  Introduction to Fine Arts HMNT 3001  Modern Popular Culture (available December 2008) PHIL 1001  Introduction to Philosophy PHIL 2001  Ethics (available October 2008) RELG 2001  World Religions (available October 2008)
Social/Behavioral Sciences (15 cr.; 9 sem. cr.)
Social/Behavioral Science 1   Social/Behavioral Science 2   Social/Behavioral Science 3	ANTH 3001  Indigenous Peoples in the Modern World (available January 2009) GEOG 1001  World Regional Geography POLI 1001  American Government PSYC 1001  Introduction to Psychology SOCI 1001  Introduction to Sociology SOCI 2001  Multicultural Dimensions of Society SOCI 4080  Social Responsibility
Mathematics and Science (25 cr.; 15 sem. cr.)
Anatomy and Physiology	Not currently offered
Microbiology	Not currently offered
Mathematics and Science 1   Mathematics and Science 2   Mathematics and Science 3	BIOL 1001  Introduction to Biology CHEM 1001  Introduction to Chemistry MATH 0099  Algebra Fundamentals MATH 1001  College Algebra MATH 1002  Applied Math NASC 1001  Environmental Science PHSC 1001  Earth Science SCNC 4001  Analyzing Contemporary Scientific Controversies (available December 2008)
Introductory Statistics (5 cr.; 3 sem. cr.)
Statistics	PSYC 3002  Data Analysis and Presentation STAT 2001  Statistics (available October 2008)
Electives (5 cr.; 3 sem. cr.)
Elective	Any of the above courses not previously completed or transferred in

Note: No course can count twice toward meeting General Education requirements.