Ohio University will launch an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in January that is adapted from its on-campus counterpart and offers three specialties: family nurse practitioner, nurse administrator and nurse educator.  

Coursework for the new program will be completely online, and clinical rotations will be performed with an approved preceptor in the student’s area. Applications are being accepted for students who will begin the program during the 2012 winter quarter.  

The online MSN is designed to be flexible enough to allow working nurses to complete coursework and clinical work.  

“Ohio University’s visibility in the nursing industry stems from our longevity and history with our online and on-campus nursing programs,” said Mary Bowen, OHIO School of Nursing director. “This visibility carries a positive reputation that helps our nursing students feel prepared and empowered.”  

The online MSN offers students three specialties. The family nurse practitioner path prepares nurses to diagnose and treat common illnesses through assessment, intervention and evaluation of family-focused care. The nurse administrator specialty focuses on healthcare systems management, the business aspects of nursing, and applying process improvements. The nurse educator path gives the student options to teach in a hospital setting or have a career in academia, learning how to teach nurses who wish to serve in this profession and show patients how to care for themselves when faced with chronic disease.  

In addition to courses designed for each of the three specialties, students will also complete core courses on such topics as the theoretical basis of practice, evidence-based practice, process excellence and advanced health appraisal.  

“Evidence-based practice with a family focus is intertwined in all of the courses within the online MSN program,” said Mary-Agnes Andreano, the program’s coordinator.  “The foundation in family theory and planning helps nursing students take the concepts they learn and be prepared to address the healthcare of families in their community.”  

Each of the three options requires 55 quarter-system credit hours or 36-41 semester-system credit hours. Courses run for 14 weeks, and students will generally take two courses each term.  By attending consecutive terms, it would possible to complete the program in as little as 6 terms or 2 years.   

Ohio University’s School of Nursing, part of the College of Health Sciences and Professions, also offers associate and bachelor’s degrees in the field. The school has programs on the university’s campuses in Athens, Chillicothe, Ironton and Zanesville. 

For more information about the online MSN, go online to http://mastersinnursing.ohio.edu or contact a School of Nursing representative at 1-877-398-3147.