School of Nursing Launches Online MSN Degree Program

With the launch of its new online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program in fall 2018, the School of Nursing will prepare registered nurses (RNs) holding bachelor’s degrees for professional growth opportunities. Thirty students will be enrolled in fall 2018.

“The BSN is the preferred generalist nursing degree,” says School of Nursing Dean Janice Smolowitz. “The new online MSN degree program will offer RNs the chance to advance their careers in one of three specialties: nursing administration, education and clinical research.” A top-tier, forward-thinking nursing faculty will prepare program graduates for executive, research and education roles in a wide variety of settings.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected an employment growth rate of nearly 20 percent for medical and health services managers between 2016 and 2026.

Designed for Working Professionals

Designed to accommodate the schedules of working RNs who have earned baccalaureate degrees, the new 35-credit MSN degree program is a convenient, flexible and affordable choice for students. “To assist students with financial planning, the tuition rate is set when the student enrolls,” explains Smolowitz.

To further aid its first cohort of 30 students, each student will receive a scholarship credited toward the first course taken during the fall 2018 semester.

Courses will be offered during the fall, spring and summer semesters. Students will generally take from one to two courses a semester. Schedules are customized to fit professional and personal needs. “We’ll work individually with each student to plan a course of study that should lead to graduation within two or three years,” says Smolowitz.

Students opting to pursue the administration concentration will take their business core courses alongside Master of Business Administration students in Montclair State’s Feliciano School of Business. “This will be useful for future trans-professional interactions in the health care environment,” notes Smolowitz.

According to Smolowitz, nurses who concentrate in clinical research will gain the training they need to assume leading roles in an area of practice that is rapidly expanding in New Jersey.

View more information on the online Master of Science in Nursing program.