MSN Nursing Education - Plan of Study
Program Overview
- Cohort-based: 15 student cohorts start every two years and complete the program as a group.
- Program length: two years, 6 quarters full-time, excluding summer.
- Credits: 48 quarter-system credits (equivalent to 30 semester system credits)
- Course delivery: asynchronous online coursework and on-site practice hours completed in your area.
- Location: anywhere in Washington state.
- Planned practicums: hands-on practical experiences arranged by faculty in your community.
- Curriculum: grounded in population health, social justice and NLN Nurse Educator competencies.
New in Fall 2026
Asynchronous online coursework and on-site practice experiences in your community.
Updates are coming to the curriculum. Practice experience hours will be concentrated in the second year. Once final approval for the revisions is made the plan of study will be updated.
Plan of Study
Revised plan of study below will be implemented fall 2026
Year 1
| Quarter | Course | Title | Credits | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | NURS 510 | Health Systems Assessment for Health Equity | 4 | Online |
| Fall | NURS 512 | Equity-Focused Nursing Scholarship | 4 | Online |
| Winter | NURS 520 | Systems of Power in Healthcare | 4 | Online |
| Winter | NURS 522 | Informatics and Healthcare Technology | 4 | Online |
| Spring | NURS 530 | Population Management for Health Equity | 4 | Online |
| Spring | NURS 550 | Holistic Health Assessment, Advanced Pathophysiology & Pharmacology | 4 | Online |
Year 2
| Quarter | Course | Title | Credits | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | NURS 540 | Partnerships for Health Equity, Sustainability, and Advocacy | 4 | Online |
| Fall | NURS 532 | Inclusive Teaching Excellence | 3 | Online |
| Fall | NURS 543 | Nurse Educator Practice Experience I (30 hrs. Practice Experience) | 1 | Face to Face |
| Winter | NURS 542 | Inclusive Educational Technology | 5 | Online |
| Winter | NURS 551 | Nurse Educator Practice Experience II (60 hrs. Practice Experience) | 2 | Face to Face |
| Winter | NURS 552 | Professional Role Development & Transition I | 1 | Online |
| Spring | NURS 560 | Curriculum Design, Program Evaluation, and Quality Enhancement | 5 | Online |
| Spring | NURS 561 | Nurse Educator Practice Experience III (60 hrs. Practice Experience) | 2 | Face to Face |
| Spring | NURS 562 | Professional Role Development & Transition II | 1 | Online |
Total Credits 48
MSN in Nursing Education
- Aligns with the 2021 AACN Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education and meets the didactic requirement to sit for advanced credentialing: NLN Academic Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) or Academic Novice Nurse Educator Certification (CNEn) certification programs.
- Non-thesis master’s degree. Students complete a nurse educator project in the last two quarters of the program in lieu of a thesis.
- Students are admitted to the program in fall every two years (even years). Each cohort is 15 students.
- Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis through August 1st of the year of new cohort start.
- Program includes foundational courses where students learn with MSN in Nursing Leadership & Administration colleagues in addition to nursing education courses.
Contact Us
Rika Winquist, Nursing Program Manager
Rika.Winquist@wwu.edu
(360) 650-6777