MSN in Healthcare Administration and Leadership

APU’s Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing (ELM-MSN) in Healthcare Administration and Leadership program is for students who hold baccalaureate or higher degrees in other disciplines but want to pursue healthcare administration careers in myriad healthcare settings.

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Healthcare Administration and Leadership is designed for BSN-prepared registered nurses who are looking to advance their careers and move into early- to midlevel management and leadership roles in a variety of healthcare settings. The program provides values-based education to develop nursing leaders who are effective collaborators, motivated by a spirit of commitment to the profession, and have a genuine compassion for others. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to lead and manage healthcare teams in organizations, functioning in areas such as operations management, project management, and healthcare consulting.

The program focuses on nursing leadership, advancing understanding of core aspects including nursing and healthcare research and theory, healthcare policy, bioethics, and spirituality. Administration and leadership coursework is interdisciplinary and offered through the School of Nursing and the School of Business and Management. Content includes leadership styles and theories, strategic planning, quality improvement and patient safety, change management, effective communication and conflict resolution skills, staffing challenges and constraints, financial management, and healthcare informatics. Students apply their knowledge and develop competencies in healthcare settings during practicum experiences. Upon completion of this program, students will have had the educational content required to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center and American Organization for Nursing Leadership nurse leadership examinations.

Requirements

Academic Core Courses
GNRS 504Bioethics and Healthcare Policy3
GNRS 613Graduate Statistics3
GNRS 506Spiritual Concept Analysis in Health Care3
GNRS 508AResearch and Theory in Advanced Practice Nursing4
Heathcare Administration and Leadership
GNRS 560Strategic Leadership in Health Care3
GNRS 596Foundations of Healthcare Informatics3
GNRS 568Healthcare Finance4
MGMT 516High-Performance People Management3
MGMT 517Managing Human Capital3
GNRS 543Transitions Across the Care Continuum 14 (2/2)
GNRS 567Healthcare Administration and Leadership Supervised Practicum3 (0/3)
Concluding Course
GNRS 597Comprehensive Examination Directed Study1
Total Units37
1

Units in parentheses are classroom/clinical units.

Admission

University graduate admission and program-specific requirements must be met before an application is complete (see Admission to the University). Program-specific application requirements are available online.

International students should contact Graduate and Professional Admissions for application procedures.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program shall be able to:
  1. Articulate a Christian worldview, demonstrating respect for the dignity and uniqueness of others, valuing diversity, and applying spiritual concepts.
    2.
  2. Engage in scholarly inquiry and critical thinking, including evaluation and application of evidence-based research.
    3.
  3. Appraise and apply knowledge to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions that promote health and prevent disease.
    4.
  4. Demonstrate thoughtful analysis of the legal, political, ethical, and/or financial factors impacting health care.
    5.
  5. Use information systems and other technology to communicate, manage knowledge, promote quality, mitigate error, and support decision making.
    6.
  6. Demonstrate the ability to coordinate and collaborate with other healthcare team professionals.
    7.
  7. Engage in clinical reasoning and effective communication, and act as a change agent to develop professional identity and practice skill.